Herman Stern

Herman Stern
Born August 9, 1887
Oberbrechen, Germany
Died June 20, 1980
Valley City, North Dakota
Occupation Businessman
Spouse(s) Adeline Roth
Children Richard Morris Stern, Edward Stern

Herman Stern (August 9, 1887-June 20, 1980), humanitarian, social and economic activist, businessman, visionary and director of the North Dakota Winter Show, Holocaust rescuer.

Early life

Born in Oberbrechen, Germany in 1887, Herman Stern immigrated to America in 1903,[1] at the encouragement of his uncle Morris G. Straus, owner of the Straus Clothing store in Casselton, North Dakota. After Straus purchased the former Sternberg store in Valley City, North Dakota, in 1908, Stern moved to Valley City in 1910 to assist in the management of that store. In 1912, he married Adeline Roth, the much younger sister of Straus' wife (and cousin of Sternberg's daughter). One by one, other members of the Straus family left North Dakota, leaving Stern as owner and manager of Straus Clothing by 1920. He would live in Valley City for the remainder of his life.[2]

Holocaust Rescuer

In the 1930s, with the aid of his wife Adeline and active cooperation from U.S. Senator Gerald Nye,[3] Stern managed to save the lives of over 125 German Jewish refugees by sponsoring them for visas (including finding them jobs), and making arrangements to bring them to the United States.[4] He said little in later life about rescuing so many men and women from inevitable death in the Holocaust, noting only “they did not owe me anything.”[5]

Civic and Fraternal Organizations

Herman Stern was inducted into the Casselton Lodge No. 3 of Freemasonry in 1908. In 1913 Mr. Stern became a member of the Valley City Lodge, and was a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.[6]

He was a member of Rotary International a service oriented organization.[6]

He founded the Greater North Dakota Chamber, which promotes business development and North Dakota tourism,[7] and developed the North Dakota Winter Show.[8]

He founded an organization called the Community Chest. The organization is the predecessor to the current United Way of Barnes County.[9]

He was also active with the Boy Scouts of America, and led efforts to establish boy scout councils in Fargo, Valley City, Wahpeton and Grand Forks, which later merged into the Northern Lights Council. He started the fundraising campaign to build a regional camp for Boy Scouts, now known as Camp Wilderness.[8]

Honors and Awards

In 1974 Herman Stern was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award, bestowed by the Boy Scouts of America in recognition of exceptional service to youth.[10]

Boy Scout Camp Wilderness created an award named after Herman Stern, in recognition of his funding and creation efforts for the camp. The Herman Stern Honor Troop Award is given to troops at the end of each week of camp during the summer season. The award is given to Boy Scout troops for camp participation, and adherence to the twelve points of the Scout Law.[11]

For his many achievements and contributions to the state, Stern was posthumously inducted into the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award in 2014 by North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple.[8][12]

References

  1. ↑ "Herman Stern in Barnes County History, 1976". www.webfamilytree.com. p. 237. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  2. ↑ "Herman Stern". web.mnstate.edu. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  3. ↑ "Dakota Datebook". Prairie Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  4. ↑ ERIKSMOEN, CURT. "N.D. businessman saved Jews from Nazi Germany". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  5. ↑ "Bibliography and links". web.mnstate.edu. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  6. 1 2 "Herman Stern Receives North Dakota's Highest Award" (PDF). North Dakota Masons. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "State Chamber celebrates 90 years". Greater North Dakota Chamber. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Herman Stern - Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award". North Dakota Office of the Governor.
  9. ↑ "Herman Stern". North Dakota Office of the Governor. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "List of Silver Buffalo Recipients". Scouting Magazine. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Herman Stern Honor Troop Award Camp Wilderness" (PDF). Northern Lights Council Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "Herman Stern named recipient of Rough Rider Award". Grand Forks Herald. February 5, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2017.

Further reading

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