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 Baldner specializes in the history of Germany, ethnic German history and genealogy; historical documents written in Kurrentschrift, an archaic, long-abandoned and seldom-read German cursive script; and Late Prehistoric Native American archaeology.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.
Our next Cyanotype Workshop is coming up on September 7th! Learn this early form of photography with a few simple materials and create your own prints with materials provided. Register at the link in our bio.
Long before digital cameras, scientists and artists captured the world in a striking shade of blue. The cyanotype process, invented in 1842 by English chemist Sir John Herschel, used light-sensitive iron salts to create vivid blue and white images. Best known today for its use in early “blueprints” and the delicate botanical prints of Anna Atkins, cyanotype was quickly embraced across Europe, including by German photographers and scientists eager to explore its artistic and practical potential. By the late 19th century, German experimenters such as Henry Bosse advanced studies of photographic chemistry, paving the way for cyanotype’s role as both a scientific tool and an expressive medium.
Henry Bosse immigrated to the United States and worked in Rock island as a cartographer and draughtsman. He also worked on taking cyanotype photographs on the Mississippi River Valley.
🎃 We are still seeking vendors for our Fall Market on September 27th!
🍂 We are looking for local, handmade, unique items. Email [email protected] or call 563-322-8844 to receive an application form.
Herbstmarkt Fall Vendor Fair
*We will never ask for money over platforms like Facebook. Speak to a staff member directly if you have questions or if you suspect a scam.
There is only 1 week left to enjoy free admission for active military!
The German American Heritage Center and Museum is a Blue Star Museum. Active military and their families can enjoy free admission now until Labor Day.
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America.
For a complete list of Blue Star Museums nationwide, click visit https://www.arts.gov/blue-star-museum-map
#BlueStarMuseum #BlueStarFamilies
Now Hiring: Paid Tour Guides for the “Darker Side of Davenport” Walking Tours
👻 Share chilling tales of crime and the paranormal in downtown Davenport!
The German American Heritage Center and Museum is looking for engaging and reliable tour guides to lead our popular Darker Side of Davenport Walking Tours. These evening tours take guests through the heart of downtown, sharing true stories of historic crime, mystery, and paranormal activity.
🚶 As a guide, you will:
– Lead groups along a 1.5-mile walking route, stopping at select downtown locations tied to the city’s darker past.
– Present well-researched, engaging stories in a theatrical and informative way.
– Represent the German American Heritage Center with professionalism and enthusiasm.
Skills Required:
– Comfortable with extended periods of walking and standing.
– Strong public speaking and storytelling abilities.
– Training and historical background information will be provided.
💵 Compensation:
$60 per tour
🗓️ Tour Dates:
Friday October 24th, Saturday October 25th, and Friday October 31st.
📝 How to Apply:
Send a letter of interest to [email protected].
Applicants will be contacted to schedule a brief interview.
Bring Davenport’s haunted history to life—if you dare.
We are a couple weeks away from our first film in our series at the The Last Picture House!
🎥 From Hitler to Hollywood: Film Series at the Last Picture House.
Step into the dramatic world of 1930s Hollywood, where the silver screen became a beacon of hope and resistance. As the Nazi regime took hold in Germany, more than 800 filmmakers, directors, actors, technicians, and artists, fled persecution and found refuge in Los Angeles. United by their love of cinema and a determination to survive, these exiles became a vibrant creative community, supporting each other through hardship and forging new pathways in American film.
Stay after each film for an optional Q&A session about the films and actors.
September 3rd – Sunset Boulevard
September 10th – The Big Heat
September 17th – Shanghai Express
September 24th – From Here to Eternity
October 1st – Casablanca*
3 pm or 6 pm showing
*Guests with the 5 film pass must choose one of the two showings.
Films are $15 each or get a 5 film pass for a discount:
GAHC and LPH Members – $50
General Public – $60
Get Tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house
Guests will choose their seats upon arrival. Make sure to check in at the GAHC+M table in the lobby.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the German American Heritage Center and Museum`s programming.
The 19th Amendment went into effect on August 18, 1920, giving women the right to vote in the United States. Today we highlight Wilhelmine Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett: the powerhouse behind Hawaii’s suffrage movement!
Born in 1861 in Lihue, Kauai, Dowsett came from a unique mix of heritage: her father, Hermann A. Widemann, was a German immigrant and coffee planter who served as a cabinet minister to Queen Liliʻuokalani, while her mother was a Native Hawaiian chieftess connected to the royal family. This blend of German and Hawaiian roots set the stage for Dowsett’s bridging work on behalf of all women.
After witnessing the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the annexation by the United States, Dowsett founded the National Women’s Equal Suffrage Association of Hawaii (WESAH) in 1912, the first of its kind in the islands. Her efforts united women across backgrounds and faced down lawmakers, often leading groups of hundreds to demand “Votes for Women” right on the House floor!
Dowsett’s organization connected Hawaii’s suffragists to influential national groups like the National American Woman Suffrage Association, making the islands’ voices heard in the larger women’s rights movement. Although she didn’t live to see Hawaii become a U.S. state, her activism paved the road for women’s voting rights and inspired generations throughout the United States.
Wilhelmine’s legacy is one of cross-cultural leadership, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice—a true trailblazer for both Native Hawaiian and German-American women everywhere.
Photo: Wilhelmine with her father Hermann A. Widemann, c. 1881. Public Domain.
In honor of this year`s Bix Memorial weekend, we`re also celebrating local history with @davenportlibrary .
The Beiderbecke surname associated with Davenport Jazz Musician, Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke, was brought to Davenport in 1856 by his grandfather, Charles Beiderbecke.
Charles Beiderbecke partnered with Frank H. Miller to open Beiderbecke & Miller wholesale grocery business, once the largest wholesale business in the city. German Immigrants significantly contributed in Davenport`s economic history through businesses like this.
The Richardson-Sloane Collection at the Davenport Public Library generously shared the second photograph, an architecture drawing of the building. As well as provided newspaper advertisements in research for this post (not shown).
Today, the original building no longer stands, however, the memory of the Beiderbecke family is still celebrated on Second Street at the Bix Beiderbecke Museum and World Archive.
First photograph is from WikiMedia Commons.
Second photograph is from The Richard-Sloane Collection at the Davenport Public Library.
Third photograph is from the German American Heritage Center and Museum Collection.
We`re looking for a food vendor to serve our 1500+ guests at Oktoberfest Davenport!
🌭 Brats preferred, but build your own menu to showcase what you do best!
🍻 1500+ patrons in the heart of Downtown Davenport.
🎶 Live music, German beer, family activities, and more.
🎉 This will be a memorable event you don`t want to miss!
Saturday September 20th, 2025
12 – 7 pm
K-Square Park | 119 E 3rd St. Davenport, Iowa
Contact: 563-322-8844 or [email protected]
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