Alemães-Boêmios-re.. - R odrigo T respach

Newsletter Magazine of the German-Bohemian Heritage Society
Volume 22, Issue 2 June 2011
German-Bohemians in Brazil
Story on Page 9
June 2011 1

Newsletter of the German-Bohemian
Heritage Society
PO Box 822
New Ulm MN 56073-0822
“The GBHS seeks to promote and maintain the German-
Bohemian culture and heritage.”
2011 German-Bohemian Heritage Society
Officers
President: Jenny Eckstein - jieckstein@comcast.net
15986 Oakwood Heights Rd., New Ulm MN 56073,
507-217-7239
Vice-President: Jerry Gulden, gbhs84@hotmail.com
Treasurer: Gary Wiltscheck, garywilt@newulmtel.net
Secretary: Harvey Stadick, wiostadick@newulmtel.net
2011 German-Bohemian Heritage Society
Board of Directors
Jenny Eckstein, Pat Eckstein, William Fasnacht,
Jerry Gulden, Joleen Keckstein, Janice Kretsch,
Pat Kretsch, Louie Lindmeyer, Wade Olsen,
Angie Portner, Molly Schweinfurter, Harvey Stadick,
Gary Wiltscheck
Board Members Emeriti
Paul Kretsch (Deceased), Bob Paulson (Founder),
George Portner, LaVern Rippley, Adeline Wilfahrt
(Deceased)
Committee Assignments
Budget/Finance Committee - Jenny Eckstein (Chair),
Gary Wiltscheck, Pat Kretsch
Library Committee - All board members
Membership Committee - Angie Portner (Chair), Louie
Lindmeyer
Outreach Committee - Molly Schweinfurter, Pat Eckstein,
Angie Portner
Program Committee - Open
Publicity Committee - Joleen Keckstein
Research Committee - Louie Lindmeyer, Molly
Schweinfurter; Jim Mack, Angie Portner, Bill Fasnacht
Sales Committee - Angie Portner;
Social Activities Committee - Angie Portner, Janice
Kretsch
Research Center
Located at 1200 South Broadway (rear entrance), New
Ulm, Minnesota
1st Saturday of each month 1:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
2nd Tuesday of each month 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
And special hours when posted in the Heimatbrief.
Contact Angie Portner for special arrangements at:
angiep@newulmtel.net, or 507-359-2121.
GBHS website:
www.rootsweb.ancetry.com/~gbhs/
Research contact: Bob Paulson - rpaulgb@comcast.net
German-Bohemian Heritage Society Newsletter
Editor:
Robert Paulson
800 Idaho Ave W.
St. Paul, MN 55117
651-341-5102
E Mail: rpaulgb@comcast.net
The GBHS "Heimatbrief" newsletter is published four times
per year in March, June, September, December. Deadlines
for articles are posted in each newsletter. Membership
dues are $20.00 per year for a family membership. Family
membership includes those living in the same household.
GBHS financial statements are available to members upon
request.
Articles contained in this newsletter may not be copied,
published, or distributed for commercial purposes without
the written consent of the German-Bohemian Heritage
Society.
We encourage contributions to the "Heimatbrief" in the
form· of articles, letters, notices, or free queries.
Advertising is not accepted. Preferred formats for articles
are Mac or PC word processing files with disc and hard
copy, email, or typed pages. Short letters or queries may
be neatly handwritten. The editor reserves the right to
edit contributions for length, substance, and grammar. The
German-Bohemian Heritage Society is not responsible for
accuracy, errors, or omissions in articles submitted by
others. Send contributions to Robert Paulson, GBHS, P.O.
Box 822, New Ulm, MN, 56073-0822. Or email to
rpaulgb@comcast.net. This newsletter was created using a
Macintosh G3 computer.
© 2003 German-Bohemian Heritage Society
June 2011 2

Jenny Eckstein’s Epistle
President’s Letter
If you were at the May 21 Spring Meeting and Social. I
hope you enjoyed visiting with GBHS friends and I
hope you really enjoyed our speaker, Mary Wingerd.
It’s great when we have an opportunity to bring in such
a knowledgeable and informative speaker.
Our next event will be the GBHS annual picnic. I hope
you have your calendar marked for Saturday,
September 10. Please bring a favorite dish and some
family stories to share.
For our Fall Social on Saturday, October 21, we will
have Rebekka Geitner, from the Hamburg Emigration
Museum, as our speaker. That will take place at Turner
Hall. More details will be in the next Heimatbrief.
Following her presentation to our GBHS, Rebekka will
be speaking for the Germanic Genealogy Society on
Sunday, October 23 and for the Immigration History
Research Center on Monday, October 24. I hope she
has time to enjoy some of the sites in Minnesota
between her engagements!
I hope you have a great summer!
Jenny Eckstein
Upcoming GBHS Events
September 10-Picnic at Hermann
Heights
October 8-German-American Day
Parade
October 22-Fall Meeting and Social
Upcoming Board Meetings
August 20
November 19
German Adages
by Dennis Warta 1998 (Rev.9/2010)
Three German language sayings that my Mom
taught me and with the truths behind them they
become ever more meaningful—truly words of
wisdom for all.
I recall my Mother, Theresia Warta, born
Hoffmann, on March 27, 1896, in a small farm house
in rural Sigel Township about seven miles from New
Ulm using three German adages (sayings) and I will
attempt to translate them into meaningful “words to
live by”. (I, Denis, did not speak English until I entered
first grade at Holy Trinity School in September 1933
and that would explain why I recall these in the
German language.) Ma had only six years of formal
one-room school house education, including one year
of “catechism” school at Holy Trinity School in New
Ulm during which time she resided in a dormitory on
the third floor of St. Michael’s Convent.
An interesting aside story about that year (when
Theresia was about 12 years old), she was taught by a
nun, a Sister Procula. In 1936-37 her son Denis and in
1938-39 her son Norman had this same nun as their
teacher for the fourth grade at the same school.
The first German adage: “Die Wahrheit ist
zwischen d’rin!” translates to “The truth is somewhere
in between or lies in the middle”. The wisdom of this
expression is great and meaningful and correct. It can
mean that we should avoid the extremes at all times,
that we should have “moderation” as our goal, that
while the pendulum of a clock does not stop until it
reaches the far right and then the far left, it spends
twice as much time in the center or middle of its
movement back and forth. This is especially true and
valuable in politics and policy-making. While policy
must precisely lay out what is permissible or correct,
there also must be room for exceptions to the rule
allows for “truth in-between” or moderation.
The second German adage: “Auf den kannst
dick verlassen!” translates into “On him you can rely
or you can count on him.” She said, if someone says
that about you, no one can ever say anything better or
more worthwhile about you as a person. To be
someone whose word is good and is kept is truly a
commendable trait and this German adage says it very
simply.
The third was a little German poem or ditty:
“Ich bin a kleine pumpernickel, ich bin a kleine baer,
Und wie der Gott mich beschaffen hat, So troll ich halt
and her.” This translates into : “I am a little
pumpernickel, I am a little bear, And the way in which
God made me, I toddle here and there!“
There is deep meaning in this. For it has to do
with one’s life and how everyone must be content with
how and into what physical condition they are born,
including one’s shortcomings. We must be thankful to
God for what he has given us and, in turn, we must be
satisfied or content and not fault God because we are
June 2011 3

