The Traveling Summer Republic – a free association of artists and scholars from all over Germany and in the United States, has been researching this unique chapter of the German emigrant’s movement, and is interested in the connection of this story to today’s societal, cultural and political issues. In 2005 the Sommer-Republik launched their project to establish Bremen as their European cultural capital with their “Island Conference” on the island of Harriersand on the Weser River, where a portion of the Giessen Emigration Society had to endure a horrific layover awaiting passage to the U.S.. Since then, there has been a broad variety of events and and they have established a large research archives.

In September 2009, four members of the Traveling Sommer-Republik visited Missouri and met with members of the Missouri Germans. They toured Missouri for four days, filming “A Trip to a Forgotten Utopia” which was released in Bremen, Germany in November 2010.  Following the release in Germany, came a showing in Missouri, and the International exchange, conversation and interest grew, resulting in the Utopia exhibition.