"Its All Earth and Sky!", was the reaction of one German-Russian immigrant when she arrived on the plains of the Midwest. Like many others who came to the region seeking a land of promise and opportunity, she and her family enduredand prevailedon this rich, expansive landscape.
Immigration implies departure as well as arrival. Transport from one country to another may mean deportation; it inescapably includes exile whether voluntary or forced, and brings disruption to families in the old country and in the new. Immigrants require courage and fortitude, even when they are weak and poor. Like many others who have come here seeking a land of promise and opportunity, Germans from Russia have suffered and they have prevailed. Since their background and history is as rich in texture as it is in diversity, they serve here as a model of assimilation of other ethnic groups into American society. Five representative Germans from Russia who have attained success and stability share their insights on the process of becoming American.