not star athletes or have superior intelligence or wealth.
As long as we have our life we must make the best of it
and strive always to better ourselves, not blaming
others if something does not gas as want or expect.
CONTENTMENT—that is also part of the
meaning exuding from this ditty. Contentment with
one’s lot in life is a worthy condition, providing it does
not lead to laziness or, more importantly, to constant
complaining. Happiness is related to contentment, to a
positive attitude, to optimism. Conversely,
unhappiness is related to dissatisfaction with one’s
status, to a negative attitude and to pessimism.
Further, not being satisfied with one’s status may lead
to envy, avarice and other sins of covetousness. In
other words—BE HAPPY!
GBHS Members Placed in
Kitty Lieb Essay Contest
A little history of the yearly Kitty Lieb essay
competition. The Brown County Historical Society
(BCHS) was a benefactor of the estate of Kitty Lieb.
The contest was started by their board as a way to
remember this generous gift. It is an open contest
(Minnesota residence not required); it can be on any
aspect of Brown County history, original research on
non-fiction and be historically accurate; between 1,000
to 5,000 words. If you have an interest, contact the
BCHS on their website for further rules and some
previous essay’s: http://
www.browncountyhistorymn.org/. Other essay’s can be
read at the research center at the BCHS. Now on to our
2011 winners.
Let us introduce the
first place winner:
G B H S B o a r d
member Gary
Wiltscheck. His
essay was entitled:
Forty Years Later -
Dakota War
Remembered
This 2,000 word
essay highlights an
August, 1902
weekend in which
the city of New
U l m , M N .
commemorated the
40th anniversary of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War.
Newspaper articles of the period show evidence that
even as early as 1902 that New Ulm was no stranger to
putting on great celebrations. This town of 5,403
settlers hosted 18,000 – 20,000 visitors from all over
the country (including Canada) to a weekend of
parades, “sham battles”, a Sioux Indian encampment,
eloquent speeches(some in the German language), ball
games, picnics, huge window displays, and a “moving
picture show”. Since all hotels were filled beyond
capacity, almost every household hosted multiple guest
families and “seemed happy to be doing that.” One can
imagine the huge exodus at the conclusion of the
weekend, where many who attempted to board the
Sunday evening train, were forced to wait until the
next departure.
An email copy of the essay’s text and graphics will
gladly be sent upon request. Please
send request to: garywilt@newulmtel.net. Thanks.
Second place winner: prior GBHS board member Don
Brand, essay entitled:
New Ulm
Battery:
The USA’s Only
Private Army
Besides a heavy
concentration of
German-Bohemian
descendants, New
Ulm has many
other unique
features: the
H e r m a n n
Monument, the
G l o c k e n s p i e l ,
many historical
statues and the
New Ulm Battery.
The Battery was founded in 1863-- just months after
the Dakota Uprising that killed hundreds of settlers in
the New Ulm area. The unit was started to protect the
city against future attacks. Fortunately, there were no
more attacks and the Battery has remained a colorful
presence in the community for 148 years. A celebration
is being planned for the 150th anniversary of the
battery in 2013.
There have been a number of German-Bohemians
among the Battery membership over the years. Of
course, you can find German-Bohemians in just about
every organization in New Ulm's history. Wir sind
Boehmisch!
It is nice to see our members write these powerful
essays to the history surrounding New Ulm. Other
winners this year: Third Place: Barbara Becker -Anton
Gag: Painter, Photographer, Father; Honorable
Mention: Dorothy Kahle -A Censer, A Censor
June 2011 4

A Trip to the Past & Present Stangl
Homelands: Bohemia & Germany
By Marv Hart
As I recall, my great grandma (Mary) spoke
very little English so German was spoken around the
dinner table at Grandpa and Grandma's home,
especially when "Marvin was not to know what they
were talking about." Outside of their home it was
another story.
During my childhood years the United States
was engaged in WWII Grandpa never said to anyone
that his family was from Germany. Instead, he told
people in the community that his parents came from a
place called "Bohemia.". Few in the Deer River area
of northern Minnesota, where I was born and grew up,
associated Bohemia with Germany, so they were
simply relieved that he wasn't from that "terrible"
country of Germany. Furthermore, he worked hard to
speak English without a German accent. Grandma was
not quite as successful. Frequently, while talking with
friends or neighbors, she would use the German
sentence structure by saying, "I hope so not!" My
wife and I still chuckle at the memory of Grandma's
comment to me when we were married: "Carol's
alright, but it would have been better if you would
have found a good German girl!"
Marvin & Carol Hart, Jim & Colette Stangel
Schiefernau #11
For my cousin Jim Stangel and me to stand at
the very location in Bohemia (presently part of the
Czech Republic), where our great grandparents,
Andrew (b. 1847) and Mary (b. 1855) [Helget] Stangel
lived was an unbelievable experience. Jim and I with
our wives, Colette and Carol, stood at that site,
Schiefernau #11, Bohemia (Sibanov, CZR). That's
where Jim's grandfather, Joseph Stangl (b.1878), was
born. Additionally, we met, visited, and shared stories
and pictures with blood relatives with the surname
Stangl in the Stuttgart area of Germany. This dream
became a reality in May 2009.
I knew some fascinating things about
my great grandparents, Andrew and Mary Stangel. For
example, I knew they lived with my grandparents, John
(b. 1886) and Barbara (Sasges) Stangel from the time
my grandparents were married. For most of my
childhood I lived within walking distance of Grandpa
and Grandma's house. So, my childhood memories
included memorizing prayers and poems in Bohemian
German. I remember enjoying plum kuchen and
freshly made fritters with lots of sugar. I have many of
these beautiful, warm memories from my early
childhood left by my grandparents and maternal great
grandmother. (My great grandfather died before I was
born).
Before the summer of 2007 there was almost no
discussion about my ancestry on my mother's side, i.e.
the Stangel and Helget families. Grandpa told me his
parents came from Bohemia to Sleepy Eye, MN and
that he was born in Sleepy Eye. Also, he told me that
his family went to Annaheim, SK, Canada when he
was about fifteen. My mother told me that her parents
and grandparents returned to the Deer River area of
Minnesota when she was about two years old. Of
course, we visited with aunts, uncles and cousins living
in Minnesota and Saskatchewan but there was very
little discussion about the Stangel family except that
"they came from Bohemia."
The interest in a trip to Bohemia developed
when Jim Stangel visited my mother in Deer River,
MN. Jim was always looking for new information
about his ancestry. He and his lovely wife Colette, my
Canadian cousins, had visited us at our home in
Stillwater, MN. Full of questions about what I knew
about the Stangel family, Jim and I and our wives
made several visits to the German-Bohemian Heritage
Society Research Center, the Brown County
Courthouse, the Brown County Historical Society/
Museum, churches and cemeteries in the New Ulm,
MN area. I took advantage of these visits because each
one helped fill in my own blanks with my handy copy
of Family Tree Maker on my computer. During this
time Jim and I realized that we needed to expand our
search beyond North America.
June 2011 5

