Germans by Way of Russia
In the early to mid 1800s some Germans in Germany got wind of a deal in Russia. The Russian Tsars were giving away land to anyone willing to farm it. They took the Tsars up on their offer and moved to Russia. Well, as you may know, mid to late 1800s Russia was not exactly a bastion of freedom and inclusiveness. The Russians told the Germans to leave, and the Germans ended up traveling all the way to the newly formed territory of North Dakota. The Germans didn’t live in Russia long enough to properly be called Russians, thus “Germans from Russia.”
There are many ways one can tell a culture. Margaret Mead once said, “Culture is personality writ large.” Maybe, but Kuchen is not a personality type. Wishek expresses its cultural heritage through food, and it is good.
As stated, there is Kuchen, which one can get a pretty clear picture of if they think pudding in a pie crust except the pie crust is cake and the pudding is filled with strawberries or rhubarb or chocolate chips or prunes. It is a popular treat for tourists and locals alike.
There is knoephle and sauerkraut, which, if you need one meal a day before going to hit the slopes, hunt a deer, or stack bales, knoephle and sauerkraut is the meal for you.
Wishek also boasts cheese buttons which should be higher on this list. Think ravioli except big and filled with cheese and onions. And covered in cream. Without exaggeration, these may be described as lusciously delectable.
The Wishek community is extremely proud of its German-Russian Heritage. Going so far as to affectionately nickname the German-Russian area the “Iron Curtain.” We are a tight knit group, but don’t let that scare you off. The community is also extremely welcoming. Just an example: weddings are generally open invitation. If you want to show up to a wedding, please do.
If you would like to learn more about German-Russian points of interest or events visit: www.germanrussiancountry.org.