In Medicine Hat...

Check out the blog I am doing for the convention at www.medicinehatconvention2009.blogspot.com. Also check the photos at my facebook account http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/anna.bartkowski?ref=profile

Happy Memorial Day...

It's been a few weeks since my last update because all of my efforts were directed to put the finishing touches on my latest book. More details on the book on later updates, however it is now at the printer and I have a sense of relief I have not experienced in months. How glorious that I can reflect and relax on Memorial Day.

My Memorial Day updates are some of my favorites over the past two years. Its always been a day of remembrance and gratitude. I am grateful to have finished my book and to remember the joy of retracing my steps in Argentina...just one of my many paths in retracing my ancestry.

I also try to learn something new every Memorial Day. In the past, I focused on World War II and my Dad and Uncle's service in the Navy and Marines respectively. Yet, Memorial Day began after the Civil War. And I never understood why, when I moved from Wisconsin to Tennessee, the people I lived with in Nashville, never took too kindly to the holiday. That was, until I read David Holzel's Ten Facts About Memorial Day. Here is the link to his mental_floss column and I am sure you will learn something about Memorial Day as I did.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/05/25/mf.holiday.memorial.day/

So, I relax and recoup today. Then I start the next journey which is to Medicine Hat, Alberta. I want to savor my plans for the trip, do as much research ahead of time, and look forward to reuniting with many friends.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day and may your memories be graced with the gratitude which comes from age and wisdom. Enjoy.

Desert Blooms in Cooper Commons...Happy Mother's Day!

I walked out the front door at 6 a.m., camera in hand to photograph the beautiful flowers in my subdivision. I think you will agree this was the perfect way to start my day. When I arrived back at my house, I planted three new cactus next to the driveway. Now on to drawing and relaxing with my girls.

Can you see the spider web protected in this cactus?

Roswita Niessner shares her story

At the Foothills Library in Glendale, Arizona, Roswita Niessner shared her story at the Spring meeting of the Arizona Sun Chapter today.

Roswita traced the establishment of the Moravians in 1770 to the devastation of her small hometown in Upper Silesia, Germany during World War II. Her story parallels some of the plights similar to the German Russians as the war split families and forced evacuations from Germany to Prague to Austria.

After their flight out of Upper Silesia, they settled in what was to become Eastern Germany. Through her own efforts, she managed to relocate to West Germany, Scotland, back to West Germany and ultimately, Roswita married Bob Niessner and settled in America.

Roswita provided us with a new slant on WWII from the perspective of one in Germany. The starvation, fear and attacks from the Russians on the east, and the American, French and British on the west, gave us an inside look at how the Germans, who share our ancestry, experienced the war right in their homes.

Her story prompted many good questions and I know we look forward to hearing more on her personal recollection of the volatile time in history.

AHSGR Arizona Sun meeting today...

It's off to the Foothills Library for the Arizona Sun meeting which starts at 1 p.m. I'm looking forward to see good friends, learnof news on our genealogical searches, and hear Roswita Niessner speak about growing up as a German Russian in Germany.

Roswita has a unique history among German Russians. Most who survived the famines and the Bolsheviks came to the Americas. Others who remained in Russia were sent to Siberian work camps. I am interested to hear of her experiences and will be sure to write about it when I return.

On a bittersweet note, two longstanding members of our organization, Herb Babitzke and Golden Purvis, have passed away since our last meeting. I did not have the opportunity to know Golden well, but Herb was instrumental in encouraging my involvement with this organization and I shall be forever grateful. Both of these men are greatly missed. The Arizona Sun Chapter sends our condolences to both of their families.

Convention Update

Besides the usual sites for the International Convention of Germans from Russia, there is a new blog which will provide up to the minute news on the convention. More details on the speakers, topics and workshops will be added over the next few weeks.

Be sure to check it out and come back frequently for updates. I know many of my friends are looking forward to reuniting in Medicine Hat.

http://medicinehatconvention2009.blogspot.com/

Destination: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

My next travel adventure is in the works....the International Convention of Germans from Russia starts on June 15 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. I've been invited to speak about my travels in Argentina and am extremely fortunate I will have the support of most of the group who traveled with me.

I have forty-five minutes to describe a fabulous two week trip. The challenge is to cover all aspects of the trip...the villages...the sites...and most importantly, the people we met.

While I do believe my presentation would make it worth your while to go to Medicine Hat, there is just so much more to see. According to the latest AHSGR newsletter, "This will be only the third time in our long history that we have traveled to Canada to share our heritage. The planning committee has woven a red carpet of welcome entitled, 'Experience of a Life and Time.' Beginning with Welcome Night, we will celebrate our rich heritage with music, history, culture, and traditions while greeting our friend and neighbors."