One day Jim called. He was very excited. He
had found a genealogical researcher by the name of
Tony Kondrys. "Tony lives in Bischofteinitz, Bohemia
(Horsovsky Tyn, CZR). He's interested in helping us
and his fees are fairly reasonable. He lives within a 30
km (20 miles) radius of the area where our great
grandparents lived." Jim learned a lot from Tony's
emails. Not only was he able to provide an abundance
of detailed information about our Bohemian heritage,
but he was a knowledgeable historian and an
invaluable tour guide. Our only difficulty was his very
limited ability to communicate in English. However,
we were lucky! His daughter, Betty, had a good
command of both the Czech and English languages. So
with this somewhat lengthy introduction and
background, we'll discuss the possibilities for a
delightful journey to the past and present Stangl
homelands: Bohemia and Germany.
Our trip officially began with a phone call from
Jim announcing that he had just purchased round trip
tickets for his wife and himself between Regina, SK
and Munich, Germany. "We got tickets for a song,
Marv!" Jim said excitedly. "Really cheap, I'm so
surprised!" He said they were leaving Regina on May
14 and returning from Munich to Regina on May 25.
Furthermore, they were counting on Carol and me to
travel with them and simply help share the expenses.
In addition to visiting ancestral sites, they wanted to
meet relatives with the surname Stangel. "And won't it
be so nice to do some sightseeing in Prague and the
Alps." Jim crooned. My wife and I had been to
Europe many times, so Jim and Colette hoped we
could lead the way. We'd already learned the basics on
renting a car and reserving a hotel room, so that's all
that was necessary! Oh, they hoped I could remember
the German I learned as a child. "My German is pretty
rusty!" I warned Jim.
We were an interesting quartet. Jim's a very
athletic, retired high school math teacher. He's run in
many track events and has received gold medals in five
"55+" races. In addition to being a homemaker,
Colette is an outstanding artist. She has amassed a
large collection of paintings in her studio. My wife,
Carol, is a homemaker, did photographic retouching
for years and is an antique collector. Prior to
retirement, I worked as a scientist in several research
departments at 3M. About thirty years ago, a new
dimension was added to my musical talents I became
a collector of reed organs! Our diverse backgrounds
came to light on various occasions throughout the trip.
For clarification, I'd like to make the following
comments.
All of our Stangel ancestors in Bohemia, Germany and
the Czech Republic spell their surname, Stangl.
Andrew (b. 1847) arrived in the US in October 1881
under the name 'Andreas Stangl.' According to the
ship's manifest, his wife Mary arrived with their infant
son, Joseph (b. 1878), on July 22, 1882 under the
names of 'Maria Stange' and 'Josef Stange'. About
1890, while living in the Sleepy Eye area, our great
grandfather changed the spelling of his surname from
Stangl to Stangel.
No one has been able to show a relationship
between the Stangels that immigrated to the
Manitowoc, Wisconsin area and the Stangels that
immigrated to the Sleepy Eye, Minnesota area.
All of those listed in the attached pedigree chart were
born and lived in Kreis Bischofteinitz (County of
Bischofteinitz), including our great grandparents' first
two children [Joseph (1878) & Andrew (1882)]. All of
the other seven children listed were born in the Sleepy
Eye area.
We connected on the afternoon of May 15 at
the Strauss Airport, Munich, Germany. At an off-site
car rental location we picked up a new full-sized car
(Mercedes). With good maps and Jim's GPS loaded
with an European map card, we headed for
Bischofteinitz, Bohemia (Horsovsky Tyn, Czech
Republic). Our researcher, Tony Kondrys had already
made reservations for us for three nights at the Hotel
Sumuva in Horsovsky Tyn.
The next morning, after adjusting our
biological clocks, we walked around town looking for
a place that served breakfast but ended up back at the
restaurant in our hotel. The clerk, when we checked in,
had told us that the breakfast was included in the room
rate as Betty explained to us after Tony and she
arrived. But we didn't understand the clerk. She spoke
only a little German mixed with a lot of Czech. Using
hand motions and nod of heads we ordered breakfast.
Then we anxiously waited for our mysterious meal.
To our amazement, our breakfast included dried
cereals, yogurt and pastries.
We waited in the restaurant for 10-15 minutes
for Tony and his daughter, Betty, to arrive. The time
quickly passed. We discussed the quaintness of the
hotel and its furnishings. Jim was amused at seeing a
large metal container full of bread dough sitting on the
window sill behind him. Jim exclaimed, "They'll be
serving fresh bread in the restaurant once that dough
rises!"
Tony was a burley looking German with a
mustache. Betty was a petite, vivacious young woman.
We spent about an hour exchanging pleasantries and
outlining our plans for the next two days in the former
Stangl homeland, Kreis Bischofteinitz. These plans
June 2011 6

