175 years later

In early October, 2009, a small group of German artists: writers, a photographer, and award winning film producer, Peter Roloff, who are following the track of the Giessen Emigration Society will be here in Washington, Missouri. The Giessen Emigration Society, a group of 500 German families, first arrived in St. Louis in July and August of 1834. The groups plans went awry, so at St. Louis, they broke up and scattered. Many of them came to Warren County to settle near Duden’s farm in Dutzow, Missouri.

Peter's group is partially funded by the City of Bremen, and another German council, are looking for descendants of those original 500 families who settled in Warren, Franklin, Gasconade and St. Charles Counties. The group wants to interview and document what became of those early families planning a Utopian community in Missouri. If you would you are a descendant of a family which was part of that early emigration group (of 500 families) Peter Roloff and his group please would like to meet you. Please email Dorris Keeven-Franke at history@mogermans.org so that we may set up a time.