Speaker: Joel Dhein

Thousands of Minnesotans have Slovenian roots but know very little about their heritage. The first immigrants from Slovenia, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in South Central Europe, came to Central Minnesota in the 1860s. One local man will share his journey of finding his own Central Minnesota ancestors in Slovenia.

Joel Dhein will present “Tracing Slovenian Roots: The Andrejas Šimnič  Story” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists in-person on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum (235 33rd Ave. S., St. Cloud). The presentation will be available synchronously online and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests. Dhein will share more about the life of Andrejas Šimnič  (AKA Andrew Schimnich), a Slovenian settler in northeast Stearns County about 1866, the unanswered questions about his life, and a journey to his homeland to find answers.

Joel Dhein was born and raised in St. Cloud and became interested in genealogy from the stories his grandmother told of her family. A retired city manager, Joel is a long-time member of SCAG and currently serves as treasurer. He lives in Mora with his wife and a cat.