German-American Journal | June/July 2010

Volume 58, Number 3 June / July 2010

Provided By: magazine-deutschland.de

“Tonight is intended as an homage to the German language. We also could have called it an Ehrerweis or a Lobpreisung.” Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle pauses briefly in his speech. “But that is not necessary. German is self-confident enough to get along well with words from other languages.” The Federal Foreign Office and its partners were launching an initiative called “German – Language of Ideas” at a Berlin venue called Radialsystem, and this opening event in late February showed just how multifaceted the German language is – and above all how much fun it can be. Japanese author Yoko Tawada, who lives in Germany, scrutinized the complexities of German grammar with a sharp wit. Hungarian essayist Péter Esterházy reported on his childhood adventures with the German language. Tenor Christoph Prégardien recited Goethe’s Erlkönig – an icon of German poetry and song that seems to epitomize the perfect sound of the German language. Slam poet Nina “Fiva” Sonnenberg and DJ Phekt rapped in German and showed how vibrant the language

is. And this is precisely the intention of the “German – Language of Ideas” initiative, a focus of Germany’s foreign cultural and educational policy in 2010.

As Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle said, “German gives individuals opportunities. It opens the door to one of the best education systems in the world and of course also strengthens Germany’s stance as an academic hub. German gives people the opportunity to have an academic career in over 350 institutions of higher education, some of which, as we all know, are world renowned. The German language is the key to German literature, music, philosophy and science, to the wealth of great European cultural traditions and of course also to the largest economy in Europe. For all of these reasons, over 14 million people have chosen to learn German. No other language in Europe is spoken by more people as a native tongue than our language. We want to generate enthusiasm for German among even more people.”

Together with its partners – the Goethe Institute, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA), the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), the Deutsche Welle and the Educational Exchange Service (PAD) – the Federal Foreign Office wants to encourage young people to learn German with lots of imaginative events and projects all over the globe. An important role is also played here by an initiative called “Schools – Partners for the Future” (PASCH), with which the Foreign Ministry has already set up a worldwide network of over 1,400 schools. The plans include the “German Olympics” for high-school students, an international debating competition for young people, language camps for young people, and a Youth Parliament to be held partly in German. A survey of all the events, projects, instruments and players can be found under: www.diplo.de/sprache-der-ideen

TidBitsPages 3-5

Auf DeutschPage 6

Associate MembersPage 7

InsiderPages 8-11

Education2

Oskar & AtticusPage 13

Business & TechPage 14

LifestylePages 15-17

Father’s DayBecoming a Great Dad

By: Darlene Fuchs

Before you claim that “World’s Greatest Dad” mug, take a look at some of the criteria that illustrate how to be a good father.

Sharing Time. You can’t be a good father if you’re not around to be one. Spending time with your children and being involved in their lives is imperative to being a good dad. You only get a few years to make a lifelong impression on your child.

Being a Role Model. While you may not be able to leap over buildings in a single bound, children are equally impressed by the simple things that you do. Lead by example and not by the old “do as I say, not as I do” doctrine. Also illustrate the importance of affection by professing your love for their mother in front of them. Model your own values for them and your children will imitate that behavior.

Being Honest. How are you going to expect honesty from your children if you’re not honest with them? You’re not doing your kids any favors if you lie to them. Your children will learn to trust you if you are honest with them. It will also help them to be honest with you.

Love, Laugh, and Encourage. Unconditional love is the greatest quality of a good father. Take time to laugh with your kids, praise their victories, and share their defeats. Realize that your children are human, and that making mistakes is part of growing up. When they realize that your purpose in life is not to condemn them, but to help them grow, they will be more willing to let you in.

A good dad is a pillar of strength, support and discipline. His work is endless and, oftentimes, thankless. But in the end, it shows in the balanced, well-adjusted children he raises.

On Father’s Day, take the time to appreciate the work of good fathers.

(photo credit: Goethe-institut Buenos Aires)

2 German-American Journal June / July 2010

DANK seeks to bring together Americans of German descent in the pursuit of cultivating and presenting their heritage and interests on local, regional and national levels. These were the primary reasons that the German American National Congress was founded in 1959, and they are still among the organization’s primary objectives today.

Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde!Dear Members and Friends,

Spring is in the air and we are in full swing preparing for the upcoming summer. That goes for both at home and at DANK. Many events are coming up. We hope to see our members and friends at the Milwaukee German Fest on the weekend of July 24, where we will once again be sponsors of the festival and have a DANK Public Relations booth in the midway. This year the festival, which DANK was very involved in from the beginning, will celebrate its 30th anniversary. We will have more about the festival in the next issue, which we will be sending out before the festival and have on hand in our booth. DANK will also be participating at many other festivals throughout the country this year and we will have more information on these in upcoming issues.

I would like to go back for a moment to an event that I participated in this past March. My wife, Darlene and I were invited to attend the grand opening celebration of the German-American Heritage Museum in Washington, DC. This beautiful museum is the culmination of efforts of the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA (GAHF). This organization, along with the Steuben Society America, are DANK’s partners in the GAJAC Alliance, which is responsible for obtaining the yearly Presidential Proclamation for German-American Day. Our visit to DC re-established our close relationship and commitment to furthering German-American causes and celebrations in the US. I am very hopeful that in the near future a meeting, with the contacts I made in Washington, will produce a co-operative effort for some exciting future activities, both in Washington as well as the rest of the country. Please read the article on our visit in this edition.

In April, along with National VP Donna Lippert and her husband, Darlene and I also attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Milwaukee DANK chapter. It was a beautiful day and in the next issue we expect to see an article from the chapter on their festive celebration.

Coming up on June 5th, I will be attending the celebration of a very special event in our organization, the founding of the new Uniontown, Pennsylvania chapter. I would like to thank National VP, Erik Wittmann, for spearheading the sub-chapter concept, which made this new chapter possible as an outgrowth of the Pittsburgh chapter. The same weekend, our Chicago-North chapter will be participating at the Mai Fest Chicago, the extremely popular event held near the DANK Haus on Western Avenue. I am sure that the fest will once again be a smashing success and will prove to be the major fundraising event for the chapter.

Many more events are planned by our chapters and I will try to visit as many as I can this summer and fall. I hope that you will join me in that effort by proudly showing off your German festival garb and attending the numerous fun-filled German-American activities.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

William FuchsNational President

Your Support Makes a DifferenceFor years, the German-American Journal has kept thousands of

readers informed about chapter and national affairs and provided our communities access to information relating to German cus-toms, holidays, travel destinations and German programs through-out the United States. This is made possible through the generous donations of supporters like you.

Last year, your donations helped fund some of the publishing costs and the increased size of the Journal. Without your generos-ity and support, none of this would have been possible. Since we operate on shoestring budget, we are thankful for the volunteers that spend hundreds of hours researching, writing, soliciting and proofreading to make the German-American Journal a publication we can all be proud of.

The sinking economy is threatening the ethnic publications that many German-American communities rely upon to stay in-formed. (Without these publications, the community can easily lose touch.)

Although the ethnic press once seemed immune to the forces hurting mainstream newspapers across the country, a growing number of publications that serve Germanic communities are short on funding, reducing the paper size and the number of print edi-tions or shutting down altogether.

The recession has led to a steep drop in advertising from chap-ters, associate membership organizations and businesses, who once relied on the Journal to reach German-Americans across the US.

This year our goal is to once again increase the size of the Ger-man-American Journal, so that we can cover a broader array of topics. We would also like to expand our print readership base by providing local libraries, restaurants and Germanic businesses with Journals for their patrons.

With the help of donations from supporters such as you we will continue to see improvements in preserving our German heritage and language through informational topics covered in the German-American Journal. We must all work together so that our most priceless possession, our traditions and knowledge of our cultural contributions, is never lost.

We’re asking you, today, to join us once again to play a vital and continuing role in reaching our fundraising goal. Please sup-port the German-American Journal and its endeavors to be both interesting and informative. A simple donation can be made by sending a check payable to DANK at: 4740 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60625-2013. Please make sure to specify that it is for the German-American Journal.

DANK thanks you once again for your generous support of our efforts to unite and cultivate the German heritage by promoting harmony and goodwill among German American clubs and societ-ies across the United States.

Darlene FuchsManaging Editor

Der Deutsch-Amerikaner

PresidentWilliam Fuchs

1. Vice PresidentErich Wittmann2. Vice PresidentDonna Lippert

TreasurerMaria Thompson

SecretaryBeverly Pochatko

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-ChiefDarlene Fuchs

[email protected]

Editorial StaffMargita Mandel

Amanda Pedersen

Chapter News EditorBeverly [email protected]

MembershipErik Wittmann

[email protected]

German CorrespondentCorinna Bienger

[email protected]

Layout & DesignStephen Fuchs

[email protected]

Advertising & Classifieds Darlene Fuchs

[email protected]

Office Staff

DANK National Executive Office4740 N. Western Ave

Chicago, Il 60625-2013Call (773) 275-1100

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DANK National Executive Board

Submission Deadline For The August / September 2010 Issue:

June 25, 2010

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Visit www.DANK.org

Listen to LIVE German radio, broadcast straight from Germany, on our website!

Find ‘Radio Heimatmelodie’ along with a list of other live

German radio stations that you can listen to for FREE.

“Building Bridges to Germany”

DIE BRUECKE ZUR ALTEN HEIMAT

June / July 2010 German-American Journal 3

German Ship Visits U.S. Great LakesThe sailing vessel Roald Amundsen will

be the only German tall ship to take part in this year’s Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge® race series. Together with a fleet of 30 other traditionally rigged ships from different countries, the ship will make her way along the North American East Coast and into the Great Lakes.

The rare spectacular maritime event is organized by the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) of Newport, Rhode Island with the support of US and Cana-dian harbors. From June to August Roald Amundsen will race on all five Great Lakes on her way will be the guest of Toronto, Ontario, Cleveland, Ohio, Bay City, Michi-gan, Duluth, Minnesota, Green Bay, Wis-consin Chicago, Illinois, Erie, Pennsylvania and Montreal, Quebec Other stops may be added to the voyage plan.

In cruises and sailing races crew and trainees of all age groups experience the

practice of traditional seamanship and dur-ing the harbor festivals enjoy the company and exchange with people from other na-tionalities.

Prior to her arrival on Lake Ontario on June 23, 2010, Roald Amundsen is look-ing forward to an exciting crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving her winter sailing grounds around the Canary Islands and will head toward the Caribbean, then north-wards to the Saint Lawrence River to start the summer-long race series. Adventurers of all ages are encouraged to book passages ranging from three to seven days. For more voyage information and to book a passage, visit www.sailtraining.de or contact the American Sail Training Association at 401-846-1775.

The registered society LebenLernen auf Segelschiffen e.V. (Learning About Life on Sailing Ships) operates the brig Roald Amundsen. She sails all year around, offer-

ing both voyages and shorter trips. Roald Amundsen is a traditional sailing ship which sails with young people and adults and provides training in traditional seaman-ship. Everybody on deck becomes part of the crew and an association member.

Roald Amundsen is under way between 255 and 285 days every year. During the summer, she sails on the Western and Eastern Baltic Sea and on the North Sea. In the Fall, the ship sails to warmer European waters. During the winter months, Roald Amundsen sails in the Mediterranean and/or around the Canary Islands. The ship takes part in promi-nent maritime events every year. Among these is the Kieler Woche, or Kiel Week, the major sailing event in Germany. Apart from this, Roald Amundsen sails in European tall ship cruises and races.

Roald Amundsen - rigged as a brig in Wolgast, Germany in 1992 after ex-tensive refitting of the hull; originally designed & built in Rosslau, Elbe in 1952 as a deep sea fish lugger for the former East German fleet.

Source: Germany.info

“Explore Germany” with this 2010 Metrobus campaign

slogan, the German Embassy would like to encourage Washingtonians, visitors, and Internet users to become better acquainted with Germany. To this end, we have placed our new Germany.info design on three Washington Metrobuses, which will be in transit in the Washington metro region from March 21 until June26. The Brandenburg Gate – the central motif of the design – recalls the fall of the Berlin Wallin 1989 and is a symbol for the reunification of Germany in 1990, which opened the Brandenburg

Gate forever.“Take my picture and win” – in Washington

and online at Germany.info. From Sunday, March 21, onward we invite you to send us your snapshots of the “ExploreGermany” Metrobuses or a screenshot of one of the virtual “Explore Germany” buses. The“virtual” buses are hidden on various pages of the Germany.info site and allow for nationwide participation in the contest. Each week, the first 20 entrants will receive one of five original Germany.info gift packages.

You will be able to see one of the “Explore Germany” buses on the Embassy grounds on May8, EU Open House Day.

German Embassy Launches Nationwide Spot the Bus Contest

RhEINKULTUR 2010Source: rheinkultur-festival.de

RhEINKULTUR is Germany’s biggest free-of-charge festival. In the course of more than two decades, this event has developed into a real crowd-puller with audiences of up to 170,000 people. They come from all over Germany and adjacent countries to see a multitude of different styles on different stages. RhEINKUL-TUR offers an open-minded program for open-minded people.

