A real honor

I was overjoyed to learn that the executive committee of the German-American Heritage Society Saint Louis selected me recently to receive the group’s Stemmler-Hecker Award. It will be presented at the organization’s 2015 Diplomatic Reception and Dinner commemorating its founding. The event will be on March 14 at the St. Louis Racquet Club in Ladue.Continue reading “A real honor”

A woman with a story to tell

Readers of the first edition of Beer, Brats, and Baseball: St. Louis Germans learned of Peter Heimig, a German immigrant who operated the Black Forest restaurant at 6432 Gravois Avenue in the late 1930s. Suspected of pro-Nazi leanings, Heimig got disgusted and brought his family back to Germany in 1939. We’ll read the rest ofContinue reading “A woman with a story to tell”

Here’s to Blattermann, Kruppenbacker and Zuckschwert

Let the French keep their melodious surnames. German last names have all the melody of an old school nun rebuking a talkative pupil, all the rhythm of a jackhammer tearing up a sidewalk, and the smooth sound of a barking affenpinscher. It was especially so of the original German immigrants, who hadn’t yet gotten aroundContinue reading “Here’s to Blattermann, Kruppenbacker and Zuckschwert”