Karen Schutte, Author at KarenSchutte.com

From Janice Young

Your research and detail is fascinating. Your good heart and compassion for human struggles is so moving. Your books are a form of therapy for me. Because of them I understand both my history and childhood so much better. Tank Commander was a tough read for me. My father was killed in August of 1944 in France–infantry with tank battalion. I needed to understand what he went through. I have idealized him and I know he died for a great cause. I have read everything you have written and don’t want to miss any of your work. Please notify me of any and all publications you release. Janice Young Charlotte, North Carolina

German Yankee Gallery

Middle section of Greater United States was a critical division of slavery indecision. 1863

Posters to recruit men to join Union Civil War Cavalry

THE hell of a hand to hand Civil War battle

French Minie lead bullets used in the Civil War

Union Pontoon Bridge used to cross wide, deep rivers

Elizabeth Klingermuller Westerhoff (author’s great-grandmother)

Civil War Union portable Bellows which John used to tend to the iron works of horses and wagons

Captain Louis Merrill, leader of Merrill’s Horse Union elite cavalry

John Westerhoff’s official military papers

Medal for service in the GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

Layout of Precinct H in Seward County, Nebraska – outlined areas are John Westerhoff’s farming lands

A type of dugout/adobe house used on the prairies

Attempting to plant/grow corn in the rolling arid hills of Nebraska

Minnie, Lizzie, (author’s grandmother) Mary, and Elizabeth Westerhoff

Willie, Robert, Charles, Ludwig, John J.W. Westerhoff—sons of John and Elizabeth

Westerhoff ‘Home Place’ near Germantown (Garland), Nebraska

Original letter from Private Robert Westerhoff to his mother in 1918

The Tank Commander Gallery

The car that Karen’s grandmother almost turned over while learning how to drive in Port Huron, MI

LT Ship that carries tanks on the beach at Normandy

A map of Hurtdgen Forest – Arnold’s unit was trying to take the dams in this map, along the border of Belguim & Germany

Arnold in his 70s with his military uniform – the first time it had been out of the box in years – he said putting it on brought back too many memories

A Panther IV tank – This was the German workhorse

A map created after the war, showing different areas occupied by the Allies by country

Some of the medals that Arnold was awarded in WWII

One of six bronze medals found in a box from WWII & Korea

Beth and her brother, Arnold, the day he shipped out

Seed of the Volga Gallery

Hollenzellern Castle in the Black Forest – Believed to be the home of Maria Elizabetha Hollernzellern

Map shows the Upper Volga River with Susannethal marked

Catherine the Great, who first took the Germans into Russia by offering them free land (she was a German)

The S.S. Main landing in Baltimore, MD – David & his family came to America on this ship.

Rosie & her sister, who bore the facial characteristics of their Mongolian DNA

David & Sophie with their family after they left Russia; Oldest child (far right) is Rosie

David & Sophie Steiner after their children were grown

Map of town – Landstrasse home on the top left end was the birthplace of Rosie

The Ticket Gallery

Jake’s brother Carl who was killed in the Philippines in WWII

Jake & Rosie’s Wedding Picture

Karen and her Great Grandmother Katja

Wreath from Carl’s memorial service

Katja’s family (The Mell family)

Katja’s mother & sister in law and her children

Karl & Katja’s wedding photo

Jake & Rasia Wedding Picture

The Mell house in Surtchin, Hungary

Katja and Karl on their 50th Wedding Anniversary

Flesh On The Bone Gallery

The brick silos that Jake helped build during the depression

The dragline that Jake helped work on digging canals around Lovell, WY

Jake and Rosie dressed in the latest style

Jake, Rosie, Karen’s mother, father and Karen in front of their farmhouse

Jake and Rosie on their 50th Wedding Anniversary

Arnold & Beth Wamhoff on their wedding day

Jake and Rosie with the children in Port Huron, MI

Beth’s confirmation photo at age 14 (Arnold is about 11)

Jake with the children in Port Huron, MI

Karl and Katja & their family of 8 children (Jake is the older child all the way to the left)

Karen’s mother Beth & Arnold as children (Beth, 8, Arnold, 5)

Four generations: Karen with her grandmother, great-grandmother and mother. Rosie (Flesh on the Bone), Sophie (Seed of the Volga)

Writeup in the Wyoming Library Roundup

Wyoming Library Roundup Newsletter Spring Winter 2011 Cover Writing her historical novel The Ticket was an unintended journey for author Karen Schutte who initially wanted to write down her family’s saga for her grandchildren. “I did not want the stories to die,” Schutte said, explaining that true tales make up the skeleton of the novel.

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