The Lehr Tabernacle

The Lehr Tabernacle claims a special place in the hearts of those who participated in the annual summer camp meetings held there. The services in German were a reminder of the faith that had carried them from the Black Sea to the Dakota prairies. The time of fellowship and community was important for those often isolated by hard work or long winters on farms far distant from each other. My mother is one of those with special memories of "the Tabernacle" which inspired me to write this article.

The Lehr Tabernacle is located on the outskirts of Lehr, North Dakota, a town founded in 1898 by German-Russian families. Lehr prides itself on the distinction of being the "smallest town in the U.S. located in two counties" (Mcintosh and Logan).

Lester's dedication paid off in numerous ways. He was an excellent student, one who faithfully did all the required readings and asked questions when he die/ not fully comprehend something. But he also wanted to do original research, and to make some kind of lasting contribution to German-Russian scholarship. And Lester did.

After taking the class at NDSU, Lester sought out every oral and printed source that he could find which related to the then little-known Dobrudja Black Sea Germans of North Dakota. He even traveled to the Rumanian Dobrudja region in 1977 and was one of the first Americans to return to the old homeland. There he took numerous notes and amassed an impressive photographic record of all that he had uncovered in Atmagea and other sites.

Eventually, Lester compiled and wrote up the results of his Dobrudja German research. He published several installments of the "Black Sea Germans from the Rumanian Dobrudja" in Heritage Review during the years 1978-1979. And for this original and outstanding contribution, Lester was awarded the Joseph S. Height Literary Award.

Fortunately, my wife Rosalinda and I were present at the 1979 GRHS Convention when Lester was presented the Literary Award. It was a proud moment for him and his eyes glistened with tears of appreciation. And it was a memorable moment for others of us who had watched Lester grow and mature as a serious researcher—and a German-Russian colleague.

Lester G. Seibold, the farmer who commuted 3,000 miles during one of North Dakota's most blustery winters, continually demonstrated a tremendous depth of dedication and interest. Indeed, Lester was the kind of student that teachers dream of—but only rarely encounter. I remember Lester G. Seibold fondly and I will always be inspired by his example.