February 25, 2022

This week brought tragic news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which hit close to home for our Germans from Russia Heritage Collection (GRHC) staff and friends. The GRHC has offered ancestral heritage tours to Ukraine since 1996, and over 650 people have joined them to visit the villages of their German-Russian ancestors. Through these tours, they have developed many lasting friendships, professional relationships, and a great admiration for the people of Ukraine.

Due to this development, all future Journey to the Homeland Tours are postponed indefinitely. As the future is uncertain for Ukraine, we share thoughts of safety, courage, and resolve with our friends, colleagues, and all of Ukraine as they fight for their independence and freedom.

Michael Miller, Director and Bibliographer, GRHC, has spent decades building up the GRHC to share and preserve the history and culture of the Germans from Russia in North Dakota and the Northern Plains. On February 24, 2022, Kevin Wallevand and videographer Ryan Longnecker of WDAY interviewed Michael Miller and Jeremy Kopp, Outreach and Operations Coordinator, GRHC, at the Marie Rudel Portner Germans from Russia Room at the NDSU Main Library. View the story at InForum here: Germans from Russia families in ND have strong ties to Ukraine. You can also access the video without an account at the GRHC Facebook page.

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection was established at NDSU Libraries in July 1978. As a land-grant university, there was interest in creating a collection of materials about Germans from Russia ancestry, which includes a large population of North Dakota. If you'd like to visit the GRHC or have any questions, please contact Michael M. Miller or Jeremy Kopp.

Images from past visits to Ukraine on Journey to the Homeland Tours