A special unveiling ceremony was held Friday afternoon, which included comments from descendants connecting to the building’s past.

The Flick Building once stood on the 500 block of Center Street but was demolished in 1951. The location now serves as a parking lot between the laundry mat and the Retzlaff & Sons building.

The Flick building was built in 1861 by Jacob Flick and was originally the Steuben Saloon and a tailor shop. A year after its construction, the building served as a defense post during the U.S.-Dakota War.

After the U.S./Dakota War in 1864, the Flick building became the office for the New Ulm Post, which was a German-language newspaper. The Post was the longest-running German-language newspaper in New Ulm’s history. For most of The Post’s history, the paper ran out of the Flick Building.

New Ulm Mayor Kathleen Backer (left) reads a letter from Dr. Tobias Robischon, the Mayor of Michelstadt, Germany as the opening remarks for a new marker dedication at 512 Center Street. The marker commemorates the former site of German Language newspaper The New Ulm Post. The editor and publisher of The Post was Ludwig Bogen, a native of Michelstadt, Germany who had a significant influence on that community as well as New Ulm.

Ludwig Bogen, editor and publisher of the New Ulm Post, bought the building in 1876. Bogen’s son Albert continued management of the paper after his father’s death in 1886. The Post was sold to J.H. Strasser in 1892, the final owner was Albert Steinhauser, who purchased the paper in 1916 and moved out of the Flick building.

After The Post relocated, the Flick building housed an Army store and soft drink parlor. The final owner was Henry Veigel, who operated a tavern from the building until it was torn down in 1951.

New Ulm Mayor Kathleen Backer gave the opening remarks during the dedication ceremony by reading a letter from Dr. Tobias Robischon, the Mayor of Michelstadt, Germany. Ludwig Bogen was a native son of Michelstadt and is today remembered as an important fighter for freedom and democracy. Bogen was active in efforts to overthrow aristocratic rule and introduce a democratic republic in his home nation. His activism often threatened his freedom, forcing him to flee. In 1849, he participated in the Baden uprising and was almost convicted of treason. He ultimately immigrated to the United States in 1853 to live under free conditions. Like many Germans, he found his way to New Ulm and became a formative figure in the German-American community.

Robischon described Bogen as a bridge builder between two worlds. The city of Michelstadt were grateful and touched deeply to see Bogen’s contributions honored in New Ulm, saying the marker “serves as a symbol of shared values and international friendship.”

Michael and Steven Baun, the great-great-grandsons of Ludwig Bogen, both attended the ceremony and spoke about their ancestor.

Michael Baun, the great great grandson of Ludwig Bogen, speaks at a dedication ceremony for a historical marker honoring his ancestors.

Michael Baun said this week is the 161 year anniversary of Bogen writing his first editorial for The New Ulm Post. Between 1876 and 1886, he would write 1,000 editorials. Michael Baun read selections from multiple obituaries published after Bogen’s death. According to a Baltimore newspaper, Bogen died while writing an editorial about the struggle between the labor movement and railroad owners.

Steven Baun said it gave him and his family great pleasure to see the marker placed in New Ulm and for helping the Bogen legacy remain alive.

Wayne Plagge, the great-great-grandson of Jacob Flick, wished to thank everyone involved with the marker on behalf of the entire Flick family.

New Ulm Building Inspector and New Ulm Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) representative Ellwood Zabel gave the closing remark. He thanked several individuals and groups for making the marker possible, including the city street department for placing the sign, Mayor Backer for her support, Darla Gebhard with BCHS for crafting the verbiage on the marker and the donors for making it possible.

A crowd celebrates the unveiling of a new historical marker at 512 Center Street Friday. The marker is dedicated to the former Flick Building and the German language newspaper that operated out of the building.

A new historical marker was placed at 512 Center Street in New Ulm. A special unveiling ceremony was held for the marker Friday. The marker tells the history of the former Flick Building and its connection to German language newspaper The New Ulm Post.