The list of keynote speakers, programs and workshops is a genealogist's dream. The tours include Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery, the Historic Clay District, a tour of Medicine Hat, and a self-guided tour of the Germans from Russia historic sites.

Make plans now to attend! If you haven't updated your passport, do it now or there is still time to request one. Here are also some important links about the program and hotels for further investigation. Hope to see you there!

http://www.ahsgr.org/convention.htm

http://www.medhatlodge.com/

www.calgarychapterahsgr.ca/

http://www.comfortinn.medicinehat.com/

Who says accordions are extinct?

Random Observations of the week:

1) Medicine Hat, Alberta and Rapid City, South Dakota are calling my name. Travel plans are shaping up quite nicely. The German from Russia conferences are a must to attend for me this year.

2) I love grocery shopping at Sunflower Market on Southern. No rush, no fuss. Ideal for the new economic times. Good produce at farmer's market prices. Great way to start my week.

3) Visits to the dentist are never fun, but extremely valuable.

4) Tropical Smoothie on McQueen is open again and Sunny Day makes a great dinner.

5) Lettuce wraps and peace on earth tea at Mandala Tea Room combine for a fabulous dinner. Toni & Guy's created a whole new look for me, too

5) Accordions are making a comeback, not just with Andy Kroneberger and my German Russian friends. I ended the week at jobing.com arena in Glendale, Arizona where Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played for over three hours straight. It was the second night of the Working on a Dream tour.

I retraced my life through his songs and relished the music and memories. I can never hear Tenth Avenue Freeze Out without picturing myself at The Gym near Marquette University, sitting next to Carol Cassano, Carol Mellon, Sharon Doherty and Hugh Walsh. Sharon and Hugh were from New Jersey and when Tenth Avenue played, energy exploded throughout the room.

Bruce's encore included American Land which featured two accordions! One of the best known rock icons of our time used the unique sound of an accordion on his latest CD. Outstanding stuff! The accordion lives on in unlikely venues. Precious entertainment. Great fun. If your children or grandchildren think the accordion is not cool, have them check out the latest Springsteen. I have to listen to more.

Friday the 13th Part III

You would think indulgence at a chocolate factory would be enough. But, no, we still needed lunch. Where to go?

We headed to the car and drove directly to the heart of Historic Downtown Glendale. On my left, I saw the name Murphy and assumed it was an Irish pub. Mom agreed it was worth checking out so I turned around and found a close parking spot on the street. We walked to the restaurant and discovered the name was Haus Murphy.



Haus Murphy is not an Irish pub. Haus Murphy is a German biergarten of a restaurant which matches my heritage perfectly. We were delighted! We chose the bratwurst and enjoyed. The warm, delicious apple streudel topped off a great meal. For their full menu, visit http://www.hausmurphys.com/

We are not the only ones who think Haus Murphy is worthy of a visit. Guy Fieri of the Food Network agrees and featured Haus Murphy on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on February 23rd.



So, this third update is the finale for Friday the 13th. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Friday the 13th Part II

I spent last Friday the 13th with my Mom and we visited historic downtown Glendale. I've lived in Arizona for nearly seven years and never stopped in this quaint area.


First stop...family owned and operated Cerreta Candy Factory. Chocolate and candy for any occasion. The tour offered many free samples including licorice caramel, peanut butter fudge...need I go on? This place has all of the sweetness of Willie Wonka, but, unfortunately, no oompah loompahs. I couldn't leave the place without buying plenty of chocolate including the Wine Pairing Chocolates.



And, you don't have to visit the store to indulge in these treats. Everything can be ordered from their web site at http://www.cerreta.com/.


How about Chocolate Easter Bunnies on Parade?


Candy Tribute to Lucy and Ethel






Craving chocolate yet? Remember, Easter is just around the corner and who knows what the Bunny will bring. Check back tomorrow for Friday the 13th Part III...

Can it be Friday the 13th of March already? A month of updates is due...

It's been a month since I posted, which is highly unusual for me. Have I been busier than normal? Maybe. Mom is visiting, I am still editing Andy's book, work has been non-stop, we finished putting together the Spring edition of the AHSGR Journal and somewhere in between all of that, my updates fell through the cracks. I hope to make up for it today.

One of the highlights of the last month was the Winter Arizona Sun Chapter meeting with featured my friend Andy Kroneberger. Andy's quest to find his family spans the globe from Minnesota, Russia, Germany and Argentina.

He presented "A Man Called Andreas, One Family's Struggle in Bolshevik Russia." Andy shared the story of the Kronebergers and Stoessels from Dehler. He detailed their struggles to leave Russia and their transition to the Americas. During his investigation he researched his family tree back to 1719 in Gochsheim, Germany. Andy is the author of "I Found My Family" and the upcoming "A Man Called Andreas" which will be published in the spring. His story moved the hearts of everyone in the audience.



