Neighbors Past & Present: The Wisconsin German Experience

From sauerkraut to schottisches, Wisconsinites can sense some German background in our state. That influence will be explored in a new traveling exhibit called Neighbors Past and Present: The Wisconsin German Experience. It will be on view at the Marathon County Historical Society from July 16 through August 22. The exhibit will be augmented by displays of local Marathon County German history, plus two special events on August 17: A talk on Pomeranian immigration by DuWayne Zamzow and an outdoor concert by the Harold Schauer’s Brass Band. The exhibit, a project of the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies at the UW-Madison, comprises 14 panels that explore German migration and settlement in Wisconsin, questions of ethnicity and identity in newly forged communities, and the cohesiveness of these communities over the decades, especially in times of economic crisis or war. Specific topics include the language, print culture, religion, Amish and Mennonites, traditions and social clubs, education, rural and urban life, business, political and civic engagement, times of war, and immigrants and their descendants in the global world, past and present. The Historical Society is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays and holidays. There is no admission fee to view the exhibit. Donations are appreciated. For more information, please call the Marathon County Historical Society at 715-842-5750. The Max Kade exhibit has been made possible by a major grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Council.