In Touch with Prairie Living By Michael M. Miller Germans from Russia Heritage Collection State University Libraries, Fargo

As I write this March column, I am GRHC are: 1) “Black Sea Germans in Menlo Park, Calif.; Debra Marqart, looking forward to attending Dakota in the Dakotas” by George Rath; 2) author, creative writer and professor Air: The Radio Show, on Saturday, “From Catherine to Khrushchev: The at Iowa State University, a native of April 9 at 7 p.m. in the Wishek Civic Story of Russia’s Germans” by Adam Napoleon, N.D.; Al Neuharth, Coca Center, Wishek, N.D. The new Dakota Giesinger; 3) and these three books by Beach, Fla., journalist and founder of Air events have been well received Joseph S. Height, “Homesteaders on “USA Today,” a native of Eureka, S.D.; at shows in Valley City, Bismarck, the Steppe,” “Memories of the Black Henry Schmick, Cheyenne, Wyo., cattle Jamestown, Grand Forks, Fargo, Minot Sea Germans” and “Paradise on the raiser and sugar beet farmer; and Brian and Dickinson. The Wishek show will Steppe.” Schweitzer, rancher, soil scientist and have a flavor of German-Russian music For a visual introduction on the Governor of the State of Montana. with local talent and celebrities. The subject of Germans from Russia, I The 18th Journey to the Homeland popular Dakota Airheads Acting Troupe recommend these award-winning Tour is May 17-27, 2012, to Odessa, will perform. Wishek will be their DVD documentaries produced by Ukraine and Stuttgart, Germany. The first show in a smaller North Dakota Prairie Public Television. “The 17th Journey to the Homeland Tour group community heavily settled by German- Germans from Russia: Children of leaves May 18-28 for Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Russian immigrants. the Steppe, Children of the Prairie” and Odessa. We look forward to having the GRHC and “Prairie Crosses, Prairie Roses: Space is available for second Dakota display with the Dakota Air show at Iron Crosses of the Great Plains” Memories Heritage Tour. It will be a the Wishek Civic Center on April 9. (dual DVD). three-day bus tour on September 15-18 to For more information, go to www. I also suggest the new 2010 south-central North Dakota, in the heart dakotaairtheradioshow.com. documentary, “It’s All Earth and of German-Russian country. For further The Dakota Air host is Merrill Sky,” now appearing on PBS information, contact Acacia Stuckle Piepkorn, popular anchor of “Here It stations throughout the USA. In this at 701-231-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ Now” on . Dakota documentary, five representative ndsu.edu -- http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/ Air will have a special performance Germans from Russia, who have dakotamemories/heritage/index.html. at the Burning Hills Amphitheater in attained success and stability, share their For further information about the Medora, N.D. on Saturday, June 7 insights on the process of becoming Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, at 7 p.m. The Dakota Air shows are American. Like many others who the Friends of the GRHC, Dakota re-broadcast on Prairie Public Radio have come to America seeking a Memories Heritage Tour, 18th Journey to (www.prairiepublic.org/radio). land of promise and opportunity, the Homeland Tour, and donations to the I am often asked in person, at outreach Germans from Russia have suffered, GRHC (such as family histories), contact events or with an email message, and they have prevailed. Since their Michael M. Miller, The Libraries, NDSU what books are recommended for background and history is as rich in Dept. #2080, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND introductory German-Russian research. texture as it is in diversity, they serve 58108-6050 (Telephone: 701-231-8416; The staff of the GRHC has prepared a as a model of assimilation of other Email: [email protected]; the webpage of these five recommended ethnic groups into American society. GRHC website: www.ndsu.edu/grhc). books at http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/ These persons appearing in “It’s All files/recommended/pdf. Earth and Sky” are: Arthur E. Flegel, March 2011 column for North Dakota These books available from the founder of a successful furniture store and South Dakota newspapers.