If you read my blog in February, you saw Andy's musical talent on the accordion. He is not only a gifted musician, writer and speaker, but a fabulous painter. I included his painting of the Volga River as he believes it looked from Dehler.

There will be more to come from this author and I am avidly editing the book to rush it to the printing press. Will keep you posted.

President Jimmy Carter....Who can argue with peace?

I attended a Presidential book signing today when Changing Hands bookstore hosted President Jimmy Carter this evening. The staff had over 1600 books on hand. The secret service coordinated everyting and made the hour wait pass swiftly.

President Carter spoke for a few mintues and then signed his new book We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land. It was great to meet the former President especially since my mother and daughter accompanied me.

Carter's message was short and sweet. And, whatever your politics, who can argue with peace? Besides knowledge of our own family history, what better legacy can we leave for our children?

Busy Weekend....

Yes, I am watching the Super Bowl but need to share part of my Saturday with you. I drove to Florence to spend time with Andy and Joyce Kroneberger at their winter home. I met Andy and Joyce in Hays, Kansas almost two years ago at the AHSGR convention. Last year Andy and I started to work together to publish his book A Man Called Andreas. We met yesterday to discuss the book and his upcoming talk at the Arizona Sun meeting. Here is the information from the AHSGR web site on Andy's presentation.

February 21, 2009
Our guest speaker, Andy Kroneberger, will present "A Man Called Andreas, One Family's Struggle in Bolshevik Russia." Andy will share the story of the Kronebergers and Stoessels from Dehler detailing their struggles to leave Russia and their transition to the Americas. Andy's quest to find his family has taken him from Minnesota to Germany and Argentina. During his investigation he researched his family tree back to 1719 in Gochsheim, Germany. Andy is the author of "I Found My Family" and the upcoming "A Man Called Andreas" which will be published in the spring. Retrieved from http://www.ahsgr.org/arizona_sun_chapter.htm/.

We took a short break from the book and Andy shared a few songs with me. I hope you enjoy the video above.

Wouldn't it be great if Andy plays music for us at the Sun Meeting? If you are in the Phoenix area on Feb. 21, please stop at the Glendale Foothills Library at 19055 N. 57th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona. As you may remember, Glendale was the site of the Super Bowl last year.

Also, GO CARDS! LOVE THE INTERCEPTION. (Ok, the first interception...)

On the road again....our Argentina bus experience

Of course I'm watching the Arizona Cardinal game, and reveling in the fact that Jordin Sparks' ancestors on her mother's side are Germans from Russia. Isn't it amazing how we all connect in one way or another? However the Cardinals are not my focus for this particular update. Yesterday I mentioned how much we did in Argentina during our two week trip. One of the reasons for our extensive excursion was our bus. We traveled on a double decker bus from the time we left Buenos Aires until we arrived back at the airport. Our drivers, Eduardo and Carlos, were crucial to our safe and successful trip. The first picture below shows Eduardo next to Tim and Carlos is in the second picture. There was definitely a great deal of time on the bus. We used this time to talk, laugh, plan and compare notes on our ancestry. Tim, aka Mr. Congeniality, led many of our conversations as he spoke German. He initiated numerous sing-alongs as demonstrated in some of the vidoe I took. We found a common theme in song. Unfortunately, the best video is over 333MB so I cannot upload it to this blog. I will gladly provide a CD of the song segment to anyone who is interested.
I learned how to sleep on the bus during two overnight rides. But, how can one sleep with the views like the one below?

Asociacion Argentina de Descendientes de Alemanes Del Volga

Yes, it's 2009 and I continue to have more to share about Argentina. How did we do so much in two weeks? Two overnight bus trips certainly maximized our travel time. Part of the fun of writing about Argentina is uploading a few of the many pictures I shot yet there are so many more. El Argentino(the newspaper of Gualeguaychu, provincia of Entre Rios) wrote about our visit in their November 13 edition.




Our evening with the local asociacion included conversation, music and barocks. The president of the asociacion was Juan Hermann and I sat at a table with his father Juan. Juan's family immigrated to Argentina from the wiesenseite of the Volga but did not know the specific village. He recited his family tree through his grandparents. Since my grandmother was a Herrmann from Marienthal I wanted to find a connection. I have yet to locate the piece of paper we used to write down with his grandparent's names and hope to find it soon.





Before our visit to the asociation, we toured a yerba matte store. The idea was to buy a yerba matte gourd and sample some of Argentina's best fare. I saw gourds made of every size and color and even some created from the hooves of cattle.



When Judy sampled some of what Tim purchased, she said it tasted like dirt. I hadn't planned to sample the mate but when I did, I thought it was much better than dirt. I love herbal teas and will have to buy some instant yerba mate to see if I can acquire the taste.



