Herbert Krause
Herbert Krause was an American author and educator born on May 25, 1905, in rural Minnesota. He hailed from a family of German immigrants and displayed a passion for reading and writing from a young age, despite facing opposition from his parents, who prioritized practical education and family support. Krause's formal education included attendance at several institutions, including Park Region Luther College and St. Olaf College, where he cultivated his writing skills under the mentorship of Professor George Weida Spohn. He published his first novel, "Wind Without Rain," in 1939, followed by "The Thrasher" in 1947 and "The Oxcart Trail" in 1954. In addition to his literary career, Krause spent over two decades teaching and developed a keen interest in ornithology, which he pursued later in his life. Krause's literary contributions reflect themes of familial relationships and personal struggles, and he continued to write until his passing in 1976. His work and experiences offer insights into the life of a writer navigating the expectations of family and society in the early to mid-20th century.
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Herbert Krause
- Born: May 25, 1905
- Birthplace: Near Fergus Falls, Minnesota
- Died: September 22, 1976
Biography
Herbert Krause was born on a small farm ten miles northeast of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, on May 25, 1905. His parents were poor farmers and descendants of settlers who had immigrated to the United States from Saxony and Mecklenburg, Germany. Krause stood out from his childhood friends because of his intellect and his love of books and reading. At ten years old, he decided he was going to strive to become a writer. He started to keep a notebook, where he recorded events, observations, and impressions that affected him. His friends and several relatives heartily encouraged his writing, although his parents despised it. They expected Krause, their eldest son, to support his family after finishing school, and viewed his efforts to teach himself to write with much suspicion.
In 1922, Krause enrolled in the short story department of the Hoosier Institute. His parents considered his enrollment a waste of his time, arguing that he should not only receive an education at the Missouri Synod Lutheran ministry but he should do so at his own expense after his younger brother had grown old enough to manage the farm without Krause’s help. In October, 1926, Krause enrolled at Park Region Luther College, a small school in Fergus Falls. After three years, there he went on to Concordia Teachers College, in River Forest, Illinois, in order to prepare to teach at a parochial school. While there he was severely hazed and left after three days to attend Concordia Theological Seminary. His experiences at the seminary were no better and after a few days he returned to Fergus Falls, where he continued his schooling at Park Region.
In the autumn of 1931, he enrolled at St. Olaf College. Here he became the protégé of Professor George Weida Spohn and wrote the first sixty-one pages of a story about a domineering father and rebellious son. These pages were the outline for a novel he would publish in 1939, Wind Without Rain. Krause published his second novel, The Thrasher, in 1947, while he was teaching at Augustana College. His last published novel, The Oxcart Trail, appeared in 1954. Krause spent the last twenty-two years of his life teaching and studying ornithology, an interest he had developed in the late 1940’s. He also wrote an unpublished novel, Crazy Horse, in 1960. He died in 1976.