For Gretz, the American Dream began when his grandfather expanded the family farm by marrying into a second-generation German immigrant family. Building on that fortune, his father started a farm machinery business. After that, they branched into everything from meat packing and transportation to real estate and insurance. Following his father’s example, Gretz made generous contributions to local politicians who helped to grease the wheels of commerce in his favor. True to the stereotypical image of a 1950s tycoon, he proclaimed an unwavering commitment to money and religion, linked the former to the latter.
Praising the accomplishments of Scandinavian immigrants like my father, Gretz sermonized how our great nation offered support to European immigrants eager for success. “Is it such a b
