To

Hermann

with love

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- He's been dead for centuries.

And yet, Armenius, know more famously as Hermann the Cheruscan and revered locally as Hermann the German, still gets love letters.

A few of those letters, which are part of the last few touches on New Ulm's newly-restored Hermann monument, were read to a small group of local and state officials and supporters of the restoration project.

With Hermann's 'lift-off' a few weeks away, Denis Warta, who has been in charge of the restoration project, has collected notes and letters from local residents and school children for a copper box that will be sealed inside the statue.

But before the copper box is soldered shut, a few letters from senators, city officials, German dignitaries and others were read in the rathskeller at Turner Hall late Thursday night.

"We're celebrating more than just the 150th anniversary of New Ulm," Warta began. "We're celebrating the battle to maintain freedom."

Warta said later that the letters were read to add importance to what many New Ulmers think of as their symbol and to create an awareness that Hermann "is not just another statue and freedom still needs to be fought for."

From the beginning, other communities recognized the significance of the Hermann monument. A newspaper in St. Peter noted that 10,000 people attended the dedication in 1897 and 20 bands played to keep the mood lively.

"The monument is a work of art and a credit to its designer and builder," noted the St. Peter Herald in Sept. of 1897.

Fifteen years ago, Warta met a man, a British army major who found the battlefield where Hermann fell. He sent Warta a letter. He also sent a box of soil from the battlefield, some of which is going into the copper box.

German Ambassador Wolfgang Ishinger, who visited New Ulm with a group of German dignitaries this summer, also wrote a letter sending his regards.

"It is heartening to see such strong interest in such an important figure German history," Ishinger wrote. "There are few places with as much interest in the German-American friendship as New Ulm."

After a short interlude from the Concord Singers, Brown County GOP chair Gerard Woodley read two letters from U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, one of which will also be placed inside the copper box. Coleman congratulated New Ulm on a successful restoration, saying that the statue will "once again take its place overlooking the City of New Ulm."

Then it was State Sen. Dennis Frederickson's turn to speak. Frederickson reminded the crowd that Hermann "is not a fairy tale" and stopped the Roman legions from completely conquering Germany.

"He unified people who were not unified," Frederickson said. "He had the vision to know the value of freedom and the value of (bringing people together) to meet a common goal."

New Ulm Mayor Joel Albrecht said it is imperative that New Ulm appreciate the significance of what Hermann the Cheruscan accomplished in 9 A.D. -- bringing different groups of people to defend the common cause of freedom.

Before he read his letter, Albrecht thanked Warta for his consistent efforts and dedication to the project.

"Giving a job to Denis Warta is like giving an old shoe to a bulldog," Albrecht said. "You can't get it away from him. He had the dedication and the bulldoggedness to get it done. It drove us nuts sometimes, but he did it."

Former U.S. Rep. David Minge, who is now a judge for the Minnesota Court of Appeals, was able to convince Congress to establish the monument as a symbol for all Americans of German descent.

In his letter, Minge said the restoration is a "significant accomplishment" that also shows "an outstanding example of civic spirit" and "an example and inspiration to other communities" that also serves as a reminder of the rich immigrant heritage of the United States.

The Sons of Hermann chapters in California and Texas also sent letters. The president of the San Antonio chapter, a New Ulm native, noted that the chapter's president was at the 1897 dedication and that a small statue of Hermann is in the chapter's headquarters building.

"As Hermann fought for independence many years ago, we must strive to protect liberty from those who would use terror to erase centuries of enlightenment," wrote New Ulm native Col. Peter Monsoor of the Army's First Armored Division in Freibourg, Germany.