Herman Stern Papers, 1904-1979

Herman Stern Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Herman Stern Papers, 1904-1979

ID: OGLMC217

Primary Creator: Stern, Herman (1887-1980)

Extent: 25.25 Linear Feet

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into the following series:

Series 1: World War II

Series 2: Civic Organizations

Series 3: Business

Series 4: Other Materials

Series 5: Scrapbooks

Series 6: Photographs

Series 7: Audio Tapes

Series 8: Oral History

Subjects: Business and Industry, Holocaust, Military History - World War II (WW2), Religion - Jewish

Languages: English, German

Abstract

1887-1980; Owner of Straus Clothing, with several locations in North Dakota, including Valley City and Casselton. Founding member of the Greater North Dakota Association, the State Chamber of Commerce. Assisted over 120 Jews in escaping Germany before the Holocaust

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection contains correspondence, documents, audio tapes, scrapbooks, and photographs related to Stern's work in helping Jewish refugees escape Nazi Germany prior to World War II, as well as his work on behalf of the American war effort. Further, the collection contains materials related to his civic and philanthropic efforts in North Dakota, including the Greater North Dakota Association, North Dakota Winter Show, Boy Scouts of America, and Rotary Club, as well as materials on his business dealings, specifically the Straus Company.

Collection Historical Note

Hermann Stern was born August 9, 1887, in Oberbrechen, Germany, to Samuel Loeb Stern and Mina (Strauss) Stern. The Orthodox Jewish family was very poor, as Samuel Stern was forced to eke out a meager existence by selling slaughtered cattle to a paste factory. As the youngest of eight children, Hermann Stern worked odd jobs until 1901 when he apprenticed with a clothing merchant in Mainz. In 1902, Stern's uncle, Morris G. Straus, asked him to come to America and enter the clothing business. Straus had left Germany many years before and operated a successful clothing store in Casselton, North Dakota. Unable to receive permission from his employer, Stern quit his training and left for America. He arrived in New York City on October 10, 1903, and traveled to Casselton later that year.

In Casselton, Stern dropped the second "n" from his first name, and thrived in the business of men's clothing. He became manager of the Straus store in Casselton in 1907, when Straus moved to Valley City to open a second location. In 1910, the two men switched positions. Two years later, Stern married Adeline Roth, Straus's sister-in-law. Straus retired in 1920, and Stern purchased half interest in the Valley City and Casselton stores. Additional stores were opened in LaMoure and Carrington. Stern had earned a strong reputation in the business community, and became an active member in the Valley City Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding member of the Greater North Dakota Association (the North Dakota State Chamber of Commerce), and served for many years as the President of the group.

The Great Depression brought tough times to Stern and his business. The stores in Casselton, LaMoure, and Carrington struggled to be profitable. Stern also grew increasingly concerned with Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic ideology and the effect it had on his relatives back in Germany. In 1933, his niece Klara Stern wrote to him requesting a visit to America for her and her brother, Erich. Stern requested the assistance of North Dakota Governor William Langer and Senator Gerald Nye in acquiring a visa. Nye was especially helpful in helping Stern cut through the red tape, allowing Klara and Erich to enter the United States in 1934. In 1935, Stern's nephew, Julius, wrote and asked his uncle to arrange for him to come to the United States. Julius also requested that Gustav Stern and his wife, Selma, also receive visas. Again with the assistance of Nye, visas were issued to all three. Gustav and Selma Stern were then reunited with their children, Klara and Erich.

By 1937, Stern's success in acquiring exit visas had spread. He began to receive letters from distant relatives, as well as complete strangers, asking for work affidavits in the United States. Not only did Stern supply the affidavits, he also helped them find work. He secured jobs in North Dakota, Minnesota, Chicago, and elsewhere. Stern sponsored 50 people at one point in time, and another 50 already had jobs.

Individual effort could only go so far and, in 1938, Stern agreed to act as an organizer for the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigration Aid Society. While raising money and sponsors for the Society, Stern also led efforts to send Jews to the Middle East. He spoke to Jewish groups in every major city in North Dakota, as well as in the Twin Cities and other parts of Minnesota.

In 1940, Stern's brother, Adolf, with his wife and children, who had left Germany and traveled to France, asked for Stern's help. Slowed by red tape, he again asked Nye for assistance. Both Stern and Nye personally contacted Secretary of State Cordell Hull in an attempt to expedite the process. Two weeks before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the visas were issued.