RhEINKULTUR is held annually on the last weekend of June or the first week-end of July. The event is financed through beverage sales, sponsor support and pub-lic funding by the city of Bonn. In spite of its restricted budget, the RhEINKUL-TUR team has been able to turn the festi-val into a huge event which meets all the

standards set by commercial festivals.This could not be achieved without

the generous help of partners, bands and volunteers alike. RhEINKULTUR is the only event of this size to carry the “Sound For Nature” seal which the festival was awarded for its commitment to conser-vation and sustainability. The high at-tendance proves that RhEINKULTUR’s concept works: it offers a high-quality, multi-faceted program without relying on big names. Although there’s not much money to be made here, the festival is very popular amongst up-and-coming acts, labels and agents. me slots and in front of bigger audiences than they could expect at a commercial event. In addi-tion, RhEINKULTUR has always offered a public platform to local bands and new-comers.

Ger sheehan of needham, Massachusetts took a picture of the Germany.info bus

2010 Great Lakes Port Appearances and Voyages Sail: Montreal -Toronto, ON In-Port: Toronto - June 29 - July 4 Sail: Toronto, ON - Cleveland, OH In-Port: Cleveland - July 7-11 Sail: Cleveland, OH - Bay City, MI In-Port: Bay City - July 15 - 18 Sail: Bay City, MI - Duluth, MN In-Port: Duluth - July 29-Aug. 1 Sail: Duluth, MN - Green Bay, WI - Chicago, IL In-Port: Chicago - Aug 24-29Sail: Chicago, IL - Erie, PA In-Port: Erie - Sept. 10-12 Sail: Erie, PA -Montreal

About a quarter of all American citizens claim at least partial German ancestry1/4


Source: Germany.info

German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth presented the results of a recent survey on Germany ’s image in the U.S. on March 1, 2010.

“I am more than satisfied,” said Ambassador Schari-oth. “The results of this survey show that the excellent political relations between our governments are com-plemented by consistently positive views of Germany among Americans.”

“The study shows clearly that Americans perceive Germany as a modern, high-tech country and an impor-tant international partner of the U.S.,” Scharioth com-mented. “Respect, trust, and good German-American political relations are critical to this perception.”

“To me, four aspects of the survey in particular show that we are on the right track:”

• We have achieved the best marks yet since the Ger-man Information Center began taking the survey in 2002.

• Germany ’s image among young educated people (college students) is especially positive.

• Extended stays in Germany foster positive views of the country in the high-tech sectors of our societies.

• The perception of Germany improves among near-ly half of the Americans surveyed after a visit to the country.

In short, American perceptions of Germany have been steadily improving since 2003. At 45 percent, the number of Americans who rate their general impression of Germany as excellent or good has never been higher since the German Information Center began asking the

question in 2002. The political relationship between Germany and America also gets high marks, with 41 percent of respondents rating it excellent or good.

There were significant differences between the views of the general public and those of surveyed college stu-dents, who rated Germany markedly higher than the overall population in nearly all areas: Twice as many college students (26 percent) as the general population (13 percent) rate their overall image of Germany as ex-cellent; 61 percent agree that Germany is a high-tech country compared with 48 percent of the general popu-lation; 63 percent agree that Germany has a lively arts and culture scene compared with 44 percent; 46 percent view Germany as a leader in renewable energies and energy efficiency versus 29 percent; 52 percent believe Germany is advancing innovative solutions for envi-ronmental protection versus 28 percent; and 45 percent of college students see Germany’s environmental laws and standards as exemplary, as opposed to 25 percent of the general population.

Spending six months or longer in Germany also fos-ters a positive image of Germany , most notably with respect to historical bonds and German influence, but also in the fields of research, technology, education, business, and culture. The Ambassador added, it was gratifying to know that some 51 percent of the Ameri-cans who had visited Germany said they returned with a better image of the country. Only in 8 percent of the cases did Germany’s image slump.

The survey was conducted by Frank N. Magid As-sociates for the German Information Center using a na-tionally representative sample of 1,051 persons

Olè, Olè Olè Olè… Deutsch! Land!

The Soccer World Championship in South Africa has got a strong hold on us. We – otherwise such prudent and reserved Germans – mutate once again into roaring, shouting soccer fans who, blotched with our national colours black, red, and gold, holler mostly single-lined songs which end with a dashing „…SCHLAND!“ (the „Deut…“ is often swallowed as the result of the intake of liquids of more or less high percentage). Ever louder we become, as we meet the fans of the opposing team. The tempers are swelling in direct relation to the sound level of the songs that are sung (or is it the other way around?) Those opposing fans – in real life our neighbors and friends, who have never done us any harm at any time – must be defeated by the loudness of our chants before, during and after a game! But this is also the beauty of a world championship – we sing and that is it. Only with the chants do we try to be better and stronger than the opponent. Thank goodness – nobody wants to imagine how things would turn out if people were to measure each other’s strength physically. But because it simply is not so, we are all looking forward to the games we can enjoy and savor at the public viewings. And if next to us are rival fans wrapped into their flags, we look at them in disgust during the game; but after it is over, we go home together, because – after all – we ARE friends. DEUTSCH! LAND!

By: George L. Glotzbach

High on the western bluff overlooking New Ulm, Minnesota stands the powerful statue of Hermann, the Cherusker. In the autumn of 9 A.D. Hermann assembled a coalition of Germanic tribes and annihilated three Roman Legions commanded by Quinctilius Varus in the Teutoberg Forest. The defeat, known as “die Varusschlacht” (Varus Battle), established early Germanic freedom and unity.

In the 1840’s German-speaking immigrants to America sought a symbol to unite them. They chose the folk-hero, Hermann, and formed the Orden der Hermann’s Söhne (Order of Hermann’s Sons or O.d.H.S.) as their rallying point throughout the United States.

In 1885, Julius Berndt, born in Silesia, National Secretary of the O.d.H.S. and President of New Ulm’s Lodge #21, proposed building a monument to Hermann in New Ulm, then and now the most German city in America.

The cornerstone was laid in 1888 and the 102’ tall Monument dedicated with much fanfare in 1897. Two marble plaques aside the entrance door memorialized the event. Later four more plaques were added to the base of the Monument.

In 1973 the Hermann Monument was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. And in 2000 the 106th Congress of the United States designated the Monument to be an official symbol for the contributions of Americans of German heritage.

Over time the six plaques began to wear and fade. And, the unfamiliar old German Schrift was an impediment to reading and comprehension. Indeed, when asked what the plaques meant, even local New Ulmers would reply “Ich weiss es nicht (I don’t know)”.

To remedy the situation Mr. Berndt Lehrke, a native of Germany, and Mr. George L. Glotzbach, born and raised in New Ulm, decided to transcribe and translate the plaques in time for the 2000th anniversary of Hermann’s Victory celebrated in New Ulm in 2009. Following are the texts for the six plaques transcribed in the original German spellings and translated into modern English.

A brochure is available for $2 by writing to:907 Cottonwood Street, New Ulm, MN 56073

Hermann Monument

American Interest In Receiving Information About Various Aspects Of Germany

Americans General Impression Of Germany

13%

35%41%

7%

4%

Excellent (5)

4

3

2

Poor (1)

Survey Results:

© 2010 Frank N

. Magid A

ssociates, Inc.

New Survey:Germany’s Image in the U.S.


German-American Heritage Museum Now OpenBy: Bill Fuchs

On March 19, 2010, the German-American Heritage Museum, as the newest addition to Washington’s museum circuit, re-established a vital center for German-American relations in our nation’s capital. As an important part of the GAJAC alliance with the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA and the Steuben Society of America, DANK participated in this milestone event. DANK National President, Bill Fuchs and his wife Darlene, were invited to be special guests by the GA Heritage Foundation; which spearheaded the purchase and renovation to make this museum possible.

The opening ceremony, with the ribbon cutting and the following Gala celebration for major donors, was a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with important partners of the German American Community, not only from the East coast but also from the Midwest and the West Coast.

President Fuchs had some good conversations with Senator Richard Lugar, who was the keynote speaker for the opening ceremony, and Ruediger Lentz, past Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for Deutsche Welle USA. He is now the Executive Director of the Heritage Museum. Most importantly, President Fuchs and his wife met with Randall Ratje, the National Chairman of the Steuben Society America and Bern Deichmann, President of the German

American Heritage Foundation of the USA, to discuss future co-operation as part of the GAJAC Alliance; which is responsible for getting the yearly Presidential proclamation for German American Day.

Bill Fuchs stated, “We are committed to establishing a much closer working relationship, not only for our three organizations, but also to explore our role in providing a conduit to unite German-Americans in the United States and channel our energy for common causes. Lars Halter, a director of the Foundation and chairman of the Steuben Parade in New York, and Ruediger Lentz are also committed to this cause. We are planning to meet again in the near future to explore how we can make not only this year’s German-American Day more relevant but also tie this celebration in with other events, such as this year’s 100 year anniversary of the dedication of the Von Steuben statue in Lafayette Park, just north of the White House. During this visit we found some very interested younger allies that have the zest and energy to further German American causes & education in the US.”

The following is an excerpt from the GA Heritage Foundation about the opening of the museum.

WASHINGTON, DC – After more than 400 years of German immigration to the United States, the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA (GAHF) opened the first national German-American

Heritage Museum as the newest addition to the museum circuit in Washington, DC. From Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben to Levi Strauss, from Carl Schurz and Adolf Cluss to Babe Ruth, Americans of German descent have shaped the United States. With its Grand Opening to the public, held on March 21, 2010, the German-American Heritage Museum will continue to tell the story of all Americans of German descent and present the rich history and many contributions they made in building America. Through compelling historical narratives as well as state-of-the-art multimedia installations and exhibits, visitors will have the unique opportunity to discover untold facets of American history.

Centrally located in historic Hockemeyer Hall at 719 Sixth Street, NW in Washington, DC, the home of the German-American Heritage Museum is itself a testament to the achievements of German immigrants in the United States. Built in 1888 by John Hockemeyer, a German immigrant who became a successful merchant, the Victorian townhouse is part of the Penn Quarter, historically a vibrant district of Washington, DC, originally settled by German immigrants. On October 17, 2008, the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® acquired Hockemeyer Hall to establish the museum. With the help

of a committed network of supporters and a successful fundraising campaign, the GAHF has renovated the interior and exterior of the neglected building. Opening the German-American Heritage Museum at Hockemeyer Hall, the GAHF traces the building back to its truest roots by re-establishing the building as a vital center for German-American relations.

The Heritage Museum will be open to the public Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 11AM to 6PM, Wednesday 2PM to 7PM and Saturday and Sunday 12PM to 5PM. It presents permanent exhibits featuring German immigration and migration across the Unites States and famous German-Americans, as well as smaller temporary exhibitions on German Clubs and immigrant families in the United States and the influence of German music in the U.S. In addition to the exhibition spaces, a small auditorium serves as a venue for lectures, multimedia presentations and conferences. Moreover, a Multimedia Kiosk informs visitors about Germany as it is today. Educational programs designed for students of multiple age groups will complete the Heritage Museum’s programs and allow visitors to delve deeper into the subject of German immigration to the United States.

For more information please visit the website at www.gahfusa.org.

By: Beverly Pochatko

On April 9th, singers came together from all areas of the United States to San Antonio, in the “heart of the German-belt” of Texas, in order to participate in the 60th Sängerfest. 2010 marked 161 years of the Nord-Amerikanischer Sängerbund. It is with pride that they continue the traditions of song brought to America by our forebears.

German singing societies can be found in many areas of the continental US, especially in cities where the German immigrants have been settled since the early 1800s. It is no small wonder that many German singing societies, and the NASB, were formed between 1840 and 1880, due to the large number of German immigrants.

The Philadelphia Männerchor, founded on Jan. 15, 1835 by Phillip Matthias Wohlseiffer, is considered to be the first singing society in the United States and existed until 1962. Just one year later, Herr Wohlseiffer moved to Baltimore and founded the Baltimore Liederkranz, which was the first singing society to accept women! Because these two singing societies often visited each other and performed concerts together, in 1846 the idea of a song

festival was created.As the Germans arrived in America and gathered for

song to alleviate their homesickness and to keep their traditions alive, singing societies appeared. One such location of German growth was in the Ohio valley. In 1849, all known organizations were invited to gather in Cincinnati for a national song festival. Five choirs accepted the invitation: three from Cincinnati, one from Madison, Indiana and one from Louisville, Kentucky. The 118 singers attending formed the Nord-Amerikanischer Sängerbund and song festivals were then held annually. In the second half of the 19th century, regional or district organizations began holding their own festivals, and in 1868, the national festival became biennial events. In 1890, they assumed the current triennial format. The NASB was faced with unique problems in the 20th century. since America went to war against Germany twice. WWI brought much anti-German sentiment to the US. After the 1914 national song festival, activity was drastically curtailed. It wasn’t until 10 years later that the national festival was once again held in 1924, in Chicago, which was organized to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the NASB.