included visits to the birthplaces of our great
grandparents and their parents. Also, we were to visit
the church where our great grandparents were married
and the place where they lived prior to immigrating to
the US. The emphasis of the trip was on our Stangel
roots, but we decided to include significant locations of
our great grandmother's families, namely, the Helget
and Schroepfer families.
We started our day's adventure by visiting a
cemetery in Horsovsky Tyn where Tony's research
indicated that persons with the surname Stangl had
been buried. Tony identified the area in the cemetery
where Stangl graves were located prior to the early
1900s. Unfortunately, all of the gravesites and
monuments had been replaced with burial sites and
tombstones from about 1920 to the present. We
wandered around the area, curiously trying to read the
old grave monuments, wondering about these people
and trying to think about their lives. Tony chatted with
his daughter, while we stood respectfully looking at
various monuments and admiring the stonework.
Tony's low-cost research paid off. He took us to a
granite nameplate (originally part of a large
monument). About a week before we came, he had
found this nameplate in a pile of rubble in the corner of
the cemetery. "Hosl Families" was chiseled on it.
Since our great great grandmother's maiden name was
Margaretha Hasl (b. 1816), we were very excited. It
added credibility to the notion that at one time our
ancestors indeed had been buried in this cemetery.
Jim Stangel & Marvin Hart, Oberwalddorf #16
After leaving the cemetery in Bischofteinitz we
traveled south about 3 km (2 miles) to Ober and
Unterwalddorf (Horni and Dolni Valdorf). In
Oberwalddorf #16 our great grandfather, Andrew
Stangel (b. 1847), as well as all of his brothers, sisters,
nieces and nephews were born.
Jim had Betty take a picture of the two of us
standing in front of this house. Tony explained that
records showed the Stangl family owned this house
from about 1835 to 1946. In 1946, when the
Communist Party took over Bohemia at the end of
WW II, the Stangls were expelled from their home and
their homeland. Descendants of the Anton (b. 1870)
Stangl family were sent to the Stuttgart area of
Germany. You see, Anton's farther, Georg (b. 1841),
was our great grandfather's brother. We met some of
Anton's grandchildren and were stunned that none of
them had any knowledge of children of Peter (b. 1811)
and Margaretha (b. 1816) [Hasl] Stangl besides Georg
(b. 1841). We got to visit the birthplace of Margaretha
(Hasl) Stangl in Unterwalddorf #10 (Dolni Valdorf).
Tony said that before the village was called Walddorf
the area was known as Goose Hill (transl.). (Could the
area in Sleepy Eye where these German-Bohemians
lived called 'Goosetown' be a name that was associated
with Goose Hill in their heimat?)
From Walddorf we drove north and slightly
west of Bischofteinitz about 6-7 km (4 miles) to
Untermedelzen (Dolni Metelsko). Andrew's (b. 1841)
father, Peter (b. 1811) Stangl was born in
Untermedelzen #1. A fun moment we still chuckle
about: Across the street from Untermedelzen #1 we
spotted a stork's nest on top of an unused elevator or
water tower. Betty told us that children are told that a
stork delivers the boy babies to the family. When
asked how the girl babies arrived, she replied, "Oh, a
crow delivers the girl babies." We all began to laugh.
Betty looked puzzled. We tried to explain that in
America we have storks and crows but crows are
considered an unattractive, scavenger bird. I don't
think Betty really understood why we had laughed.
Perhaps it was the cultural or language barrier that
hampered our explanation.
In the afternoon we toured the well-known
Horsovsky Tyn castle located within a block of our
hotel. This Renaissance castle, built in the 16th
century, contained lounges, dance halls, and a library
with a unique picture gallery of Bohemian monarchs.
Our wives were enthralled with the picture gallery.
Behind the castle was a beautiful park with a creek
flowing through it. We thought: "Did our Stangl
relatives ever visit this castle?"
We also had the opportunity to relax before
joining the Kondrys at their home for the evening meal
and socializing. Betty and her fiancé, Jan, also joined
us. It was a real privilege to be invited into a Czech
June 2011 7

home and be able to participate in a typical Czech meal
prepared by Tony's wife, Maria. The meal consisted of
'svickova' (roast beef), gravy and raised dumplings and
a selection of wines and beers. Maria was a good
cook! I liked the meal and I thought Jim, Colette, and
Carol enjoyed it as well.
The second day began by visiting the birthplace
of our great grandmother, Mary (b.1855) Helget in
Natschetin #19 (Nacetin #2/3). Tony pointed out how
the size of this house had undergone several additions
over the years. Then we stopped at Natschetin #8
where Mary Helget's mother, Anna (b. 1832)
Schroepfer, was born. The house was in such disrepair
that no one could live in it.
Later, we traveled to the area where the village
of Rindl (Korytany) was located. Tony told us that the
residents of the village destroyed their homes prior to
the takeover by the Communist Party because they did
not want the Communists to occupy their village. The
wooded area where the village once existed was
identified by a roadside moment with a plague stating
"Korytany Rindl 1993". Using old maps that Tony
brought along, Jim and I followed him into the heavily
wooded area of this former village to where Anton (b.
1834) Helget, our great grandmother's father was born,
namely, Rindl #4. Colette and Carol stayed by the road
during our search for Anton's birthplace. All that
remained was an indentation in the ground surrounded
by sections of a stone foundation. Jim and I tried to
imagine what life for Anton Helget was like when he
was a child.
We headed to Schillingkau #2 (Sidlakov) were
Anton's father, Josef (b. 1813) Helget was born. After
a lunch stop at the pub in Waier (Rybrik), we visited St.
Wenceslaus Catholic Church and cemetery in Berg
(Hora Svatecho Vaclava) where Andrew and Mary
(Helget) Stangel were married on January 27, 1880.
Tony explained that in the 13th century this church had
been a castle. In the recent past the church had been
robbed of all of its artifacts and because of this incident
it was kept locked. However, we did roam around in
the cemetery and were able to find tombstones with the
name "Helget" on them.
Our ancestral tour ended with an emotional
stop at Schiefernau #11 (Sibanov). Betty took pictures
of the four of us where we stood in silence and
reflected on what we were experiencing: (See the
photo at the beginning of the article.) This was the
place where our great grandparents lived prior to
coming to the US. It was the exact location where
Jim's grandfather, Joseph (b. 1878) Stangl, was born.
The original house was destroyed years ago and a very
attractive vacation home had been built about a
hundred feet back from where the original home was
located.
Prior to our leaving the Stangl homeland in
Kries Bischofteinitz, our generous hosts, the Kondrys,
took us to several historical places. They loved telling
us about their land, its history and their communities.
One of these places was the town of Taus (Domazlice)
located 15 km from the German border. The attractive
main square has houses with flowing Baroque gables
and beautifully colored furnishings. On one end of the
town square is the Lower Gate and on the other end the
leaning Church Tower. Jim ascended the tower's 196
steps to get a bird's-eye view of the whole area. He
rejoined us without a red face or shortness of breath.
Again, Jim demonstrated his stamina. Meanwhile,
Colette and Carol admired the picturesque Baroque
square with the Lower Gate, dating back to the 13th
century, with its Gothic lower half and Renaissance
upper gate.
The highlight of the day was a barbeque
(cookout) at a restaurant in Horsovsky Tyn., followed
by what Betty called a 'beer marathon'. Her definition
was a visit to all of the pubs in Horsovsky Tyn. Since
I don't drink alcohol, our hosts introduced me to the
Czech replacement for the familiar Coca-Cola
beverage. Our wives were tired and instead of joining
us, decided to return to the hotel and rest up for the
events of the next day. Jim and I enjoyed the informal
conversation in the pubs.
The next morning we bid farewell to the
Kondrys and drove to Praha (Prague), CZR. We
checked in at the B&B where we had reservations. It
was early afternoon. So we hurried to a nearby tram
station. Boarded the Metro line headed for downtown
Praha. Jim scanned his local map and said, "Hey, it's
less than a mile, let's walk to Old Town. We can
sightsee on the way!" We walked around this ancient
city that is sometimes compared to Rome. Stopped at
a store front and bought tickets for guided walking and
bus tours for the next day. We admired the Charles
Bridge, Prague Castle, Big Ben, Baroque churches,
majestic squares and stylish restaurants. We were able
to view Prague from a different perspective by taking a
boat tour on the Vltava River.
Leaving Prague, a day and a half later, we
headed for the area south and west of Munich,
specifically Stuttgart, Germany. Determined to see as
much of Bohemia as possible and some of the Austrian
Alps, we crossed the border into Germany at
Philippsreut and drove through Passau and on to
Salzburg, Austria. We followed the Germany/Austria
border to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. This
route permitted us to admire the Austrian Alps for
June 2011 8

