The Primordial Picture: My Personal Discovery of a Lifetime

As a young yet recklessly inquisitive child of no less than eight, I was ceaselessly intrigued by an antique photo depicting a couple behind a barn. My imagination ran wild as seemingly countless questions bombarded my brain as I tried to rethink their lives. Their faces seemed rigid yet had soft lines to them, and they had a striking and uncanny resemblance to my mother. I let my imagination imagine fancy stories of adventure and love, from merely one antiquated picture. One day, I could not resist asking my mother; who exactly were these strange faces and what were the stories behind them?

My mother finally revealed she contained a bit of diversity in her heritage—she was partially German-Russian, and the pictures were of her grandparents! This rather exciting discovery launched me into innumerably many hours of devotion into my genealogy, my past; after all, understanding my past was the key to better equipping for the future. My mother, seeing my unquenchable passion for a better understanding of German-Russians, offered me an opportunity of a lifetime that I simply could not resist: a chance to visit Lesterville, South Dakota. We planned the trip out during the summer of 2006, and as soon as I arrived, I was thoroughly shocked and impressed. Traveling and visiting historical places as my mother guided me around (she too was given this tour by her parents years ago. It has become somewhat of a tradition, a tradition that I plan to keep) meant rediscovering my past—my heritage. It was truly a mind-blowing experience that invigorated me with passion and enthusiasm for not only my heritage, but newfound appreciation for the diversity that Americans have. The trip had a deeply emotional impact, and best of all, brought the historian out of me as I connected with my roots. Though certainly not Disney World, the trip was fun in its own right. The result? A more educated and more grateful self, an experience that I will truly for eternally grateful for. This poignant experience sparked me to dig deeper. As a result, I have written a paper about German-Russians, their history, their present, and their various contributions to society. Surprisingly, this was a joy to write because I faced the subject with such passion and delight. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have:

German Russians in America: Giant Steppes Toward Freedom

“No matter what other nations may say about the United States, immigration is still the sincerest form of flattery.” – Clayton Cramer

America—the land of opportunities, the land of the free. America is the most powerful, and, more importantly, best place to live on earth. But what essential aspect makes it so? Undoubtedly the countless numbers of immigrants, who have both enriched the culture and contributed tremendously to American society. German-Russians have a lively history as well as distinct cultures that complement American culture into the multidimensional nation it is today.

The history of how German-Russians came to be and become such a powerful force in American society is thoroughly fascinating. As genealogy becomes explosively popular in many areas, the story of ancestors becomes increasingly important to one’s heritage. While personal situations may, and will, differ, many German-Russians come from the same root. When Catherine the Great issued a manifesto on December 4, 1763 inviting any western European to settle in the sparsely populated Russia, not many took up the offer. However, when a second manifesto was issued in 1763 offering transportation to Russia, religious and political autonomy, exemption from the military, and vast amounts of land, among other things, many Europeans, mostly Germans, accepted the invitation. The first major wave of migration occurred in and around the Volga River region starting from 1764. By the late nineteenth century, Germans had founded settlements in Siberia; indeed, Russia had an estimated German population of approximately 1.8 million people established in thousands of villages by the beginning of the twentieth century. German-Russian immigrants, along with the flood of European immigrants, immigrated from the Russian Ukraine to areas such as Canada and the American West, mainly North Dakota, beginning in around 1884. Many Mennonites settled in Canada, particularly Manitoba, while most non-Mennonites tended to settle in the States. By 1920, it was estimated that 136,599 German-Russians were in the United States. The largest concentration by far was in North Dakota, where some 70,000 lived in 1920, coming from the Black Sea region. Other large settlements were in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska who came primarily from the Volga region. Today, the two million people strong families of Germans from Russia are spread throughout the United States and Canada. To this day, they still retain a high level of cultural integrity and sense of heritage. They came as Germans, with language, religion, social structure, and economic traditions intact. A self-imposed isolation allowed them to remain as a virtually undisturbed and unique culture. Though some families were poor, many of them were in comfortable living conditions, while some of them were rich, , but all of them were industrious and proud inheritors of ancestral thrift. But they did not assimilate with American ways and customs - perhaps because there was neither opportunity nor inclination, but they demonstrated their German-Russian core. The men assumed early the obligations of American citizenship but, for the most part, they remained distinctively foreign. German-Russian culture remained distinct and influenced American arts, developed a distinct tradition, and made invaluable contributions.

