Selz Museum

On Friday, June 02, 2006 I was present at the opening of a German Museum in Selz which commemorates the contributions of the German pioneers in Selz and the Kutschurgan valley. The project was spearheaded by Selz resident Luisa Riesling, herself a German, and local historian and former mayor of Selz, Margaretta Budayev. My grandparents, Konrad Weiss and Brigetta Vetsch, were both born in Selz, and were married in Selz. Many North Americans have contributed funds, as well as family charts and photographs for the museum.

Selz Museum

Cutting the ribbon with Schulmeister Sergei Teninholz and Louisa Riesling of Selz

Schulmeister Teninholz, Louisa Riesling, Merv Weiss

Inna Stryukova, Margaretta Budayev, historian Vladimir Jakovlevich Bukovsky
Alexei Köhler, Valya Fromm

Opening Ceremony Speeches

Merv Weiss on the steps of the German Museum in Selz

Telling the crowd about my ancestors who were born in Selz, with Inna translating

Museum interior

Karolina Fromm, Margaretha Budayev

Museum interior

Museum interior

Museum interior

Presenting a copy of the Weiss family history to the Selz Museum

Robert Schneider visiting with Luisa Riesling and Margaretta Budayev

My good friend, translator Inna Stryukova from Nikolaev