much of a day's travel. We stayed at B & Bs along the
way. Our final destination was south of Stuttgart in the
Wurttemberg area of Germany.
During the reminder of our trip we were able to
meet and interact with several blood relatives, all of
whom were descendants of our great grandfather's
brother, Georg (1841) Stangl. We spent several hours
with Georg's great grandchildren and members of their
families. They were Maria (b. 1926) [Stangl] Wotruba
and Walter (b. 1940) Stangl. Most noteworthy was the
realization that Walter was the first blood relative with
the surname Stangl that we met. Both of these cousins,
their Stangl ancestors and our great grandfathers, were
all born in the same house, (Ober) Walddorf #16.
However, none of the Stangl descendants were aware
of any of the Andrew Stangel line.
Our newly found relatives immediately became
good friends. We shared pictures of our ancestors and
our immediate family members. It was a festive 2-3
days of laughter, dining and sharing. Neither the
Wotrubas (Georg & Maria) nor the Walter Stangls,
spoke or understood English. But their children
enjoyed making use of the English they had learned in
school.
Our visit was too short. We hated to say
goodbye. We took group pictures. We hugged, kissed
and promised to meet again. A translation of George
Wotruba's parting words were, "Please come back and
visit us again! In the meantime, practice your
German!"
We headed for our final night in Germany, the
Best Western Hotel close to the airport in Munich. We
treated ourselves to an enjoyable evening in a typical
German restaurant where we talked about our
unforgettable time in Bohemia and Germany. Also, we
reviewed car rental return plans and airline check-in
times.
This trip did more than fill the blanks in our
genealogy program on a computer. We experienced
being in the places where our forefathers were born,
lived, left for America or passed on. We saw the
beautiful Bohemian Forest that surrounded their homes
and homeland.
It is our hope that this article does more than
give you some information on the past and present
homelands of the Stangl & Helget families. We hope
that it whets your appetite to make your dream a reality
by taking a similar trip to the homeland of your
forefathers. Be assured, you will not be disappointed.
German-Bohemians to Brazil
by Petr Polakovic
Edited by Dorothy Paulson
In 1817, Habsburg Princess Leopoldine married
the son of Portuguese and Brazilian monarch John
Pedro. She moved to Brazil to be with her husband. In
1822 Leopoldine who is called “Mother of Brazil”,
encouraged Pedro to break away from Portugal and
proclaim Brazil an independent monarchy. With great
enthusiasm, Leopoldine helped her husband, Emperor
Pedro I, to build this new state: the Brazilian
monarchy. She knew very well how to do it, because
she was born in the biggest monarchy in Europe – the
Austrian Monarchy.
There was a plan to build a professional army
from immigrants, recruiting soldiers from Europe. A
Brazilian, Major Schaefer, was appointed for that task.
He started in the port of Hamburg and later
Bremerhaven to bring ships with mainly German
immigrants, primarily from Hamburg and
surroundings. Later, however, they came from other
German speaking areas, notably from Silesia and
Bohemia, and/or Moravia, too. There is a well proven
hypothesis that an ancestor of famous President
Juscelino Kubitchek, Jan Nepomuk Kubicek, came
from southern Bohemia - the town Trebon – to the
international corps of the Brazilian army. Lepoldine,
being a very educated Austrian woman, realized that
if Brazil wanted progress, the country must obtain
immigrants, hard working people from Europe.
Hamburg and Bremerhaven were the most important
harbors in Europe. The plan started from there. Vast
empty territories of the relatively young Brazilian
states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and
Parana in the south of Brazil were to be populated by
immigrant farmers.
In 1824 the first German colony in Rio Grande
do Sul – Sao Leopoldo - was founded. At first, in the
first half of the 19th century, the emigration/
immigration to Brazil was not very high because there
were many obstacles: There was practically no
freedom to leave Germany or Austria etc., no steam
ships yet, and a very long and arduous journey to
Brazil. The situation changed after the revolution of
1848 in Europe when more freedom was implemented
in the political systems there.
June 2011 9

