Glückstal colonies of Russia

Researchers with an interest in the Glückstal colonies of Russia will have a chance to review contributions, assess accomplishments, and consider the future, when they come together for a workshop during the 2008 International Convention of Germans from Russia July 28-August 3 in Casper, Wyoming. Leaders of this session will be Margaret Freeman of Redondo Beach, California, and Homer Rudolf of Richmond, Virginia.

The Glückstal Colonies Research Association (GCRA) will meet in Ballroom B of the Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Casper at 3:30 p.m., Friday, August 1st. Their workshop is just one of 40 oustanding sessions planned for the week-long Germans from Russia convention.

GCRA was founded in January 1986 by Margaret Freeman and Carolyn Wheeler, aided by Art Flegel and Gwen Pritzkau. The initial association mailing went out 22 years ago this month, and the first newsletter was published in the fall of 1987. The purpose of the Glückstal Colonies Research Association is two-fold: coordinate the efforts of individuals researching descendants of the colonies; and locate, gather, organize and access all sources pertaining to researching descendants of the Glückstal, Neudorf, Bergdorf, Kassel and their daughter colonies.

Margaret Freeman is a native Iowan. Her mother’s Aman family arrived in McPherson County in 1885, and her grandparents are buried in Lehr, North Dakota. It is through her mother’s family that she has roots to Eureka and earlier to Bergdorf/Kassel of the Glückstal Colonies. Margaret has been involved with GCRA for more than 20 years.

Homer Rudolf was born in McIntosh County, North Dakota, and raised in Wishek. All of his ancestors on both sides of his family were from the Glückstal Colonies of south Russia. He recently completed a three-year term on the GRHS Board. Homer is very active in the GCRA and is a contributor and editor for the new GCRA publication scheduled for release during the Casper convention. He is an active researcher in the history and culture of Black Sea Germans from Russia – particularly their music. He was chief researcher and script writer for the 2005 Prairie Public Television documentary A Soulful Sound: Music of the Germans from Russia.

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During the Casper convention, GCRA will be presenting their eighth book, "The Glueckstalers of New Russia, the Soviet Union, and North America." There will be a book signing with Homer Rudolf, Editor; Harold Ehrman, Desktop Publishing; and the principal writing team: Allyn Brosz, Barbara Horn, James Klein, Jan Huber Stangl, Thomas Stangl, and Margaret Freeman, among others.

Village Coordinators: Strategies & Information

With hundreds of villages settled by Germans across Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, it’s not an easy task to keep track of them! Village Coordinators in both the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and the Germans from Russia Heritage Society work hard to assist individuals attempting to bring families and villages together through village research.

Village Coordinators work on a volunteer basis and spend many hours gathering and organizing information. They try to facilitate sharing of family group records, maps, individual and family histories, and video and audio tapes. Many have developed newsletters and websites.

During the 2008 International Convention of Germans from Russia, which meets July 28th through August 3rd in Casper, attendees will have a chance to meet and learn more from Village Coordinators – Strategies and Information and How They Can Help You. Presented at 3:45 p.m., Thursday, July 31st, the session will be led by three veteran researchers – Doris Eckhardt Evans of Almira, Washington; Curt Renz of Ames, Iowa; and Margaret Freeman of Redondo Beach, California.-

Doris Eckhard Evans is a native of Washington state and attended college at Washington State University, where she earned a degree in Education. She has been involved in genealogy for many years and was elected to the Board of Directors of AHSGR in 1999. She served two terms and retired in 2005. At its Lincoln, Nebraska meeting in 2006, the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia awarded Doris its Distinguished Service Award.

Curt Renz grew up in South Dakota and went to college in Iowa, later earning an M.A. degree at the University of Northern Colorado. A music teacher since 1962, he retired in 2002 and worked part-time at Iowa State University in their student practicum program. An active Village Coordinator in both AHSGR and GRHS, Curt has also served on the Board of Directors for both organizations.-

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Margaret Freeman was born in rural Iowa and went to Linfield College in Oregon and later went to graduate school in sociology at the University of Hawaii. After her two sons were in school, she took necessary courses for a teaching credential at USC and is now retired after 23 years in the Santa Monica Elementary Schools. She attended her first AHSGR meeting in 1978; in the 1980s, with some friends, started the Gluckstal Colonies Research Association. During the Casper convention, the group will be presenting their eighth book, "The Glueckstalers of New Russia, the Soviet Union, and North America." A book signing is planned during the convention.

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This session will take place in Ballroom A of the Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Casper – headquarters for the convention. Up to about one thousand people are expected to register for the gathering.