In the spring of 1917, when the United States entered WWI, anti-German sentiment became socially acceptable. According to the Executive Director of Traces Center for History and Culture in Mason City, Michael Luick-Thrams, this movement exploded overnight, and had deadly consequences for some. Luick-Thrams is sharing his insights on this topic in a free presentation and is traveling to 60 different venues in four states over the course of five weeks on a speaking tour. He will be presenting “Kickin’ the Kaiser: Anti-German Hysteria in the American Heartland During World War I” in Manning on Wednesday, Oct. 3, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Hausbarn Konferenze Centre. He will be sharing stories of the tensions that existed between Anglo elites and the “Krauts on the prairie.” Attendees will also be able to explore hidden connections between wartime anti-German sentiment and the subsequent enactment of Prohibition in 1920. The program, sponsored by the Hausbarn-Heritage Park, is open to the public.
