When I was a teenager in Germany in the 1950s I often sang the hit song:
Leise rauscht es am Missoury, komm zurueck-----
My translation: Softyl, the Missoury calls me: Come back----
I believe, the song must have been written about the beautiful town of Herrman,
A very popular wine growing destination.
Hermann Missouri, a German Town
Copied from the book “Heimat North America” with permission from
Bert Lachner, Author and Publisher.
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Nestled among the rolling hillsides of the Missoury River, in a countryside reminiscent of Germany’s Rhine Valley, is the little town of Hermann. Perched prominently on one of these hills, with a commanding view of the village, is Stone Hill Winery.
Established in 1847, Stone Hill grew to be the third largest winery in the world and second largest in the United States. The wines were world-renown, winning gold medals in eight world fairs, including Vienna in 1873 and Philadelphia in 1876. By the turn of the century, the winery was shipping 1,250,000 gallons of wine per year.
Unfortunately, the advent of Prohibition in 1920 killed the wine industry in Missouri, and the winery’s spectacular ached, underground cellars,(the largest series of vaulted cellars in America) were used to grow mushrooms.
In 1965, Jim and Betty Held, with their four small children bought the winery and began the long process of restoring its picturesque buildings and vaulted underground cellars, which had fallen into disrepair after Prohibition. Today, Stone Hill is Missouri’s largest and most awarded winery. In 1995 Stone Hill produced 150,000 gallons of wine, using state of the art equipment and the latest technology.
Three of the Held’s four children hold a degree in enology and viticulture, and along with the winemaker David Johnson, the produce wines that are receiving international acclaim, winning 138 awards in 1993 and 181 medals in 1994 – making Stone Hill the third most awarded winery in the country for two consecutive years.
Stone Hill achieved national prominence when it was named Missoury’s Small Business of the year award in 1892, features on the Today Show1994 and in Nations Business Weekly109195. For the Held’s this recognition has been gratifying, but only incidental to their primary task: producing and marketing the finest wines that can be made and putting Hermann back on the map as a world-class wine producing area.
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Zecher am Missoury, Gedicht
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Tod auf hoher See
Koelnisch Wasser, 4711Eou De Cologne
California Poppy
Andy Bechtolsheim, Computer Scientist
Fruehlingsgedichte
Peter Friess, President of Tech Museum, S. J.
Maerz, Erich Kaestner
Manfred Steffan, designed and manufactured Oscar
Bert Kaempfert, Musician, Popular Music
Books of Interest for German Americans
Easter Traditions and Poems |