After Leopoldine died, Pedro I left Brazil and
returned to Portugal. In 1831 Pedro II, their only son,
become emperor of Brazil. He was a very good
emperor, very much like his mother. He continued
plans to promote immigration from Europe. Until the
end of the rule of Pedro II and the end of monarchy
(1899), thousands of Germans and Italians, among
other immigrants came to Brazil. Immigration
continued even under the republic.
Our people, the German Bohemians, naturally
came along with the German immigration. The
Germans from Germany were the first. They started the
significant emigration to Brazil, after 1850. The
German - Bohemian immigration started in the late
60‘s and many came in the 70’s (like my family Hörbe
in 1877) and later.
Technical conditions for emigration to Brazil
were good at that time: shipping agents like the
Hamburg Packet Gesselschaft or Hamburg Süd set up
regular lines to Brazil for passengers. Steam ships or
combined sailor and steamships were brought under
their flags. They improved services and conditions as
demand for emigration, and transportation was high;
they could make good profits from it. Many German
shipping agents from those Colonization Associations
went all over Europe in order to increase this sale,
especially to Germany and Austria where it was very
easy for these agents to speak the same official
language. In Bohemia and Moravia with German -
speaking German Bohemians it was an ideal province
for this advertisement.
The sister of Pedro II, Franciska Carolina
(1824-1898), who married the Prince of Joinville,
received for her wedding acres and acres of land in the
Province Santa Catarina. This was a great opportunity
for organizing immigration and distribution of those
26,000 ha of land near the harbor of Sao Francisco. In
the year 1849, Hamburg Germans played a most
important role in this project: The “Hamburg
Colonization Asscociation 1849“ was founded, and
established a contract between the royal family and
Senator Schroeder from Hamburg. The first newly
established town was called Schroederstadt, later
renamed Joinville. The Hamburg Süd Company
gradually introduced a direct route between Hamburg
and the Sao Francisco harbor town of Joinville. The
first immigrants received 50 ha of land; those that
arrived later received 30 or 25 ha.
For our people, who lived around the border of
the historical Czech Kingdom in the mountains
surrounding Bohemian or Moravian inlands, where
there are severe winters with drifts of snow half the
year, it was hard to resist this attractive offer. They
may own 3-10 ha and would have no chance to gain
any more land in the Czech lands. Since the families
had several children, there was less and less land.
After the first emigrants had left they sent a
letter back home saying that we can plant here all year
long, as there is no snow here, and we have a nice
subtropical climate. The first emigrants probably
received free ship tickets, and later the children were
transported free also. The conditions were attractive
untill the end of 1900 and even later.
Looking in the archives here and in Brazil,
most of our German-Bohemian people left for Brazil
from northern Bohemia, from the villages of the Isera
mountains, the big towns of Reichenberg or Gablonz;
and smaller towns in the Reichenberg province, such as
Friedlant , Böhmisch Leipa, etc. They established
colonies and towns in the state of Rio Grande do Sul
named Venancio Aires, Nova Petropolis, and Agudo,
etc. In 1873, Böhmerwaldlers led by Josef Ziperrer
from Neuren, and nearby Hammern, Eisenhüte,
Flecken, Rotbaum, and other villages in the
Bohemian/Bavarian border area founded the town Sao
Bento do Sul in Santa Catarina, with a church devoted
June 2011 10

to John from Nepomuk. To Joinville came many
German Bohemians from the more western part of
Bohemia near Rosshaupt, and knew very well the
border crossing point to Bavaria. People also came
from the mountains of northern Moravia, from the
villages of Röhmerstadt, and Mährisch Schönberg.
Since they registered as Austrians when they
arrived (because they had come over from the Austrian
Monarchy), it is hard to say how many there were, but
probably many more than we realize. Prior to and
during the Second World War, under the Brazilian
President Getulio Vargas, because they feared their
German heritage would be discovered, many lost or
destroyed their documents, and/or families did not
speak about the homeland of their ancestors. Now it
takes a lot of detective work to obtain all the right
information, and much effort must be put into
research.
I am sorry I have not touched much on the
comparison between the emigration of our people to
USA and Brazil. I still need to study it, yet. Now I can
only share my relative feelings and speculations with
you. I think between 1850-1900 conditions for
emigration to Brazil were very good. Much available
land; no war in Brazil until proclamation of the
Republic in 1889; the Brazilian Monarchy was very
stable and democratic; and farmers, and immigrants in
the South had much freedom. There was not much
interference with the indigenous people. The situation
was quite secure, not like the “wild far west“.
I believe that with your help in the USA, in the
future we will be able to make an excel sheet and
clearly define and compare the conditions and prices
for our German- Bohemian people. The we will be able
to answer the question of why some went to Brazil and
some other to USA. For example, why did my
ancestors Josef and Peter Hörbe, with their wives and
children, decide in 1877 to leave Maffersdorf in
northern Bohemia and jobs in the carpet factory of
Ginskey Company and go to Brazil rather than to the
USA. New Ulm?
At the end I would like to say that all our
people were hard working, and contributed much effort
to build a new independent Brazil. We can only joke
among ourselves, as I do with my “Böhmerwäldler“
friends in Sao Bento do Sul, as to who were the
tougher group: those from Böhmerwald or those from
northern Bohemia. Hilario Rank says those from
Böhmerwald, they were even tougher.
In Prague, 6. November 2010
Petr Polakovic: from the families Hörbe - Möniger –
Tomasch – Polakovič born 1963 in Reichenberg –
Liberec found my “Brazilian family“ Hörbe in
Blumenau in 1998
The family Hörbe left Hamburg 5.June 1877 and
settled in German Colony Santo Angelo- Agudo in
Central Rio Grande do Sul. until their last days,
always remembered their homeland by Reichenberg
and the Jeschken hills.
Village Spotlight:
Chronicle of Neubäu
Translation by Aida Kraus, January 18, 2011
Approximately 6 km to the Southeast of
Heiligenkreuz, very close to the river Radbusa, and
opposite of the Plattenberg that is the place where once
our home village Neubäu was situated; it was close to
the border with Bavaria. The so called "Neubäuer
Höhe" which also was called "Schafberg" rises to 700
meter above sea level.
The village was established in 1500 by farmers
and lumberjacks from the Oberpfalz in Bavaria. At
first, they erected just 4 houses around the
Hammerbrunnen (a water well), it carried the name
"Hammerbrunn" at that time. They had a glass
grinding operation there right from the start. In the
middle of the 17th century a great fire destroyed the
settlement. A few years later, the village was rebuilt
with 7 new dwellings and , therefore, it received the
name Neugebäu (New buildings) which was shortened
to Neubäu eventually. The oldest settler names in this
village might well have been Wiedl, Dietz, Rebitzer
and Eckert.
The village of Neubäu enlarged over the next
centuries. In 1839 there were 24 houses with a
population of 171, and in 1913 there were 33 houses
with 262 residents and finally the village grew to 454
houses.
June 2011 11