Slowly interest in German song was revived. Chicago hosted the event again in 1938, with the largest festival to date with 181 choruses attending with a total of 5,882 singers from across the country. However, these boom years ground to a halt with WWII. The IRS declared the NASB an “unpatriotic organization” and in 1944 took away the tax exempt status. An appeal documenting the participation of German-Americans in the war effort

against Germany was successful, stopping a move that could have been fatal to the organization. The national festivals resumed in 1949, after the IRS recanted their move, and Chicago hosted the 100th Anniversary of the NASB.

The number of choruses had declined to 60 by 1983 and in 1986 two major innovations were approved. First women were given full rights and membership and second, a decision to hold a Sängertag the year prior to the Sängerfest to allow time for better discussion of business matters and to eliminate the burden of business meetings during the song fests. The changes were beneficial as the number of member choruses rose from 69 to 103 in nine short years!

There were 84 Bezirk choruses from the Southern District (13); Central Ohio (16); Chicago (11); Wisconsin (9); Pittsburgh (9); St. Louis (8); Southern Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana (13); and the Michigan (5) District who gave ‘district concerts’ on Friday evening. On Saturday evening, over 1350 singers took the stage at the Gonzales Convention Center to raise their voices unified in song. The pomp and pageantry that preceded the concert with the presentation of the member chorus’ flags and the thunderous sound of over 3,000 people singing the German and American national anthems, was inspiring from the standpoint of the singers, as well as the many guests in the audience.

Everyone is looking forward to 2013 when the Milwaukee District will host the 61st NASB Sängerfest.

60th National Sängerfest Held in San Antonio


Das Erfurter Krämerbrückenfest Mittelalter HautnahBy: Matthias Knobloch

Jedes Jahr am Wochenende vor Sommeranfang findet in Erfurt das größte Altstadtfest Thüringens statt. Ein Fest für Jung und Alt, Gaukler, Künstler und Artisten.

Alteingesessene Erfurter und Volksfestbesucher wissen, dass Till Eulenspiegel alljährlich zum Krämerbrückenfest in Aktion ist. Bereits vor mehr als 700 Jahren gelang es ihm, auf seine witzige und intelligente Art und Weise Straßenhändler um einen saftigen Braten zu betrügen. Der närrische Gaukler wird auch am 18. Juni 2010 wieder sein (Un-)Wesen mit der Bevölkerung und den Gästen der Stadt treiben wo er mit hintersinnigen bis

derben Späßen das Krämerbrückenfest auf dem Wenigemarkt eröffnen wird.

Bis zum 20. Juni dann dreht sich in Thüringens Landeshauptstadt mal wieder alles um die mittelalterliche Krämerbrücke. Im gesamten mittelalterlichen Stadtkern werden Straßentheater, Gaukler und Künstler die engen Gassen und Plätze der 1268 Jahre alten Stadt mit Musik, Spielszenen und Kleinkunst erfüllen. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei die mit 32 Fachwerkhäusern besetzte Krämerbrücke, die einzige bewohnte Brücke nördlich der Alpen. Sie ist das älteste profane Bauwerk der Stadt und zählt zu den wohl bekanntesten Wahrzeichen Erfurts. Erstmalig wurde die Brücke 1156 erwähnt und überspannt mit ihren sechs Gewölben den Breitstrom, einen Seitenarm der Gera. Die beidseitig bebaute Fußgängerbrücke verbindet den Benediktsplatz mit dem Wenigemarkt und war Teil des West-Östlichen Handelsweges „Via Regia“, welcher vom Rhein nach Schlesien durch Martin Luthers Universitätsstadt, Erfurt, führte. Gehandelt wurden neben Töpferartikel vor allem auch Waid, eine Pflanze, die Textilien blau färbte und Erfurt im Mittelalter reich machte.

Das Krämerbrückenfest knüpft ganz klar an diese Tradition an. Heute wie damals treffen sich Menschen aus aller Herren Länder um Waren der besonderen Art auszutauschen. Rund 1.000 Händler, Kunsthandwerker und Künstler werden sich an den drei Festtagen rund um die Krämerbrücke präsentieren. Erfurter und Thüringer aber auch zahlreiche Besucher

aus der ganzen Welt lassen sich dabei von dem unverwechselbaren und besonderen Flair dieser Stadt verzaubern. Zwischen Domplatz, Fischmarkt und Wenigemarkt locken Erfurts malerische Gassen und Plätze mit kulturellen Beiträgen und farbenfrohem Treiben. Die Hauptanziehungspunkte bilden sicher die idyllischen Plätze rund um die Krämerbrücke mit dem traditionell veranstalteten Mittelaltermarkt. Begleitet vom unverwechselbaren Duft der Thüringer Rostbraturst frohlocken kämpfende Ritter, Gaukler und lautstarke Künstler zwischen Ständen, Lagern und Zelten. Natürlich warten auch die mit mittelalterlichen Werkzeugen hergestellten Töpferprodukte, Schmiedekünste oder Einrichtungsgegenstände auf neue Besitzer. Inmitten dieses Trubels lassen sich im historischen Ambiente dieses Marktes mit „Talern“ Bier aus dem Holzfass oder die einzigartigen Thüringer Bratwürste erwerben. Auch die über offenem Feuer gekochten oder gebackenen Köstlichkeiten

freuen sich auf hungrige Besucher.Auf dem Domplatz bietet das

Krämerbrückenfest vor allem den jungen Besuchern jede Menge Spaß und Unterhaltung. Teenager können beispielsweise beim Bungee-Jumping ihren Mut unter Beweis stellen und zu Konzerten von Boygroups oder DSDS-Finalisten kreischen.

Auf dem Rathausinnenplatz, gleich am Ufer der Gera und unweit von der Krämerbrücke, findet parallel zum Krämerbrückenfest das New Orleans Jazzfestival statt. 30 Musiker von Mississippi werden mit Jazz, Blues, Soul und New Orleans Jazz die Besucher in einen musikalischen Rausch versetzen.

Der Höhepunkt eines jeden Krämerbrückenfestes ist das in der Nacht zu Sonntag stattfindende Höhenfeuerwerk am Sternenhimmel über Erfurt. Zu den Klängen klassischer Musik ergießt sich ein Sternenregen der besonderen Art über Erfurts Altstadt und lässt die Augen aller Besucher in Regenbogenfarben erstrahlen.

The Biggest Folk Festival In ThuringiaBy: Matthias Knobloch

Each year on the weekend before the summer officially begins, Thuringia’s largest old town festival takes place in Erfurt. It is the celebration of a very special bridge.

Old-established Erfurt residents and visitors know that Till Eulenspiegel will be in action for the Krämerbrückenfest every year. More than 700 years ago, he succeeded in tricking street traders out of a juicy roast due to his funny, wily ways. On June 18 the foolish juggler will be up to no good again with the population and visitors of Erfurt. With his cryptic and rough jokes he will be opening the Krämerbrückenfest – as every year – on the Wenigemarkt. Until June 20 everything will be about the medieval bridgein Thuringia’s capital. The entire downtown will be crowded with traveling shows, jugglers, artists and the city’s streets and squares will be filled with music, folk art and improv. Bridging the center of it all is the Krämerbrücke.

The Krämerbrücke (Krämer is an old German word and translates to chandler, or merchant) is composed of 32 half-timbered houses on both sides and is the only inhabited bridge north of the Alps. It is the oldest everyday building of the city and ranks among the most well-known landmarks in Erfurt. The bridge was mentioned for the first time in 1156

and spans the Breitstrom, a branch of the Gera River. Its six vaults carry the bridge, which connects the Benediktsplatz with the Wenigemarkt. The Krämerbrücke was part of the east-west trade route “Via Regia,” which led from the Rhine River through Erfurt to Silesia. Besides crockery, they particularly traded in Dyers-Weed, a plant used to dye textiles blue. Trading with this plant made Erfurt a rich city in the Middle Ages.

The Krämerbrückenfest is completely tied to the trading tradition. Today – just as back then – people from all over the world meet to exchange specialty goods. Approximately 1,000 dealers, craftsmen and artists will present themselves on the Fest’s three event days around the Krämerbrücke. Residents, Thuringians

and visitors from all over the world will be enchanted by the special flair and charm of Erfurt, which is also Martin Luther’s university town. Narrow alleys and picturesque places attract visitors with cultural shows and colorful events between the Domplatz, Fischmarkt and Wenigemarkt. The main attractions are certainly constituted by the idyllic places around the Krämerbrücke, with its traditionally celebrated Middle Age Market. Fighting knights, loud screaming jugglers and vocal artists will perform between tents and stands, while visitors can be assured to smell the unique and unmistakable “Thüringer Rostbraturst,” the Thuringian Bratwurst. Naturally crockery, metal arts and furnishings manufactured with medieval tools are also

awaiting new owners. In the midst of this excitement, one can enjoy draft beer out of wooden kegs as well as Thuringian brats. And by the way, abiding by the historical ambience, the traders won’t call the currency in the Middle Age market Euro – no – they jokingly want your “Taler,” a former German silver coin. Besides the traditional Thuringian food, the Middle Age Market also offers delicacies which are cooked or grilled over the open fire, to its hungry visitors.

At the Domplatz, or Cathedral Square, the Krämerbrücken celebration also offers hype and fun for its young visitors. Teenagers for example, can prove their courage with Bungee Jumping or scream along with one of their favorite bands at one of the many concerts offered. Fans of good Oldie Music will also benefit from concerts held on the Domplatz.

And if this is not enough, the New Orleans Jazz Festival invites all of the Jazz fans behind the town hall not far from the Krämerbrücke. Thirty musicians from Mississippi will move the visitors with jazz, blues, soul and New Orleans Jazz into a musical intoxication. The Krämerbrückenfest will hit its peak with a high-energy fireworks show accompanied by classical music on Saturday night. Special stars will rain over the 1,268-year-old city and light up the eyes of all visitors in colors of the rainbow.

Germany became the world’s first country to adopt Daylight Saving Time (DST), in the year 19161916


A New Mission For The Cold WarBy: Chris SturdevantMidwest Chapter of the Cold War Museum

It seems like yesterday the Berlin Wall came crashing down, a rapid 20 years of time has carryied us into our current complex world. Thinking about those fearful times of atomic war and “duck and cover” drills is literally a blast from the past. Teaching, preserving, and documenting that era of fear is the central mission of the Cold War Museum. At its core it is hard to imagine witnessing one world war only to witness the dawn of another.

The tragedy of the Cold War began under that premise of war whose vast scope and brutality was unprecedented. Warfare ravaged the European continent for what seemed an eternity, exacting a heavy toll on its citizens while leaving weariness and uncertainty for millions. Even as Allied victors determined post war boundaries it was a dire time of angst and worry. Economies lay in ruin, currencies inflated, and food and housing shortages were severe. Europe was ripe for revolution and the communist snake was ready to strike.

Hence, the Cold War begins and a familiar story unfolds. Winston Churchill decried godless communism while an Iron Curtain descended on Europe. A Red Scare developed in the United States; J. Edgar Hoover busied himself identifying suspected communists in America. War veterans of the American Legion swore an oath to “foster and perpetuate a 100% Americanism”. In the war’s final months a division of American troops mistakenly believed they were being sent to the front lines of Europe. Instead they found themselves in a desolate and frightening place never imagined: the far reaches of bitter cold North Russia.

The Great War was coming to a close. It was 1918.

The latest unique program of the Midwest Chapter of the Cold War Museum is one of many educational tools developed to tell the full story of the Cold War. It frames

the Cold War in the context of WWI, narrating the story of American soldiers sent to the Russian port cities of Archangel and Murmansk during the “war to end all wars”. These men were sent to re-establish the Eastern front our Russian allies had abandoned after the Bolshevik Revolution. Largely from the Midwestern states of Michigan and Wisconsin their mission became entangled fighting early remnants of the Red Army in the Russian Civil War. They departed confused and unsuccessful in an effort to destroy Bolshevism in its infancy. A worldwide movement attacking liberty, property rights, religion, and free markets endured for nearly 75 years.

Headquartered in Waukesha, WI the Midwest Chapter is the oldest chapter of the national Cold War Museum in Vint Hill, VA. Founded in 2003 we initially ascribed two aspects of the Cold War for our

mission: its entire history as a 20th century phenomenon and highlighting local aspects of Cold War significance. The chapter promotes historical preservation, honoring our many Cold War military veterans, and providing educational programming for all ages. The Cold War was a world war, casualties were suffered, and it became the costliest and longest conflict in American history. The story needs to be told.

A site has been identified as a permanent home for a local Cold War Museum. Preservation efforts are also planned as we locate on a former nuclear equipped, Nike missile radar base in Waukesha. The site was part of the Chicago-Gary-Milwaukee ring of anti-aircraft missile bases used as a last line of defense against invading Soviet bombers. It is there the Cold War Museum can tell the story of the cold war in a physical sense. As Americans we too often think of

the Cold War as ephemeral or occurring somewhere else: Cuba, North Korea, China, Berlin...the list goes on. But in addition to missile bases Wisconsin is where Joe McCarthy and Douglas MacArthur called home. Kewaunee shipyards produced the USS Liberty, the Badger Ordinance plant produced projectiles in Baraboo, shell casings and ejection seats were made in Waukesha. War is good for jobs and business as the Cold War employed untold thousands of workers in the Badger state alone.

