Hardship to Homeland author Richard Scheuerman at WSU Terrell Library Atrium

About the event

Richard Scheuerman, Washington State University (WSU) alumnus and WSU Press co-author of Hardship to Homeland: Pacific Northwest Volga Germans was raised on a small farm between the rural Palouse communities of Endicott and St. John, Washington, giving him a personal connection to the region’s Volga Germans. A career historian and professional educator, his honors include the Washington State Historical Society’s Robert Gray Medal for outstanding contributions to history education and the Washington Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Hardship to Homeland chronicles the remarkable cross-continental epic of the Northwest’s Volga Germans and includes folktales about life in the Old Country and Pacific Northwest pioneering. In the wake of widespread economic and social dislocation brought about by decades of strife in 18th century Europe, thousands of European peasants came together 250 years ago at the invitation of Tsarina Catherine the Great to embark on a eastward trek to the wild steppes of south Russia. A century later circumstances led to their immigration to the United States and Canada where they helped transform American agriculture through the introduction of high quality bread wheats and other crops. Their story remains one with special relevance to current issues of immigration policy and rural change. Scheuerman’s presentation will include rare images from the new book as well as well as folktale illustrations by graphic artist Jim Gerlitz.

Founded in 1928 and revitalized in the 1980s, scholarly publisher WSU Press concentrates on telling unique, focused stories about the Northwest.

Sponsored by the Schneidmiller Endowment for Palouse Regional Studies

https://wsupress.wsu.edu/product/hardship-to-homeland/