Wir Wollen Deutsche Bleiben
George J. Walters was born April 11, 1920, in Catherine, Kansas, and passed from the scene January 11, 1982, a few days after approving the corrected pages of the first edition of this book. He was well acquainted with the language and customs of the Volga Germans. His interest in what happened to the Volga colonies took form at the end of WWII, when he was stationed in Berlin. Here he saw thousands upon thousands of refugees passing through the city. He was in almost daily contact with the Soviet forces then occupying one sector of that divided city. In due time George J. Walters left the 208th Engineer Battalion, where he was Sergeant Major, to return to school. He completed a B.S. degree at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and later earned a master's degree in psychology at Denver University. After a few years in business, he taught at several posts in the United States, the then Territory of Alaska, and later in the Canal Zone. He also served as an Army officer during the Korean conflict, taking a discharge from the service as a Lieutenant. He traveled widely in thirty-three foreign nations, including the Soviet Union and Germany. During his teaching career he authored many professional papers. More recently, he was co-author with Charles Walters ofA Farmer's Guide to Homestead Rights. When interest in the Russia-based roots of many Americans surfaced a few years back, George Walters became a member and finally an officer in the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. At the time of his death he was Kansas City Chapter Treasurer.