Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski’s journey from building snow forts in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to uncovering her German Russian heritage is as thrilling as a touchdown at Lambeau Field! As a kid, she traded snowball fights for softball tournaments and swapped hot cocoa for brat fries, all while pledging lifelong loyalty to the Green Bay Packers. But Anna’s curiosity went beyond her backyard adventures.
At a young age, she wondered about her missing grandparents and the mysterious German-speaking ancestors who lived in Russia. This sparked her lifelong quest to unearth her family’s history, sending her on genealogical escapades. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and marketing from Marquette University (and witnessing some epic Al McGuire NCAA basketball moments), Anna dove headfirst into the world of newspaper advertising.
But her career path took a turn when she landed in Arizona, reigniting her passion for her roots. Joining the Arizona Sun Chapter and becoming a life member of AHSGR fueled Anna’s quest even more. She traced her lineage back to the original settlers of Mariental, Reinwald, Balzer and Rosenfeld am Nachoi uncovering a rich tapestry of heritage spanning villages in modern day Germany and Luxembourg. Anna didn’t stop at uncovering her family’s past. She brought their stories to life through captivating books like "Dead Reckoning: A Rosalind Schmidt Genealogical Mystery" and "Value Meals on the Volga." Her dedication to preserving German Russian culture led her to edit collections like Thirty Years in the Desert and contribute to anthologies on authorship. Her latest book "The Adventures of Konrad the Kamel, Wanderlust" debuts on August six and will attract young readers to explore their heritage. She also participated in the first ALWAYS (Alliance of Literary Writers and Yabbering Scribes) anthology published in March entitled "Journeys to Authorship How Wannabe Writers Can Realize Their Publishing Dreams."
Not content with just writing about history, Anna became an avid member of AHSGR, serving in various leadership roles and spearheading initiatives to connect members worldwide. Travel was imminent, from AHSGR conventions to Argentina. Perhaps the most thrilling discovery was finding descendants of cousins who survived exile in Siberia, bridging gaps across continents and generations, including a poignant journey to Germany where she bonded with long-lost cousins. But with every adventure, Anna’s enthusiasm for storytelling and family history only grows, inviting others to join her on the journey at annabartkowski.com. From snowball fights to family reunions, Anna’s tale is a whirlwind of discovery, proving that the past is never truly buried - it’s waiting to be explored with boundless curiosity and a sprinkle of Sheboygan magic!