As momentum continues on our new home the Midwest Chapter provides educational experiences on the Cold War era through programming and exhibits. The aforementioned WWI program is available for booking for your group and we also speak on a variety of topics. We offer tours of the former missile base in Waukesha upon request. Two traveling exhibits are currently on loan, one featuring “Civil Defense in America” and the other a prison cell door from the former Hohenschoenhausen Stasi prison of East Berlin. The national Cold War Museum provides a traveling exhibit on the U2 incident of 1960. 2010 commemorates the 50th anniversary of Francis Gary Powers being shot down on a mission over the Soviet Union. The Cold War Museum will be a featured part of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI the week of July 26. Stop in our booth in Hangar B #2138.

The Erie Männerchor GesangvereiBy: Beverly Pochatko

Recently, the Erie Männerchor Gesangverein became an Associate Member of our DANK organization. The Erie Männerchor Club was established as a singing society in 1871, and for reasons unknown, the halls became quiet in 1957 and the choruses disbanded. Nothing has been

found, nor has anyone stepped forward, to tell us why the music stopped. All that remained of the choruses were the photos hanging on the wall in the Diamond Room and their original Charter in the North American Sänger Bund. The stage in the ballroom has the curved wall/ceiling that make the acoustics near perfect and the original Steinway piano adds to the mellow sounds of the chorus.

In 1997, the club was once again seeking to return to its German ‘roots’ and several members of DANK, who also sang with the Siebenbürger Singers, approached the club’s Board of Directors, and then President James Schwartz about restarting a chorus. They agreed to give them a place to practice on Tuesday evenings. As the group put down their roots at the club, they rejoined the Pittsburgh Bezirk (District) of the NASB as the Erie Männerchor Gesangverein…first a small group of about 8 singers, that grew to 16, and is currently at 10 members, who love to sing. They enjoy coming together and sharing an evening of song. The group enjoys singing for any special occasions, for senior retirement homes, and wherever else requested. Their focus is the preservation of traditional German folk music, and when possible sing the song first in German and then in English. Otherwise, before the song is sung, a brief explanation is given about the meaning of the song so people understand (just like going to the opera!). With the larger chorus they sang “The Blue Danube”, “Villia” (from

the Merry Widow Opera), and other classical pieces. They enjoy singing religious selections such as “Heilig ist der Herr”, the “Prayer of Thanksgiving”, “Loben und Dank”, and “die Himmel ruhmen”, to name a few. Oktoberfest will find them singing polkas and traditional beer drinking melodies, followed a month later by the traditional hymns of Christmas.

Sadly, two members of the Gesangverein have passed, Karl Caldwell, and more recently, Fred K. Huttel, Sr. in our short life as a chorus. However they live on in memory. Their love of music is a constant reminder that music indeed touches everyone, whether as a singer or a listener.

Three of the Gesangverein’s 1st sopranos (Margaret Potocki, Carol Snippert, and Beverly Pochatko) recently traveled to San Antonio, TX with the Pittsburgh Bezirk for the 60th National Sängerfest. They were thrilled to be a part of the 1300+ chorus and are looking forward to the next national fest in Milwaukee in 2013. In 2008, the Gesangverein hosted a District Sängerfest in the club’s Ballroom and singers from the Pittsburgh choruses attended, as well as the Erie Siebenbürger Singers as a guest chorus. In June, the District meeting will be held in Erie and plans will be laid for hosting the District Sängerfest in 2011.

Practice is held on Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30 PM followed with an hour of Gemütlichkeit.

coldwar.org/midwestchapterVisit Online At:

[email protected]:

262-389-1157Phone:

Please consider joining our exciting mission & becoming a member. We encourage artifact donations and would like to hear your story of the Cold War.

stasi prison cell door on loan to the safe house in Milwaukee. sergei Khrushchev, middle, poses with former stasi prisoner John Van Altena, convicted of smuggling a family out of east Berlin in 1962.

pittsburgh Männerchor at the 2008 sängerfest in erie.

After the Irish, Germans are the second biggest consumers of beer in the world. The average beer consumption of the country is 119 liters per person per year119


The National Office has really been bustling in the last two months! We have four new interns working with us, all of whom bring a great variety of backgrounds, experiences and expertise to the DANK table. Beth L. Casey, Matthias Knobloch, Molly Laatsch, and Lindsay Morgan have joined our ranks to help out in two areas: Marketing and Advertising (Matthias), and the German-American Journal (Beth, Molly, and Lindsay).

Beth, Molly, and Lindsay are with us part time and will be taking on the big task of proof-reading articles, as well as making contributions of their own and assisting Journal editors during our deadline periods. Please read more about all of our interns below!

Matthias is in the National Office with us full time. You may have talked to him on the phone already. He just got his Green Card and is seeking full time employment in the Chicago area. He has been kind enough to donate 40 hours a week of his time to us, doing what he does best—working with different marketing strategies, advertising, and graphic design to help all of our chapters and DANK as a whole to grow and prosper. Individual chapters are more than welcome to contact him/us if you need help with projects along these lines.

So far, Matthias has successfully launched our product line on Ebay. In just one day, we sold three silver moon landing medallions, a cookbook, and two DANK flag pins. We have also sold some of our

First Day Issue stamps and “The German-American Experience” books. This extra funding and exposure is great for DANK. We are now reaching people all over the world, including a high school teacher in Venezuela who was interested in the moon landing coins for his history class. This is fantastic!

Matthias has also been working on the Associate Member brochure and package. Another important thing we are working on is coordinating volunteering for this year’s chapter and national events. We are not only willing to assist individual chapters plan their events or get supplies and information to them, but we are also doing some recruitment for this summer’s national festivals, like German Fest Milwaukee, and the Guttenberg (Iowa), Fox Valley, and Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfests. If you need help, or more information about volunteer opportunities, just give us a call. You can also write to Matthias at [email protected].

One last bit of good news that I am proud to announce is that Nicki Dombrowski, Executive Director of the DANK Haus in Chicago, was recently honored as keynote speaker at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Germanic Studies German Day Awards Program. Congratulations!

We hope to be bringing you more happy news and positive developments throughout the summer and the rest of the year. Hope your summer starts off well!

We Are Slowly Sinking,So Where Are You?

Despite numerous efforts on the part of our National Board and some of our members, the membership numbers continue to shrink. This is either because people are failing to pay their dues or, as in the case of some chapters and chapter boards, it is just easier to let others do it. as it. involves getting new members and salvaging local chapters. If you care at all about your Germanic heritage and want to see the only national organization representing German-Austrian-and Swiss Americans survive and grow, then we need you to act now. You say: “What can I do?” “I don’t have time.” “I am busy working and raising a family.” “I am getting old and am retired.” Guess what? So are others. It is not always about contributing time as much as it is about taking small steps to help your DANK organization. If every member would simply take the following steps, we could take a giant one to stop the leak and possible sinking of this organization. Here are those steps:

1. Make sure you paid your 2010 dues and don’t wait till we have to send 3 or 4 reminders - this costs money. If you lost your dues statement, simply send a check with a note to the national office - the address is right on the edition of this paper.

2. If you have some discretionary funds - send an added contribution either to the Newspaper Fund, Education Fund,

Membership Fund or any other purpose you wish to identify. Send a donation in honor of someone and don’t worry if it is a 5 or 10 dollar donation, they add up just like the larger ones.

3. Motivate and work with your chapter’s leadership to take on a membership drive in your local area. At a minimum seek out either family members or friends and urge them to join if they are not members already. It is not as hard as people make it out to be - think of the number of times friends and family have asked for you to support a cause.

4. Finally, if you do have some spare time, donate that time to your chapter or even at the national level - we are constantly seeking people with various skills, from helping with manning booths at various festivals, writing articles and other interesting tasks. Again, call either Amelia or Eva at the National office and they will gladly take you on as volunteers. The phone number is right on this edition of the Journal. Both ladies are really friendly and helpful.

These are simple steps that every one of our members can take to assist and keep the DANK ship afloat. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get this ship on course in representing your heritage.

Discounted Rates Available to Chapters & Associate Members

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Amelia CotterNational Office Manager

(888) USA-DANKFax: (773) 275-4010

[email protected]

Contact

Get To Know Our Interns...

Beth L. Casey: Beth lives and tweets in Chicago, where she attends the University of Illinois-Chicago. She is majoring in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetorical and Cultural Studies. Beth enjoys writing poetry and has recently been published in the literary journal Four Cornered Universe.

Matthias Knobloch: Before moving from Germany to Chicago in October 2009, Matthias served as a research assistant for the Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen mbH—a state development agency—in his hometown of Erfurt, Germany. He also completed an internship in Chicago in the summer of 2008 at Lily’s Talent Agency, Inc., as a Marketing and PR Assistant. He has a degree in Business Administration and Media Science from the University of Ilmenau, Germany.

Molly Laatsch: Molly is a graduating senior with a Bachelor’s Degree in Germanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her focus has mostly been on German literature and culture, but she also enjoys studying philosophy, comparative literature and English. She plans to return to school to study German literature at the graduate level, and hopefully earn her PhD in German Studies. She enjoys cooking, riding her bike and reading.

Lindsay Morgan: Lindsay is an attorney who has received numerous awards and grants from the Goethe Institut, including a Primärstipendium to study at the Goethe Institut in Munich in 2004 and the Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom, which she received in 2005. She would like to use her experience with the Journal as a chance to prepare for a career in translation. Eventually, her goal is to build a business translating German and French documents into English, especially in the field of law.

Germany is the 7th largest country by area in Europe7


DANK Volunteers Are Still Needed!By: Erik Wittmann

Raise your hand, and better yet call Amelia at the National office, if you can and wish to volunteer to work one of the following festivals:

Zincinnati Oktoberfest – September 18 & 19 Held in downtown Cincinnati

Fox Valley Oktoberfest - October 1, 2 & 3Batavia, Illinois –a Chicago suburb

Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest – Sept. 17, 18 & 19Canonsburg, Pennsylvania – just 20 min. from Pittsburgh

We were fortunate enough to have enough volunteers for the German Fest in Gutenberg, Iowa, but still need volunteers for the three festivals identified above. In the last edition of the Journal, we talked about participating in the Kutztown Festival in eastern Pennsylvania, which runs for a week over the July 4th weekend. Allowing for the lack of volunteers and the length of the festival, we have opted out of this year in order to hopefully participate next year.

If you volunteer and are not from that area, DANK will pay for your hotel lodging (arrangements to be made by DANK) but you are on your own for food and transportation to the site. Think of it as an adventure/vacation that is partially covered by your organization while you assist in selling

items; mainly memberships and credit card applications. So please contact the National office for both additional

information and indicate your willingness to volunteer for any of the events noted. Volunteers are expected to volunteer approx. 4 to 6 hours each of the days of the festival. Thank you for your consideration and hope you enjoy your time volunteering!

Now’s The Time To Become an Associate Member of DANK!By: Amelia Cotter

Joining DANK as an Associate Member is a wonderful investment that will make your organization part of a great network of people and fellow German-American organizations, and fosters progress in our common interest of supporting Germanic culture and heritage in the US. The only way we can accomplish change and keep our organizations thriving is if we work together!

An Associate Membership with DANK is $100 for one year and offers a number of services that may be beneficial to your organization. We offer a 30% discount on print advertising in the German-American Journal, with opportunities to submit articles and press releases here in the Associate Member section. A subscription to the Journal is, of course, included.

Associate Members also receive free listing on our website and a 30% discount on web banner advertising. They also have the opportunity to make

contributions to a special personalized Associate Member section on the website’s National Forum and National Blog.

A general registry with contact information that includes all other DANK Associate Members will also be sent to encourage friendly relations and “Zusammenarbeit” with our other Associate Member organizations.

Other benefits are: the opportunity to apply for the DANK affinity credit card, excellent networking opportunities through our biennial National Conventions, access to the service and support of DANK National to assist with organizational development, sourcing, and information, and the credibility that DANK membership conveys within the German-American community.

For more information, questions, or

comments please feel free to contact me any time at [email protected] or call the National Office toll-free at 1-888-USA-DANK.

Candlelight Bowl Helps Out Local Food DriveBy: Cori Schliephake

Grab your family, friends, neighbors and fellow DANK members and come on out to the first ever Candlelight Bowl, hosted by the Fox Valley Chapter. We are going to have a great night, complete with a pizza dinner, fabulous raffles and 3 games of scotch doubles bowling (including one game of CRAZY bowl). Please see the insert for details on how to sign up because you don’t want to miss out on this fun filled night!!

We are donating a portion of the proceeds to the Fox Valley United Way. This organization works closely with local charities to help out the community. Also, if you bring in two non-perishable

food items for the Fox Valley Interfaith Food Pantry, you will be entered into a raffle for a great prize.

Sponsors for donations are still needed. Perhaps you would be able to help out or know of a small business that would be willing to donate gift cards (for products or services) or items to help us with our raffle baskets.