The Germans from Russia diffused vast amounts of cultural enrichment to the American society, weaving the intricate fabric of diversity and contributing to the arts. German-Russian architecture is absolutely legendary and fascinating. Along with their social and economic ideals, Germans from Russia also brought with them a distinctive architectural style. Construction mainly consisted of three types: native clay bricks with mortar, puddle clay, and native clay mortar. All three methods were used, sometimes in a combination. The reasons for this was because it was extremely economical to build and wood was rare in the treeless plains—indeed, what better mixture of energy-efficiency and creativity was there in the emptiness of the Midwest? Although each family’s home was undoubtedly built by needs and tastes, German-Russian architecture included several important aspects: 1) chimneys and stoves being centrally located in interior walls; 2) the stone/earth house was made of a single story rectangular shape with a gable roof; 3) the house being divided into two, and sometimes three rooms; 4) en entrance, called a vorheisel, to an enclosed room that always faced south to protect the main house from extreme temperatures, and 4) a few tall and narrow windows. Unsurprisingly, German-Russian architecture must have been quite a sight for the traditional Dakota prairie. Additionally, the German-Russians understand the value of preserving their proud and rich heritage; they did so by various arts forms including poetry, music, clothing, and art. Countless forms of poetry and music can be traced back to the German-Russian heritage, with songs and poem in both English and German. The Germans from Russia offered a unique range of clothing: shawls were considered especially important because it not only gave the beholder a “wow” moment for the eyes, but were important in preserving history and memories for these Germans from Russia. Crocheting and weaving were also extremely important to these German-Russians as they carried these traditions from their native settlements and passed it down through the generations. Clearly, the arts of the German-Russians not only represent objects of high aesthetic value, but a legacy that preserves and celebrates their distinctive culture.

The German-Russian culture has many exceptional customs and traditions that has contributed to the American society at large. Barnyard calling, the celebration of important holidays such as Thanksgiving, and the joys of traditional life are unmistakably German-Russians noticeably in communities, even to this day. Nonetheless, the celebration of Christmas was, and still is, one of the most celebrated and exciting event for the Germans from Russia. Christmas traditions varied according to family, but German-Russian Christmases were actually quite similar to traditional American Christmases: stockings, presents, Christmas tree, food, and church are important elements to both cultures. Christmases was especially meaningful for German-Russians because this was a time of communion and family, of warmth and food, and of family traditions. Games and spontaneous fun is also a crucial part of German-Russian life. Homemade toys or pranks were prevalent, and original childhood games were also quite popular. By talking to any German-Russian, it becomes quite evident that their personal roots and bonds of their childhood is still strong because of the various traditions and customs they participated and excelled in. Without a doubt, the German-Russian community is renowned for the contribution it has made to society; German-Russian immigrants exhibited a spirit of enterprise which left their marks of achievement on all larger cities in the Canadian West. Nowadays, German-Russians are represented by all professions (physicians, professors, architects, lawyers, technicians, civil service, etc.), though not so much in politics. However, at an event in Winnipeg in 1973 celebrating the 100th anniversary of German-Russian immigration, three opening letters were read: One by Premier Schreyer from Manitoba and one each by the governors of North and South Dakota. All three politicians were of German origin and were either German-Russian themselves or had family ties to them. Until World War II, most German-Russians had been living in rural areas. Only after this war did they start businesses especially in industry and construction (and being quite successful), making migrating to the cities an inevitable result. In the cultural field, German- Russians produced several writers such as Arnold Dyck, Fritz Senn, Gerhard Toews, Rudy Wiebe, Paul Hiebert, Jack Thiessen and others. Worth mentioning is also Hermann Rempel known for his Mennonite-Low German dictionary. In addition to them, there are historians such as Adam Geisinger (history of the Germans from Russia), Gerhard Lohrenz and Frank Epp (Mennonite history), Gerald Friesen (Canadian history) and others. However, one of the most famous German-Russian was undoubtedly the entertainer Lawrence Welk. Arguably the most important person from North Dakota who charmed millions worldwide, Welk also established ties with his heritage and showed his pride through his influential efforts in the media. Furthermore, innovations in technology was advanced by German-Russians: The main contribution of the German-Russians to the development of Canada had been the introduction and cultivation of new grain cultures, clearly making lives for countless people easier. The winter wheat of Kansas as well as the hardier spring wheat of Manitoba had been imported from Russia by German immigrants as well-tested grain.

The German-Russians of the past and of today have unquestionably influenced America now and eternally. The Germans from Russia boast a rich history that has influenced their arts and culture. German-Russians also have contributed heavily to the global society at large and have kept their distinct past alive with traditions and customs. The United States is indeed the land of a melting pot: diverse international cultures blend in to form a unique experience that is distinctively American, something that makes American the best place to live…

Bibliography:

Immigrant America: European Ethnicity in the US. by Timothy Walch.

European Immigrants in the American West: Community Histories by Frederick Luebke.

“Russian-German settlements in the United States” by Richard Sallet

“The Germans from Russia” by Michael M. Miller

“The other Germans' once filled Dakotas” by Karen Herzog

“The Germans in Russia” by Elaine Hundley

“A Success Story: The German Colonists in New Russia and Bessarabia: 1787-1914” by Dr. Brandes

“A Bit of Europe in Dakota” by W.S. Harwood

“Emigration: A German-Russian Dream” by Anton Bosch

“The German-Russians in North Dakota: A Brief History” by Tamar C. Read

“The Germans from Russia” by Reverend William C. Sherman

Acknowledgments: Thank you to all those who have made this project possible. I would like to especially express my sincerest gratitude to my mother, who has guided and supported me tremendourly.

This essay is copyrighted and no parts of it shall be used by others in any form without permission of the author