Individual Details
Herman Tschida
(January 1, 1895 - September, 1982)
Treasured Tschida Tradition Buildings blessed on Christmas Eve
By Carol Moorman
Rural St. Rosa--The smell of incense filters through the near-zero air on the Victor and Beatrice Tschida farm in rural St. Rosa.
It's around 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve 2004, and much like he has done for close to 50 years, Victor, carrying a bucket of hot coals in his left hand and a bottle of holy water in his right hand, walks briskly from structure to structure, blessing each building, vehicle and even a few horses along the way.
Walking behind him, through inch-high snow, are some of their 11 children, spouses, friends, and 34 grandchildren, all reciting the rosary, led by oldest daughter, Suzanne "Susie" Harren and oldest son, Sylvester "Ves" Tschida.
In the dark of night son, Shawn, opens the door to each building as, with the flick of his wrist, Victor sprinkles holy water. His sidekicks on this night are two granddaughters, one on either side of him. Incense is replenished to ensure they make it to all the buildings.
Fifteen minutes later the last decade is said, everyone heads into the house, and another ritual in this faith filled family is complete. First generation
Three generations of Tschidas have carried on this treasured Dec. 24th tradition begun on this same rural St. Rosa farm in the early 1900s by Victor's grandparents, Joseph and Anne Tschida. It's a traditional blessing they brought with them from Austria.
"Our grandparents started from scratch," said Sister Herman (Stella) Tschida, reminiscing earlier with Victor, her brother, while sitting around the kitchen table.
Although neither remember visiting their grandparents farm, they recall stories told of the buildings which included a log house and barn which housed dairy cows.
Their grandparents raised seven children, Mike, Henry, John, Joseph, Julie, Herman and Rudy.
Second generation
Herman and wife Mary took over the farm in the early 1920s, raising six children, Priscilla, Herbert, Oswald, Stella, Victor and Ralph.
"All the farms had two girls and we were the same," said Victor, as he rattles of the names of their children, with help from Beatrice, who's busy in the kitchen. "There's Sylvester, Suzanne, Steven, Samuel, Sandie, Stan, Scott, Shawn, Sherwin, Stewart and Sheldon."
Growing up Sister Herman and Victor looked forward to Christmas Eve, when the Christkind (Christ Child) arrived and there were gifts for all. But before that they followed their father, a second generation Tschida, around the farm blessing buildings, often times through deep snow. Of course, it was usually done after milking, chores and supper.
"We bundled up," said Victor. "Dad carried a cast iron bucket with coals in it."
"One child carried the container of incense and another carried the holy water," said Sister Herman. "The oldest, that was our sister, had to lead the rosary."
Their mother usually stayed inside the house. Low and behold, when they finished saying the rosary, usually in the kitchen, the Christkind had arrived and gifts were found under the tree. "The tree was behind a locked door and we didn't dare open it," said Sister Herman.
They also had to be good or the Christkind would not arrive with gifts. "We didn't even fight. We were so good," said Sister Herman, who has been a Bendictine sister 52 years.
Gifts were few and practical, like a pencil, pencil box, tablet, candy, apple and orange.
"One year dad made a doll bed for the girls," said Victor. "My mother would take the dolls away before Christmas and she'd make a new dress for the dolls," Sister Herman adds.
Third generation
In 1952, Victor and Beatrice took over the farm and that Christmas Eve became the third generation of Tschidas to carry on the tradition. Victor blessed the buildings and those first years Beatrice prayed the rosary.
"Not when we were little. Somebody had to stay in the house to help Santa," said son Sam.
As their family grew, so did the trail of those participating in this ritual. Before long Victor was blessing the 10 buildings and vehicles parked between them.
Even the weather didn't deter them from their Christmas Eve ritual. "When it was 40 below we just prayed the rosary faster," said Victor.
"One year we even put snowmobile helmets on," adds daughter-in-law Karla Tschida.
Deep snow didn't stop them either. "When I was small I remember deep snow and to pass through we'd shovel paths," said Shawn
By Carol Moorman
Rural St. Rosa--The smell of incense filters through the near-zero air on the Victor and Beatrice Tschida farm in rural St. Rosa.
It's around 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve 2004, and much like he has done for close to 50 years, Victor, carrying a bucket of hot coals in his left hand and a bottle of holy water in his right hand, walks briskly from structure to structure, blessing each building, vehicle and even a few horses along the way.
Walking behind him, through inch-high snow, are some of their 11 children, spouses, friends, and 34 grandchildren, all reciting the rosary, led by oldest daughter, Suzanne "Susie" Harren and oldest son, Sylvester "Ves" Tschida.
In the dark of night son, Shawn, opens the door to each building as, with the flick of his wrist, Victor sprinkles holy water. His sidekicks on this night are two granddaughters, one on either side of him. Incense is replenished to ensure they make it to all the buildings.
Fifteen minutes later the last decade is said, everyone heads into the house, and another ritual in this faith filled family is complete. First generation
Three generations of Tschidas have carried on this treasured Dec. 24th tradition begun on this same rural St. Rosa farm in the early 1900s by Victor's grandparents, Joseph and Anne Tschida. It's a traditional blessing they brought with them from Austria.
"Our grandparents started from scratch," said Sister Herman (Stella) Tschida, reminiscing earlier with Victor, her brother, while sitting around the kitchen table.
Although neither remember visiting their grandparents farm, they recall stories told of the buildings which included a log house and barn which housed dairy cows.
Their grandparents raised seven children, Mike, Henry, John, Joseph, Julie, Herman and Rudy.
Second generation
Herman and wife Mary took over the farm in the early 1920s, raising six children, Priscilla, Herbert, Oswald, Stella, Victor and Ralph.
"All the farms had two girls and we were the same," said Victor, as he rattles of the names of their children, with help from Beatrice, who's busy in the kitchen. "There's Sylvester, Suzanne, Steven, Samuel, Sandie, Stan, Scott, Shawn, Sherwin, Stewart and Sheldon."
Growing up Sister Herman and Victor looked forward to Christmas Eve, when the Christkind (Christ Child) arrived and there were gifts for all. But before that they followed their father, a second generation Tschida, around the farm blessing buildings, often times through deep snow. Of course, it was usually done after milking, chores and supper.
"We bundled up," said Victor. "Dad carried a cast iron bucket with coals in it."
"One child carried the container of incense and another carried the holy water," said Sister Herman. "The oldest, that was our sister, had to lead the rosary."
Their mother usually stayed inside the house. Low and behold, when they finished saying the rosary, usually in the kitchen, the Christkind had arrived and gifts were found under the tree. "The tree was behind a locked door and we didn't dare open it," said Sister Herman.
They also had to be good or the Christkind would not arrive with gifts. "We didn't even fight. We were so good," said Sister Herman, who has been a Bendictine sister 52 years.
Gifts were few and practical, like a pencil, pencil box, tablet, candy, apple and orange.
"One year dad made a doll bed for the girls," said Victor. "My mother would take the dolls away before Christmas and she'd make a new dress for the dolls," Sister Herman adds.
Third generation
In 1952, Victor and Beatrice took over the farm and that Christmas Eve became the third generation of Tschidas to carry on the tradition. Victor blessed the buildings and those first years Beatrice prayed the rosary.
"Not when we were little. Somebody had to stay in the house to help Santa," said son Sam.
As their family grew, so did the trail of those participating in this ritual. Before long Victor was blessing the 10 buildings and vehicles parked between them.
Even the weather didn't deter them from their Christmas Eve ritual. "When it was 40 below we just prayed the rosary faster," said Victor.
"One year we even put snowmobile helmets on," adds daughter-in-law Karla Tschida.
Deep snow didn't stop them either. "When I was small I remember deep snow and to pass through we'd shovel paths," said Shawn
Events
| Birth | January 1, 1895 | ||||
| Death | September, 1982 | 56307 Albany, Stearns Co., MN |
Families
| Spouse | Mary (1900 - 1996) |
| Child | Priscilla Tschida |
| Child | Herbert Tschida |
| Child | Oswald Tschida |
| Child | Stella "Sr. Herman" Tschida |
| Child | Victor Tschida |
| Child | Ralph Tschida |
| Father | Joseph Tschida (1866 - ) |
| Mother | Anne Lange (1868 - ) |
| Sibling | Michael Frederick Tschida (1888 - 1982) |
| Sibling | Henry Tschida (1890 - ) |
| Sibling | John Tschida (1892 - ) |
| Sibling | Joseph Tschida (1900 - ) |
| Sibling | Julie Tschida (1902 - ) |
| Sibling | Randy Tschida (1904 - ) |