In the thriving little town of Manning, where since the year 1882
the German Shooting Association had been in existence, there appeared
a German theatrical troupe under the management of the highly
endowed director, Berthold Kraus. This was in the winter of 1893.
Mr. Kraus, seeing a good opportunity to settle down to quiet and
peaceful married life among his countrymen, determined to establish
a German newspaper and, setting himself to this task, at once
made arrangements to secure a plant. On the 2nd of February, 1894,
therefore, there appeared the first edition of Der Manning Herold,
which has been successfully published continuously since in its
usual form and style save for one week in February, 1894, when
a disastrous fire destroyed the plant, leaving only a few type,
just sufficient to set up one page about nine by sixteen inches.
Mr. Kraus was an active and ambitious man and this incident did
not discourage him. More energetically than before did he take
up the work of building up the business and Der Manning Herold
continued growing in circulation and is today the most popular
German newspaper in the state of Iowa, while its plant is one
of the best equipped. German and English job work is a specialty
of the office and reasonable prices are charged for all work which
is also guaranteed to be satisfactory.
The first proprietor, Berthold Kraus, was born January 4, 1865, in the city of Prague, Austria, and after his graduation from the home school his parents, not withstanding somewhat limited financial resources, sent him to the gymnasium in Saaz. He possessed a studious nature and scholarly tastes and was a great lover of the works of Schiller and Goethe and of other literary writings. It was his interest in these perhaps that led him later to enter the histrionic profession. In 1883 he crossed the ocean, arriving in America as a penniless young man. Going to Cleveland, Ohio, he was there employed in a store for six months, while subsequently he engaged in farm work and was also employed for a time as a section hand.. Eventually he reached Chicago and there began his connection with the stage. From 1890 until 1894 he was director of his own theatrical troupe. At length, as previously stated, he arrived in Manning and, not withstanding many difficulties which he had to encounter and overcome, he established the German paper, which he continued to publish until his death. just in his prime, when he had overcorne the financial difficulties and placed his business upon a paying basis, he was called to a higher sphere. This man of poetic and scholarly tastes and artistic ability, who had established himself as a successful and progressive journalist, passed away on the 15th of June, 1907.
Among his many friends and admirers who so deeply mourned his
loss was a young German farmer by the name of Peter Rix, who regarded
it as his duty to care for the business that had been built tip
by Mr. Kraus For the sake of his deceased friend, who had so faithfully
labored for the interests of the Herold and for the welfare of
his country people, prompted thereto by a desire to benefit the
German citizens and also prompted thereto by his love of his mother
tongue, Mr. Rix took up the work of publishing the paper when
it seemed to, him that its welfare was becoming dubious. He took
charge of the business on the 1st of September, 1907, and managed
the paper successfully until the 1st of September, 1910 when he
sold out to Paul F. Werner, who had been associated with him on
the paper for almost three years, and Carl Hasselman, of Davenport.
These two gentlemen are the present owners. Mr. Rix conducted
the Herold on the same basis as his predecessor had done and in
certain ways improved the whole plant. It was his purpose to find
the right men for conducting the business and he feels at present
that he has succeeded in this. Der Manning Herold is regarded
by its readers today as good a German newspaper as it was under
the original ownership and its policy is also indorsed by its
patrons. In politics it has independent democratic tendencies,
such having been its political attitude from the beginning. A
liberal patronage is today accorded it and the paper reflects
credit upon those who have bad to do with its conduct, its many
patrons and the community at large.