I hope to see many of you come out to Wheaton Bowl at the corner of Geneva Road and Gary Avenue in Wheaton for a great time! Remember, take a look at the enclosed flyer for details on how to sign up. Please feel free to contact me, Cori Schliephake, with any additional questions at (630) 932-4742.

Sign Up For MeMberShip online @ www.DAnK.org


By: Bev Pochatko

Twenty-five of our current members gath-ered in the Gold Room of the Erie Männer-chor Club to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of our Founding. While many celebrate the actual granting of their Chapter Char-ter (Gründungsbrief) from the national organization, we choose the date we first came together as a German American com-munity. Elsbeth Seewald was the National President of DANK at that time. Our first gathering was in a lower level room at the Nash Library of Gannon University. We had about 20 people who came that evening to hear the plan to bring the German Ameri-can community together. There were four German Social Clubs; The Erie Männer-chor, the South Erie Turners, the East Erie Turnverein, and the Siebenbürger Singing Society. Our public library and historical society, had little info on the Germans who settled in Erie and it was time to get our people to step forward and acknowledge what they had contributed to our fair city.

It took a short while to get the required 15 members to form a Chapter and to get ap-proval from the National Executive Board, and on January 19th, 1991, our Gründungs-brief was approved. The letter was accom-panied with a check for $100 to help us get started. At our early meetings, there was al-ways a coffee pot, next to a donated dessert, with a little blue box marked ‘donations’, which was the beginning of our treasury! A newsletter was sent out monthly and as the Chapter grew we moved to Gannon’s Zurn Hall Lecture rooms, then to the East Erie Turnverein, and finally came to our home at the Erie Männerchor Club, where we are still meeting!

Like all Chapters, Erie has seen a growth in membership followed by a decline…and

mainly it is attributed to the age factor. We were in our 50s and 60s when we started the organization and our children were busy raising their own families (and we all know what schedule problems that can bring). People join for specific reasons, perhaps genealogy help, to learn the language, and some purely because they want to preserve their German heritage. Most families are now of mixed heritage and preserving tra-ditions has floundered, but then something stirs within them and they come wanting to know more about where their families orig-inated. Currently, we have been blessed with new members who are energetic and are infusing new life into our community.

We have had a good rapport with the Mayors of the City, starting with the first female mayor, Joyce Savicchio to the cur-rent mayor, Joseph Sinnott, in acknowledg-ing German American Day, our National conventions and the contributions made by our German American Community.

The most exciting event, and what really made DANK visible to the Erie community, was participating in the Erie Bicentennial

Parade and becoming involved in the inter-national community. We had two floats in the parade and a horse drawn wagon! What a thrill it was to hear people cheer along the 2 mile parade route! Then we assisted the East Erie Turners in holding a Bavar-ian Fest at the Turnwald Picnic Grove for 3 years. It was in the spring of 1996 that we decided to embark on our own and began a lasting tradition – Erie’s German Heritage Festival, an event that draws 6,000+ people over two days on Labor Day weekend that starts at 11 AM and closes at 6:30 PM.

The Festival was incorporated as a sepa-rate entity from DANK, but last year we began a partnership with the Lake Erie Fanfare and we continue to support various community endeavors through donations. Such endeavors include the Erie Public Library for their German Heritage collec-tion, the Erie County Historical Society for obtaining and preserving their German American Collections, The Erie Society for Genealogy Research, as well as collecting canned goods at the festival for the Second Harvest Food Bank.

In 1997, some of the DANK members ap-proached the Erie Männerchor Club and re-started the Gemischterchor (mixed chorus). They joined the NASA (North American Singers Association) and became known as the Erie Männerchor Gesangverein. As part of the Pittsburgh Bezirk, members Carol Snippert, Margaret Potocki and I, re-cently traveled to San Antonio for the 60th National Sängerfest. Though membership is small in the choir, they are always hope-ful to recruit new members who share their love of singing and preserving German mu-sic through song.

Three years ago, the Chapter established a German Heritage Essay Contest for stu-dents in Erie County. This year we hope to have even more participants. Unfortu-nately, we still have a tough time getting some of the schools (via the German lan-guage teachers) to even distribute the infor-mation to the students. In May, we will be holding a Student Awards Night and hope to have good representation of students and parents.

At our Anniversary celebration on April 21st, we met with Shannon Wells of the Second Harvest Food Bank and presented her with a check for $300, enabling the food bank to purchase $5100 in food. At the 2009 German Fest we collected over 2674 lbs. of canned goods for them to distribute! Following dinner, we enjoyed the recorded music provided by Don Cowey, one of our newer members. Don got us up on our feet and we enjoyed the audience participation to numbers like the “Hokey Pokey”! We enjoyed cheese and crackers throughout the evening and a delicious anniversary cel-ebration cake.

Currently, we are looking forward to cel-ebrating our 25th Anniversary in 2015!

A Celebratory 20th Anniversary In Erie

L-r: charlotte chasetreasurer, MaryJane hartman (Vp), shannon Wells (second harvest Food Bank representative), Beverly pochatko (president) and Margaret carter (secretary)


Singing Health Benefits?By: Christine Weiss

Our chapter, DANK South Bend, Indiana, relishes the time we spend together. Inge Bradburn calls it camaraderie. On March 20th we met at Wiseguys for an evening of informal conversation, a good meal and most of all, a sing-a-long. One of our favorite songs is “Auf der Schwaebschen Eisenbahne.” The reason for is that Guenter, our soloist, knows all of the verses by heart and can sing it in the schwaebische dialect. For a man who comes from Hamburg, that really means something. Guenter sings the song with such enthusiasm that it is an enjoyment to listen to him. Do you ever wonder why people like to sing and have so much fun doing it? I had to do a little checking and this is what I found out:

Professor Graham Welch of the University of London has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years and says: “The health benefits of singing are both physiological and psychological. Its physical benefits include increasing oxygenation of the blood stream and

working major muscle groups in the upper body. Psychologically it has the positive effect of reducing stress levels through the action of the endocrine system, which is linked to the sense of emotional well-being.” From the bonding of early humans to the classical recital, the song has played a vital role in humankind’s history and evidence would seem to suggest that singing is good on a communal and personal level. Quoting Gabrielle Robinson from her book “German Settlers of South Bend” she writes: “The Germans were leaders in introducing culture and a social life of balls, parades and celebrations to South Bend. But perhaps more than anything, they brought their love of music to their new home. The very first organization they formed in 1852 was a band 2. Out of this grew many more musical clubs, singing groups and a choral society in 1855. Music distinguished the Germans and united them as a group, but it also helped to integrate them into native-born society.”

Indeed it is true that Germans like to sing and we will keep on singing.

By: Chris Decker

Three years ago, the late Ron Nehls and Chris Decker got together and began the necessary steps to start a German-Ameri-can Club. Under the tutelage of the Pitts-burgh, Pennsylvania, the German Ameri-can club, with Erik Wittmann as President, the Uniontown club was designated a sub-chapter under the Pittsburgh Chapter #58 DANK. (Deutsch-Amerikaner National Kongress).

After three years, the new members, with much involvement, have gotten the club moving. Now it is officially ready to stand on its own as a separate chapter of DANK. A celebration will be held on June 5, 2010 at the Summit Inn to commemorate the occasion with the DANK National Pres-ident, Bill Fuchs and the DANK National Vice President Erik Wittmann in attendance

beginning at 4:00 p.m..All of the people living in the tri-county

area are invited to join the German-Amer-ican Club Uniontown even if you have no German ancestry but like things Germanic. The club sponsors social dinners and pic-nics, game days and trips to other events in and out of state. It has also had a large pic-nic which is open to the public and the club hopes to enlarge it into an Oktoberfest.

If you think that you might be interested in the German American Club of Union-town, the meeting place in St. Peter Luther-an Church off Walnut Hill Road and meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7PM. There is also a German Language class, through June 15th, on Tuesdays and a meeting in the church every Tuesday evening at 7PM.

The officers are: President: Ernie Jung, Secretary: Lois Henck, Vice President: Chris Decker, Treasurer: Lori Greene

Uniontown Chapter Becomes A Reality

Generosity Helps German Students Attend ConferenceBy: Dwayne Cawley & Darlene Fuchs

On February 1, 2010, Dwayne and Linda Cawley met with teacher Fran Reigle and her German Language class at Hamilton Southeaster High School. The Cawleys presented them with a check from the Indianapolis DANK Chapter to help cover the cost of transportation to the upcoming Staatskongress. The Staatskongress is an annual event held at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and is attended by approximately 4,000 German Language High School Students, from all over Indiana.

Every year, students of German in Indiana and teachers attend the Staatskongress to participate in academic, technological and cultural competitions, as well as a variety of workshops. This event, held the end of February, continues to be a very successful occasion and a fun

day for all.German language teachers prepare

their students throughout the year for the Staatskongress. They then spend the day, from well before dawn until late at night, not only looking after their own students, but also giving workshops, judging competitions, and helping out wherever help is needed. This event challenges and inspires the students as they build confidence in their capacity of the German language.

The adults in a student’s community, such as the Crawleys’ are a source of support and encouragement. To quote Dr. James Comer, “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” The German language teachers and the German organizations supporting German language in the schools are the true heroes of one’s community.

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The Teaching and Learning of GermanGerman International SchoolsBy: Christa Garcia

As most of you know, many German language teachers have spent a lot of years in the business of teaching a foreign language in this country, of encouraging other people and students to learn another language, of establishing websites and publishing articles, of working in nonprofit organizations to support the importance of learning a foreign language, of giving workshops and presentations at local, regional and national conferences, as well as establishing awards and prizes to reward exceptional student accomplishments.

It was with those ideas in mind that we started the AATG Junior Award of the AATG Chapter of Northern Illinois, which is held in cooperation with the AATG Student Award Ceremony each first Sunday in May. The purpose of the AATG Junior Award is to honor the DANK German Language School students who have participated in the nationwide National Senior High School Test and scored above 90%; a most remarkable accomplishment for below high school-aged students, which speaks highly for the DANK German language teachers.

You can probably imagine how shocked we all were to receive the following news: “The German Embassy has asked the AATG to find out how many school and university German programs have been relatively recently threatened, put into a phase-out mode, discontinued, or cut back significantly (like universities losing their graduate programs or a major program and schools offering only German 1 and 2, (rather than the normal 4-year high school sequence)…”

Has German now joined the ranks of a ‘critical foreign language’? Apparently not, according to the U.S. Department of Education, which awarded the majority of FLAP Grants (Foreign Language Assistance Program Grants) to the study of one or more critical foreign languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian and languages in the Indic, Iranian and Turkic language families.

“Communicating with our international neighbors not only promotes peaceful relations but also equips students for employment and to compete in the global marketplace,” said U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. “These grants will help strengthen both our national and economic security.”

The challenges German teachers face today are far more complex than during any other decade before. Not only are German programs cut, but the profile of today’s German student has changed drastically. Today’s students are very

tuned in to technology as a way to communicate, inform and also entertain. It is their way of life to multi-task and to collaborate, whether it is face-to-face or from afar, synchronously or asynchronously. The new technologies are second nature to them, just as the radio and television were to earlier generations. Some of the things students do

every day include text messaging, instant messaging, talking on cell phones, reading and writing on-line journals, connecting and sharing through blogs or wikis, creating their own webpage, checking out what’s on YouTube or Flickr, Twittering, connecting with Facebook friends, watching or making podcasts, downloading to their iPhone or their iPod. And that is just the beginning! They also Skype with friends around the world.

So many families now are looking for educational opportunities for their young children which offer other alternatives than a public school education. Many families with young children have found answers at German American International and Immersion Schools. There is, for instance, the German American School in Palo Alto, CA. It is a K-8th grade Immersion School www.germanamericanschool.org, located near the German International School of Silicon Valley www.gissv.org.

The oldest German-speaking Charter school in the USA is the Albert Einstein school in San Diego, CA www.aeacs.org, which uses a dual immersion concept in both English and German, with intensive instruction in German after sixth grade, so that the children can obtain not only the American high school diploma but also the International Baccalaureate, a much coveted diploma.

Very recent school initiatives have also been the Rilke School of Arts and Sciences in Anchorage, Alaska, www.rilkeschule.org, and the German School Chicago www.germanschoolchicago.org as well as the German International School of Dallas, TX www.glchouston.com.

Somewhat more established German Schools have been the Twin Cities German Immersion School www.germanschool-mn.org and the oldest

one in the Midwest, the Milwaukee German Immersion School, which is a thirty-year old public school with an enrollment of 600 students.

A complete list of all German Language Schools in the United States can be found at: www.aatg.org/kinder-lernen-deutsch/702-sprachschulen

When you Google each of these schools, you will find the “Zentralstelle fuer Auslandsschulwesen,” which is the German Central Agency for Schools Abroad, supporting most of these schools in various ways. This agency is also sponsoring the next German Immersion Schools Conference which will take place at the Atlanta International School in Atlanta, GA www.aischool.org in September 2010.

