Merk/Merck and Eberle Letters

German language newspapers were published in North Dakota in the early 1900s. They were used by immigrant Germans from Russia to communicate with their friends and families located in the old country and several areas to Which They had emigrated. Subscriptions originally cost around $ 1.50 per year in the U.S. and $ 2.00 per year elsewhere. This was an economical alternative to postage charges. It appears that 'agents' were used to report the news from the various regions. Most letters report the news from more than one family. Some of the newspapers are on microfilm at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, North Dakota.

My grandfather, Joseph Merk (Merck), posted several letters to der Staats-Anzeiger , his preferred newspaper. Some of them were written in Argentina and others after he arrived in North Dakota. At least one of his sounds also wrote to the paper. His brothers-in-law, Felix and Joseph Eberle, were also letter writers. Felix reported from McHenry County, North Dakota, and Joseph reported from Mt Angel, Oregon.

The Germans From Russia Heritage Society (GRHS) from Bismarck, North Dakota, is conducting a project to translate the letters and post them on the internet. Since membership in GRHS is required to view letters on their website, I have extracted some of them and posted them here for the convenience of members of our family. There are many more letters that have not yet been translated. Earlier letters will be translated during the next several months. I participate in this project by preparing the translations for the Internet in hope of expediting publication of these very interesting documents.

The following letters are available here at this time. Others will be added as I obtain them.

Merck Letters

Eberle Letters

Misc Letters
Church
St. Gabriel's Catholic Church, Elsass, Kutschurgan, South Russia, ca 1909, located in the community from which Joseph Merk family emigrated in 1909.
Church Now
Catholic Church in Elsass, taken in 2001, now used as a cultural center.
Mannheim
Former Catholic church in Mannheim, Kutschurgan, South Russia, community from which the Eberle family emigrated.

1 = Added in 2008.
2 = Added in 2009.

Note A: Christ Merk is the first cousin twice removed to Joseph Merk/Merck. He arrived in North Dakota in 1910 and went to Saskatchewan in 1913.
Note B: Felix Merck is the son of Joseph Merk/Merck.


This page was updated December 7, 2009.