The War Within
June 11, 2023 |
2:00 pm -
3:00 pm
$0-5
This program will be virtual only. Register here.
FREE for GAHC&M members, $5 for non-members.
Anti-German hysteria in Iowa during World War I, already manifest in 1917, reached a linguistic crescendo in the spring of 1918, and resulted in an unprecedented assault on German identity, constitutional liberties, and ultimately the extraordinary measures taken by a German-American Lutheran congregation in far northern Iowa. Wartime zealotry, countenancing no form of German identity, culminated in an edict by the governor of Iowa restricting spoken language and consequently, for some, the free exercise of their religion. In response, the parishioners of St. Peter Lutheran in rural Mitchell County gave up the use of their church and moved Gottesdienst, German worship services, a few miles north, into Minnesota, meeting in a member’s farm grove—at night! Thomas Jefferson once observed, “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it.” On which side of Jefferson’s alternatives shall Americans in the twenty-first century choose to stand?
Based on extensive research in century-old German congregational manuscripts, period documents, and oral history gathered decades ago, “The War Within” details a largely forgotten chapter in the history of Iowa and the life of a faithful congregation, one still capable of eliciting strong emotion and providing a sobering thought-provoking lesson on which to reflect.
About the speaker:
As a youth, Russell Baldner’s early affection for the German language and history led to B.A. and M.A. degrees in History, undergraduate and graduate study in German, and a career in education, teaching in those and related fields. The presenter first conducted serious primary source historical research in the original nineteenth-century German manuscripts of his family’s ancestral German–Lutheran congregation, of which his immigrant great-great-grandfather was a founding member. Four years later, on the first of nine sojourns in ancestral Germany, Russell lived in his ancestor’s birthplace. Baldner specializes in the history of Germany, ethnic German history and genealogy; historical documents written in Kurrentschrift, an archaic, long-abandoned and seldom-read German cursive script; and Late Prehistoric Native American archaeology. A frequent public speaker, historian and writer, Baldner’s recent publications include several nineteenth-century German Lutheran historical and manuscript studies; a three-part Introduction to the Reformation and Protestantism; and a four-part research series on the Late Prehistoric to Early Historic Native American petroglyphs and pictographs of northeast Iowa.
In September 2022, Russell and wife Cathryn co-hosted “Medieval to Modern Hearts of Germany,” a two-week group tour in northeastern Germany proposed and largely designed by Baldner in conjunction with and sponsored by the University of Northern Iowa, his alma mater. Included were pre-departure orientations by Russell focusing on Germany’s history, language, and social-cultural landscape; historical lectures and commentaries while on tour in Germany; and a renewed and welcome opportunity daily to converse in the language of his heritage.
Mark your calendars for Wednesdays at 6! We are excited to host a series of German films at The Last Picture House this Fall.
The film series continues this Wednesday September 11th with Nosferatu.
Tickets are $15 per film and may be purchased online or at the door. Ticket sales include a medium popcorn from the Last Picture House. All films begin at 6:00 pm.
Film Schedule:
September 11th Nosferatu
September 18th Metropolis
September 25th The Blue Angel
October 2nd M
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/german-film-series
…
Join us for Oktoberfest Davenport on September 21st! This free event is a great way to celebrate the rich German culture in the Quad Cities while having fun in our community. It features a variety of traditional Oktoberfest activities including music, food, games, beer and FREE ADMISSION.
⏰ Saturday, September 21st, 2024, from 12–7 p.m.
📍 K-Square 119 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA
…
Mark your calendars for Wednesdays at 6! We are excited to host a series of German films at The Last Picture House this Fall.
The film series kicks off this Wednesday September 4th with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Tickets are $15 per film and may be purchased online or at the door. Ticket sales include a medium popcorn from the Last Picture House. All films begin at 6:00 pm.
Film Schedule:
September 4th The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
September 11th Nosferatu
September 18th Metropolis
September 25th The Blue Angel
October 2nd M
Tickets: link in bio
https://events.humanitix.com/german-film-series
…
September is library card sign up month! Did you know you can visit us as well as other museums in the area for FREE with a Davenport Library card? All three @davenportlibrary locations have Community Experience Passes available for checkout. These passes include access to the following:
Common Chord pass
Figge Art Museum pass
German American Heritage Center and Museum pass
Niabi Zoo pass (seasonal)
Quad City Botanical Center pass
Quad City Symphony Orchestra pass
Putnam Museum pass
Summer Fun Kids` Pass (seasonal)
Do you have a library card? What is your favorite part about visiting the library? The Library offers so much more than just books! Check out movies, audiobooks, board games, and even musical instruments. Share what you love about your library card! 📚 🎶 🧑🧑🧒 🏛️
Learn more about the Community Experience pass on their website: https://libguides.davenportlibrary.com/c.php?g=1200698&p=8780526
#LibraryCardSignUpMonth #library #museum #history #iowa #illinois #midwest #qc #qcthatswhere #quadcities
…
Join us for Oktoberfest Davenport on September 21st! This free event is a great way to celebrate the rich German culture in the Quad Cities while having fun in our community. It features a variety of traditional Oktoberfest activities including music, food, games, beer and FREE ADMISSION.
⏰ Saturday, September 21st, 2024, from 12–7 p.m.
📍 K-Square 119 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA
…
Did you know our book discussion group is our longest-standing regular program? Since 1999, the group has been hosting book discussions bi-monthly on Saturdays. All are welcome to join at any point and there is no commitment. Our next discussion will be on September 21st at 10:30. The group will be discussion "Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are" by John Kaag. Learn more about the group and see the full schedule on our website, link in bio. …
We are a proud participant of Blue Star Museums which allows free admission to active military and their families through Labor Day (September 2nd). Come explore our exhibitions and learn about local history in our historic building located right in downtown Davenport.
📍 712 W 2nd Street Davenport, Iowa 52802
Open Sundays 12 – 4 pm
Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
#bluestarmuseum #museum #german #history #midwest
…
Subscribe to get all latest news, updates.