Michael M. Miller

Bibliographer, M.Ed., M.S.
Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
North Dakota State University Libraries, Fargo

Grain fields near Odessa, Ukraine, May, 2001

Biography

I am the Germans from Russia Bibliographer and a member of the faculty and staff at the North Dakota State University Libraries since 1967.

My degrees are Bachelor of Science, (English, Journalism, Library Science)Valley City State University, Valley City, ND; Master of Science and Master of Education, (Library/ Media Education, Secondary Education) University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. I attended elementary and secondary schools in Strasburg, in south central North Dakota.

At the Valley City State University homecoming events in October 2002, I received the Award of Merit from the Alumni Association. In 1990, the Mountain Plains Library Association presented me with the Distinguished Service Award.

 
University Address North Dakota State University Libraries
1201 Albrecht Blvd
PO Box 5599
Fargo ND 58105-5599 USA
Library Phone 701-231-8416
Library Fax 701-231-7138
University E-mail Michael.Miller@ndsu.nodak.edu
Home Address 1615 11th Ave N
Fargo ND 58102-3311 USA
Home Phone 701-293-5564
Home E-mail dakotammm@hotmail.com

 

Marriage photo of Peter and Mary Baumgartner Miller, Strasburg, North Dakota. Peter & Mary (Baumgartner) Miller Family: (l-r, back row): Donald (deceased); Ramona (deceased); Harold & Oswald; (l-r, front row): Pearl, Mary & Peter (deceased) & Michael. Circa late 1940s.

Ancestry of my parents, Peter P. Miller & Mary M. Baumgartner, Strasburg, North Dakota

Peter Miller is the son of Peter & Agnes (Schreiner) Miller, born at the Catholic German village of Krasna, Bessarabia, South Russia (today Krasnoe, Ukraine). Peter & Agnes Miller immigrated from Bessarabia to Emmons County, ND, in 1894, settling in the Krasna area, west of Strasburg, ND. Mary Baumgartner is the daughter of Michael & Odelia (Wolf) Baumgartner. Michael & Odelia were born in the Black Sea Catholic village of Strassburg (Kutschurgan District), South Russia (today Kutschurgan, near Odessa, Ukraine), immigrating to Strasburg, ND, in 1889.

Growing up in a North Dakota German-Russian Community

My hometown of Strasburg was settled primarily by Germans from Russia immigrants who came to south-central North Dakota in the 1880's from the former German villages near Odessa, Ukraine. My Müller grandparents immigrated to North Dakota from the Catholic village of Krasna, Bessarabia. My Baumgartner grandparents immigrated to North Dakota from the Catholic village of Strassburg, Kutschurgan District, South Russia (today near Odessa, Ukraine).

I grew up speaking both English and German and became interested in the heritage, culture and history of my ancestors. An important focus throughout my life and career has been the preservation and documentation of our rich heritage within the German-Russian community in North America.

Baumgartner Family

My grandparents, Michael & Odelia (Wolf) Baumgartner. Michael was born in 1874 and died in 1942. Odelia was born in 1872 and died in 1954. Married in 1892 at Strasburg, ND. For complete information, see the Johannes Baumgartner Story and Genealogy. Front row (l-r): Michael, Jr., Michael, Sr., Agnes, Philippine, Tillie, Odelia, and Eva. Back row: Frank, Margaret, Barbara, John and Mary. Living today is only Philippine Baumgartner Berglund, Linton, ND, born 23 March 1910. Circa late 1910s/early 1920s.

The Michael and Odellia Wolf Baumgartner Family, Strasburg, ND, circa 1950s. Front row (l-r): Philippine, Odellia, Michael (father), Odellia (mother), Agnes, and Mary; Back row (l-r): Frank, Barbara, Michael, Margaret, John, and Eva.

My rural hometown on the Dakota prairies became quite well-known, due to one of North Dakota's most famous native sons. Bandleader Lawrence Welk was born in a sod house on a farmstead near Strasburg homesteaded by his German-Russian parents. Mr. Welk conducted America's most famous television orchestra, with the Lawrence Welk Show entertaining North American television audiences for 27 years. My friendship with the Welk family in Strasburg led to locating the musical archives of Lawrence Welk, being donated to NDSU in 1993.

Travels to the Homeland of my Ancestors in Southern Ukraine

Since June, 1994, I am privileged to tour my ancestral villages of Strassburg and Krasna in southern Ukraine. I have directed annual tours for educating Americans of German-Russian heritage to their Ukrainian and Moldovan homeland villages: June, 1996; May, 1997; May, 1998; and May, 1999, June, 2000, May 2001, and May 2002. The 1997 tour also included viewing cultural treasures of Russia in St. Petersburg.

Producing the Germans from Russia Award-Winning Documentaries

In February, 1999, Prairie Public Television, Fargo, North Dakota, premiered the 60-minute award-winning television documentary, The Germans from Russia: Children of the Steppe, Children of the Prairie. The program has received a wonderful response from throughout North America. The documentary has received the prestigious Silver Telly Award from the Center for Creativity. Executive producers of the program were Bob Dambach, production manager at Prairie Public Television, and Michael M. Miller.

In March, 2000, Prairie Public TV premiered a television documentary on the foodways and recipes of the Germans from Russia culture brought to the central and northern plains of North America from the historic Russia Empire: Schmeckfest: Food Traditions of the Germans from Russia.

In September, 2002, Prairie Public Television premiered Prairie Crosses, Prairie Voices: Iron Crosses of the Great Plains. I was pleased to be an executive producer of third videotape documentary of the Germans from Russia Series. For filming and interviews, we traveled in the Dakotas, western Kansas, and southern Saskatchewan.

Photographer

My photography interests have developed into a rewarding experience that has enriched my life. Many global friendships have developed by traveling to do photography in North America and other international locations. My involvement with sports photography for North Dakota State University Bison Athletics was from 1978 until the winter of 1997.

My photographic commissions and experiences include the following Olympic Games: 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, and 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics; 1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer and 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics; world wrestling championships (freestyle and Greco-Roman) include Edmonton (Canada), Oslo (Norway), Skopje (Yugoslavia), and Atlanta and San Diego (USA). My photographs from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were included in a 1986 calendar published by Knight Printing, Fargo.

Now my photographic interests relate to historic architecture, nature, wildlife, and the outdoors. I use Canon 35mm cameras with color print and color slide film.

Recent Photographs from the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
Article for The Fargo Forum "Olympic-size Hobby"

 

Michael M. Miller and Bob Dambach, standing in a wheat field near the former German village of Elsass, Kutschurgan District (today Kherbanka), June 2, 1999. Miller and Dambach are co-producers of the documentary, "The Germans from Russia: Children of the Steppe, Children of the Prairie."

Professional Memberships

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