2005 Memories of Tour Members, Part IV
Updated:

1 June 2005
Internet Cafe
Stuttgart, Germany

Just a note to left you know that we all arrived safely from Odessa - Budapest - Stuttgart evening of 31 May.

Today we visited the headquarters of the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland and the Heimatmuseum der Bessarabiendeutschen. We were welcomed warmly at both locations and saw many items.

Ingo Isert, the new president and curator of the Bessarabian Landsmannschaft and Museum, showed us the impressive exhibits and explained various projects. Some tour members with Bessarabian interest to Teplitz and Sarata stayed at the Museum for additional research in their new Family Research Room.

The Heimatmuseum staff hosted tour members for a delicious lunch along with singing German songs by the Americans with Valentine Brossart of Rugby, North Dakota leading the singing. Then the local Bessarabian Germans volunteering today at the Museum sang three traditional German folk songs. All a most touching experience for the Americans and the Germans.

We were most impressed with the warm hospitality today shared by the staffs of the two organizations here in Stuttgart. We look forward to working with them for their 2006 national gatherings or Bundestreffen.

On Thursday, 2 June, tour members will take a day bus tour to Alsace, France where we will visit the homeland villages before their ancestors left for South Russia (southern Ukraine).

This will be our final email message during our 11th Journey to the Homeland Tour.

Warmest of June regards from Stuttgart,

Michael M. Miller North Dakota State University Libraries, Fargo