and was popularly known throughout the
area.
Neubäu also had a voluntary fire
department.
Today, the village of Neubäu no longer
exists. One house after another was
demolished by the Czech government
during 1949 and 1953, and the acres were
used as pasture land. Where once a group
of peaceful people lived , who were
happily satisfied to go diligently after
their daily work, there now are weeds and
nettles, just as it was prophesied by the
old "Mühlhiasl" many years ago.
Street Scene in Neubäu
In 1937, the areal of this community was 329.96
hectares with a subdivision of 98.11 hectares of
farmland, 60.92 hectares meadows, 67.02 hectares in
grazing and pasture, 93.82 hectares forest and 2,74
hectares horticulture.
Farming and forestry, mainly, provided a
livelihood for the population. There were 5 farmers
owning in excess of 15 hectares of land, there was one
blacksmith, 2 cabinet makers, 1 carpenter, 1 wood
turner (wood lathe), and 1 cooper called "Binner".
There was also a grain mill and a saw mill. Those
people who had smaller farms supplemented their
incomes as lumberjacks, masons, and as helpers in
the building trade. Women earned enough money
making lace (klöppeln) during the winter months to
cover their annual household expenses. During the
Summer, the younger women and older girls worked
as seasonal workers at the international spas of
Franzenbad and Marienbad.
As you left the village towards the Fuchsberg,
there was a small village church dedicated to Saint
George. Services there were held only on holidays.
The main parish was at Heiligenkreuz. The children of
this community went to a single classroom school until
1928/29, when another room was built to allow for
expansion. The cultural enrichment of our home
village was music, mainly by the "Bandstand Brown"
which was conducted by a man called "Der Wirs" as
he was known to the locals in the vernacular. Every
one of his sons played a different instrument and the
Das Handwerk im Kreis
Bischofteinitz
Translated from German by Bobby Ranallo
After the establishment of civil law in
Bohemia, new guilds were founded from the ashes of
the old ones to secure the rights of craftsmen. They
were not very different from the old guilds, most just
having changed their names and incorporated other
smaller craftsmen into their ranks. Many were
reorganized on the grounds of what materials their
members used in their crafts; for example, in Guild 1
the members work mainly with iron or wood while in
Guild 2 the members work with food(farmers,
Butchers, etc).
The general membership was required each
year to vote in new leadership for the guild. This
would often take place during Lent and members
would decide on who would represent them as
Treasurer, and representatives on the advisory council.
Each position would be given to a member of a
different trade represented within the group, for
example if the president was a shoemaker then the
treasurer would be a baker and the council secretary a
tailor.
The New Year began with a church service
attended by the guild. During this service the guild
members would enter the church carrying candles,
lanterns and flags representing the guild. It was
considered a high honor to be chosen to carry a candle,
flag or lantern. The candles and lanterns were hung in
the church and used to light services throughout the
year, while the flags representing the guild were often
taken to the homes of those chosen to carry and care
June 2011 12

for them. After the church service the membership
would meet at the guild’s hall to conduct the business
of the New Year. This work included the induction of
new members and the taking on of apprentices, and the
promotion of new masters of the craft. In order to
become a master in the new guild one had to undergo
years of training followed by a test presented by the
The Blacksmith Guild in Natschetin
current masters of their respective guilds and if they
passed would be promoted to master. For the
apprentices the path towards becoming a member of
the guild was very difficult. In addition to working
70-80 hours during week, those who wished to learn a
trade would have to attend trade school Sundays,
during what had previously been their day of rest. The
apprentices would often live with their masters and
work for them in return for room and board, but saw
none of the money earned during the work week. This
form of apprenticeship changed only during the late
1930’s and is today unheard of, with those wishing to
learn a trade attending school before going to work and
earning a wage during their time working with a
master. The hard work of the apprentice paid off
however, as once they became masters they took an
honored position within their village and were then
able to take on apprentices of their own.
The Old Glassworks
Translated from German by Bobby Ranallo
The area we will consider when examining
glassmaking in the Böhmerwald streatches from the
Western portion of Bischofteinitz to the borders of
Waidhaus-Pfraumbergand Furth im Wald-Taus. This
area was home to the most Glashütten in the area,
although most have now either been destroyed or
incorporated into the larger Glassworks in the area.
It is thought that the practice of glass making
stretches back over 6,000 years, and that glass is one of
the oldest man made materials in existence. It is no
surprise that we find many Glasmeisters in the
Böhmerwald. The forest provided enough lumber to
feed the furnaces of the glass makers and provided the
pot ash that was vital to the composition of glass. The
number of glass makers declined as the use of charcoal
furnaces became the industry standard and cause their
wood fired ovens to become obsolete. This coupled
with the closed off nature of the Böhmerwald villages,
and the lack of beaches containing sand meant that
many soon migrated away from their home villages.
This time was filled with a sense of emergency as those
who stayed in the villages and maintained the old ways
of glass making positioned themselves firmly against
the new ways of doing things. They took the
mechanization of the glass making industry as an
affront to their autonomy and patriarchies. Soon glass
making in the Böhmerwald transitioned from being an
Bohemian Glass Chandelier
in Muttersdorf Church 1986
industry that created pieces that served a purpose into
one that created purely decorative works of art.
Around the year 1100, 13 Chodendörfer found
themselves being commissioned by a local Count to
work as his personal glass makers. This commission
lasted until 1318, and lead to the tradition of the local
monarchs having glass makers in their employ. In
June 2011 13

