Volga German Institute - Seminar Series
! ! This event is sold out ! !
"The Journeys of the Volga Germans"
24-25 April 2019
Leavenworth, Washington
As part of its celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the Volga German colonies in Russia, the Volga German Institute at Fairfield University is hosting a seminar series entitled "The Journeys of the Volga Germans" at the Icicle Village Resort in Leavenworth, Washington.
The public is invited to attend.
Registration
! ! This event is sold out ! !
Send an email to Jill (jmassari@fairfield.edu) to be put on the waiting list. Provide your name, the number of people in your party, and a telephone number. She will call you should spaces become available.
Early Registration: $100 per person if you register on or before 1 April 2019.
NOTE: There are a limited number of seats available for this event, and it has sold out quickly in past years - so register early!
Regular Registration: $125 per person for registrations received after 1 April 2019 or at the door (there are a limited number of seats available for this event, so please check with Jill before showing up at the door).
To register & pay by credit/debit card, please follow this link for Online Registration.
If you prefer to pay by check, print the Registration Form, and mail it along with your check. To qualify for the Early Registration rate, payment must be received by Monday, April 1.
If you have special dietary requests or any questions, please call Jill at 203.254.4000 x2648.
[Note: There is no discount for partial attendance of this event. Notice of cancellation on or before 1 April 2019 will receive a full refund; after 1 April 2019 will receive no refund.]
Location
This event will be held at the Icicle Village Resort in Leavenworth, Washington.
505 US Highway 2
Leavenworth, WA 98826
509.548.7000
Parking: free on-site parking
Scheuerman
Speakers
Dr. Mai serves as the Dean of Libraries and University Librarian at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he also leads the Volga German Institute. Dr. Mai has spoken world-wide on many topics related to Volga German history and culture. Dr. Mai, whose father's side is Volga German, grew up in Western Kansas, graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg, and continued graduate studies at George Washington University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Richard Scheuerman is an emeritus professor of education of Seattle Pacific University. He is a noted author and speaker on the Volga Germans of the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Scheuerman, whose father's side is Volga German, grew up in the Pallouse Country of Eastern Washington, and holds degrees from Washington State University, Pacific Lutheran University, and Gonzaga University.
Schedule for Wednesday, 24 April 2019
| 9:00 - 4:00 | Genealogy Workshop
Dr. Mai and several volunteers will be available to provide one-on-one genealogical assistance with your Volga German ancestry. Bring the family information you have uncovered thus far, and they will help you formulate strategies to move beyond road blocks. Lunch is not included.
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| 6:00 - 9:00 | Welcome Banquet
Following a delicious German feast, there will be an entertaining presentation by Mike Lust!
The menu will be your choice of (1) Bratwurst & German Sausage or (2) Roasted Pork Loin along with German potato salad, braised sweet & sour red cabbage, house-made sauerkraut, apple slaw, fresh fruit, green salad with dressings, rolls & butter, and apple or cherry strudel for dessert. Drinks included: iced tea & lemonade, Seattle's Best coffee, and a selection of teas. |
Schedule for Thursday, 25 April 2019
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Registration & Visiting |
| 9:00 - 9:45 | Session 1: Introduction to the Volga Germans and their Heritage
Everyone starts on a different page when it comes to their knowledge of who the Volga Germans are and how they came to be in Russia. This session will bring all attendees to the same place in that understanding - and we'll carry on from there.
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| 10:00 - 11:30 | Session 2: The Journey from Germany to Russia
Most of the original Volga German immigrants were ethnically German, but not all of them. Dr. Mai will begin by discussing the Western European Origins of the Volga Germans. We will then re-live their trek from Western Europe to their new homeland along the banks of the Volga River in Russia. It was a long and arduous journey, for sure! How did they get there? What was it like when they arrived? What was life like in Russia after they arrived? These are some of the questions we will explore during this session.
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| 11:30 - 1:30 | Lunch
Lunch is on your own (not included in the registration fee). There are dozens of wonderful German and other ethnic restaurants off the Central Square in Leavenworth. The Square is about a 15 minute walk from the Icicle Village Resort, and there is plenty of parking on the Square if you want to drive.
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| 1:30 - 2:45 | Session 3: The Journey Within Russia
The Volga Germans have always been a mobile group of people. Shortly after their arrival in Russia, they began moving among the colonies, and then to the Caucasus and even to Siberia. August 28, 1941, is a fateful day for the Volga Germans. On that day, the decree which expelled the Volga Germans from their homes was made public. By mid-September, all of the colonies had been emptied of their Volga German inhabitants. During this session, we will look at where Volga Germans settled within Russia and the Asiatic Republics both before and after the 1941 Deportation.
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| 2:30 - 3:15 | Session 4: The Journey Beyond Russia
Following the 1874 Universal Conscription Act, Volga Germans began to look beyond Europe at North & South America. Some even ended up in South Africa. During this session Dr. Mai will lay out these migration scenarios and how they played out on the landscape of our Volga German heritage.
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| 3:30 - 4:30 | Session 5: Today's Volga German Journey
After the migrations to North & South America, what have the descendants of the Volga Germans been doing? Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the Volga German descendants in Russia and the Asiatic Republics began to move once again. Where are they now? How are the Volga German descendants doing today? What are they doing?
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| 6:00 - 9:00 | Banquet
Following another German feast, Dr. Richard Scheuerman will speak to us on the topic of "Hallowed Harvests: Enduring Volga German Values in Art and Literature." The menu will be your choice of (1) Jaeger Schnitzel with mushroom sauce or (2) Sauerbraten beef tips and German fried potatoes, braised sweet & sour red cabbage, house-made sauerkraut, apple slaw, fresh fruit, green salad with dressings, rolls & butter, and apple or cherry strudel for dessert. Drinks included: iced tea & lemonade, Seattle's Best coffee, and a selection of teas.
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Area Hotels
The Volga German Institute does not endorse any of these locations, but provides information about them because of their proximity to the event site.
Icicle Village Resort
509.548.7000
Howard Johnson Express Inn
509.548.4326
Der Ritterhof
509.548.5845
Fairbridge Inn & Suites
509.548.7992