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Herman Doege

Interview

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(Herman Doege of New Berlin, Texas)




C: "In what year was New Berlin founded?"
H: "1868"

C: "By whom was New Berlin founded?"
H: "The Tewes, Muelders, and Schultze families."

C: "Why did people immigrate to New Berlin?"
H: "They began immigrating here to avoid the draft in Germany."

C: "How did New Berlin get it's name?"
H: "The immigrants migrated from Berlin, Germany and called this land the "New Berlin"."

C: "What was the population of New Berlin when it was first found?"
H: "New Berlin only consisted of the Tewes, Muelders, and Schultze families."

C: "What is the population of New Berlin now?"
H: "Only about 260. It's a very small town."

C: "What kind of businesses did New Berlin consist of when you were growing up?"
H: "New Berlin was much bigger and prosperous back then. We had a blacksmith shop, a bowling alley, a dance hall, and a meat market on Trainer Hale Rd. The Muelder's owned a big grocery store and the Britzke's, who moved to New Berlin a few years after the town was founded, owned a small car dealership; None of which are here now."

C: "Did any racial problems exist in New Berlin when you were growing up?"
H: "We all grew up together, the blacks, the Mexicans, and the whites. We went to different schools though. The blacks attended school near Sweet Home Rd."

C: "Did you attend school in New Berlin?"
H: "Yes, I went to the little school house on Blue Creek Rd."

C: "Are there any historical markers in New Berlin?"
H: "Mr. Tewes house is now a historical marker. He was the main entreprenuer of the town. He owned the big grocery store and dance hall."

C: "Where there any technology advances?"
H: "No, New Berlin is a very small town and people live very plainly out here."

C: "Why is New Berlin smaller now than it was 60 years ago?"
H: "When I was pretty young the grocery store, which sold everything from screws to groceries, burned to the ground. After that the town just got smaller and smaller."

C: "What other kind of establishments did New Berlin consist of?"
H: "The Jaegerlust was pretty famous. Jaeger means "hunter of wild game". Everyone in New Berlin was big hunters. The Jaegerlust was a dance hall that had two bowling lanes in it. It was the big hang out back then."

C: "Where there many African American families in New Berlin?"
H: "Yes. The Jeffersons, the Brooks, and the Morgan families. I grew up with the Brooks family, who still live here today. I had a black woman baby-sit me when I was younger, and I remember she always dipped snuff!"

C: "What other things did people do in New Berlin?"
H: "I remember everyone always bringing their cattle to the "Dippin' Bat"...or the dipping bath. We would send our cows and other livestock through a tube with water to get rid of ticks, fleas, and other parasites. I don't know if it really worked, but we enjoyed doing it anyway."