call us 605-626-7770 | visit the exhibit

SD Germans from Russia Cultural Center

Preserving History & Heritage

Our mission is to preserve the history and heritage of South Dakota Germans from Russia. Located at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, we host collections of documents, relics and recorded oral history interviews. We also feature temporary exhibits highlighting the lifestyle, religion and education of German-Russian culture.

Visit the Exhibit

Take in more than 2,000 square feet of exhibit and research space devoted to Germans from Russia. Opened in the spring of 2018, we regularly update our exhibits and add to our collections.

Monday-Friday
Library 9am - 5pm Exhibit and Collection Access By Appointment Only - Email Robert.Russell@northern.edu View our scheduled closings

Beulah Williams Library
Northern State University Campus
1200 S. Jay St., Aberdeen, SD 57401
Visit the Exhibit Page | View Google Map

From The Archives

Featured Collections

Our collection began in 2007 and now consists of more than 500 volumes on Germans from Russia, which include stories, geneologies, photos and artifacts documenting the German from Russian impact on the history of the great plains of South Dakota.

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Jacob Schnaidt Family Collection

This collection contains photos, documents, and ephemera related to Jacob Schnaidt. In 1873, he and his family left the village of Kassel in Russia and immigrated to America. His family was one of the earliest German-Russian families to arrive in...

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Hutchinson County Church Records Collection

This collection contains church records from Hutchinson County. Records include baptism registries, confirmation registries, wedding and funeral registries, and meeting minutes between the years 1879 and 1989. These records are in German and English, and were provided by the First...

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Help Preserve Your Family’s History

We are currently conducting oral history interviews to collect stories, songs and any other aspect of German from Russia culture. If you have history to share from personal experience or from family members, please call us at 605-626-7770.