Portrait by Vern Skaug
Sometimes, the heroic stories you read in history textbooks hit close to home.
A Jewish man named Herman Stern immigrated from Germany to North Dakota shortly after the turn of the 20th century, escaping a terrible fate. Stern was a longtime Valley City businessman–he owned a small chain of men’s clothing stores. He was described as a “quietly generous man who was a tireless worker, a true philanthropist, and a community builder.” He eventually made it his mission to assist many of his family members and other unrelated people in their escape from the Nazi death camps. According to the Office of the Governor, Stern is credited with assisting anywhere from 175 to 200 German Jews in their escape from the Holocaust.
He also established many programs that are described as pivotal in North Dakota’s progress. He established the Greater North Dakota Chamber in 1924, directed the creation of the North Dakota Winter Show in 1937, established Boy Scouts of America councils across the state, and raised money to build Camp Wilderness, a large camp in Minnesota that combines physical and mental fitness with character building and citizenship training. Stern was instrumental in creating a program called the Community Chest, which later became the United Way of Barnes County.
Residents are invited to hear his story from Tim Burchill, a North Dakota man who has made studying North Dakota history his lifelong passion. His family has deep roots in Barnes County, and his collection of literature and artifacts have created a rich tapestry of stories. This is part of the Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series. “The Incredible Life of Herman Stern” premieres Thursday, May 21st at 7 p.m. at the Barnes County Museum (315 Central Ave N. Valley City, ND). This presentation is FREE and open to the public.
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