Hermann II bobblehead on order

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Take that, "Puck" bobblehead. The Hermann bobblehead doll is a hit!

The New Ulm Chamber of Commerce began selling the first order of 1,008 Hermann bobbleheads at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29, and sold out at 3 p.m. Friday, July 5.

Flushed with success, the Chamber has put in an order for 1,512 "Second Edition" Hermann bobbleheads.

"They'll be sold at the same, low price of $19.95," said Terry Sveine, the Chamber's tour coordinator. "However, in keeping with it being a new edition rather than a re-order, the gold on the original doll will be silver, the silver will be gold, and the red trim will be a different red."

While the doll was created to raise funds for various chamber activities, the Chamber will continue to donate one dollar for each bobblehead sold to a Hermann Monument fund, Sveine said.

"We hope to have the new dolls in by the end of September," Sveine said. "It's amazing the response that the Hermann bobblehead has had. We've had orders from all over."

Before offering the dolls for sale, Chamber volunteers stuffed the boxes with an informational sheet on Hermann.

Although the bobblehead doll is true to the "Hermann look" including his winged helmet, the Hermann doll has his sword pointed down, rather than up.

"The manufacturer told us that there was no way the up-raised sword could survive shipping," Sveine explained. "It was really disappointing, but what can you do?"