By: Keith Halverson

Uwe Kind presented concerts in the Ashwaubenon School District on March 10th and 11th.

All German students in the district were bused to the concerts, which were held in the auditorium of the Ashwaubenon High School, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Some of the songs that students enjoyed were: “Ich bin Auslaender und spreche nicht gut Deutsch” (I am a foreigner and don’t speak German very well), “Ich bin cool,” “Wackel mit

dem Po” (Shake your booty), and “Wo ist Oma?” (Where is Grandma?).

Uwe Kind is an internationally known song-writer and entertainer. www.kindinternational.com He has published a book of songs for German teachers and students that was published by Langenscheidt. The concert was funded in part by the German American Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1970. The Ashwaubenon School District is very thankful to GAEF for helping to make this concert possible.

German Grammar Clarified Through Song and Dance

uwe Kind in action—his Lingotech music gets the students singing, rapping and dancing to familiar tunes to make German flow much more easily.

Germany represents 18% of all books published worldwide and ranks third place among the world’s book producers18%


By: Amelia Cotter

Gretchen is a friend of Dani. She’s American but has a nice German name. She visits Dani sometimes, mostly during a layover, because Gretchen loves to travel and is always on the go.

One time in summer, Gretchen came to visit with a big suitcase. She announced loudly that she was going to fly to Germany! She wanted to learn more about her German heritage and find her relatives in Heidelberg. Dani was very excited!

Oskar and Atticus heard everything and Atticus was envious. He also wanted to see his family in Germany. It had been a very long time since he had been in Germany. He had never met some of his other family members because his family emigrated when he was just a little snake.

“I want to fly to Germany, too,” he muttered sadly.

Oskar wagged his tail. “That would be lovely, Atticus, I would be excited for you. But you don’t have a passport and I would also miss you.”

“You wouldn’t come with, Oskar?” “No. You know, one time when I was

very small I was blown away by a gust of wind. Because of my big ears, of course. Ever since then I’ve been afraid of flying.”

“Yeah, I can understand that,” said Atticus, but he wasn’t listening. He shook his head. He wanted to see Germany and his family so badly.

The next day Gretchen had to leave. Oskar and Dani gave her a big hug. “Bye, have fun in Germany!” Dani said. She, Oskar, and Gretchen were so excited that no one even noticed that Atticus wasn’t there.

After a few minutes, Dani asked, “Oskar, where’s Atticus?” They looked all over the place in the apartment but couldn’t find him.

Oskar thought, “Oh, I haven’t seen him since last night.” He was worried about the little snake.

“Where is he?” Dani asked, frightened.In the meantime, Gretchen was already

sitting on the plane and waiting for take-off. All of a sudden she saw a small movement in her purse. She looked closer. Another little movement! Then she heard something. Did someone sneeze? She opened the purse and there was Atticus!

“Bless you!” Gretchen shouted. Her neighbor looked at her funny. She hid Atticus and pretended like nothing had happened.

He spoke very softly into her bag: “Atticus, what are you doing here? Are you okay?”

“Atticus thought, “I’m scared and I don’t know what’s going to happen to me. But I have to visit my family in Germany. They live in Lübeck. The problem is…I don’t have any idea where Lübeck is!”

He put on his glasses and sneezed again. Gretchen stared at him. “What, you wear glasses? A strange snake you are. I’m going to call Dani when we land in Heidelberg. Now it’s too late.”

Back at Dani’s place, the two finally found a small piece of paper in Atticus’ terrarium. It read: “I flew to Germany. I’ll be back. Best wishes. Your Atticus.”

“He has such beautiful handwriting!” said Oskar.

“What! Flew to Germany! Oskar, we have to find him! He can’t stay alone!” Dani packed her suitcase quickly.

Oskar was excited, but also scared at the same time. He folded his big ears back and sat in the corner. “But Atticus said that he’s coming back. Do we have to fly?”

“Come on, little man, we have to search for Atticus! Right now!” She took Oskar gently and put him in his travel carrier. They went to the airport. Oskar was still scared but thought, “If I can only survive this flight, Germany will be a great big adventure!”

To be continued…

Oskar and AtticusFly to Germany! (Part 1)

By: Amelia Cotter

Gretchen ist eine Freundin von Dani. Sie ist Amerikanerin aber hat einen schönen deutschen Namen. Sie besucht Dani manchmal, am meisten während eines Aufenthalts, weil Gretchen reisen liebt und immer unterwegs ist.

Einmal im Sommer kam Gretchen mit einem großem Koffer. Sie meldete es laut an, dass sie nach Deutschland fliegen würde! Sie wollte mehr über ihre Wurzeln in Deutschland lernen und ihre Verwandten in Heidelberg finden. Dani war sehr aufgeregt!

Oskar und Atticus hörten alles und Atticus war neidisch. Er wollte auch seine Familie in Deutschland sehen. Es war sehr lange her, seit er in Deutschland war. Er hat die Anderen seiner Schlangenfamilie noch nie kennengelernt, weil seine Familie auswanderte, als er nur eine kleine Schlange war.

„Ich will auch mal nach Deutschland fliegen“, murmelte er traurig.

Oskar wedelte seinen Schwanz. „Das wäre schön Atticus, ich würde mich für dich freuen. Aber du hast gar keinen Reisepass, und ich würde dich auch vermissen.“

„Du würdest nicht mitkommen, Oskar?“„Nein. Weißt du, ich bin einmal von einem

großen Windstoβ weggeweht worden, als ich sehr klein war. Wegen meinen großen Ohren natürlich. Seitdem habe ich Angst vor dem Fliegen.“

„Naja, das kann ich nachvollziehen“, sagte Atticus, aber er hörte nicht zu. Er schüttelte seinen Kopf. Er wollte seine Familie und Deutschland so sehr sehen.

Einen Tag später musste Gretchen gehen. Oskar und Dani gaben ihr eine große Umarmung. „Tschüss, viel Spaß in D-land!“ sagte Dani. Sie, Oskar und Gretchen waren so aufgeregt, dass niemand bemerkt hat, dass Atticus gar nicht dabei war.

Nach ein paar Minuten fragte Dani, „Oskar, wo ist Atticus?“ Sie guckten überall in der Wohnung aber könnten ihn nicht finden.

Oskar dachte, „Oh, ich habe ihn seit letzter Nacht nicht mehr gesehen.“ Er machte sich Sorgen um die kleine Schlange.

„Wo ist er?“ fragte Dani ängstlich. Mittlerweile saß Gretchen schon im

Flugzeug und wartete auf den Abflug. Plötzlich sah sie eine kleine Bewegung in ihrer Tasche. Sie guckte näher. Noch eine kleine Bewegung! Dann hörte sie etwas. Hat jemand geniest? Sie öffnete die Tasche und da lag Atticus!

„Gesundheit!“, schrie Gretchen. Ihre Nachbarin guckte sie komisch an. Sie versteckte Atticus wieder und täuschte vor, als wäre nichts passiert.

Sie sprach sehr leise in ihre Tasche: „ Atticus, was machst du hier? Alles klar?“

Atticus dachte, „Ich habe Angst und weiß nicht was mit mir passieren wird. Aber ich muss meine Familie in Deutschland besuchen. Sie wohnen in Lübeck. Das Problem ist...ich weiß gar nicht, wo Lübeck ist!“

Er setzte seine kleine Brille auf und nieste noch einmal. Gretchen starrte ihn an. „Wie, du trägst eine Brille? Eine merkwürdige Schlange bist du. Ich rufe Dani sofort an, wenn wir in Heidelberg landen. Jetzt ist es zu spät.“

Zu Hause bei Dani fanden die Beiden endlich einen kleinen Zettel im Terrarium von Atticus. Darauf stand: „Ich bin nach Deutschland geflogen. Ich komme zurück. Alles Liebe. Euer Atticus.“

„Er hat so eine schöne Handschrift!“ sagte Oskar.

„Was! Nach Deutschland geflogen! Oskar, wir müssen ihn finden! Er darf nicht allein bleiben!“ Dani packte schnell ihren Koffer.

Oskar freute sich, aber hatte auch gleichzeitig Angst. Er faltete seine großen Ohren und saß in der Ecke. „Atticus sagt aber, dass er zurück kommt. Müssen wir fliegen?“

„Komm, kleiner Mann, wir müssen Atticus suchen! Sofort!“ Sie nahm Oskar sehr sanft und setzte ihn in seine Reisetasche. Sie gingen dann zum Flughafen. Oskar hatte immer noch Angst aber dachte, „Wenn ich nur den Flug überleben kann, dann wird Deutschland ein großes Abenteuer sein!“

Fortsetzung folgt…

Oskar und Atticus Fliegen nach Deutschland! (Teil 1)

In the next installment: Oskar and Atticus Fly to Germany! (Part 2) /// In der nächsten Folge: Oskar und Atticus fliegen nach Deutschland! (Teil 2)

“The Adventures of Oskar and Atticus” now has over 150 Fans on Facebook! Thank you, Fans! We are asking adults and children to be a part of the fun, and send us your poems, jokes, story ideas, or Oskar and Atticus illustrations to: [email protected] or [email protected]

This story, like most stories you read, has a lot of pronouns. Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns. These nouns are often called antecedents. The antecedent is usually mentioned somewhere nearby in the sentence, so that you know what or who the pronoun stands for. In German, pronouns always have the same gender, number, and case as the noun they refer to. Find some basic pronouns on the right and in the story.

ich Idu youer, sie, es he, she, itmein myunser ourjemand someonealles everything dies thisdas thatihn, sich him/her/itself, themselves

Pronouns Found In The Story:

“The Adventures of Oskar and Atticus” is celebrating its one year anniversary with this special two-part story! Thanks to our readers at DANK and our fans on Facebook! A special thanks to Daniela Daus, Matthias Knobloch, and Michael Randall. Oskar and Atticus look forward to bringing you another year of friendship, fun, and lessons about German culture and language. The boys would love to hear from you at [email protected] or [email protected]. Email us your poems, jokes, stories, and adventure ideas!


Food As A Valuable ExportA conversation with Federal Minister Ilse Aigner about the role of agriculture in high-tech Germany and the booming organic-foods market.Interview By: Janet Schayan

Ms. Aigner, what would you recommend to visitors from abroad – where can they gain the best impressions of “Germany, the land of gourmet delights”?

I come from Bavaria in southern Germany. Bavaria is world-famous for its beer and its veal sausage, the Weisswurst. But of course, Germany has a lot more to offer than this. After all, our country stretches from the North Sea and the Baltic coast right through to the Alps. Every region has its special delicacies that should definitely be tried. The unique bread culture is characteristic of Germany. No other country has so many excellent varieties of bread. Last year my ministry started the pilot project “Delicious Germany” in Lüneburg. We want to help increase people’s appreciation of the pleasure of eating, of eating culture, quality products and the craft of food production. In the Hanseatic town of Lüneburg salt was once produced and traded. Nowadays the town is known especially for its potatoes.

What kind of status do farmers have in Germany?

Oh, it’s very high! Some four million people work in farming and agriculture, and in the immediately related sectors. That’s almost 10% of the working population. The food chain from the fields to the shopping basket is highly dependent on quality products from Germany’s agricultural sector. In addition to this, food from Germany create a positive balance in exports.

Which are Germany’s major agricultural export goods? No doubt many people instantly think of beer...

Beer is indeed one of the major products exported by German companies throughout the world. But the leading food is actually cheese to the value of three billion euros a year. We’re the export world champions in this respect, ahead of even the Netherlands and France. Cheese is followed by baked produce, chocolate and fresh pork. Beer is in sixth place, closely followed by spirits and wine.

How important are agricultural exports for Germany?Agricultural exports secure existing jobs and create new

ones, especially in Germany’s rural regions. Nowadays, every fifth euro earned by a German farmer comes from exports, and in the food sector it’s even every fourth euro. Despite the current economic and financial crisis the food industry has managed to keep its exports levels on an even keel. Export pro motion is especially important at times like this. My ministry sees itself primarily as a “door opener”. It’s important to cultivate existing markets and

to open up strong markets in emerging economies, such as Russia, China, South Korea, India and Southeast Asia as well. The decisive factor is having fair access to these markets. Together with the industry I’ve worked out an export promotion action plan which bundles and focuses the necessary measures.

Healthy food ranks high for many Germans, and nowadays there are organic foods in every supermarket. Is the boom in organic foods likely to continue?

The organic foods market is still expanding. Germany is Europe’s largest market for organic foods with a value of 5.8 billion euros. As a result there have been double-digit percentage increases in turnover over the last five years. Market experts assume that this positive trend will continue over the next few years, though probably at a slightly slower pace. Organic farming is well-established in Germany. But there’s still a need to improve quality and productivity, lower the costs of logistics and distribution and to do greater justice to consumer expectations as far as better quality, designation of origins and pricing are concerned. The organic foods sector has to address these things itself first. Politics will continue to support the positive development and create the appropriate general framework.

In this respect a significant start has been made towards promoting eco-friendly agriculture by the EU’s joint effort on the “improvement of agricultural structures and coastal protection” and the continuation of Germany’s federal ecological agriculture programme with its annual budget of 16 million euros.