1454 the local monarchs signed a contract with
villagers in the Böhmerwald that allowed the monarchs
to preserve the forests where the glass makers lived,
and prevent the incursion of mechanization into the
local villages; as long as the villagers supplied them
with glass. This system lasted for about 150 years,
until around 1592, when the contract came to an end.
At this time the king of Bohemia, Herrn von
Schwanberg, attempted to renew the accord between
his kingdom and the glass makers. The villagers were
to pay a onetime tribute to the king in return for his
protection of their villages, however in order to garner
the necessary funds they needed to increase the amount
of glass they produced. This lead to the founding of
new villages throughout the Böhmerwald and the
establishment of many new glass factories, thus
violating the terms of the contract made with the king.
24 Hour Cabbage
In honor of my sister Lydia. This was her favorite dish
for salads. By Angie Meidl Portner
1 med. head cabbage
1 med. onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 red or green pepper chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
DRESSING:
1 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c/ canola oil 1/4 c. celery seed
Mix chopped vegetables with the salt and pepper.
Combine sugar, oil, vinegar, celery seed and simmer
until clear. Pour over the mixture hot. Mix wel and put
in a bowl with a lid and store in refrigerator. Keeps
well for at least 10 days in refrigerator. You may add
more cabbage next day, and add more or less of any of
the ingredients. You may add more cabbage to the
same brine for another meal of salad.
Best American Potato Salad
By Eleanor Haala Kretsch
5 lbs. red potatoes 1/2 c. half and half
3 c. Miracle Whip 1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. mustard 2 tbsp. vinegar
1 c. sugar 4 to 6 cooked eggs
Cook potatoes. When done and cooled, peel, slice in
bowl and add sliced onions if you like and sliced
boiled eggs. Mix your ingredients and pour over sliced
potatoes. Mix well and let set some time in the
refrigerator. Arrange sliced eggs on top. Never fails!
This is a great recipe for summer picnics coming up
Frank
Soural
1932-2011
Memorials
In memory of Lois Sellner
From Roland & Elaine Dauer
In memory of Al Mueller
From Janice Kretsch
In memory of Ken Fischer
From Janice Kretsch
In memory of Casey Konz
From Roland & Elaine Dauer
In memory of Marlon Bushard
From Pat. & Colleen Kretsch
In memory of Charles UbI
From Pat. & Colleen Kretsch
In memory of Alice Sellner
From Roland & Elaine Dauer
It is with great
sorrow that we
at the German-
B o h e m i a n
Heritage
Society learned
of the death of
our friend and
landsman Frank
Soural. Frank
had been a frequent contributor to the GBHS mailing
list and the Heimatbrief sharing with our membership
the beauty, history and culture of his beloved
homeland.
Frank will be greatly missed by us all.
Special condolences to his family and know that Frank
will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Robert Paulson
June 2011 14

GBHS Merchandise
Shipping costs included in prices listed below.
Please mail orders to GBHS, PO Box 822, New Ulm MN 56073-0822
Please inquire about shipping costs for any overseas orders.
GBHS Books
German-Bohemians: the Quiet Immigrants by La Vern
J. Rippley & Robert J. Paulson. The “must have" book
for German-Bohemian researchers. Nine chapters
describing our German-Bohemian ancestor’s lives in
the homeland, their journey to America and life in
their new communities. Customs, traditions, music,
heritage and more. Over 150 photos. Fully researched.
279 pages, hardcover. $25.90.
NEW! German-Bohemian Dialect Book Remembered
by Paul Kretsch. This book has descriptions of the
German-Bohemian dialect words as remembered by
the author. A very interesting book. Softcover with
computer cd, $29.50; softcover without cd, $19.50;
hardcover with computer cd $40.50; hardcover without
cd $30.50.
German-Bohemian Immigrant Monument Book. A
souvenir booklet of the monument dedication by the
GBHS, with early history of the organization. 30 pages,
soft cover. $5.00.
Duetsch-Böhmische Küche, 1st Edition. A German-
Bohemian Cookbook. Dozens of authentic German and
German-Bohemian recipes. Ring bound, soft cover, 88
pages. $10.00.
Duetsch-Böhmische Küche, ‘Gut Essen' Cookbook 2nd
Edition. More authentic recipes plus a twist that you
will not find in other cookbooks. Historical memories
with six Menu Suggestions, Heritage items, & Meals;
Second section: Soup; Salad, Vegetables, Kraut, &
Dumplings; Third section: Meat, Backereie, Desserts.
222 pages, ring bound, soft cover. $14.00.
Gag Family
Anton Gag Sketchbook. This small sketchbook (4”H X
5”W) reproduces a small sketchbook the young artist
kept in 1878 and 1879 to record his observations of
people places, and events in St. Paul and New Ulm.
Unpaged, softcover. Regular price $11, on sale for $8.
The Gag Family: German-Bohemian Artists in
America By Julie L’Enfant. The story of Anton Gag and
his family. 200 pages, hardcover. $35.00.
Music
"German-Bohemian Heritage Singers, Preserving the
Heritage" cassette tape No.1. A wonderful array of
German and German-Bohemian dialect songs. Cassette
$9.00.
“Preserving the Heritage II”. An encore performance
features even more toe tapping and heart warming
songs in the German and German-Bohemian flavor.
Add it to your collection today. CD $11.00.
The Chemnitzer Concertina by LaVern J. Rippley.
History of the concertina. Packed with pictures and
detail, the author describes its origin and how it came
to America and eventually to Minnesota. 294 pages,
hardcover, $35.00.
DVD
Unser Schönes Heimatland Video. A sixty minute
travelogue of over 45 homeland villages. Created and
compiled by Robert Paulson. DVD $20.00.
Franz Massopust, German-Bohemian Pathfinder and
Founder of New Ulm by Robert Paulson. An original
work on one of the founders of New Ulm, Franz
Massopust, a German Bohemian, whose story was truly
tragic. 32 pages, softcover. $9.95.
Member Projects
My 7,000 Mile Journey: From Birth to Retirement by member Margit Payne. The story about the
expulsion from her Sudentenland home and her subsequent travels. 208 pages, softcover. $20.00.
The Missing Peace of a Heritage Puzzle by member Frank Koerner. A memoir uniquely set in a
vanished Sudetenland. “Frank’s unique way of descriptive writing puts the reader in his hip pocket and
in his conscious mind as he travels the back roads in search of his heritage.” 2nd edition. 209 pages,
softcover. $19.95.
June 2011 15

German-Bohemian Heritage Society
PO Box 822
New Ulm MN 56073-0822
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 54
New Ulm MN
GBHS Membership
Check the expiration date on the mailing label above to see when your membership expires. If it
expires within the next three months please fill out the following form and mail to:
GBHS, PO Box 822, New Ulm, MN 56073
Family membership costs $20 per year
(Family membership includes those living in the same household)
Renewal
New Member
Name ____________________________________________________ Phone Number __________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________ State _____________ Zip Code ______________
E-Mail Address ____________________________________________________________________________
Surnames you are researching _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
June 2011 16