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Archiver > SAXONY > 2004-01 > 1072987962


From: "Wolf Zscheile" <>
Subject: [Saxony] FW: [SAXONY_ROOTS] Sachsen goes America
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2004 14:12:42 -0600


Hello, All,

hope you had a good start of the New year and here is a report from
Thomas in old Germany:


-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Rueffer [mailto:]
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2004 1:42 PM
To:
Subject: [SAXONY_ROOTS] Sachsen goes America


Hallo,

"Sachsen goes America" was the title of a 30 minutes television program this
evening at prime time in MDR, the regional station for the three Saxonian
states Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thueringen.

The program portrayed a family which left Saxony three years ago to operate
a restaurant in New Leipzig, a town in North Dakota with 300 inhabitants,
most of them with German ancestors (not surprising regarding this name).

In 1995, the town built this restaurant ("Leipziger Hof") to improve
business in this small town. A delegation from New Leipzig had come to
Saxony in search for a Saxon family. The first family left after a few
months. First, the restaurant was an attraction in that remote town, people
came and they served even a lot of German meals. But after a short time, the
family recognized that there were not enough people for a real restaurant,
German or not, in that remote area. The family returned to Germany.

Afterwards, a second family from Germany operated the restaurant for four
years until 1999, with some success, but they got problems with the person
who, as it was said, owned almost all business in town. The family get
problems e.g. because they closed the restaurant a few days a year to buy
things in Bismarck, 90 miles northeast. This family quit but did not want to
return to Germany but open a restaurant in Bismarck or somewhere else in the
USA. Their problem: the visa is restricted to the restaurant in New Leipzig,
and now they have to fight for residence permit before starting a new
business.

The Saxon family which is operating the restaurant since 2000 already have
their problems with the local king, but seeing the problems of their
predecessors with the visa they want to stay. Now, in winter, it is hard
time for them because very few local people are eating out. In summer people
from a larger area came to "Leipziger Hof", but to the disappointment of the
family most of the people want to have American food (which they also
serve).

The family talked about their experiences in New Leipzig, North Dakota. Some
things were not surprising for me, like better service in a super market or
the difficulties to become accepted in such a small town or the overwhelming
Christmas decorations. Other things were surprising for me: that it is
possible to operate a restaurant with (at first) almost now knowledge of the
language. Or the sometimes aggressive attitude against two dogs of the
family (they sometimes bark which led to the announcement of someone that he
will kill them). Or: the daughter of the family, as I remember 16 or 17,
said school (in English!) is too simple for her. She had only A degrees, and
is seen as a pushy person. As she said, her class-mates were mainly
interested in cars and alcohol (and we in Germany get told from our
politicians and the media to hold the tough Americans as an example to
overcome the recession - may be we should look for the examples outside
North Dakota).

By the way: the existence of the restaurant did not improve the economy in
New Leipzig. Nobody moved to to that town because they have a restaurant.
Nevertheless the Saxon family will stay, at least as long they were not
allowed to open a restaurant in a more urban area. So if you ever come to
New Leipzig, North Dakota, visit the pleasant family - and try their German
meals.

Allen ein Gutes Neues Jahr,

Thomas










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