Quality also plays a significant role in conventionally produced foods. How does Germany ensure food safety?

European and national food laws set high standards for the production, processing and marketing of foods. The food companies bear the responsibility for ensuring that foods fulfil all of the legal requirements. Controls are carried out by the food standards agency. Food safety and quality are also the key federal priority. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety supports the Länder in the coordination of nationwide monitoring programmes. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment freely publishes transparent and scientifically independent studies about risks that could be involved in the consumption of specific kinds of food.

© www.magazine-deutschland.de

€ 3,000,000,000

Shaded Row: Song found on both lists Source: iTunes

1 California Gurls • Katy Perry

2 OMG • Usher

3 Your Love Is My Drug • Ke$ha

4 Alejandro • Lady GaGa

5 Break Your Heart • Taio Cruz

6 My First Kiss • 3OH!3

7 Nothin’ On You • B.o.B

8 Eenie Meenie • Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber

9 Hey, Soul Sister • Train

10 Bulletproof • La Roux

United States

1 Der Himmel soll warten • Sido & Adel Tawil

2 Break Your Heart • Taio Cruz

3 Wavin’ Flag • K’naan

4 Hey, Soul Sister • Train

5 Whataya Want from Me • Adam Lambert

6 In My Head • Jason Derülo

7 You and I • Medina

8 Geboren um zu leben • Unheilig

9 Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) • Shakira

10 California Gurls • Katy Perry

Germany

iTunes Top 10 Song Downloads Data Taken May 17, 2010Comparing Markets

Source: Yahoo! Finance

3/15/10: $10642.15

5/17/10: $10,625.83

$ Change: - $16.32

% Change: - 0.15%

3/15/10: €5903.56

5/17/10: €6066.92

€ Change: + €163.36

% Change: + 2.77%

DOW DAX

3/15/10: $1.3678

5/17/10: $1.2393

$ Change: - $0.1285

% Change: - 9.39%

EUR/USD

German Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and consumer protection ilse Aigner

On Tuesday, April 27, 2010, Germany’s first offshore wind farm, alpha ventus, was opened by Federal Environment Minister Dr. Norbert Röttgen and the CEOs of energy companies EWE AG, E.ON and Vattenfall. Alpha ventus” is situated about 28 miles off the German coast.

Minister Röttgen stressed the growing importance of offshore wind power at the event: “The use of wind power will play a central role in the energy of the future. Offshore wind farms play a crucial role. Our goal is an installed offshore capacity of 25,000 mega watts by 2030. Alpha ventus is the beginning, it is the pioneer for us, and it will lead the way to the age of renewables.”

In addition to power production, alpha ventus is a test bed for research projects funded by the Federal Environment Ministry. The findings will lead to new expertise for the construction and operation of additional offshore parks and nature conservation.

Twelve 5 megawatt wind turbines have been built on an area of about 1.5 square miles. Situated far from the coast, they stand in approximately 98 feet of water. Each one is capable of generating enough electricity to supply 4,100 households, making this the world’s first system of this magnitude. Planning for this project started in 1999. The first underwater cables were laid in 2007, the first wind turbine was installed in July 2008, and in 2009, work started on building the platform.

Germany already generates 16.1 percent of its electricity by renewable energies. This means Germany is well on track to achieving its ambitious targets of 30 percent electricity generated by renewables, and 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

German Offshore Wind Farm Opens

Germany exports around 3 billion euros of cheese per year, making it the country’s largest food export.


Around 90% of all German homes have cable or satellite TV90%

Source: bodypainting-festival.com

Imagine a painter who can create an image from an idea in the fullness of colour, design and expression, and then imagine this artist asking their canvas to sing, dance or scream.

The World Bodypainting Festival presented by “Kryolan” 12 – 18. July is the meeting place for the bodypainting world. For a decade now artists from up to 40 nations have travelled to the small town of Seeboden in the South of Austria in the middle of July to be a part of this event.

The festival builds up over a week with three final main days in the “Bodypaint City”, 16 - 18 July, hosting the World Championships. Artists paint directly on the festival site where their livin artworks are then presented on stage with spectacular shows, sometimes including the most amazing special effects. This is an outdoor event set on the romantic shores of the Lake Millstattersee with alpine mountains and the warmth of summer turning this little picturesque village into a pumping arts centre.

Around 25.000 visitors enter the festival grounds and enjoy the atmosphere of live music, international show acts, multicultural cuisine and living art.

The audience can view the bodyart, music and shows live and broadcasted over the festival TV streaming the whole day from the festival grounds. Also available onsite is a shopping area where visitors and artists can buy anything related to Bodypainting and make-up art from all of the major companies in the Bodypainting industry as well as some interesting new growing companies.

The festival week begins with workshop classes organized by the WBF-Academy teaching bodypainting, special effects, face painting, photography, make-up and

airbrush. A full demonstration program showing the art of special effects make up will be presented.

The evenings are full of socializing in selected bars as well as a major highlight on Wednesday the 14th , the ‘Bodycircus’, a costumed fantasy ball, presented by “snazaroo”, in a 14th century castle going late into the night. The medieval castle “Burg Sommeregg” will transform into a mystical fairy tale location with guests arriving in costume ranging from Bodypainting, body decoration and masks, to extreme make-

up and fantasy fashion. There is also an astounding style presentation as well as three levels of music with international DJ’s from ForceFm as well as Ministry of sound London, Air dancers, shows, costume prizes and entertainment with the Electronic Carnival from Ambiental Performances Slovenia. The ‘Body circus’ promises to be an evening of magic pushing boundaries and letting imagination run free.

For the World Awards in 2009 themes are given. The 2 themes will be “Subcultures” and on the final day “Sources of Power”.

Several hours of extreme concentration are required from the artists, as well as a lot of patience from the models! In the late afternoon, the painted bodies will be presented to the audience and to the judges. During the presentation, spectacular shows will astonish the visitors!

There will also be the night contest in Bodypainting, the ‘World Fluoro Award’. Fluorescent colours will be used and the models will glow and shine by using ultra violet lights all around the stage. Spectacular effects and performances are guaranteed.

The festival week finishes off with an explosive awards ceremony on Sunday night for the new World Champions, followed by massive music synchronized fireworks and an after show party supported by international DJ’s. The “World Bodypainting Photo Award”

The festival offers photographers the best opportunity to really go wild for once, because nowhere else can provide the combination of so much living canvas and such unique settings, and all in front of the camera. The models can only be “captured” once, before the works of art ultimately fade away. There is a restricted photo contest area, reserved for participants in the contest. Here the most fantastic photos are taken and can be sent to us after the festival.

An international photo jury judges the best works in the categories “photo classic” and “digital art”. More than 1000 entries from participants of 23 nations took part last year. From the best photos, a high quality photo catalogue will be printed. A large photo gallery can be admired on the Internet under the address “www.bodypainting-festival.com”, as well as at the exhibition in the Cultural Centre in Seeboden, about a month before the festival.

Turning Human Bodies Into Works of ArtWorld Bodypainting Festival To Be Held in Seeboden, Austria

top picturephoto By: Gerhard GrasingerArtist: Mark reid

Bottom picturephoto By: peter KempArtist: Lucia triguero


EURO LLOYD TRAVELAnnouncing AIR FARE SPECIALS for members of DANK

If you have not traveled to Germany lately, or just thought you might skip the trip to Europe this year, you can not afford to pass up the low discounted travel airfares being offered by all airlines. Please identify yourselves as DANK members when calling our office.

Current summer airfares (sales can occur at any time) for travel to and from Germany, plus taxes and fuel surcharges, start from:

Chicago $896Indianapolis $902Milwaukee $965Madison $950Cleveland $826Detroit $998

*Call for special airfares to other European cities and beyond.*Low discounted Domestic and international airfares.*European Rail passes and single tickets.*Car rentals with special low dollar rates in most European countries.*Cruises world-wide.*Worldwide tours – independent, hosted and fully escorted.

Rates are subject to availability for your date of travel, with various airline non stop or connection options. Friday, Saturday, Sunday Weekend surcharges apply for each direction.

Call now for information:1-800-572-3149 or

1-312-362-0218email: [email protected]

Visit us at:www.eurolloyd.com

Audrey L. Hess-Eberle or Tiffany NedwedEURO LLOYD TRAVEL GROUPPartner of Lufthansa City Center

The Monadnock Building53 W. Jackson Blvd. - Suite 863

Chicago, Illinois 60604

By: Audrey L. Hess-Eberle Euro Lloyd Travel Group/Chicago

Euro Lloyd Travel, your D.A.N.K. agency, would like to suggest an affordable family or a romantic interlude Get-A-Way within easy reach and within your budget.

Each part of our vast and intriguing world has its own history as to what makes it special – what defines our intrigue and pulls at our inner core to make us want to further explore. Land and its nature have always been in existence first before the hands of civilization bend and mold it into a country and culture.

A civilization traced back to around 1800 BC, the Maya Culture was indeed one of intrigue, tremendous contributions and great mystery. What we know of them today comes from remaining archeological ruins in the form of centers, temples, observatories, athletic courts, and their hieroglyphic writings and etchings. What we don’t know, time has all but erased with their disappearance.

They were a people whose worship centered around many nature gods resulting in temple structures and centers which were used for religious ceremonies. While the Maya did not create writing nor the astrological calendar systems, they defined and developed them.

The Maya flourished in an area designated as Mesoamerica, roughly the southern or Yucatan in Mexico, and some Central

American countries. With easy access through Cancun Airport, the Yucatan, or as it is now called, Riviera Maya, stands out as a 112 mile stretch of coastal paradise that has it all. Voted as one of the best destinations by a well known tour company, it’s bleached white beaches and crystal turquoise waters boarded by tropical jungles, lure the nature lover desiring a destination that offers what he is looking for, along with access to renowned ancient Mayan ruins. And coupled with all of this, Mexico’s incredible values offer a vast array of fabulous world-class resorts with all of the amenities and special traits you would expect. Here are just a few examples of the many resorts from which to choose. Longer stays are also available.

Occidental Grand Xcaret, a spectacular

family resort, is tucked within an ecological and historical preserve on the pristine Mexican Caribbean shoreline adjacent to the amazing Xcaret Park marina where you can experience dolphin encounters. This unique resort boasts a sea-fed lagoon for swimming and snorkeling, a river walk with shops alongside winding river channels, an open-air theatre, and an outstanding spa facility. As an all-inclusive resort, all meals, unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included. With eleven restaurants, nightly live entertainment and disco, children’s and adult pools, to tennis courts, snorkeling and scuba opportunities,

Kid’s Club offering supervised activities, this property is a perfect selection for a grand getaway.

4 nights discounted All Inclusive rates start from $599 per person, plus air.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort and

Spa is designed to replicate the charm of the Mexican Caribbean. This new family oriented resort that opened in October 2009, is surrounded by sparkling pools, spring-fed cenotes (a deep water-filled sink hole with fresh water creating a pool), lush tropical gardens and a pristine white beach. This Unlimited Luxury resort will pamper you lavishly, including all amenities in the price. With unlimited golf green fees, all meals included, nine internationally themed gourmet restaurants, a fitness center, and full-service spa (for a fee) adult guests find this a true paradise. Younger guests can enjoy windsurfing and snorkeling, Hobie Cat/Euro-Bungee, and Explorer’s Club for Kids (ages 3-12).

4 nights discounted packages through June start at $799 per person, plus air.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun Resort is another Unlimited Luxury property that has one of the nicest beaches in the world, offering adult guests an extra measure of romance and sensuality in an exquisitely luxurious setting. Gourmet meals, swim-up bars, 13 swimming pools and an expansive infinity pool, sailing, windsurfing and kayaks, are some of the inclusions and features of this adult resort.

4 nights for a Junior Suite, Partial Ocean, All- Inclusive rates start from $1144 per person, plus air.

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya Resort is in a class all her own. With Endless Privileges, including Catamaran Sunset Sails, Scuba lessons (for a fee) Beachfront fitness and Yoga classes, Nutrition experts (for a fee) this Wellness resort is a private romantic 90 luxurious oceanfront suite boutique resort that focuses on endless privileges in a serene setting. From romantic interludes, to Girlfriend-Getaways, this 14-acre resort will take your mind away from what it is you left behind.

4 nights Ocean front, all inclusive rates start at $1168 per person, plus air.

From Romantic get-a-ways, to active family fun and water themes, to reclusive health-oriented or active stays, Riviera Maya will allow you to visit the past and marvel over it’s intrigue, or slip into the mode of what a Mexican vacation is all about.

Call us at Euro Lloyd Travel in Chicago to help find your perfect match.

Russlandia...Welcome to the Dresden Music Festival

By: Uta Stamm

Great concerts with great artists in great locations

Situated in one of the most beautiful cities of Germany, the Dresden Music Festival offers the perfect ambience for glamorous concerts and unforgettable moments. Every year at Whitsun, the festival changes the city of Dresden and surroundings into a concert stage of international rank.