Of course, I didn't have to work hard to acquire a taste for Malbec. For more information on malbec, visit any of the following sites:
http://www.wineweekly.com/wine-basics/wine-grapes/wine-grape-malbec/
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34670.asp
http://www.easy-wine.net/malbec-wine.htm

Thanks to Edith for the lovely picture of the group enjoying Malbec on the balcony of the Aguay Hotel (http://www.hotelaguay.com.ar/en/aguay-inicio.htmover)looking the river in Gualeguaychu.







I continue to listen to my DVDs and CDs to master the Spanish language. In the meantime, I added the Google Translate option directly to my blog. There is much more to come on Argentina especially as I pull information together for the Journal publication. Tomorrow, focus on our bus experience.

Welcome to 2009 & Happy New Year!

Sunrise over San Miguel Church in Argentina


Happy 2009! I wish everyone a happy, healthy New Year and may all of your resolutions come true!

I have one resolution to share for 2009. Focus on what I can do and make a better to achieve it every day
Best wishes to you in 2009!

My Top Ten Blog Updates of 2008.... continued

OK, the countdown is on! Here are the rest of my top ten favorite blog updates from 2008

Favorite Update #4
4) Out of the Blue from August 31 The book Zemaitis Family History by my cousin, James Zemaitis Smith, was a treasure chest of information about the Herzog & Reimer families. What a delightful surprise! Many thanks to Jim for organzing the documents and pictures of our family and providing me with two more photographs of my great-grandfather, Phillip Reimer, and my grandparents, Fredy and Sophie Reimer Herzog.

Favorite Update #3
3) Final Day in Casper from August 2... My trip to Casper, Wyoming for the the AHSGR and GRHS combined convention created many memorable events
a) the sing-a-long with Ray Weinberger (also see Dec. 24 update of Merry Christmas Eve...I'm already missing you)
b) Time spent with Art Flegel
c) Time spent with Maxine & Ron Fiman and Cleon & Anita Davis who share Mariental as their ancestral village
!





Favorite Update #2
2) Anniversaries are so worth celebrating from February 10 The Arizona Sun Chapter of AHSGR celebrated its Thirty Year Anniversary in style at the Black Forest Mill in February. As our honored guests, Dona Reeves Marquardt and Lew Marquardt entertained us and helped us to remember the humble beginnings of the chapter.



Favorite Update #1
1) Argentina Argentina Argentina...which date is my favorite? There isn't an update on Argentina that wasn't a favorite so to celebrate my trip, here are a couple of videos. First, Armando Heim talks with a group of fellow travelers in Hinojo.


Second, in Gualeguaychu, Dodie and Tim talk with the German Russian owner of a men's clothing store.


And, as I have said before, there is still more to document on the Argentina connection.

So, what does 2009 hold in store for us? Here are my resolutions...
*more family history stories,
*more updates about Argentina and my new South American friends
*and my ongoing commitment to document my family history on this blog.

I wish each and everyone of you a very healthy and Happy New Year in 2009!

My Top Ten Blog Updates of 2008....

OK, everyone has a list at this time of year...the best song, album, movie, and so on. I believe it is wise to reflect on the year because it is a good way to rejuvenate the memories. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment as we close our another year of our lives. L

My TOP TEN list compiles my Top Ten Favorite Value Meals on the Volga Blog Updates of 2008. I'll start the countdown by publishing six today and will finish with the final four tomorrow. After all ten are posted, let me know your thoughts...did I miss one of your favorites?

Favorite Update #10

10) Mission Accomplished from Sat. March 8...My getaway weekend to The Boulders was the perfect way to recharge my batteries...I didn't go far, but the beautiful views and clay tennis courts took me a million miles away.

Favorite Update #9

9) In Mourning from Sat. September 27...My celebration of the life of Paul Newman...my family's memories of a great man summarized in one compilation.


Favorite Update #8
8) Miller Park and Memories from May 4...A visit to Milwaukee is not complete with the Milwaukee Brewers, my sister-in-law Lorie and a brat and beer. I have proven, you can go home again.


Favorite Update #7
7) Another Terrific Thursday from October 25...I love tennis so meeting Billie Jean King with my daughter was an extra special event. And, I heard one of my favorite quotes of the year..."The more you know about history, the more you know about yourself."


Favorite Update #6
6) Have you turned in your coloring contest entry yet? from January 7...This was final call for entries for a coloring contest to celebrate the new book Maggie Visits Grandpa. The coloring adventure continues to be a great way to get the next generation involved in family history.


Favorite Update #5
5) Terrific Thursday from October 16...OK, it wasn't all sports this year, but how could I not include meeting sports icon Joe Garagiola in my top ten? He made me laugh so hard I cried.


Final four will be posted tomorrow and, yes, I will write and post more photographs about Argentina. So much more to come in 2009!