When America entered the war, contact with much of Europe was completely cut off. Stern's other two brothers, Moses and Julius, as well as Julius's wife Frieda were unable to be saved. All three of them perished in the Holocaust. All told, Stern had assisted 125 Jews in escaping Germany from 1933-1941, although knowledge of his involvement was confined to a few relatives and friends.

Herman Stern then turned his focus back to the clothing business. Not only a successful business leader, Stern was a life-long patron to the Boy Scouts. He was awarded three distinguished service awards from the Boy Scouts: the Silver Beaver, the Silver Antelope, and the Silver Buffalo. Stern was also a member of the Red River Valley Council and the Northern Lights Council. He was a founding member of the North Dakota Automobile Association, and was also instrumental in the creation of the North Dakota Winter Show at Valley City.

Herman Stern died June 20, 1980, in Fargo.

Sources:

Shoptaugh, Terry L. "You Have Been Kind Enough to Assist Me: Herman Stern's Personal Crusade to Help German Jews, 1932-1941." North Dakota History. v64, n4 (Fall 1997): 2-15.

"Herman Stern Dies at Age 92." Fargo Forum. 22 June 1980: A-1.

Subject/Index Terms

Business and Industry
Holocaust
Military History - World War II (WW2)
Religion - Jewish

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals:

Additional material was received from:

Edward Stern, Fargo, North Dakota, September 15, 1980; Acc.#80- 666

James Hetland, Grand Forks, North Dakota, August 17, 1985; Acc. #85-1392

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Method: Donation; The acquisition records are unavailable

Related Publications: "You Have Been Kind Enough to Assist Me": Herman Stern and the Jewish Refugee Crisis, by Terry Shoptaugh. Fargo: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, 2008.

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Herman Stern Papers. OGLMC 217, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in September 2015.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: World War II ],
[Series 2: Civic Organizations ],
[Series 3: Business ],
[Series 4: Other Materials],
[Series 5: Scrapbooks],
[Series 6: Photographs],
[Series 7: Audio Tapes],
[Series 8: Oral History],
[All]

Series 2: Civic Organizations

Contains correspondence and other materials related to Stern's volunteer work with various civic organizations, including the Greater North Dakota Association, Boy Scouts of America, the North Dakota Winter Show, and Rotary Club among others.

Sub-Series A: Greater North Dakota Association

Includes materials related to Stern's work with the Greater North Dakota Association, which functioned as the North Dakota State Chamber of Commerce. It was organized in 1924, with Stern as a founding member. The material dates from 1935-1962 and comprises five sections: Correspondence, Administration, Finance and Membership, Executive Board, and Miscellaneous. A scrapbook related to the GNDA was placed in Series 5 (Scrapbooks).

Box 1

Folder 1: 1938, Miscellaneous
Folder 2: 1935 Grasshopper plague and economic situation in North Dakota
Folder 3: 1940 President of the GNDA
Folder 4: 1940 -1941, President of the GNDA
Folder 5: 1941, Agriculture and the ND Automobile Club
Folder 6: 1941, Soil Conservation, Agriculture, ND Automobile Club
Folder 7: 1945, Miscellaneous
Folder 8: 1954-1956, Homer Ludwick, President of the GNDA
Folder 9: 1961-1962, Mr. Don Gackle
Folder 10: County Reports and Related Correspondence
Folder 11: Good Roads Committee, membership and Subscriptions 1937-1938
Folder 12: ND Auto Club Reports , Subscription Reports 1938
Folder 13: Subscription Reports, 1939
Folder 14: Budget, Subscription Reports, 1940
Folder 15: Budget (including Auto Club), 1943-1945
Folder 16: Budget, Subscription Reports, ND Auto Club, 1946
Folder 17: Membership Lists, Audits, District Meetings, 1947
Folder 18: Miscellaneous Finance, Committee Meetings, Membership lists, Auto Club, 1948-1951
Folder 19: Membership and Contribution Lists, 1956
Folder 20: Financial statements, Fund-raising Materials, 1957
Folder 21: 1938 Meeting and Board correspondence with Minneapolis St. Paul firms (1934)
Folder 22: 1940 Meeting, correspondence on tourism in N.D.
Folder 23: Correspondence Auto Club and finance, 1941-1947
Folder 24: 1945 Meeting, by-laws miscellaneous correspondence (1950-1954)

Box 2

Folder 1: Industrial Development Program for N.D. (1956) clippings (1956-1959), Annual Meeting, Minneapolis - 1959
Folder 2: GNDA correspondence with Minneapolis St. Paul firms, agriculture studies, 1960

Box 10

Folder 7: Correspondence - Greater North Dakota Association (1935-1944).