In 2010, the festival theme is “Russlandia”. After the 2009 Dresden Music Festival had “New World” as its motto, the incredibly rich musical culture of Russia will be the focus this year. The latter had a strong influence on Dresden, especially during the time after World War II until the reunification of Germany, dating back 20 years in 2010. Ensembles like the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater St. Petersburg under Valery Gergiev, the Russian National Orchestra under Mikhail Pletnev and the Orchestra and Ensemble of the Bolshoi Theater Moscow will present works that tell the history of the 19th and 20th century in a remarkable way. Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Shostakovich are the main protagonists

of our musical journey to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The 2010 Dresden Music Festival will present many famous and renowned Russian orchestras, ensembles, soloists and conductors, the likes of which have not been seen in Western Europe for a long time. At the same time, the composer Robert Schumann, who had close ties with Dresden and whose 200th anniversary will be commemorated in 2010, will be celebrated. Leading Schumann interpreters will explore his oeuvre in Dresden.

In 2011, the festival will take place from May 18 to June 5. Again, many celebrated artists and companies will stay in Dresden. The program will focus on the work of Gustav Mahler, whose 100th anniversary of death the festival will celebrate this year.

If you want to get more information about the Dresden Music Festival, about the venues and local attractions, visit our website www.musikfestspiele.com. Tickets for the 2011 festival are available from November 1, 2010. If you wish to book in advance, please contact the customer service via e-mail [email protected]

Riviera Maya... Jewel of the Yucatan


Independent Advertising Sales Professional

Growing company with German ownership seeks a talented individual with the great German-American work ethic to sell display and online advertising for our print and interactive publications. Commissions are paid weekly. Contact lists are provided to limit cold sales. German language skills are not required.

Our firm is a three time Future 50 award recipient from the MMAC. We have seven European sister companies as well as our parent company in Germany.

IIf you are an active, self motivated professional that enjoys working independently and is not opposed to limited regional travel, please e-mail us your career and contact information to [email protected].

By: Darlene Fuchs

In a filthy battle on the streets of Berlin, two districts waged war against one another in what would appear to be a deadly blood-bath at first glance. The event held almost every July is known as Wasserschlacht, or “water fight,” but the weapons are more primitive and disgusting than the name would suggest.

The districts of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, a part of the former East Germany, were once divided by the river and the Berlin Wall. At the political level there was conflict because of the reunification of East and West with the district. The battle for supremacy of the East and West districts dates back to the Berlin district of local government reform in the late 90’s. After many years of planning, the

two were merged into the single administrative district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in 2001.

Since 1998, each summer people of all kinds and of all ages from Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain meet at the Oberbaum-bridge over the River Spree, connecting the formerly separate districts in attempt to beat, frighten, shove, intimidate and gross-out their opponents back to their side of the bridge.

It starts out as a flirty water fight, but soon it transpires into a racy food fight. as they pelt each other with rotten fruits, flour, rice, eggs and similar harmless objects, having been caressingly grown just for the purpose of hurling. There are no other rules to the feud other than the food cannot be fresh; only rotten or cooked is considered fair play. It’s about having fun and the organizers position is:

“Avoid injury!”To protect against the slimy waves of attack from the

neighboring district, participants often numbering around 1000, don protective outfits and wear helmets, gas masks and shields to protect themselves from the incessant whacking of foam-rubber swords and clubs.

Some years have been cancelled due to brushes with police, who forced the events to a close before they began. In 2003, police blocked the battle just as the opposing forces were gathering on the bridge, only to be pelted themselves with rotten food by disappointed would-be combatants and legal disputes led to the combat’s cancellation in 2006 and 2007.

Most of the warriors are not aware of the battle’s genesis, but this doesn’t keep them from participating.

Book Review: The First Germans in AmericaBook By: Gary Carl GrasslReview By: Beth L. Casey

Gary Carl Grassl is the President of the German-American Heritage Society of Greater Washington, D.C., recipient of The Federal Cross of Merit from the President of Germany for his contribution to German-American history, and author of the 2009 book, The First Germans in America. This is a well thought out, organized, and well-researched book that presents a fascinating perspective on how, contrary to popular belief, the group that originally settled and expanded in the United States was not the Puritans or so-called “Pilgrims,” but the Germans.

This 102 page revised paperback edition, published in large print with 64 vivid full-color illustrations and 10 maps, explains that Germans have been in America since the very beginning. Grassl opens the book with different theories that spawn from folklore, historical documents, and journals of historical explorers about how Germans participated in North American ventures. Chronologically, Grassl follows these historical theories with the history and accounts of specific German-American residents of the town of Jamestown, Virginia –a largely populated German-American town which had been settled 13 years prior to the Puritan landing in Massachusetts.

The latter part of the book discusses the westward movement of German settlers and the expansion of Jamestown, and how today Jamestown is barely recognized as

one of the stepping stones for German settlers in the United States.

The very factual nature of The First Germans in America shows that Grassl’s intention was written to dispel the myth that, because the United States speaks English, it is assumed that the first settlers were the English. As Grassl illustrates with very convincing, clear language and developed ideas, that perhaps our nation’s history books should be revised to include more than just reasons for celebrating Thanksgiving, and include more about the first Germans in America as they have shaped and molded the United States into the nation that it is today.

For more information visit their website globalprinting.com or call 703-751-3611

WasserschlachtThe Great Boarder Battle

Photos Courtesy: Spiegel.de


Welcome New Members 2/19/10 to 4/20/10Shepard, Winsor L.

Chelbana, IreneDuffy, Daniel P.Gambla, Chris

Gambla, KatherineGambla, Christopher

Gambla, DanaGambla, Allison

Halverson, Keith E.Joyce, Steven Ray

Leddin, Edward AndrewMeyer, Vernon A.

Baltasi, Michael CarlBaltasi, LouisaCigir, Christina

Fecteau, Renee A.Futschek, WilhelmKarch, Claudia B.

Kaufman, Verna K.Kirchherr, WalterLundt, Craig G.

Mueller, HildegardResetarits, Willi

Schell, EvelyTetzlaff, Hettie

Thiersch, Victoria YungThiersch, Maximilian

Thiersch, PhilippValerie, Levan

Wallner, MartinWallner, Sue

Wallner, AneleWallner, Christian

Weidl, ThomasWeidl, Marguerite

Taschner, Margaret E.Bras, Joao CJ

Cleary, Nelson T.Cleary, Enid J.

Geiss, Stella Schliephake, AlyssaSchiephake, Brooke

Bogart, WayneBetchek, James L.Emerson, David P.

Emerson, Joanne A.Hasse, SteveHasse, Mrs.

Radies, Chad M.Rieder, Thaddeus J.

Stegeman, Thomas H.Stegeman, Tim

Willis, ErnaSchoenbrunn, Kristen

Trautman, WilliamWasley, IV, John Curtis

Ali-Ahmed, AyeshaCehula, CameronMueller, Carol J.

Rishel, WayneSterbutzel, Carl E.

Anthony, MarkEggleston, PatrickKightlinger, Anja

Kightlinger, StevenShearer, Christopher

Shearer, MelissaShearer, Markus

Shearer, Petra

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Lake Erie Fanfare

The Cold War Museum: Midwest Chapter

*** Calendar Of Events ***This area is designated for DANK chapters and Associate Members to inform their members and the public of events they are having. We rely on the submissions of each chapter or organization, therefor all events may not be included. Please contact our National Office at 773-275-1100 or visit www.DANK.org for the most recent listing of events or for information on how to make sure your event is listed in the next issue. (Associate Member Events Listed In Italics)

JUNE 20104 Benton Harbor: Fish Fry, 6-8pm. Doors open

5:30pm, band plays 7-10pm. $8.00 all you can eat. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information.

5 Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen, 1pm. $4 for members, $6 for non-members. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com.

6 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Zither Concert, 2pm. Homestead, Amana. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

7 Chicago: Membership Meeting, 7pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com.

9 Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com.

11 Chicago: Sportsklub DANK, 7:30pm. No cover, cash bar. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com

12 Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen, 1pm. $4 for members, $6 for non-members. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com

12 South Bend: German Fest in Fort Wayne, IN. For more information and reservations, call Christine at 574-272-8163 or Trudy at 574-271-6922.

12 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Bill Wundram—Cranberries in the Pickle Barrel, 2pm. Free with museum admission; free for members. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

12-13 Benton Harbor: Concertina Weekend, 12-8pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information.

12-13 Lake County: German Fest in Fort Wayne, IN. Car pooling available. Individuals make hotel reservations. Contact Ludwina Homer, 847-249-0073 or Cobi Stein, 847-234-3920 for more info

13 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Zither Concert, 2pm. Scott County Family Y in downtown Davenport. $5 or free for members. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

16 Erie: Literature Night, 7pm. German/American poetry reading & discussion. Social Hour to follow. Guests welcome. The Erie Männerchor Club, 1617 State St. Call 835-1939 for more info

18 Chicago: Stammtisch, 7:30pm. No cover, food and drink available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com


19 Fox Valley: Candlelight Bowl with United Way at Wheaton Bowl, bring 2 non-perishable food items to be entered into the raffle. 6pm cash bar, 7pm pizza. $40 per couple, $25/individual, includes dinner, shoe rental, three games of bowling. 2031 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton, IL. Contact Cori Schliephake at 630-932-4742 for more info

20 Pascack Valley, NJ: Regular Meeting. Father’s Day Celebration. For more information, please call (201) 391-2185.

23 Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com.


26 Chicago South: Sommerfest with entertainers from Germany sponsored by Armin Homann. 25249 Center Road, Frankfort, IL. Contact Nancy at 708-448-8731 for more information.

27 Milwaukee: Annual Picnic, 12pm. Sacred Heart Church, 917 N. 49th St., Milwaukee. Call 920-452-1655 for more information.

JULY 20104 Pascack Valley, NJ: Picnic. For more information,

please call (201) 391-2185.

6 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Celebrating Mendelssohn: Composer and Conductor Extraordinaire, 2pm. Free with museum admission, free for members. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

9 Benton Harbor: Fish Fry ,6-8pm. Doors open 5:30pm, band plays 7-10pm. $8.00 all you can eat. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information.

9 Chicago: Sportsklub DANK, 7:30pm. No cover, cash bar. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com.

10 South Bend: Wet & Wild Pool Party at Ron & Annemarie’s, 1pm. Potluck. 16509 Bennington Ct., Granger, IN. For more info, call Christine at 574-272-8163 or Trudy at 574-271-6922.

14 Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com

16 Chicago: Stammtisch, 7:30pm. No cover, food and drink available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com

18 Benton Harbor: Picnic, 1pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information

18 Lake County: Annual Picnic at Van Patten Woods, Wadsworth, IL. Contact Ludwina Homer, 847-249-0073 or Cobi Stein, 847-234-3920 for more info

21 Erie: Family Picnic at Mt. Carmel Picnic Grove. Call 835-1939 for more info and reservations.

23 Chicago: German Cinema Now, 7pm. Free admission & popcorn, refreshments available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com

24 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Trip to German Fest in Milwaukee. Members $58, non-members $68. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

25 German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: School Cones: A German Tradition Comes to the Quad Cities, 2pm. Free with museum admission, free for members. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.

28 Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com

30 Chicago: Jazz on the Terrace, 8:30pm. No cover. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com

German Gift Shop for Sale

in Chicago’s Lincoln SquareCall 773-561-8281


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German-American Journal

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OBITUARIES

Janice (Vaisvillas) Pelzer

Janice Ann (Vaisvillas) Pelzer, 58, of Benton Harbor, formerly of South Haven, passed away Sunday, April 11, 2010, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph.

Janice was born May 10, 1951, in Kokomo, Ind., to Waldo “Hank” and Beverly (Ewing) George. She was employed at Forest View Hospital in Grand Rapids as an RN until her retirement in 2009. On June 7, 2006, she married Adolf Pelzer in St. Joseph. Janice was a member of First Congregational Church, where she sang tenor in the choir and served at the soup kitchen. She was also a member of the DANK and South Haven Moose. In her spare time, Janice enjoyed fine needlework, playing the piano, bird watching, walking in parks and along the beach, hiking in the mountains of New Mexico, and reading history, science and fiction. She loved learning - Janice was always taking classes - and she loved her two cats.

At her death, Janice gave the ultimate gift when she donated tissue and organs to the Gift of Life Program.

Janice is survived by her husband, Adolf Pelzer; her father, Waldo “Hank” George of South Haven; and her sister, Marilyn (Steven) Runkle of South Haven.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Beverly George, in 2005.

Marta Emma (Nee Demlang) Gleich

Marta Emma (Nee Demlang) Gleich passed away Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at the age of 88 yrs. Beloved wife of the late Heinz W. Gleich. Loving mother of Ursula (Edwin) Gunther, an active member of DANK Milwaukee. Dear Omi of Erich (Kara) Gunther and Heidi Gunther. Cherished great-grandmother of Tyler and Alex. Survived by sisters Adelheid and Lutza of Germany. Preceded in death by siblings Artur, Alfred, Adolf, Irma and Lydia. Further survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and friends in Wisconsin, Arizona, Canada and Germany.

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German-American Journal | June/July 2010

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