American Historical Society of Germans From Russia
By the mid-1760’s central Europe had been ravaged by war for nearly a hundred years. A poor economy and religious persecution had created a restless population of poor that was seeking hope elsewhere. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, provided that opportunity when she opened the vast steppes around the Volga River and recruited Germans with a very attractive offer. In return for immigrating to Russia, Germans were offered free transportation, religious and political autonomy, and exemption from military service. In the early 1800’s Catherine’s grandson, Alexander I extended the offer to include the Ukraine. Families with the surname “Bentz” took advantage of this offer and left Germany for the Ukraine. The Germans settlers in Russia were very successful and by the end of the 1800’s there were more than 3,000 German-speaking villages in southern Russia. However, the native Russians grew to resent those they viewed as “intruders” and the protections promised by Catherine the Great and Czar Alexander I began to be eliminated. A growing number of restrictions, including the institution of required military service, lead to an exodus of the Russian Germans to the United States. My grandfather, Jakob Bentz, was born in Gudendorff, Russia, in 1861; married Eva Schaeffer on November 8, 1883; and the family emigrated to the United States in 1884. They first settled in Eureka, South Dakota, and later moved to Circle, Montana, in 1930.
In the 1960’s a group descended from these German immigrants decided to form a historical society to assist in the preservation of the German Americans from Russia experience. Their international headquarters were built in Lincoln in an area south of the city center known as the South Bottoms, historically home to a community of German Russian immigrants. As befits an organization dedicated to these hard-working people, the museum is simple and unassuming.
Greeting visitors in the front yard is a monument celebrating the typical German-Russian immigrant family.
As much a research institute as a museum, the basement is devoted to shelf after shelf of archives, including village census documents from Russia, donated family papers and other genealogical resources available for individuals pursuing serious research into their family tree.
The primary displays on the second floor depict items used in the daily life of a German-Russian immigrant.
The immigrants brought their love of tea with them and this table setting displays two of the necessary items used to indulge. First is the unique design of the table. While difficult to see in the picture, the table actually has five legs – the normal four at each corner and an additional leg in the center. This was necessary to accommodate the weight of the other necessity, the samovar. This urn, used to brew the tea and keep it hot, sits in the center of the table. One of the reasons it was so heavy was that a vertical cylinder runs through the center. This center was filled with hot coals that smoldered, heating the surround water and keeping it hot. The kettle on the top was used to brew a very concentrated tea. Users would pour a bit of the concentrate into their cup and then fill the rest with hot water from the tap at the bottom of the samovar.
Displays include a collection of Bibles and musical instruments.
I was only able to see a small part of the total museum experience because the collection of buildings in the back (church, house, store and blacksmith shop) were closed since I’m here after the summer season.
Unfortunately the best part of the experience did not lend itself to pictures as it was a videotape that elaborated on the history and experience of the evolution of the German-Russian experience. Really a fascinating visit that hit close to home…
A totally different, but also unexpected, experience followed across town at the Museum of American Speed.
Museum of American Speed
Founded in 1992 by “Speedy” Bill and Joyce Smith, the Museum of American Speed celebrates the racing and automotive history of the United States. Not often am I blown away by a museum experience, and I am not particularly into cars, but this was almost overwhelming. In a relatively unassuming building in an industrial area of west Lincoln, over 150,000 square feet of display space is spread out over three floors. The pictures are not going to do this place justice!
The foyer highlights the 1935 Miller-Ford race car. The level of detail posted next to the car is typical of the type of information that is provided throughout the museum. Even for a “non-car” person it was very interesting.
The galleries on the first floor open up before us. Areas on the first floor include Open Wheel, Speedway, Show Car, Luxury Car, Drag Race, and Land Speed. This picture is the Open Wheel Gallery.
The Indianapolis 500 Speedway Gallery even has the famed “brickyard” floors.
Show Cars include the Red Baron, Outlaw, and Boothill Express.
The Bucciali and Duesenberg highlight the Luxury Car Gallery.
A pristine 1965 Mustang GT Fastback with a dash signed by Caroll Shelby himself highlights the Legends in Racing Gallery.
NASCAR
Land Speed Gallery
Another look at the Open Wheel Gallery from a different viewpoint.
And that was just the first floor! The stair well leading to the second floor is lined with posters promoting racing movies.
The second floor contains galleries including a significant amount of historical Ford racing memorabilia. Edsel Ford, only son of Henry Ford, was an early advocate of the six cylinder engine (against his father’s desires). This is the original 1912 Ford “6” Speedster which was built by Ford as an engineering study.
Ford delivery trucks from the early 1920’s continue the Ford display.
Ford developed one of first firetrucks in a leap forward in the technology of urban firefighting. This is a 1914 Ford fire engine based upon the Model T.
The center of the gallery is devoted to Ford Racing Teams.
Billed as the “world’s finest collection”, a display of monkey wrenches stretches along a corner wall. The origin of the term “monkey wrench” is up for debate, but it seems like the most plausible explanation is that a man in Springfield, Massachusetts named Monk invented a moveable jaw for a wrench in 1856 and “Monk’s wrench” became known as a monkey wrench.
Even the Soap Box Derby, a contest for youngsters in pedal cars, is honored with a gallery.
A highlight of the gallery is the original 1939 Soap Box Derby car built by thirteen year old Peter Giarraffa in Buffalo, New York. Long before ready-made kits were available, Peter built his car from a 1-inch thick plank base and covered it with canvas tacked to narrow wood strips. Peter lost track of his car over the years but rediscovered it in 1979 while cleaning out the attic of his sister’s home.
And that was just the second floor! The stairwell leading up to third floor is decorated with an amazing collection of lunch boxes. Not particularly related to racing, the display is dedicated to “all the kids, like me, who didn’t get a lunchbox.” I remember those days, when kids like me carrying lunch in the dreaded brown bag looked on with envy those who had the shiny metal lunch box.
The display seems even more appropriate when arriving on the third floor I realize that the galleries are devoted to “kiddie” cars and toys.
Truly an amazing visit to a hidden gem in Lincoln, Nebraska!
Next up: Give ’em Hell, Harry!
Post a Comment