By Tatum Hearn
In a community rich in culture and history, the past came alive during a recent presentation hosted by Visit Boerne and a University of Texas professor.
On Sept. 18, Dr. Hans Boas from the University of Texas at Austin gave a presentation titled “Preserving Texas German Voices for Future Generations” to 40 members of the Boerne community at the Patrick Heath Public Library.
Val Anderson of Visit Boerne and Boas coordinated the event in collaboration with the library, the Kendall County Historical Commission, and author Christopher J. Wickham from Texas A&M University Press.
During a tour of the historic Waring School House, visitors posed a question about whether early German immigrants could understand each other, sparking a discussion within the Kendall County Historical Commission. This led to a deep dive into the historical background of German settlers in Boerne.
“Boerne and Kendall County have a very active community interested in the history of our area,” Anderson said. “It’s important not only to provide an answer but also to enhance our knowledge of the rich history of our town.”
In preparing for the presentation, Anderson conducted her own research and connected with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). They recommended Boas as a great collaborative partner due to his ongoing work on Texas Germans, which is funded by the NEH.
Boas developed the “Preserving Texas German Voices for Future Generations” presentation and highlighted German history in the Lone Star State, opening the floor to a deeper discussion.
For those unable to attend, a written description of the presentation will be available on Dec. 1 as part of the Patrick Heath Public Library’s quarterly historical newsletter, Echoes from the Archives.
If you’re interested in learning more about Boerne’s early German settlers, make plans to attend the Boerne Book Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5. The event, hosted by the Patrick Heath Public Library, features several author panel discussions about Texas history.
