Germans From Russia Just another NDSU Library weblog

Organizers of the Dakota Memories Oral History Project, in cooperation with Prairie Public Broadcasting, will air “A Holiday Special: German-Russian Childhood Memories,” on Wednesday, Dec. 10, and Thursday, Dec. 25, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Public interest in documenting and preserving German-Russian ethnic identity inspired the launch of the project in 2005. Since then, organizers have been traveling the Northern Plains, gathering stories and documenting family relationships and childhood memories of second and third generation Germans from Russia. Jessica Clark, North Dakota State University doctoral candidate and recipient of the Germans from Russia History Doctoral Fellowship, coordinates the project and Michael Miller serves as director of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection and the project.

The Christian holiday special includes interviews from each season of the project and scholarly commentary from Clark. The program features 21 narrators from the Northern Plains. Listeners will learn about memories such as William Adam Merkel Jr.’s recollection of real candles on Christmas trees and Elda (Schultz) Rasch’s first experience with Christmas lights.

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection and Prairie Public provide major funding for the program. A CD of the holiday special is available for $20. Contact Acacia Stuckle at (701) 231-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ndsu.edu to order the CD.

The program can be heard on 90.5 FM in Bismarck, 89.9 FM in Dickinson, 91.5 FM in Devils Lake, 91.9 FM in Fargo, 89.3 FM in Grand Forks, 91.5 FM in Jamestown, 88.9 FM in Minot and 89.5 FM in Williston.

Click here to view a complete listing of narrators featured on the radio program.

The North Dakota Library Association has named Michael M. Miller, director and bibliographer of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at the NDSU Libraries, the 2008 Librarian of the Year.

Miller has been a librarian at NDSU since 1967 and has been an active member of the North Dakota Library Association for 42 years. In 1978, he proposed the development of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection. Building upon his own heritage, he has dedicated his professional career to the preservation of the written, physical and oral history of this major immigrant group in North Dakota.

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, which contains materials in English, German, Russian and French, is now one of the most comprehensive scholarly resources on this cultural group.

In 2005, Miller partnered with history faculty to launch the Dakota Memories Oral History Project. Through interviews with more than 150 individuals, the oral record of the Germans from Russia is being preserved.

Miller also has partnered with public broadcasting to reach a larger audience through video and audio. He has effectively used digital technologies to preserve records and make them accessible throughout the world.

In a letter of nomination Kathryn Thomas, NDSU documents librarian, wrote, “I believe Michael Miller is highly deserving of the 2008 Librarian of the Year Award. Due to his efforts, the heritage of the Germans from Russia in North Dakota and beyond is being preserved and recognized. This is a legacy he will leave for future generations of North Dakotans, for without Michael’s vision, the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection would not exist. Michael is known worldwide as an invaluable resource on German-Russian history and heritage. Those of us fortunate to know him personally can testify to his dedication and passion, and to his kindness and generosity.”

A reception to recognize Miller for the award is set for Thursday, Oct. 30, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, Library 114. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Acacia Stuckle at 1-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ndsu.edu.

Click here to view the citation and comments.

Michael M. Miller with the 2008 Librarian of the Year Award

Acacia (Jonas) Stuckle, special collections associate for the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, will deliver a presentation about the Dakota Memories Oral History Project on Friday, June 13, at 1 p.m. at the German Russian Cultural Festival in Leader, Saskatchewan.

“The presentation will inform the public on what the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection has to offer along with information about the Dakota Memories Oral History Project,” Stuckle said.

According to Stuckle, many Germans from Russia left North Dakota in the early 1900s to settle in central and southern Saskatchewan including the Leader area. “I plan on sharing sample video clips from interviews we have conducted and audio clips from our three radio series. The collection is an archival repository, and we are seeking historic photographs, textiles, cookbooks and family histories,” she said.

Sponsored by the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection located at the NDSU Library, the Dakota Memories Oral History Project is an effort to document and preserve German-Russian ethnic identity. Since 2005, organizers have traveled the Northern Plains, gathering stories and documenting family relationships and childhood memories of second- and third-generation Germans from Russia.

For more information, contact Stuckle at (701) 231-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ndsu.edu. Additional information about the German Russian Cultural Festival 2008 is available at http://grfest.googlepages.com/index.htm.

Acacia (Jonas) Stuckle, special collections associate for the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, will deliver an informative presentation about the Dakota Memories Oral History Project on Thursday, April 24, at 12:15 p.m. at the Senior Citizen’s Center in Eureka, S.D.

“This presentation will inform the public on what the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection has to offer along with information about the Dakota Memories Oral History Project,” Stuckle said. This summer, organizers of the project will travel to Eureka to conduct interviews.

According to Stuckle, Eureka was a fundamental stopping point for German-Russian immigration in the Dakotas. “I plan on sharing sample video clips from interviews we have conducted and audio clips from our three radio series. The collection is an archival repository, and we are seeking historic photographs, textiles, cookbooks and family histories,” Stuckle said.

Sponsored by the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection located at the NDSU Library, the Dakota Memories Oral History Project is an effort to document and preserve German-Russian ethnic identity. Since 2005, organizers have traveled the Northern Plains, gathering stories and documenting family relationships and childhood memories of second- and third-generation Germans from Russia.

Coffee and cookies will be served at the presentation. For more information, contact Stuckle at 231-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ndsu.edu. Additional information about the collection is available at www.ndsu.edu/grhc.