Book Review: Bern, Kansas. Memories of the First 100 Years

Authors

Leo Schelbert

Keywords

book review, Swiss American Historical Society, Bern Kansas, Swiss emigration, Swiss settlements

Abstract

In text and pictures this nicely produced book presents "an account of some of the events that helped shape the Bern community during its first 100 years" (iv). On the basis of newspaper accounts, interviews, and pictorial treasures hidden in attics or scrapbooks, the author has summarized events in twelve chronologically arranged chapters that consist of vignettes and provide a mosaic-like overview. Except for chapter one featuring "Days of Pioneers (1842-1884)," each section covers a decade identified by some major event as, for instance, "The World War II Era (1940-1949)". General contexts are considered; the last chapter thus opens with these words: "An economic depression created largely by inflated farm land values, low farm commodity prices, and controversial government farm policies has devastated much of rural America during the 1980's" (118). Then the situation of Bern, Kansas, is dealt with in detail.

Recommended Citation

Schelbert, Leo (1987) "Book Review: Bern, Kansas. Memories of the First 100 Years," Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter: Vol. 23: Iss. 2, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_newsletter/vol23/iss2/11