James Britz, born February 1, 1879, came to Canada in 1903, where he homesteaded northwest of Muenster. He returned to Cold Spring, Minnesota, and married Frances Heisler in 1907. They remained in Minnesota until February 1920 when Frances died leaving a family of seven children (Edmond, Albert, Leo, Paul, Marcus, Marcella & Benno). Albert Britz was 11 years old when he came to Muenster with his father, James Britz and Mr. & Mrs. Peter Britz (his aunt & uncle), who raised the children after their mother died. After his children were all grown up, James married a widow, Rufina Voellmecke. James died November 29, 1966; and Rufina died on April 3, 1972. Both are buried in the Muenster cemetery. Ruth Krumm came from Germany in 1951 to stay with her aunt, Elisabeth Kimmig. She met Albert and they married on June 3, 1952 in St. Peter’s Cathedral. They had 8 children; Leander married Joann Loroff, Rita married Richard Novak, Tom, Fay married Bruce Bodnarchuk, Claude married Brenda Szautner, Kathi married Bruce Guttormson, Michael married Myrna Klashinsky, and Russell, who died at age five in a farming accident. Albert and Marcella worked with their uncle Pete until 1948, when Pete moved to B.C. At that time they bought the home place. Albert had bought one quarter section earlier. In 1958, Leo came back to Saskatchewan from Oregon and was looking for land in this area, but was not able to get any, so he and Marcella moved to the Carrot River area in 1961, where they farmed until their retirement. Albert farmed his land with the help of his children for many years and lived on the farm, northwest of Muenster, until his death in 1995. Leo died in 1998 and Marcella eventually moved back to Muenster and died in 2010.
The Britz window displays the theme of life. The Ten Commandments, shown on the top panel of the window, are God’s rules he gave his people and form the foundation for our lives. Life is symbolized in the bottom panel by the running stream. In the stream are fish and drinking from the stream is a deer. Our grandfathers were real outdoorsmen, so the deer and fish also portray a source of food for their families.
The mid sections of the window feature fields of golden wheat, yellow canola, and blue flax that Albert, Leo and Marcella farmed. The brightly colored fields stood tall against the prairie sky reaching for the warm sun, swaying in the wind. From these fields came the harvest and with the harvest, the tall fields turned into many bundles of grain, stacked to dry. Much hard work and physical labor went into the harvest as well as pride and a great sense of accomplishment. What a better symbol of life, a small kernel of grain, growing into a tall strong plant, eventually becoming food to sustain life. The bundles of grain also serve as a memory of Ruth and Albert’s first meeting. Ruth met Albert during harvest while he was working in the field, bundling wheat. This meeting was the beginning of their 43 years together. Below the bundles of grain are flowers and rocks that represent the German heritage of Ruth. The flowers – Edelweiss, Enzian and Almrausch – are beautiful symbols of life which grow among rocks of the Bavarian and Swiss Alps. This German heritage is proudly passed down to all Albert and Ruth’s children.
The Britz family is very proud to be able to fund a stained glass window for the Muenster Cathedral.
Contributors: Marcella Britz, Ruth Britz, Leander & Joann Britz, Rita & Rick Novak & family, Tom Britz, Claude & Brenda Britz, Kathi & Bruce Guttormson and Mike & Myrna Britz.
Submitted by: Myrna Britz
Installation Date: November, 2010
Blessing Date: June 5, 2011