Box 12

Folder 16: Greater North Dakota Association Minutes (1930-1934)
Folder 17: Greater North Dakota Association Minutes (1925-1929)
Folder 22: Microfilm - Greater North Dakota Association (1925-197l )

Box 13

Folder 1: Newspaper Clippings - Greater North Dakota Association (1930-1977).

Sub-Series B: Boy Scouts

Stern served as a leader within the Boy Scouts of America. This sub-series contains materials related to his work at the local and regional levels of the organization, financial information, fundraising efforts for Camp Wilderness (located near Park Rapids, Minnesota), correspondence, and miscellaneous materials. One scrapbook was placed in Series 5 (Scrapbooks).

Box 2

Folder 15: Correspondence - administration and finance, 1934-1939
Folder 16: Correspondence - administration and finance, 1935-1936
Folder 17: Project proposals
Folder 18: 1955, regional meeting - St. Paul
Folder 19: Correspondence as Regional Vice President, 1955-1956
Folder 20: 1957, regional meeting - Valley City
Folder 21: 1960, regional meeting- St. Paul
Folder 22: 1961, regional meeting- Minneapolis
Folder 23: Correspondence as Regional Vice President, 1961-1965
Folder 24: Region 10 reports, 1962

Box 3

Folder 1: 1962, regional meeting- St. Paul
Folder 2: 1963, regional meeting - Minneapolis
Folder 3: 1964, regional meeting- St. Paul
Folder 4: 1965, regional meeting- Minneapolis
Folder 5: 1960
Folder 6: 1961
Folder 7: 1962
Folder 8: Yellowstone Valley Council, Billings, 1957
Folder 9: Red River Valley Council, 1967-1968
Folder 10: Correspondence - District Presidents and committees, 1948-1951
Folder 11: Valley City District Organization and Extension Committee, 1949-1950
Folder 12: 1959-1963
Folder 13: 1960-1965
Folder 14: 1965
Folder 15: 1965-1966
Folder 16: 1967
Folder 17: 1967-1969
Folder 18: 1969-1970
Folder 19: 1970
Folder 20: Miscellaneous, 1948-1950
Folder 21: Miscellaneous, 1948-1950
Folder 22: Budget, 1964-1965
Folder 23: Audits and reports, 1966, 1969-1970
Folder 24: Budget, 1967-1968
Folder 25: Fargo Board finance campaign 1945-1953
Folder 26: District reports, 1946-1948
Folder 27: Christmas Fund campaign, 1949-1950
Folder 28: Correspondence with Allen King, Council Finance Chairman, 1949-1951
Folder 29: Trading post receipt statements, 1951-1954
Folder 30: Correspondence with elevator managers - fund raising, 1954
Folder 31: Correspondence - contributions and fund raising, 1945-1946
Folder 32: Correspondence - contributions, 1945 -1947
Folder 33: Correspondence - fund raising campaigns, 1945-1948
Folder 34: Correspondence - fund raising articles, clippings, 1945-1948
Folder 35: Subscription forms - 1948
Folder 36: Fund raising drive, 1948-1949
Folder 37: Facilities improvement - donations 1956
Folder 38: Fund raising drive - lists and correspondence, 1957-1958, 1964
Folder 39: 1949-1951, 1954

Box 4

Folder 1: Edger M. Olson, leadership training programs 1948-1952
Folder 2: Max B. Jensen (council executive) 1948-1954
Folder 3: Ralph Kowalke, Henry Schreiber, Clifford Peterson, 1949
Folder 4: Correspondence with Scout Field Representatives, 1949-1950
Folder 5: Correspondence and lists concerning the Silver Beaver award, 1949-1951
Folder 6: 1935-1936
Folder 7: 1935-1936
Folder 8: 1941-1942
Folder 9: 1945-1952
Folder 10: 1949-1955, mainly with the Fargo Scout office
Folder 11: 1958
Folder 12: Clippings on Scouting, 1946-1954
Folder 13: "Jamboree Journal," 1960 National Jamboree

Box 10

Folder 2: Correspondence - Boy Scouts (1938-1939)

Box 12

Folder 5: Boy Scouts (1937-1971)

Sub-Series C: North Dakota Winter Show

Stern founded the North Dakota Winter Show, continuing to serve as an active member for many years. The Winter Show sought to promote and expand agriculture and agri-business. The sub-series contains some introductory and descriptive materials, as well as correspondence, financial information, and other miscellaneous materials. A scrapbook related to the Winter Show was placed in Series 5 (Scrapbooks).

