Filming for the Germans from Russia Foodways Videotape Documentary
Prairie Public Television

Balta, Horace & Rugby, North Dakota
August & September, 1999

Joseph Ripplinger was born on 10 December 1910 at Balta, ND. He is the son of Joseph Ripplinger and Pauline Bertsch. Joseph, Sr. was born at Elsass and Pauline was born at Strassburg, both of the Black Sea German Catholic Kutschurgan villages, South Russia (today Ukraine). Agnes Bertsch Ripplinger was born on 13 September 1917, at Silva, ND. She is the daughter of Jacob Bertsch and Anna Marie Deitz, both from the Kutschurgan villages. The Ripplingers have three daughters and one son. Joe has made cut out figures for more than 25 years using special equipment.

Theresa Giesinger Jordan grew up at Fulda, ND. Her late husband was Bryce "Boots" Jordan. She is the daughter of Jacob Giesinger and Rosalia Ell, born in the Kutschurgan villages. Theresa has five children. Clara Ebach grew up at Rugby. She is the daughter of Michael Ebach, born at Baden, and Katherine Kloetzel, born at Mannheim, Kutschurgan District, South Russia (today Ukraine). Caroline Weisbeck Hoffert grew up at Knox, ND. She is the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Ripplinger Weisbeck. Peter and Caroline Hoffert have three daughters and two sons.

Joseph and Agnes Bertsch Ripplinger at their home in Balta.	Bob Dambach, producer at Prairie Public Television, Fargo, visits with Joe and Agnes Ripplinger.
Agnes made borscht soup which was then served at her home. Tapio Kube, Prairie Public TV videographer is filming. Persons seated left to right are: Theresa Ebach O'Connell, Palos Heights, IL, Mary Ebach, Rugby, Margie Olson, Balta, Joe Ripplinger and Agnes Ripplinger.	(Left to right): Clara Ebach and Theresa Giesinger Jordan, Rugby, preparing Plachenda with fresh pumpkin.
(Left to right): Carloyn Weisbeck Hoffert, Theresa Giesinger Jordan and Clara Ebach preparing the dough for the Plachenda.	Edna Goebel Johnson, Horace, and her sister, Martha Goebel Jenner, Phoenix, AZ, making meat strudla. Their parents were Frederick and Katherina Kessler Goebel. Frederick was four years old in 1882 when his parents immigrated from Glückstal, South Russia, to Dakota Territory. Katherina was born at Eureka, SD.
Edna serving the meat strudla at her Horace, ND home.	Edna Goebel Johnson's meat strudla. For thirty-five years, Edna operated the Johnson Cafe at Lehr, ND. In Fargo, she made German-Russian foods at the Downtown Street Fair for over ten years.