Valentin J. Peter

Infobox Person
name = Valentin J. Peter


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = 1875
birth_place = Bavaria
death_date = "unknown"
death_place = "unknown"
occupation = Publisher
spouse =
parents =
children =

Valentin J. Peter (1875-?) was a Bavarian-born publisher of a German language newspaper called the "Omaha Tribüne" and the president of the Nebraska chapter of the National German-American Alliance.

About

Born in Bavaria, Peter immigrated to the United States in 1889. Within several years he became involved with German language newspapers in Peoria and Rock Island, Illinois. In 1907 Peter moved to Omaha, Nebraska and opened a newspaper called the "Omaha Tribüne". Within several years he consolidated it with several other German language newspapers from across the state. The "Omaha Tribüne" became highly influential within a few years. [Luebke, F.C. (1999) "Germans in the New World: Essays in the History of Immigration." University of Illinois Press. p 15.]

Peter was a devout Roman Catholic, an Elk, and a number of social and charitable German immigrant organizations in Omaha. In November 1910 Peter founded and became the president of the Nebraska chapter of the National German-American Alliance. [Luebke, F.C. (1999) "Germans in the New World: Essays in the History of Immigration." University of Illinois Press. p 15.] Using his position as publisher and editor of the "Omaha Tribüne", Peter followed the NGAA's policy against Prohibition and rallied against Nebraskan politicians and policies he saw as working against the distribution of alcohol. [Folsom, B.W. (1999) "No More Free Markets Or Free Beer: The Progressive Era in Nebraska, 1900-1924.] Lexington Books. p 66.]

An active businessman, Peter continued buying and consolidating other German language newspapers throughout the Midwest for several years. [Knoche, C.H. (1980) "The German Immigrant Press in Milwaukee." Ayer Publishing. p 223.] [Rippley, LV.J. (2007) [http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/history_culture/history/rippley.html "F. W. Sallet and the Dakota Freie Presse,"] Germans from Russia Heritage Collection. Retrieved 9/6/07.] His dominance of the German language newspaper industry in the United States was established by the 1930s. After spending 50 years operating the only German newspapers in the U.S., Peter's company sold its final publications in 1982. [Kurt Kinbacher, K. (2006) " [http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=historydiss Immigration, the American West, and the Twentieth Century: German from Russian, Omaha Indian, and Vietnamese-Urban Villagers in Lincoln, Nebraska.] " University of Nebraska-Lincoln. p 171.]

Politics

Peter and his newspapers were strongly against American involvement in World War I. [Luebke, F.C. (1999) "Germans in the New World: Essays in the History of Immigration." University of Illinois Press. p 17.] At a NGAA he was quoted as saying,

However, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Peter published a statement in his newspapers that reflected a change of heart. He wrote, "time for political disagreement about international affairs has passed" and that "all American citizens of German blood" needed to "stand behind their government."

Legacy

The business Peter used to print the "Omaha Tribüne", the Interstate Printing Company, still functions today in Omaha. [ [http://www.interstateprinting.com/id4.html "Company history," Interstate Printing Company. Retrieved 9/6/07.] ] It is owned by Valentin's son, Eugene, who is 83 years old. The company has been located in the Near North Side neighborhood of North Omaha, Nebraska since the 1950s. [ [http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/08/22/3614473.htm "North Omaha printing company can't be duplicated"] , TMCnet.com. August 22, 2008. Retrieved 9/1/08.]

ee also

* Germans in Omaha
* History of Omaha

References