Box 4

Folder 14: Descriptive booklets, 1948-1952
Folder 15: Descriptive booklets, 1957-1958, 1960, 1963, 1967
Folder 16: Newspaper articles and clippings, 1961 and 1963
Folder 17: Newspaper articles and clippings, Scattered
Folder 18: Articles of incorporation and By-laws, 1961-1968
Folder 19: 1963 and 1965
Folder 20: 1966
Folder 21: 1966
Folder 22: Craig Montgomery, (4-H), 1961
Folder 23: Ernest L. De Alton (crops section), 1961
Folder 24: Sears and Roebuck - Minneapolis, 1961-1964
Folder 25: P.M. Rustan, William and Tom Davidson, 1961-1964
Folder 26: "The St. Paul Insurance Companies," 1962 and 1968
Folder 27: Standard Oil managers - Fargo, 1964
Folder 28: B - 1961-1967
Folder 29: C - 1961-1964
Folder 30: D - 1961-1963
Folder 31: E - 1961-1964
Folder 32: F - 1963-1964
Folder 33: G - 1961-1964
Folder 34: H - 1961-1969
Folder 35: J - 1961-1963
Folder 36: K - 1961-1962
Folder 37: L - 1961-1963
Folder 38: M - 1961-1963
Folder 39: N - 1961-1963
Folder 40: O - 1961-1963
Folder 41: P - 1961-1964
Folder 42: R - 1961-1963
Folder 43: S - 1961-1965
Folder 44: T - 1961-1962
Folder 45: W - 1961-1963
Folder 46: Recognition dinner for Herman Stern -invitations and related materials, 1960- 1966
Folder 47: Acknowledgments of gifts to the Winter Show, 1961-1967, 1962 and 1965
Folder 48: 1962-1965

Box 5

Folder 1: Relating to Lawrence Welk's possible visits to the Winter Show, 1963-1969, 1964-1965
Folder 2: 1964-1965
Folder 3: Correspondence - also Finance and Building committees, 1961
Folder 4: Publicity Sub-Committee, 1961
Folder 5: Correspondence - also Finance committee, 1961
Folder 6: Conference, June, 1961
Folder 7: Correspondence with county chairmen of the 1961 fund drive
Folder 8: New building contribution list, 1961-1967
Folder 9: Paying off of building indebtedness, 1962-1963
Folder 10: Pledge lists and budget, 1962.1969
Folder 11: Pledge lists - payments, 1965-1966
Folder 12: Pledge lists and miscellanea
Folder 13: Suggestions for county development campaigns, 1961
Folder 14: Agricultural and rural development committee work, unpaid pledge reports 1961- 1962
Folder 15: Western North Dakota fund-raising campaign, 1963-1964
Folder 16: Pledge collection and new pledges, 1965
Folder 17: Pledge collection reports, 1962-1965
Folder 18: Pledge collection reports, 1963-1965
Folder 19: Fund-raising drive, 1964-1965
Folder 20: 1965
Folder 21: Harold Schafer, possible contributions, 1961-1962
Folder 22: Members of the Fargo Clinic -fund raising, 1963
Folder 23: N.D. Century Code regulations, audit reports, contribution lists, 1958-1967
Folder 24: Budgets, audit reports, contribution lists, 1959-1964
Folder 25: Receipt books, pledge record cards, ca. 1961
Folder 26: Contribution lists, operating lists, 1961-1963

Box 12

Folder 35: Winter Show (1940-1963)

Sub-Series D: Rotary Club

This sub-series includes publications and correspondence related to Stern's involvement with the Rotary Club. Scrapbooks related to the Rotary Club were placed in Series 5 (Scrapbooks).

Box 5

Folder 30: "Weekly Letter," 1932-1933
Folder 31: Rotary International Correspondence, 1933

Box 12

Folder 27: Rotary Club International (1921-1971)

Sub-Series E: Other Organizations

Contains any documents and correspondence related to Stern's work with civic organizations beyond those already noted in previous sub-series and usually consist of one or two folders.

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids