My mother-in-law Paula Duchou Gantriis was born in Kiel, Germany in 1903. She immigrated to the US as a young woman to join her “husband to be” Peter Gantriis. He had immigrated earlier to join his brother Jens. Paula met Peter Gantriis when she worked in Denmark as a youth. They married in the US and were active in the Danish Young People’s home. They settled in south Minneapolis, worked and raised three children. Paula worked in the apparel sweat shops of North Minneapolis doing handwork. At home she did a lot of Danish thread count embroidery and hooked beautiful rugs. She was a charter member of Virkelyst, the Danish women’s organization when it started. The family was very active in the St. Peder’s Danish Lutheran church and the Minneapolis Danish community. 

Grandma Gantriis gave me as set of silverware from one of her trips back home to Germany and Denmark. She said the gold on the handles looked so good with my gold trimmed Danish Bing & Grondahl dishes that I received as a gift from my mother, Carrie Feldtmose Martensen from Tyler, Minnesota. People always comment about the beautiful Danish silverware when I use them. 

– Greta Gantriis

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant