Volume 58, Number 2
April / May 2010
Muttertag Mother’s Day May 9, 2010 By: Darlene Fuchs
By: Darlene Fuchs Easter has long been known to be a pagan festival! America’s founders knew this! A children’s book about the holiday, Easter Parade: Welcome Sweet Spring Time!, by Steve Englehart, states, “When the Puritans came to North America, they regarded the celebration of Easter—and the celebration of Christmas—with suspicion. They knew that pagans had celebrated the return of spring long before Christians celebrated Easter…for the first two hundred years of European life in North America, only a few states, mostly in the South, paid much attention to Easter” (p 4) Not until after the Civil War did Americans begin celebrating this holiday: “Easter first became an American tradition in the 1870s” (p. 5). Remarkable! The original 13 colonies of America began as a “Christian” nation yet the nation did not observe Easter within a century of its founding. In the British Isles and Germany, spring festivals involved eggs and bunnies, because they are natural symbols of fertility, and it also involved worshipping trees. Those who promoted Christianity throughout the British Isles and Germany suffered quite a lot of grief at the hands of our ancestors when they chopped down the sacred trees to demonstrate that they weren’t gods. Since bunnies and eggs were not actually worshiped the missionaries figured they could Christianize them. So the custom began of painting Christian art on eggshells and they just tolerated the bunnies. Eggs have always been associated with, and predate the Christian holiday of Easter. Before eggs became so closely associated with Easter; Romans, Gauls, Chinese, Egyptians, and Persians used eggs during their rite-of-spring festivals. Eggs represented the earth’s rebirth: winter was over, and the earth was bursting forth with life--just as eggs do. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom
that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers. Nearly every culture in the modern world has a long tradition of coloring eggs in beautiful and different ways. With the advent of Christianity, eggs’ symbolism changed from representing nature’s rebirth to representing humanity’s rebirth. Many Christians likened the egg to the tomb from which Christ rose. In fact, one Polish legend says that Mary wept as she gave eggs to some soldiers at the cross. As she asked them to be less cruel, her tears fell on the eggs, spotting them with dots of color. This is a direct example of exactly how pagan symbols and customs are “Christianized.” The Easter Bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Alsace and southwestern Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1600s. The first edible Easter Bunnies were made in Germany, during the early 1800’s, and were made of pastry and sugar. The Easter Bunny was introduced to America by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700’s. The arrival of the Osterhase (Easter bunny) was considered one of “childhood’s greatest pleasures,” similar to the arrival of Krist Kindl on Christmas Eve. According to the tradition, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets. The Osterhase would, if the children had been good, lay brightly colored eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured Easter basket. What started as a Pagan holiday has been reshaped to fit Christian ideals. However, the roots within Germany will always be remembered.
Mother’s Day has been celebrated in Germany since 1923, in Switzerland since 1917 and in Austria since 1924. The day is dedicated to mothers and motherhood, to recognize all they do and to honor them. Mother’s Day was introduced in Germany by the Flower Association of German business owners. Mother’s Day was born on May 13, 1923, by the chairman of the association, Rudolf Knauer. Posters reading “Honor the Mother” were put in the shop windows, emphasizing that it was the day to give your mother the flowers she desired. From 1926, the promotion of Mother’s Day was introduced to the church, the schools and then the government, who established Mother’s Day as a public holiday. Since 1949 Mother’s Day has been celebrated in the Federal Republic of Germany on every second Sunday in May. It can be moved when Pentecost Sunday and Mother’s Day fall on the same date. The first official Mother’s Day holiday was celebrated on the third Sunday of March in 1934. During the period of National Socialism, Mother’s Day was linked to the idea of a Germanic master race. In 1938 the Cross of Honor was introduced to encourage German women to bear children. A mother could be awarded a cross depending on the number of children she had borne. The first crosses were awarded on the second Sunday in May 1939 (Mothering Sunday). Today Mother’s Day is a day to honor mothers and motherhood; especially within the context of families and family relationships.
TidBits
Associate Members
Education
Business & Tech
Auf Deutsch
Insider
Oskar & Atticus
Lifestyle
Pages 3-4 Page 5
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
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Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde! Dear Members and Friends, Springtime is upon us and nature is renewing itself. So is DANK! We have been in the process of revitalizing our organization for the last two years and each year we establish new goals and initiatives to help the process along. I hope that you will also share our enthusiasm in DANK and have already sent in your membership renewal payments for 2010. If not, I ask you to please consider doing so, which would show your interest in keeping our German heritage, language and customs alive. DANK is an organization that represents those interests all over the country and this year we are working hard to establish alliances with many other German-American organizations throughout the United States. In many cases we are re-establishing our ties. Together in unity we can accomplish much more than as individual units. That is not to say that the individual units, just like our own chapters, should not exist with autonomy. We should however share our common goals, ideas and at times work together productively, as we have in the past to establish German-American day under the unity of the German-American Joint Action Committee (GAJAC). While we are reaching out to establish Associate Memberships with other organizations, we are also reaching out to our own members and chapters to help them in unity and our common goals. This has not been an easy task, with so much diversity in our chapters and so many different opinions of what is most important to each individual chapter. Good communications, sharing of ideas and providing a helpful hand are important components of these efforts. We have made headway and are continuing our efforts to give our organization greater relevance in the German-American Community. We encourage all our members to participate in as many chapter activities as they can, to volunteer their services and to help us financially by paying their dues. The last two areas are of great importance to our organization’s existence. We do know that DANK is in competition with many other areas in people’s lives and times are tough. But I want to stress that these are areas of need for DANK and I believe our members will come through generously, as they have in the past, when they see a need for the organization. Throughout year you will see an elaboration on areas of need in our organization while we also establish a clearer picture of our goals and reasons to exist. I wish everyone a Happy Easter season, a wonderful spring and a smile upon your face as the result of a large tax refund from the IRS. Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
William Fuchs National President
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“Building Bridges to Germany” 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. Visit www.DANK.org
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.
DANK National Executive Board President William Fuchs 1. Vice President Erich Wittmann 2. Vice President Donna Lippert Treasurer Maria Thompson
My Favorite Signs of Spring This is a hopeful time of year. The days are noticeably longer and most people can’t wait for spring to arrive. It’s too early for the crocuses, but I still feel spring. When the winter weather breaks, it’s time to look for other hopeful signs that spring is finally on its way. • Sunlight - Attitudes rise in proportion to the amount of sunlight. According to medical experts, the bright light from the sun makes a difference in the chemistry of our brain. This chemistry controls the nerves in our brain that stimulate our moods. It also gives us a healthy dose of Vitamin D. • Open Curtains, Open Windows - One of the benefits of the milder weather is the ability to throw open the curtains, and windows, and let the breeze waft in while we do our chores, commute to work or walk to school. It’s nice being able to bring a little bit of outside in. Natural heating and cooling is the best! • Sitting Outside - I love to sit in my lounger and listen to the random chirps and tweets of the returning birds. If you live in the city where they have huge swarms of birds in the trees and on the buildings, you probably don’t share this sentiment. • The Color Green - There’s this point that occurs every year, between ‘real winter’ and ‘real spring’, a point at which everything suddenly turns green. The heavens open and rain showers down and the next day a layer of green suddenly greets the sunrise. I’m tired of the grey skies, colorless landscape, and the cold; my motivation and productivity suffers. It’s a breath of fresh air, literally, when the first hints of spring arrive breathing new energy into my day. • Social Gatherings - When warm rains give way to sunny skies, it’s time to step outside and enjoy the bounty of spring. There’s no better way to usher in the season than by sharing time with family and friends.
DIE BRUECKE ZUR ALTEN HEIMAT
Der Deutsch-Amerikaner
• Easter - Easter is a time for hope and it reminds us that things can indeed change. New beginnings are not only possible, but there is a deeper sense of peace because we know that love is stronger than death and hope is stronger than despair. May this Easter be a time when we all make new beginnings in our personal and community relationships. May each of us feel a renewal of spirit and a rekindling of faith. • Mothers Day - I still have my mother and she deserves my love and respect every minute of every hour of every day of the year, not just on “Mothers Day.” The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed prior to her child’s birth. The woman existed, but the mother, never. Becoming a mother, for the first time, is something absolutely new and it’s great that we have a holiday to celebrate that.
Secretary Beverly Pochatko
Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Darlene Fuchs Darlene@GoldenFoxPro.com Editorial Staff Margita Mandel Amanda Pedersen Chapter News Editor Beverly Pochatko erieoma@verizon.net Membership Erik Wittmann erik25@comcast.net German Correspondent Corinna Bienger corinna.bienger@live.de Layout & Design Stephen Fuchs Stephen@FoxTaleEdit.com Advertising & Classifieds Darlene Fuchs Darlene@GoldenFoxPro.com
Office Staff DANK National Executive Office
4740 N. Western Ave Chicago, Il 60625-2013 Call (773) 275-1100 Toll Free (866) 926-1109 Fax (773) 275-4010 Office Hours:
9 AM to 5 PM / Monday-Friday Executive Secretary Eva Timmerhaus Office@dank.org
Office Manager Amelia Cotter Amelia@dank.org
General Information German-American Journal - ISSN 1086-8070 - is published bi-monthly and is the official publication of the German American National Congress. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: German-American Journal 4740 N. Western Ave Chicago, Il 60625-2013
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Darlene Fuchs Managing Editor
Submission Deadline For The June / July 2010 Issue:
DANK does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information published herein. DANK reserves the right to change or amend submissions for any reason without prior notice.
Apr. 25, 2010
©2010 DANK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher.
April / May 2010
German-American Journal
MAY
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1937 - The German zeppelin Hindenburg catches fire and is destroyed within a minute while attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people are killed.
Stuttgart Spring Festival: By: Darlene Fuchs
If you wish it could be Oktoberfest every day, then the Stuttgart Spring Festival at Cannstatter Wasen is for you. The program features a fun-fair and oompah bands, beer, firework displays, hot-air balloons and latenight parties with top DJs. The colorful and cheerful Stuttgart Spring Festival invites you the Cannstatter Wasen. For three weeks, visitors from near and far celebrate the longed for spring in a cheerful and jolly manner. Pure pleasure is on the program with a ferris wheel, for those that do not mind heights, raffle stands, festival beer, Bratwursts, “Schnitzel” and Kässpätzle (Swabian noodles with cheese). Candy-coated almonds and chocolate covered fruit on a stick will satisfy your sweet tooth. It is not the largest beer festival in Stuttgart but it is definitely fun for the whole family. The half dozen unique “beer tents” are less like tents and more like buildings: permanent wooden structures that hold thousands of revelers. Not only does
each feature a different brand of beer served in a traditional “Maß” (liter mug,) but each has different music as well. A tent may have a traditional fest band playing or a DJ spinning both dance music and traditional fest tunes. In addition to beer, shots - served by ladies dressed in traditional “Tracht” are quite popular. There are menus on every table and servers to bring you traditional meals, such delicacies as “Schweinshaxen” (pork knuckles or pork hocks,) or grilled chicken, while you enjoy the music and atmosphere. Every day at the Spring Festival you will enjoy a different experience. Weekdays are less busy than weekends, which are very busy. If you have children, visit on a Wednesday “Family Day,” with discounted prices on rides. Friday and Saturday nights are loud and crowded with people dancing on table benches to the music. Seats are available in the tents with little problem until 5 or 6 PM. After that most tables are reserved, so you will need to move to an unreserved ta-
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ble, if you can find one. Just like Oktoberfest, you must have a seat to remain in the tent. The Stuttgart Spring Festival is sure to be a welcome relief from Frühjahrsmüdigkeit (spring fever).
ART COLOGNE 2010 Attracts Top National And International Galleries Source: artcologne.com
The World’s Greatest Port Festival! Source: hamburg-tourism.de
Hamburg celebrates its harbour! From Friday, 7th May to Sunday, 9th May 2010 the Hanseatic city will be celebrating the 821st Birthday of the Port of Hamburg - each year with more than 1 million visitors! For three whole days the world’s largest harbour festival offers unlimited attractions on the water, on land and in the air. Some of the world’s largest and most beautiful windjammers are expected. Aquatic events like the parade of ships, the tugboat ballet and the dragon boat race are at the heart of the Port of Hamburg’s birthday celebrations. The celebrations centre around land events along the “port promenade” from the warehouses of the Speicherstadt (Kehrwiederspitze) to the fish auction hall with approx. 500 fair stands, artistic and culinary delights, shows and entertainment. Countless stages, some of them featuring
radio stations, events for children, young people and families, as well as museum specials (exhibitions, guided tours, etc.) round off the programme with a cultural flourish. The date of the Port Birthday Hamburg goes back to Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa, who granted the people of Hamburg exemption from customs duties for ships on the Elbe from Hamburg to the North Sea on 7th May 1189. This date is generally regarded as the birthday of the Port of Hamburg and lets this year’s opening celebration be a very special one, as it takes place on the exact same date, 7th May. However, the Port Birthday Hamburg has been celebrated publicly for only a little over a quarter of a century - and has grown continuously. The port promenade now extends about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) from the Speicherstadt warehouse district to the fish auction hall and increasingly integrates the new HafenCity district.
The 2010 edition of ART COLOGNE the 44th in its long history - is scheduled for 21-25 April 2010. The Fair, revamped and successfully relaunched in spring 2009, has been successful both in winning back important galleries as exhibitors and in integrating young galleries. The 2010 gallery list also sees top national and international dealers rejoining the Fair after a few years’ absence. “We’re delighted to have attracted top names in the business,” says ART COLOGNE Director Daniel Hug. “We’ll be seeing a really high-calibre gallery list. A list which represents a significant crosssection of Germany’s major art-market centers - Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and the Rhineland. This strong showing will give ART COLOGNE real pulling-power at both the national and the international level.” As in 2009, the venue for ‘Open Space’ will be the new ART COLOGNE exhibition hall at the Cologne Trade Fair Centre. There will be approximately 180 international galleries of classical modernism, post-war art and contemporary art showcases once again. The 2009 edition of ART COLOGNE
saw a fresh, leaner and tauter start with a slimmed-down list of galleries, compacter, two-level exhibition space and stronger emphasis on the Fair’s traditional core strengths due to the challenging economy. Klaus Gerrit Friese, chairman of the Bundesverband deutscher Galerien und Editionen (BVDG), commented, “ART COLOGNE has regained its old position of strength as a result of the core policy changes.” Visitors, 56,500 in all, were out in force, well-informed, impressed by the changes and in buying mode. Sales were strong across the board. Over the five days of the Fair, domestic and international galleries showcased comprehensive ranges of top-quality contemporary art and topquality artworks from the great avantgarde movements of the twentieth century. The Fair’s organizers were successful both in winning back important galleries as exhibitors, and in integrating emerging galleries. The Dortmund gallerist Wilfried Utermann was enthusiastic about responses to the improvements. He said, “The changes have been a shot of adrenalin. Collectors and buyers demonstrated their renewed confidence in the art-market potential of the Rhineland.”
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
Osterzeit in Deutschland Easter Time in Germany
One legend about Easter, I was told when I was a child, is that on Good Friday all church bells fly to Rome and come back on Easter Sunday, explaining why the bells don’t chime before Sunday. When I think of the Easter weekend today, the image that comes into my mind, are the long walks our parents took with us through the forests and fields of the neighborhood. It was tradition that the older children would tell the younger ones that they had just seen the Easter bunny disappear behind those trees, while secretly dropping Easter eggs here and there for the smaller children to find. That was always a time of suspense. Then, on Easter Sunday, all children would wake up knowing that the Easter bunny had been there early that morning, hiding Easter eggs and maybe a little present for them to find. Easter has also always been a time of renewal of the nature. Early on we would go out and pick branches of the early blooming bushes and trees, like birches and forsythias. Those were then decorated with eggs that had been blown out and painted or dyed in fresh spring colors. Easter was always a time of joy, as well as the end of Lent and was celebrated by large dinners with the entire family. On Easter Monday we all go to the Easter markets or on long hikes through the recovering nature. In Germany, as in other countries, many pagan traditions have survived from the old times and the churches have absorbed them. That is why we so joyfully decorate our houses and gardens with eggs and spring symbols, and why we bake Easter cakes in the shape of bunnies and lambs. A tradition that is based on the Service of Light, part of the Easter liturgy, are the Easter fires. All neighbors come together to stand around a huge fire and to celebrate the start of the Easter season, which traditionally lasts until Pentecost. Those fires burn high and for a long time because everyone brings wood and old branches to throw into the fire.. Some of us have been known to sit around an Easter fire all night. Ich wünsche allen Lesern des DANK Journals eine gesegnete Osterzeit.
German The Official US Language? By: Darlene Fuchs The legend usually goes something like this: “In 1776, German came within one vote of becoming America’s official language instead of English.” It is a story that Germans, German teachers and many other people like to tell. But is it true? At first glance it may sound plausible. After all, Germans have played an important role in US history. But a closer look reveals several serious problems with this official-language story. First of all, the United States has never had a statutory official language - English, German or any other - and doesn’t have one now; English has been used as a de facto basis, owing to its status as the country’s predominant language. This urban legend states that because of Muhlenberg, Speaker of the House, German did not become the official language of the United States. At the heart of this legend is a vote in the United States House of Representatives from 1794, where a group of German immigrants asked for the translation of some laws into German. This petition was rejected by a 42-41 vote and Muhlenberg, who himself abstained from the vote, was later quoted as having said “the faster the Germans become Americans, the better it will be”. Before WWI, more than 6% of American schoolchildren received their primary education only in German. Furthermore, as of the 2000 census, 42.8 million Americans claim their ethnic origin to be German, the largest reported ethnic group. Only 1.5 million, however, speak the language at the present time. Today, German is the second most spoken language in two states:North Dakota and South Dakota. In Pennsylvania, where the state had a large German-American population, German was long allowed as the language of instruction in schools, and state documents were available in German until 1950. As a result of anti-German sentiment during World War I, the fluency decreased from one generation to the next and only a small fraction of Pennsylvanians of German descent are fluent in the German language.
Provided By: Anne Marie Fuhrig Do we “Americans of German descent” still want to tout the 57.9 million German-Americans from the 1990 US Census? The decline in the 2000 Census to 42.8 million who marked their ethnic origin as “German” was troubling. Why was there a 26% decline? The question of ethnicity probably made it into the 1990 census due to the 300th anniversary of German immigration in 1983, when Ronald Reagan was president (1991-1989.) For Census 2000, under Bill Clinton (1993-2001,) the list of examples for the question, “ What is this person’s ancestry or ethnic origin?”, was reduced from 21 to 16 examples. Dropped from the 1990 list was German with Italian listed as the first example. Since the US Census originated in 1790, questions have changed over time. Immigrants used to identify their ethnicity and by 1854 Germans ranked first place. Ethnic origin, abandoned on the 2010 Census form, was driven by the need to identify the socially disadvantaged and to make the census shorter and cheaper. Each question helps determine how more than $400 billion will be allocated to communities across the country, to assess fairness of employment practices, to monitor racial disparities and to obtain funds for public services. The cumbersome long form, which had provided details regarding ethnicity, has been reduced to ten questions. Never-the-less, the census this year is still budgeted at $11 million. One may ask, “Does ethnicity still matter and what does it mean to be a German-American?” Is it the fact that we may belong to a German social club? Many of us take pride in the positive contributions we and our German forefathers have made to the United States. Ethnicity means different things to different people. As immigration declines and our children become Americanized, ethnic origin becomes harder to determine. Let’s see if some questions may help: • • • • • • • •
Were you born in Germany? Do you speak or understand German when spoken? Do you read German? Do your children/grandchildren attend a German language school? Do you have a German sir name or maiden name? Do you participate in German cultural activities? Do you enjoy German food, music and dancing? Do you strive to preserve the memory of German immigrant achievements in the US?
If you have answered “yes” to several of these questions, you‘re probably one of today’s “GermanAmericans” that enjoy socializing in a group of likeminded people. Since the question of ethnic origin on the 1990 Census, the decline in German, as ones ethnic origin, could indicate that many of our German offspring may not feel “German” any more. We must
remind people that if they can say yes to even a few of the above questions, they should proudly consider themselves “German-Americans.” Being a German-American is personal to each individual. It is probably OK to stop counting as long as we continue to celebrate our German-American heritage, achievements and contributions throughout history. Positive involvement and visibility within our communities will assure that we are remembered in the next edition of American history books. There are countless fascinating stories and websites to inspire us and the many German descendants in the United States. One may ask if German is still a prevalent second language in the US. The 2000 Census showed a large number of Post-World War II immigrants still speaking German, with a high concentration in the midwest. There were also clusters of children speaking German along both coasts, in Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit where Germans had recently come to the US to work in the area of research/technology, Incidentally, these areas have experienced an increase of German language Saturday schools and a growing number of preK-8 full-time “Deutsche Schulen”. Florida, in contrast, had mostly older speakers of German. This year, in mid March, you will receive a short 10 question form by mail, in areas served by the US Postal Service. The envelope will be clearly marked as Official Business of the United States. In all other areas, census takers will deliver the form packages between March 1 and April 30, 2010. He or she will have an official US Census name badge. No legitimate census worker will ever ask you for your Social Security number, bank account numbers, or credit card numbers, questions you should always be careful to answer. So, do your duty, whether you are a resident German citizen or have American citizenship and record yourself for history! Participate in the 2010 Census, stand up and be counted.
April / May 2010
German-American Journal
APR
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1999 - The German Bundestag returns to Berlin after being relocated to Bonn, Germany back in 1949 as a result of a new constitution in 1949.
Die neue Lust der Deutschen an der Mode:
Deutschland ein Modeland? Manche überrascht das. Doch wer Kleidung nicht nur als Wirtschaftsgut, sondern auch als Kulturgut ernst nimmt, findet hier eine Zukunft der Mode. Die Lust der Kunden, das Können der Designer und Berlin als kreativer Motor sprechen dafür. Einblicke in das Modeland Deutschland. By: Von Joachim Schirrmacher Magazine-Deutschland.de Deutsche Mode setzt auf Individualität, Ausdruck und Charakter, ist mal witzig, mal elegant. Deutsche Designer machen im Ausland Karriere, deutsche Labels überzeugen mit Qualität. Und der Berlin-Look zieht Trendscouts magnetisch an. Germans enjoy Fashion“ sagt Christopher Bailey – „die Deutschen haben Spaß an der Mode“. Der Brite kann es beurteilen. Als Chefdesigner von Burberry ist er einer der Besten seines Fachs, zudem kennt er Deutschland gut; viele Jahre hat er in München und Trier gelebt. Doch die Deutschen haben nicht nur Freude an der Mode, sie entwerfen sie auch mit großer Kompetenz. Belegt wird die Lust der Deutschen an der Mode durch eine Studie. Das Deutsche Modeinstitut hat zwischen Mai 2008 und April 2009 mehr als 5000 Passanten im Alter von 20 bis 35 Jahren auf den Straßen von Berlin, Köln, Bielefeld und London fotografiert. „Der Look auf den deutschen Straßen hat sich in den letzten zehn Jahren total verändert, nicht nur in Berlin, er ist in allen untersuchten deutschen Städten überraschend gleich“, sagt Projektleiterin Elke Giese. Sie hat die Beobachtungen in sechs Thesen zusammengefasst: 1. Statt Anzug oder Kostüm werden –
auch bei beruflich wichtigen Terminen – zu über 90 Prozent Sports- und Streetwear getragen. Diese scheinbare Nachlässigkeit ist mit großer Sorgfalt inszeniert. 2. Wichtiger als Statussymbole etablierter Luxusmarken sind Kreativität und Individualität des „Self-Designs“. 3. Die Einflüsse aus dem Sport und der Sportswear dringen in jeden Bereich der Kleidung vor und verändern ihn. Jeans sind omnipräsent. Selbst formale Kleidungsstücke müssen heute Casual-Anklänge haben, um modern zu wirken. 4. Die sehr weibliche Kleidung der Frauen wird mit gegensätzlichen Botschaften wie Stiefeln oder Jeansjacken konterkariert.
5. Die neuen Fashion-Victims sind männlich. Die Modekompetenz der Männer überrascht. Neben einem betont funktio nalen Bekleidungsstil pflegen Männer einen spielerischen Umgang mit Marken, Farben und Accessoires. 6. Immer öfter werden neue Looks auf der Straße getragen, bevor sie auf den Laufstegen zu sehen sind. Diese Studie ist so interessant, weil sie eine eigene Identität der deutschen Mode aufzeigt. Statt in den Ateliers wird sie im Alltag definiert. Mode als Möglichkeit des individuellen Ausdrucks. Es geht bei der aktuellen deutschen Mode um eigenständige Entwürfe, die den Geist des 21. Jahrhunderts treffen. Statt der feinen Dame geht es heute um Berufsnomaden,
Emanzipat ion und die Vereinbarung von Beruf und Familie. Es geht um „Urbanwear“. Diese neue Zukunft der Mode findet vor allem in Berlin statt. „Hier ist Protz peinlich, soll eine Übereinstimmung zwischen Träger und Kleidung herrschen“, schreibt Klaus Heine, wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter an der TU Berlin, in einer Studie. Bekannter ist Deutschland für seine führende Rolle in der Mode als Konsumgut. Das Land ist mit 59,9 Milliarden Euro Umsatz der zweitgrößte Markt der Welt und hat eine der leistungsfähigsten Industrien. Die deutsche Textilund Bekleidungsindustrie ist mit einem Umsatz von 19,2 Milliarden Euro nach dem Ernährungsgewerbe die zweitgrößte Konsumgüterbranche in Deutschland. Sie ist mittelständisch strukturiert, jedoch oft im Besitz internationaler Investoren (Private Equity). So wie Deutschland in vielen Feldern von Kunst und Kultur immer wieder neue Impulse gesetzt hat, scheint die Zeit günstig, dies auch in der Welt der Mode zu tun. Es gilt daher, das – anscheinend – Leichte ernst zu nehmen. Und die bislang strikt getrennten Perspektiven von Mode als Wirtschafts- oder Kulturgut so zusammenzuführen, dass beide Felder erstarken. Zum Wohle der Kreativen und Kaufleute – und zum Wohl der Kunden.
A New Passion in German Fashion
Did you know that Germany is a major fashion centre? Some people find that rather surprising. But anyone who takes clothes seriously – not only as economic, but also as cultural goods – will find the future of fashion here. Passionate customers, competent designers and the creative powerhouse of Berlin make that possible. Insights into Germany as a land of fashion. By: Von Joachim Schirrmacher Magazine-Deutschland.de German fashion relies on individuality, expression and character, is sometimes witty, sometimes elegant. German designers achieve success abroad and German fashion labels attract customers with quality products. And the Berlin look has a magnetic attraction for trend scouts. Christopher Bailey says, “Germans enjoy fashion.” And the Briton should know. As head designer at Burberry he is one of the best in his field and also knows Germany very well as he lived many years in Munich and Trier. Yet Germans do not only enjoy fashion, they also design it with considerable competence. Germans’ enjoyment of fashion is also proven by a recent study. Between May 2008 and April 2009 the German Fashion Institute photographed more than 5,000 passers-by aged between 20 and 35 years on the streets of Berlin, Cologne, Bielefeld and
London. “The look found on German streets has totally changed in the last ten years – and not only in Berlin, it is surprisingly similar in all the surveyed German cities,” says project leader Elke Giese. She has summed up the observations in six theses: 1. Rather than suits, sportswear and streetwear are worn over 90% of the time – even to important work meetings. Great care is taken in presenting this seemingly casual attire. 2. The creativity and individuality of “self-designs” are more important than the status symbols of established luxury brands. 3. Influences from sport and sportswear are entering and changing every area of clothing. Jeans are omnipresent. Today even formal attire has to have casual elements to appear modern. 4. Women’s very feminine clothing is juxtaposed with contrasting messages such as boots or denim jackets. 5. The new fashion victims are male. Men’s fashion competence is
surprising. Alongside an emphatically functional style of clothing, men maintain a playful attitude towards brands, colours and accessories. 6. Increasingly often new fashions are worn on the street before they are seen on the catwalk. This study is so interesting because it demonstrates that German fashion has its own identity. It is not defined in the design studio, but in everyday life. Fashion is seen as a means of personal expression. Contemporary German fashion focuses on independent designs that catch the spirit of the 21st century. Rather than focusing on sophisticated ladies, today it is aimed at job nomads, emancipation and reconciling a family and a career. The focus is on “urban wear”. This new fashion future is primarily found in Berlin. “Ostentation is embarrassing here, because harmony should prevail between clothing and wearer,” writes Klaus Heine, member of academic staff at the Technical University Berlin, in a study.
Germany is better known for its leading role in fashion as a consumer product. With sales of 59.9 billion euros, the country is the second largest market in the world and has one of the most powerful clothing industries. With a turnover of 19.2 billion euros, the German textiles and clothing industry is Germany’s second largest consumer sector – after the food industry. It is based on small and medium-sized privately owned businesses, but these are often owned by international private equity firms. Just as Germany has frequently provided new impulses in many fields of art and culture, the time would now appear right for doing the same in the world of fashion. It is therefore important to take the – apparently – frivolous seriously. And to unite the previously strictly separated perspectives of fashion as commercial and cultural goods in order to strengthen both – for the benefit of creative designers and businessp eople and, not least, their customers.
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April / May 2010
1860 - German football club TSV 1860 München is founded. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and has played a total of 20 seasons in the top flight.
Masquerade Ball at the Rheinischer Verein By: Hans Wolf P.R. & Webmëister, Rheinischer Verein
What a fantastic evening! What a show! Where do I start? In my short 8 years with the Rheinischer Verein, this is one of the most exciting Masquerade Ball-Karneval events I have participated in! Yes, there were almost 1,000 of us “Karnevalisten” partying, still a mix of ‚suits,‘ but also a good mix of youthful party animals. I arrived with two animals (Wolf & Fuchs) dressed as biker chicks. The Rosemont Convention Center Ballroom was decked out, the Elferrat was policin‘ the doors and President Reinhard Richter was covering all bases. The Phenix and Paloma, set up sideby-side, all controlled by the Wagner’s sound system. The evening started with Prinz Joseph and Prinzessin Debbie being wheeled in on the Narrenschiff, “Ship of Fools” float. The new LED strobe-lights I had installed on the float of course did not work and I could not fix them with 100 people on, in and around the float!
In true tradition, the Prinzenpaar was maneuvered in, pushed by the mysterious looking Elferrat and accompanied by Karneval music by the Phenix. The entire procession, looking like a concept of the Wizard of Oz, paraded into the ballroom. The Fanfaren Drum and Bugle Corps, the PrinzenGarde, as well as the Amazonen, all followed. Cornell Erdbeer, Master of Ceremonies, introduced everyone, including Prinzessinen and Königinnen of different clubs and then the “Schunkel - Show” started. The “Paparazzi” was everywhere, trying to “steal” my spots to take pictures, but were unsuccessful. The music was outstanding, the Phenix giving us traditional Karneval tunes and the enlarged Paloma band, looking and sounding like a Caribbean Calypso band. Good job Erik Freiberger, we need to upgrade our music as well as our events. Good grief, maybe finally we are learning to put on a good show and enjoy it at the same time? The initial Masquerade parade was as busy as our toll way ride into the
city (bumper to bumper.) A couple of hundred revelers revolved around in costume, I think for some of them it was their natural look. A broad variety of costumes made it very challenging for the judge to select the winners. It could have been a hung jury, but cooler heads prevailed. The Chipmonks took top prize „because there were so many of them,” about 25? One of the roller skating girls kept falling (in the winners circle) but she always got up again. Oozing with tradition, the Fanfaren and Amazonen precision dancers’ performance was outstanding. The enthusiasm of the crowd made it even more exciting. President Reinhard Richter made notable mention of Erika Brokerhoff, (“Mother Superior,”) who recently passed away. She was one of the hardest working club-members and promoters of Karneval in the USA. Not to miss out on any of the action, we danced to the Paloma’s new music ranging from Schunkeln to Calypso. The dance floor was full at all times with young and old enjoying
themselves. The sound system added to the “Stimmung” and gave it that extra “Schwung.” Kudos to the Vorstand to hire the Wagner sound system. Many left this wonderful event somewhat exhausted from Aufbau and partying. Next is Rosenmontag and Fat Tuesday.
Weiberfastnacht: Women’s Karneval Night By: Hans Wolf P.R. & Webmëister, Rheinischer Verein
Sloshing down the Kennedy Expressway, I arrived fashionably late (it was traffic) to the Rheinischer Verein “Weiberfastnacht” event held at the Klubhaus. Parking on the street became a treasure hunt, the snow had eliminated some spots and others were occupied by old furniture. The RV Klubhaus was full of “Weiber” (women dressed as men) and Girly Men (men dressed as women). Cross dressing is the tradition and many party revelers went all out. There was even a scuffle over seating arrangements. The Prinzen Garde, under the direction of Cristel Valentine, was in charge, infusing youthful exuberance to a difficult to maintain traditional event. For the event, a new “Weiberfastnacht Prinzenpaar” was unveiled. In fact Princess ‘Andy’ looked rather attractive and was selected by the Prince from a bevy of (beefy) Girly Men,dressed as women. Potential candidate Princess ‘Eric’ did look a bit rough and apparently did not even shave. Consequently he was not elected.
Who dat? Girly Men Reinhard, Reinholt, Helmut and Gustav went all out. I heard complaints about chafing, itching and uncomfortable high heels. Ironically, when the call was out to produce a condom to collect a prize, Girly Man Reinholt, very cleverly popped a balloon and claimed his prize in his high heels… No one else responded. Two Chippendales (Fanfaren,) all buffed with rabbit ears, pushed around a bar-cart and became the darlings of picture takers. The Prinzen Garde put on a good, lively dance show, backed by the Paloma band, under the direction of Eric Freiberger. It was great “Stimmung,” supported by the fact that Mayfest was voted “Best Festival in Chicago” by Metromix. In all this commotion the Fanfaren marched into an already packed Klubhaus, while Joe Matuschka sang ‘Einmalam Rhein’.,What a fun evening - it can’t get any better than this . I was trying to fit in, taking pictures for the website and observe “das Narrenfolk,” It was great to see this traditional event being rejuvenated. Why? Because it’s Karneval!
Visit Online At: MardiGrasChicago.com
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Springtime is upon us and our energy is back! The office is in full swing wrapping up our dues drive for 2010 and preparing for a lot of fun new things, including our internship program, which will be ongoing this year and include the areas of Marketing and Advertising, Grant Writing, Graphic Design, and the German-American Journal. Please see dank.org for more information or write to me at amelia@dank.org if you or anyone you know may be interested. The hours and schedules for these internships (or volunteering opportunities for nonstudents) are quite flexible! I also wanted to take a moment to talk briefly about information collected from chapters and members here in the National Office. I just want to share with you that all information, unless otherwise specified, is confidential and used for the purpose of good record keeping or to contact you in case we have important information to share with you. No one, aside from office staff and the National President, has access to your records at any time, nor is your contact information ever given out, emailed, or mailed to anyone who is not your chapter, regional or national officer.
Chapters, you may also specify at any time what information, if any, may be used for public relations or in the Chapters section of the national website. Remember, you also have to submit your calendar of events to Stephen Fuchs separately to have it placed in the website’s Events section. His email is Stephen@foxtaleedit.com and there is an event submission form available on the website. My greatest concern is to be able to help the chapters through positive public relations and establishing a stronger bond of solidarity between us. For example, if someone calls looking for a chapter, event, or DANK school in your area, I’d like to be able to give them a general contact number or email where they can reach a chapter representative. Also, I need current information for our database to make sure that the right people get the right mailings throughout the year. Any time you have questions about the kind of information we collect or what we use it for, please feel free to call me or email me. As always, please take advantage of the ways your National Office can help you.
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1987 - 19-year-old West German pilot Mathias Rust evades Soviet Union air defenses and lands a private plane in Red Square in Moscow. He is immediately detained and is not released until August 3, 1988.
Are You Do i n g Yo u r Par t? If you recall last year I asked our membership what they were doing to make this organization, the only national organization representing Americans of Germanic ancestry, relevant and vital by being active at both the chapter and national level. This of course included making sure YOU renewed your membership in a timely fashion, so as not to have us send out membership renewal reminders after reminders. Plus through our “JUST ADD ONE” campaign, we wanted to challenge our membership to assist in recruiting new members. As noted in that article, there can be no discussion of membership without recognizing our existing members and the need to have you actively involved in the value and focus of this organization as well as ongoing recruitment at the local level. Ultimately it will be those members and chapters who will help grow this organization in conjunction with the new programs we introduced on a national basis such as travel, merchandizing and membership services. While some of our organizational efforts have paid off, the issue of improving our overall membership numbers continues to be disappointing. It is with this reality, I must again stress that the most critical step is to have all of our existing members renew their membership. Equally important is for all of you to follow through on our effort of “JUST ADD ONE” campaign, which challenges each one of our members to solicit one new member to your chapter or perhaps some family member/friend residing somewhere other than your own area, that could help be the foundation of new chapters. We all know persons of Germanic heritage or individuals who appreciate the activities that your chapter may provide, who, if approached to consider joining your chapter, would give serious consideration. So take pride in your organization and make that effort. Since our effort to get new members utilizing our own membership seems to be
failing, a true area of concern, the board will be undertaking a new effort to increase membership by an active campaign geared to possibly creating new chapters beyond the current effort. Under discussion is a plan for DANK to participate in major German oriented festivals throughout the country to see if we can use that venue to get the word out about DANK and possibly find new members and establish new chapters. This of course will be both a major undertaking financially as well as manpower since we will need members willing to possibly volunteer to man the booths to be set up. Once a formal plan has been established, we will be seeking volunteers to consider donating two days at the sites in question, with the organization covering the cost of hotel expenses.. Think about your willingness to take a weekend out of your schedule and travel to a site to man a booth promoting DANK. The targeted sites should be announced by the June/July edition of the Journal with sign up options provided. One of the areas that have been successful is the sub-chapter focus. As you will read in this newspaper, the first sub-chapter created within DANK will be going independent by May 1, 2010. The Pittsburgh Mason-Dixon sub-chapter will become the newest chapter and will be known as the Uniontown Chapter, with the chapter number yet to be determined. Work is also progressing to see if the closed Kenosha-Racine chapter can be resurrected into a sub-chapter and connected to one of the existing chapters in that area. If you believe in your German heritage, you can help by renewing your membership, get friends and neighbors to consider joining, consider becoming more active in both local and national efforts despite your busy life style. Finally, if you have some extra funds, even if just $10 or $20, consider a donation to our Membership Drive, so we can do more outreach, advertising the organization and participate in heritage festivals, which could help spread the word about DANK. Thank you /Danke Scheon!
Advertise Your Business Here Discounted Rates Available to Chapters & Associate Members
Contact Amelia Cotter National Office Manager (888) USA-DANK Fax: (773) 275-4010 office@dank.org
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
DANK Education Fund Continues to Meet Federal Guidelines By: Erik Wittmann DANK Education & School Fund Board Member
As you may have noticed when you received your 2010 dues renewal statement, this year we did not list the DANK Education Fund as one of the donation options as we have in past years. This was not due to any lack of support by the DANK Board of the Education Fund or the meaningful work performed by them and the other two education Funds working to support German language/ cultural programs including our own DANK Schools and adult language courses offered by some of our chapters. It is this strong support and need to further develop educational opportunities that caused the Board to see if it could coordinate a effort to have the existing funds join forces to better serve both the education programs operated by DANK and those of other existing language/cultural programs operated by the community at large. While this effort is being undertaken we realized that our membership perhaps was wondering what caused this failure to list the fund as a possible donation option. With this in mind the Education Funds requested that the JOURNAL assure our membership that all of the funds are in good standing with the IRS ( as documented in the letter published showing the ongoing status of the DANK
Education Fund) and are more than willing to accept donations while the merging of the funds is being worked on. We also realized that while this process of attempting to integrate the different funds was occurring the needs of both the DANK programs as well as the general community who may teach German linage courses through public school program still had a need which needed to be addressed. So as not to stop past fundraising on behalf of the DANK Education Fund during the aforementioned efforts and in order to allow groups to access current resources please feel free to both donate the fund should you be supportive of the efforts the fund supports. Additionally if you are aware of a group be it a chapter that runs a German language program or a local school district/university or college which you feel may need assistance, funds from the Education Fund can be accessed by submitting a funding request. Now of course the fund has limited resources and is dependent on our membership to replenish the funds in order to carry out the mission of the Education Fund. Many of our members may not know that while the Education Fund carries the DANK name and has DANK members serve on the Education Fund Board; the Fund is a separate entity from the DANK organization. This
separation is necessary in order for the fund to maintain its status as a 501(c)(3). So if you wish to donate to the fund, you can send a separate donation made out to the DANK National Education Fund and forward it to the National DANK office or to the DANK National Education & School Fund, 2608 Manchester Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62704. Of course members can bequest funds in their wills to both the National organization as well as the DANK Education fund so that we can maintain assure for the vitality of DANK and the effort to maintain German culture and German language programs for years to come. Don’t forget donations to the Education Fund may be deductible on your federal income tax return. Please consult with your accountant to assure your eligibility. We will keep our membership informed both on the progress of the efforts to integrate the three Funds ( the DANK Education Fund, the German American Education Fund and the Fox Valley Gates Education Fund) and will publish in the June/July edition, a donation form as well as a format interested parties need to utilize to request funds. This will include the requirements and the nature of the activities the fund supports. Let’s keep the teaching of the German language alive by supporting our educational endeavors.
Volunteering... What DANK Is All About By: Donna J. Lippert DANK National 2nd Vice President
Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer at our local soup kitchen in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It started out on a Monday at the credit union I work for, they asked if I could help and I said “Great! This will be my first time to volunteer at the soup kitchen.” I then proceeded to contact my husband, Reinhard, to ask him to help out since another volunteer would be needed. The menu for the day, consisted of scalloped potatoes and ham, green beans, rolls and delicious desserts, all made by my co-workers at the credit union. Around 100 people were served and everyone that came thanked us for “making their day”. Most of the people that visit the soup kitchen usually only eat
one meal a day. What really brightened my day were the warm smiles from the faces of those we served. I would like to quote Darlene Fuchs’ story in the December 2009/January 2010 edition of the German American Journal “Volunteering is not just good for the one who gets the help, but for the one who gives it too. Just go out there and help someone in need as it gets your mind off of your own pain/troubles and forces you to count your blessings”. And, remember that DANK National was founded based on “volunteering” and this means doing great deeds at your chapter without receiving any monetary gain. Each DANK chapter member should consider “volunteering” their time and should not expect to receive any “financial gain” from it. Get out and consider volunteering today.
Focus On Serving Your Community In 2010
By: Darlene Fuchs
While there are a multitude of opportunities to serve with organizations throughout your community, we would like to encourage you to think outside of the box and come up with your own ideas. Here you will find some of our “Focus on Serving” ideas to help get you started. We would love to hear your ideas and/or how it turned out! Please send an article to the Journal Editor with photos and tell us about it. Everyone young and old, as a chapter, family, or individual, can find an hour or two this next year to do a “Focus on Serving” project. We encourage each of you to make a difference in your community. Make sure to send a press release to your local media, prior to and after your service project, so that you get recognition. Let us show the towns we live in that DANK and the German organizations continue to make positive contributions throughout the United States. Our communities will not know we care until we show them by example that we do care.
Tutor a student in need Baby-sit for a single parent Help someone learn how to read Shovel driveways for those who can’t Make and deliver meals to a single parent Make a gift basket for someone who is unemployed Make up a gift bag and deliver it to a neighbor in need Host an international student at your home or a special event Do a food drive in your neighborhood or at your chapter function Contact a school and ask if there is a project you or your chapter could do Visit the elderly in nursing homes. Play music, talk, play games, dance, sing, pray... Identify an elderly person in need & help with repairs, cleaning, or surprise them with a meal
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50 Years Of History: Celebrated By DANK Milwaukee By: Ronald Kabitzke
On January 31, 1960 a group of 40 German Americans got together to discuss their desire to have an organization that would represent the German American interest at all three levels of government. From this meeting came the third chapter within the D.A.N.K. organization and the first chapter in Wisconsin. The Chapter received its Charter from the State of Wisconsin and was incorporated on June 21, 1960. The membership grew and our chapter prospered. Membership meetings, gatherings and dances became the routine of Milwaukee’s social calendar. The Milwaukee Chapter started other chapters in Wisconsin. At one time there were as many as nine chapters in Wisconsin. The German American National Congress is the only organization where participation in the American non-partisan political life is practiced. Many of our presidents and members have attended conferences and meetings promoting our goals in the city, the state and in Washington, D.C. In 1987, the German American Joint Action Committee, consisting of our German American National Congress, the Steuben Society of America and the United German American Committee of the U.S.A. organized the national observance of German American Day. They were instrumental in obtaining the Congressional Resolutions and Presidential Declarations proclaiming October 6 as German American Day. Since 1964 the Milwaukee Chapter also
crowned a young lady as the Miss DANK Milwaukee Queen. For many years our chapter has hosted the Miss DANK USA Pageant. Our own chapter has had 5 of its 34 Miss DANK Milwaukee Queens move on to become Miss DANK USA. Both locally and on the national level, the crowning of a queen has been discontinued. On September 26, 1971 the DANK Milwaukee Chapter fulfilled its goal of conducting a German Language School. Initiated by Vice President Oskar Grossman, the DANK Schule began with an enrollment of 24 students. The first classes were held at the Bavarian Inn. Mrs. Basler was the first teacher. Soon after, Marianne Trivalos became the school’s director with a staff of five teachers. The school relocated to the Albright United Methodist Church at 5555 West Capitol Drive. Years later it moved to Zion Lutheran Church at 12012 West North Avenue. More than 1350 students attended the school in the years that it was in operation. It continued into the 1990’s. Because there was no one willing to step forward to chair the school, it ceased operation after 27 years. The DANK Folk Dancers had their beginning in 1973 and today it has many engagements and is still active. The group has performed at festivals, churches, nursing homes, schools and on stage at German Fest. In 1984 the dancers performed for Vice-President Bush. In 1980 then Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier was a special guest at our chapter’s 20th anniversary celebration. In his speech he issued a challenge to the German
community to begin an annual German festival. He asked our Milwaukee DANK Chapter to take the lead. In January, 1981 German Fest, Inc. was issued a charter. The original 5 members were Walter Geissler, Chairman, Marianne Trivalos, Kaspar Peters, Rolf Hoffmann and Anton Siladi. The first German Fest was held on August 14-16 1981. DANK members have held key positions with German Fest during the 30 years of its existence. The best way to describe Milwaukee’s German Fest is “Often imitated but never duplicated.” In 1983 Inge Stibbe convinced the chapter to sponsor a singing group within the chapter. Doris Mueller was the first
director. Roland and Martin Stibbe provided the guitar accompaniment. The DANK Folk Singers began as a ladies singing group and later added a men’s section. In 1999 the name was changed to the Milwaukee DANK Chor. Also started in 1983 was our Chapter’s own youth group. The youth group was called the Zukunft Gruppe. Anni Hammermeister’s son Wolfgang was the first president of the youth group. Adeline Kraenzler was elected as the Region’s President for the National DANK, representing the region at the executive board meetings. She served in the mid 1990’s and retired in 1996 from that position. The past few years have seen changes in the way our DANK Milwaukee Chapter provides help for German language education. Since we no longer have our own school, we now aid our area schools with gifts of computers, providing resources for teachers and students and with cash grants to teachers of the German language and culture. We are still promoting our German heritage through dance and song throughout the Milwaukee area with every opportunity made available to us. Our group is still very active at German Fest, the annual German American Day, Christmas concerts and much more. In all, it has been a very interesting 50 years of growth and change.
Join DANK Online
Joining DANK is now even easier than before. Complete the entire membership process online. DANK currently accepts all major credit cards when you use our web site to apply for your membership. Just Visit:
www.dank.org/membership.html
Today!
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
From the Frozen Erie Shore of Lake Erie By: Beverly Pochatko
After an 18 year absence of an actual party celebrating Fasching, the members decided to try it once more. Erie is known for its unpredictable weather, both, summer or winter. Our first (and last) Fasching Party was held 17 years ago when our club was two years old! We had a live band, food for 100 people, decorations – the works! We looked forward to our first big bash and then it happened – we were socked with a major snow storm. The hall/caterer and band would not let us off the hook, so we went on as planned. Tom Davis (in a gorilla costume) and his friends arrived from Meadville, PA (a 45-minute drive in good weather), in addition to the Chapter’s Board plus two other members. We stayed and ate as much as we could, but eventually gave up. Our treasury was pretty much wiped out, paying for our obligations. Any future references to a mid-winter party were quickly squashed! This year the members wanted to try it again and so
we did. We moved our date a week ahead because of Ash Wednesday. The weather did not let us down – it did exactly what it did all those years ago. This time we had a 9”+ snowfall, starting the night before! The decorating committee put up the Fasching Flag, decorated the tables with beads, horns, regal crowns and the Jester’s wands in bud vases. Garlands decorated the table that held the three types of homemade Fastnacht Kuechen, made by Margaret Potocki and Bev Pochatko and the coffee. The party went on as scheduled and twenty-four of our members arrived in costume, ready to have a good time. New member, Don Cowey, was our DJ for the evening and he had most everyone up and dancing/participating throughout the evening. His lovely wife Heidi enjoyed getting the ‘March’ going to everyone’s delight. Unfortunately for us, members Roland and Janice Zuschlag (who hail from Meadville, PA) were unable to get to the party as they had much more snow than we did. A folk dancer, Roland, was prepared to teach us a simple folk dance that evening. A 50/50 drawing was
Winterfest and Wir Sprechen Deutsch
By: Christine Weiss The tradition starts in January with our first get together at Gunter and Erika Kison’s house. When it’s bitter cold and snow is covering the ground, it is nice to share an afternoon with good friends, in a warm house, complimented by a hot bowl of soup and tasty deserts. That afternoon was very special for me. Our members surprised me with a large DANK pin to show their appreciation for being president all these years and keeping our group together. It made me feel really great and I would like to return my thanks to all of you for doing your part in our group. I feel that we are a good team. “Wir sprechen Deutsch” that was the title of our DANK function in February. The event took place at Christine Weiss’ home on February the 13th. With winter still upon us and nothing to do outside, it was the perfect time to get together and talk a little German. While some members were under the weather and others in sunny Florida, our small group had lively
conversations in German. It made us realize that different regions of Germany use words familiar to all of us, but they can adopt completely different meanings. When Christa was telling us about Berliner Pfannenkuchen, we were thinking more about the French crepe. Later we found out she was talking about what we call Kreppel, or Fassnachtskrapfen. Our time together was actually a real learning experience and we shall do it again. In March we will go to the movie. The Cinema from the DeBartolo Performing Arts (Notre Dame,) will show the movie “White Ribbon” or “Das Weisse Band” in its original language. This German movie was nominated for a Golden Globe as the best foreign language film. “Brace yourself for a brooding mystery, wrapped in an unsettling account of malice and repression in a small German village. It is 1913 and this appears to be a place where individuals live in harmony with the land and each other. Then sinister incidents start to happen”
Lori Hirtzel, Tammy Altman, James von Loewe, Ursel Altman
held and won by Carol Wunner, who so graciously donated the money back for the good of the Chapter. The night wore on and everyone had a great time as you can see from the pictures. Even after the music stopped, many remained to just talk. The Chapter is once again sponsoring a German American History Contest for junior and senior high school students. There is a $100 first prize and $50 second prize in each division. Each student will receive a Certificate of Participation. The winner will be announced at the May meeting of the Chapter. April is the month we celebrate our Anniversary – the day we were founded, although we were not formally charted until January of 1991. This marks our 20th year of being a member of DANK. At our dinner celebration, we will also have the ‘Adoption Ceremony’ for those members who wish to become a member of the “Schmidt Family”. There will be good food, music and dancing!
Alaaf Helau in Frankfort, IL By: Marianne L. Dietz
South really knows how to throw a party! People who have never been here Fasching kicked off in Frankfort with don’t know what they are missing!” The a full house. People from all areas of Germanic Heritage Center was decorated Germanic heritage gathered together and in festive Fasching style with several “schunkled” to the musical entertainment dozens of balloons and beads scattered of the Johnny Wagner Band. The throughout the facility. Prinz Joseph and cheers of “Alaaf Helau” were heard Prinzessin Debbie really proved there can throughout the evening as many toasted be “Unity in the German Community”. the Karneval season. A large contingent We would like to thank all who attended from the Rheinischer Verein were greatly and helped make our Fasching a success. welcomed when their party bus arrived. We also would like to extend a warm As usual, the volunteer kitchen staff welcome to those who wish to visit us in prepared homemade ethnic specialties, the future. “Alaaf Helau, Ein Prosit and to everyone’s delight, while the volunteer Gesundheit” to all! bar staff kept quenching drinks flowing all night long. First-time guests came For more pictures, visit our website at: to the ‘South Side’ and stated, “DANK www.dankchicagosouth.org
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Keeping Busy Milwaukee Style By: Ronald Kabitzke
The Milwaukee DANK Dancers have finished a very busy season after performing at German Fest, neighborhood October Fests, and nursing homes. Our dancers were well received at all nine events. The DANK Chor has been busy as well by singing at the Milwaukee United German Choruses annual Christmas concert, our Christmas party, and at the Benediction Lutheran Church Gottesdienst. They are now preparing for their annual concert, which is on April 17, 2010, at Sacred
Heart Parish, located at 917 North 49th St., Milwaukee. The concert is part of the Milwaukee DANK Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. It includes a sing-a-long and plenty of dancing. This event begins at 6 pm with a dinner and recognition of our DANK Milwaukee members. The evening concludes with dancing to Gunther’s Goodtime Band. The cost is only $30 per person. Our recent Milwaukee DANK/Bavarian Soccer Club Mardi Gras, at the Bavarian Inn, drew more than 260 people. Prizes
1st place couple, Phyllis & Khay Khong
Milwaukee DANK Dancers
were awarded for the best costumes. The dancing looked very different, with the crowd all dressed up in so many different costumes which concealed their identity, and was at times a real spectacle to watch. The first place singles winner was the Jolly Green Giant – Michael Dittman. The first place couples winners were Phyllis & Khay Khong. Phyllis borrowed the mask from her sister, who is in the US Air Force stationed at Ramstein AFB Germany. Her sister got the mask at the Carnival in Venice last year. Nine members of our DANK Chor will
be joining over 1,200 other singers at the 60 Nationales Sängerfest, April 9 – 11, in San Antonio, TX. There will be men, ladies, and mixed choirs singing for each other on Friday and then for the general public on Saturday. To hear the harmony of that many voices is an exceptional treat to the ears.
Michael Dittman asThe Jolly Green Giant
DANK Chapter Lake County, IL Karneval An Evening Of Nonstop Fun And Clowning Around By: Ursula Hoeft
DANK Chapter Lake County, Illinois held its Karneval celebration at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest on February 6. The fun began at 6:11 sharp and continued nonstop through the evening.
Best Costume Winners L-R: Jerry & Cori Schliephake, Bill & Ingrid Mikuliza, Alexandra Pradella-Ott & Herbert Pluntke.
Cori and Jerry Schliephake, DANK Chapter Fox Valley members, were prepared to do some “serious” clowning around. Among those also taking part in the merrymaking were Carmen Miranda and her mustached tall, dark and handsome Latin escort, also known as (a.k.a.) Ingrid and Bill Mikuliza, Sir Lancelot and the lovely Queen Guinevere, a.k.a. Brigitte and the Rev. Richard Käske, DANK Chapter Lake County, Illinois Board members, and the suave, pipesmoking seaman, Herbert Pluntke. The Fasching spirit was infectious. Even the stately Statue of Liberty, a.k.a. Alexandra Pradella-Ott, and Ernst Ott, Honorary DANK National President, joined in the fun. A “tattoo artist,” a.k.a. Cobi Stein, Chapter President, direct from the famous French Quarter, was on hand, too, for those daring enough to have themselves decorated with Karneval designs that she promised were guaranteed to last “no longer than two years.” But it wasn’t only the fun they knew they’d have that brought folks to the Chapter’s Karneval celebration. Delicious home-made German food, prepared by Board member Anni Kordas, Honorary Chapter President Victor Kordas, and Harry Kordas was a big draw too, as were
the scrumptious desserts baked by Chapter members. Capable bar tenders Werner Stein and Greg Hoeft, Chapter Vice Presidents, made sure no one was thirsty, and music provided the Walter Flechsig band kept the dance floor full.
“Tattoo artist” Cobi Stein working her magic on Rosie Schmidt.
Auf Wiedersehen to Chapter Laporte, Indiana Gone But Not Forgotten By: Donna J. Lippert
The Laporte chapter was originally incorporated in September 1964 with nine officers and seven directors. Unfortunately, due to a declining in the
membership of their chapter, their Board of Directors made a decision to dissolve the chapter in December 2009. DANK National 2nd Vice President and her husband, Reinhard Lippert, were present with the Laporte Chapter members as current President Rudy Schloesser gave a brief history of what has happened since
LaPorte’s Board
1964, when the chapter was founded. He reflected on the many events, parties, and picnics that have gone on, and reflected on the past officers who put so much of their time in keeping the chapter so active. While the chapter itself has closed, two of its members have decided to join the Chapter in Laporte; other members are transferring to the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph DANK chapter, while still others will join the South Bend DANK Chapter. Region Two President, Donna J. Lippert, congratulated Rudy and Hilde Schloesser as well as their board officers and their members for their hard work and dedication over the years in keeping the German-American heritage alive. The DANK National Board is also very proud of what the Laporte DANK chapter has accomplished over the years. The Laporte DANK chapter was also present at the DANK 50th Anniversary party held in November 2009 in Tinley Park Illinois. Rudy and Hilde Schloesser were
presented with a monetary gift from all DANK Chapters in Region Two as a “thank you” for their many years of “hard work and dedication” that they put into their chapter. Rudy and Hilde Schloesser will continue to remain active by attending events at the South Bend DANK and the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph DANK chapters.
Rudy Schloesser
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1780 - The University of Münster in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany is founded. It is the leading university in Germany in terms of CEO alumni in Top500 companies, is Germany’s third largest university and one of the foremost centers of German intellectual life.
American Assoc. of Teachers of German By: Helene Zimmer-Loew AATG Executive Director
The purpose of the AATG is to advance and improve the teaching of the language, literatures, and cultures of the Germanspeaking countries by supporting its members with educational and professional services, publishing journals and newsletters, supporting research in the field of German studies, and advocating the language among the American public. The AATG was founded in 1926 by college and high school teachers in the Metropolitan New York area. Because the Spanish teachers organization (AATS) was founded in 1917, and the French were planning their association for 1927, there was motivation to form an association for teachers of German. On December 18, 1926, the first meeting of the organizers took place at Columbia University with representatives of both the pre-collegiate and post-secondary leadership. The
constitution was published in 1927 and the German Quarterly in January 1928. Since its founding, AATG has had a strong tradition of supporting teachers of German from pre-kindergarten to graduate programs in American universities. Today there are 61 chapters (1 in Europe) which hold at least two meetings a year, often engaging not only the teachers at all levels but also students in their activities and seminars. The AATG employs seven staff members and is located in its own offices in a Philadelphia suburb, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 1997 the Endowed Scholarship Fund was established. To date, AATG members, chapters, and several organizations outside the profession have donated close to $350,000, the dividends from which have already funded 15 students to study and live with families in Germany for part of the summer. A second endowment “Friends of AATG” was also established to support the AATG administrative infrastructure.
Some programs which the AATG offers for its secondary school students include... The National German Examination and awards program
Each year over 25,000 students participate in this program. Winners of 44 travelstudy grants to Germany are chosen based on their competence and interpersonal skills. The German government through its Pedagogical Exchange Service (PAD) provides a no-expense three week program at a Gymnasium, living with a family for these students. In addition, most chapters have extensive prize programs with receptions, luncheons and dinners for the top winners.
The German summer study program
Each year over 100 students participate in the three-week summer program where they study German and live with families in Germany. This program is arranged and managed by the PAD in Bonn with AATG serving as the American facilitator. The National German Honor Society
There are over 1000 active chapters. A full scholarship for the summer study program is available to one of many candidates from these chapters.
Prestigious Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and the Arts
Awarded To AATG Executive Director Helen Zimmer-Lowe Source: www.aatg.org With great pride, AATG announces the awarding of the the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and the Arts, one of Austria’s highest honors, to our Executive Director, Helene Zimmer-Loew. As anyone who has ever had the privilege
of working with her knows, Helene is truly a tireless advocate for the German language and culture, for teachers of German, and for study abroad. We are extremely pleased that she has been recognized and honored by the Austrian government for her efforts it is indeed well-deserved!
Some major activities which the AATG administers each year to support its approx. 5500 members include... 1. Promoting the highest quality of the teaching and research of the language, literatures, and cultures of the German-speaking world, and expanding teaching and research at all levels of and in all settings. AATG offers the services of professional development consultants to chapters and to individual members. Over 2,000 AATG members at all levels participate each year in these workshops and summer sessions which take place in Austria; Germany, and various locations in the United States. Topics include business German, teaching methodology, children and youth literature, intensive language development and intercultural competence. In addition, AATG offers many classroom-ready print and audiovisual materials at low or no cost to our members. AATG publishes the German Quarterly, a literary and philological journal; die Unterrichtspraxis, a twiceyearly pedagogical journal; and the Newsletter four times annually. There is also an awards program for outstanding teachers and authors.
2. Defining and promoting the highest standards for teachers and learners of the language, literatures and cultures of the German-speaking world. AATG, as a leading member of the Foreign Language Standards Collaborative has been involved in the development of K-16 student standards, professional standards for the accomplished teacher of German through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, standards for the entry level teaching licenser, and the accreditation of teacher education standards through the National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
AATG continues to conduct its annual meeting with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and is an affiliate of the Modern Language Association, the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations, the Joint National Committee on Languages, the Foreign Language Standards Collaborative, and the Internationaler Deutschlehrerverband. The association also works closely with the embassies and foreign offices of the German-speaking countries, GoetheInstitut, German Academic Exchange Service, German Information Center, CDS International, Max Kade Foundation, and Checkpoint Charlie Foundation.
5. Communicating to policy makers and the public the rationale, substance and value of learning German as well as the conditions for effective language teaching and learning. In conjunction with the Goethe-Institut, AATG provides teachers with materials on public relations strategies, posters, a CD, brochures, and booklets and workshops on reasons for studying German.. We also write letters supporting the maintenance or initiation of German programs at all levels of instruction.
6. Maintaining and strengthening the structure of the Association and its communication with its members. We disseminate focused information mainly through the AATG website, a discussion listserv and a job listserv.
3. Emphasizing the importance and obligation of providing increased access to, and equity in, all German program offerings at al levels for all students, including those from multiracial, multicultural and multiethnic backgrounds and for students in diverse geographic settings. The Committee on Diversity (Alle lernen Deutsch) has been especially active with publications, summer workshops and seminars, and a website on the topic of diversity in the classroom and the diversity represented in the Germanspeaking countries.
Helene received the award Jan. 20, 2010 given by Austrian Cultural Forum New York Director Andreas Stadler and Deputy Director Martin Rauchbauer.
4. Fostering relationships within the language teaching profession, the teaching profession in general and the educational establishment at large.
AATG Executive Director Helene ZimmerLoew has served the association since 1985 and is the recipient of several awards including the Bundesverdienstkreuz Erste Klasse and the Austrian Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst as well as leadership awards from major national and regional language associations.
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“The Adventures of Oskar and Atticus” now has over 140 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: Oskar@dank.org or Atticus@dank.org
Oskar und Atticus fangen einen Außerirdischen! By: Amelia Cotter
Oskar and Atticus Capture a Space Alien! By: Amelia Cotter
Oskar and Atticus stood together on the street. The sun was shining and it was finally time to play outside a little bit longer. Many people were walking by. “Excuse me, armadillo,” they said to Oskar very nicely. Or, “Hey, a wombat. How interesting.” “Look, a python!” a little girl said and pointed to Atticus. “Careful, they’re poisonous!” said the mother and lead the child away. “What!” shouted Atticus. With an especially strong “von Snake” accent he spoke after her, “Girl, I am not a python. I am a corn snake and neither we nor pythons are poisonous!” “Calm down, Atticus,” said Oskar quietly. “It’s not that bad. This guy here just asked me if I came from Madagascar.” Atticus was still very frustrated. Such an insult to his family name. “Yes, Madagascar was a good movie. Come on, let’s go play finally.” Oskar and Atticus got off the street quickly and found themselves in a big park. They started to play. Atticus hid himself somewhere under a rock or in a hole in the ground, and Oskar had to find him. It was so much fun…Until the two saw something strange on the horizon. Oskar crouched in the grass next to Atticus. “What is it?” he whispered. The being was coming closer. Its whole body was white and it hissed loudly in the spring wind. “I can’t recognize the face,” Atticus whispered back. The animal’s body had two legs, but it looked as if, instead of walking normally, it just rolled itself over the ground. “I’m scared,” Oskar said. He was shaking and wanted to run away. “The creature makes such a terrible sound,” said Atticus. He looked at the animal very coldly. It was coming closer still. “I know what it is, Oskar.” “Me, too,” said Oskar and swallowed. “It’s a space alien! We have to save the world!” “Exactly! And we can only do that if we capture the thing right away!” “Right away!” With a sudden mixture of energy and courage Oskar jumped on the alien. Atticus slithered quickly to the two and stood in front of the alien, which had been made flat because Oskar was sitting right on him. “Tell us at once who you are and what
you are doing here on our planet!” The alien said nothing, only hissed in the wind. “A tough cookie you are, alien. Fine, then we’ll just take you back to our…um… laboratory.” “But Atticus,” Oskar whispered loudly, “we don’t have a laboratory.” “Be quiet, Oskar. Come on, we have to work quickly.” Atticus turned and started to slither home, and Oskar carried the alien in his mouth. It had such odd, flat skin, and didn’t struggle with Oskar at all. “When Dani finds out that we saved the whole world…” Atticus stated proudly and shook his head. Meanwhile, Dani was walking down the street looking for her two guys. She decided to search in the park, and finally saw their little faces in the distance. Oskar was carrying a plastic bag in his mouth. They met each other and Dani looked down at them both. “What do you have there, Oskar?” she asked and took the bag. They both looked very proud. “An alien, but you have to come with us to look for the UFO,” explained Oskar. “Yeah, that we haven’t found yet,” Atticus explained further. “Well done,” said Dani, without understanding them, of course. She took the bag and threw it into a yellow recycling container nearby. Oskar and Atticus watched in fear. “You guys are so responsible. You found a plastic bag and you wanted to recycle it. Recycling is very important. But you have to put the different items into the correct containers. In Germany, the yellow containers are for plastic, the blue ones are for paper, the brown ones are for biodegradables, and the grey ones are for the normal trash. You shouldn’t forget that.” Oskar and Atticus were completely confused and looked at Dani dumbfounded. It was so quiet in that moment that you could almost hear the crickets chirping in the background. After an eternity Atticus asked, “So did we really just save the world or not?” Oskar thought. “It seems…that we recycled something. Too bad, I was actually kind of excited that it was an alien.” Atticus said, “Yes, I know how much outer space interests you. But recycling is probably also interesting…Okay. Shall we then?” Oskar nodded enthusiastically. “Okay, let’s go home…To the laboratory!”
Oskar und Atticus standen zusammen auf der Straße. Die Sonne schien und es war endlich Zeit, draußen ein bisschen länger zu spielen. Viele Leute liefen vorbei. „Entschuldigung, Gürteltier“, sagten sie zu Oskar sehr freundlich. Oder auch: „Ach, ein Wombat, wie interessant.“ „Guck mal, eine Python!“, sagte ein Mädchen und deutete auf Atticus. „Vorsicht, sie sind giftig!“, sagte die Mutter und führte das Kind schnell weg. „Ach was!“, schrie Atticus. Mit einem besonderen starken „von Schlange“-Akzent erzählte er, „Mädchen, ich bin keine Python. Ich bin eine Kornnatter und weder wir noch Pythonschlangen sind giftig!“ „Ruhe, Atticus“, sagte Oskar leise. „Das ist Alles nicht so schlimm. Dieser Typ hier hat mich eben gefragt, ob ich aus Madagaskar komme.“ Atticus war immer noch sehr frustriert. So eine Beleidigung seines Familiennamens! „Ja, Madagaskar war ein schöner Film. Komm, lass uns endlich spielen.“ Oskar und Atticus gingen schnell von der Straße, hinüber in einen großen Park. Sie fingen an, zu spielen. Atticus versteckte sich irgendwo unter einem Stein oder in einem Loch im Boden und Oskar musste ihn finden. Das war ein Spaß! Bis die Beiden etwas Komisches am Horizont sahen. Oskar kauerte im Gras neben Atticus. „Was ist das?“, flüsterte er. Das Lebewesen kam immer näher. Es war weiß am ganzen Körper und zischte laut im Frühlingswind. „Ich kann das Gesicht nicht erkennen“, flüsterte Atticus zurück. Der Körper des Tieres hatte zwei Beine, aber es sah so aus, als ob das Tier anstatt normal zu laufen, einfach über den Grund rollte. „Ich habe Angst“, sagte Oskar. Er zitterte und wollte weg laufen. „Die Kreatur macht so ein furchtbares Geräusch“, sagte Atticus. Er guckte das Tier sehr kalt an. Es kam immer näher. „Ich weiß was es ist, Oskar.“ „Ich auch, “ sagte Oskar und schluckte. „Es ist ein Außerirdischer! Wir müssen die Welt retten!“ „Genau! Und das können wir nur machen wenn wir das Ding sofort fangen!“ „Sofort!“ Mit einer plötzlichen Mischung aus Mut und Energie sprang Oskar auf den Außerirdischen. Atticus schlitterte schnell zu den Beiden und machte vor dem Außerirdischen halt, der jetzt ganz flach geworden war, weil Oskar direkt auf ihm saß. „Sagen Sie jetzt sofort wer sie sind und
was Sie hier auf unserem Planet machen!“ Der Außerirdische sagte nichts, er zischte nur im Wind. „Ein harter Kerl sind Sie, Außerirdischer. Gut, dann nehmen wir sie mit zu unserem… äh…Labor.“ „Aber Atticus“, flüsterte Oskar, „wir haben kein Labor.“ „Halt den Mund, Oskar! Komm, wir müssen schnell arbeiten.“ Atticus drehte sich um, um nach Hause zu schlittern, und Oskar nahm den Außerirdischen in seinem Mund. Er hatte so komische flache Haut, und er kämpfte gar nicht mit Oskar. „Wenn Dani herausfindet, dass wir die ganze Welt gerettet haben…“, sagte Atticus stolz und schüttelte seinen Kopf. Derweil lief Dani die Straße entlang und suchte nach ihren zwei Jungs. Sie entschied sich, im Park zu suchen, and sah endlich ihre kleinen Gesichter in der Distanz. Oskar trug eine Plastiktüte im Mund. Sie trafen sich und Dani guckte die Beiden an. „Was hast du da, Oskar?“, fragte sie und nahm die Tüte von ihm. Die Beide sahen sehr stolz aus. „Einen Außerirdischen, aber du musst mitkommen, um das UFO zu finden“, erklärte Oskar. „Ja, das haben wir noch nicht gefunden“, erklärte Atticus weiter. „Guuut gemacht“, sagte Dani, ohne natürlich die Jungs zu verstehen. Sie nahm die Tüte und warf sie in eine gelbe Recyclingtonne in der Nähe. Oskar und Atticus schauten sie mit großen Augen an. „Ihr seid so verantwortlich. Ihr habt eine Plastiktüte gefunden und wolltet sie recyceln. Recyceln ist sehr wichtig. Aber man muss die verschiedenen Sachen in die richtige Tonne werfen. In Deutschland sind die gelben Tonnen für Plastik, die blauen für Papier, für Bio-Müll gibt es braune Tonnen und graue für normalen Abfall. Das solltet Ihr nicht vergessen.“ Oskar und Atticus waren vollkommen verwirrt und guckten Dani sprachlos an. Es war so leise in dem Moment, dass man fast die Grillen im Hintergrund zirpen hören konnte. Nach einer Ewigkeit frage Atticus, „Haben wir eben die Welt gerettet oder nicht?“ Oskar dachte. „Es scheint…dass wir etwas recycelt haben. Schade, ich habe mich eigentlich gefreut, dass es ein Außerirdischer war.“ Atticus sagte, „Ja, ich weiß wie viel der Weltraum dich interessiert. Aber recyceln ist bestimmt auch interessant…Gut. Sollen wir dann?“ Oskar nickte enthusiastisch. „Okay, nach Hause…Zum Labor!“
Earth Day is April 22 and just in time for the occasion, Oskar and Atticus caught an alien that tried to invade our planet! Dani taught them how to recycle their captive, which turned out to be an ordinary plastic bag. Dani knew all about recycling because she is German, and Germany produces over 30 million tons of garbage a year—which means that for Germans, recycling really is very important. Dani explains that trash is separated into certain containers, and she explains which color is for which type of item. Here in the US people often designate recycling bins with the triangular recycling symbol, and containers can be many different colors, but are mostly green or blue. This Earth Day, find something to recycle in and outside of your home, and do your part to make sure that the aliens don’t take over! A special thanks to Michael Randall for illustrating this issue!
In the next installment: Oskar and Atticus Fly to Germany! (Part I) /// In der nächsten Folge: Oskar und Atticus fliegen nach Deutschland! (Teil I)
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1955 - The German automaker Volkswagen, after six years of selling cars in the United States, founds Volkswagen of America in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey to standardize its dealer and service network.
Introducing The New ID Card Source: www.fraunhofer.de
iTunes Top 10 Song Downloads Taken: March 15, 2010
United States 1. Break Your Heart Taio Cruz 2. Nothin’ On You B.o.B 3. Hey, Soul Sister Train 4. Imma Be Black Eyed Peas 5. Need You Now Lady Antebellum 6. Baby Justin Bieber 7. Blah Blah Blah Ke$ha (feat. 3OH!3) 8. Carry Out Timbaland 9. In My Head Jason Derülo 10. Telephone Lady GaGa & Beyoncé
Germany 1. Satellite Lena Meyer-Landrut 2. Bee Lena Meyer-Landrut 3. Love Me Lena Meyer-Landrut 4. I Care for You Jennifer Braun 5. Alors on danse Stromae 6. Fight for This Love Cheryl Cole 7. Bee Jennifer Braun 8. TiK ToK Ke$ha 9. Replay Iyaz 10. Fireflies Owl City
Fraunhofer researchers are devising and facilitating technical systems for the use and security of the new digitally-readable personal identity card. At this year’s CeBIT, which took place March 2-6 in Hanover Germany, the experts demonstrate d the future of electronic and secure ID verification, including its application for online shopping and the telephone. By November 1, 2010 the ID card in use in Germany will be replaced by the new personal identity card, with builtin electronic identification and signature functions. At first glance, the new ID card differs from the old one only in form – it will be the same size and shape as an everyday debit card. But an RFID chip located on its inside stores the data that today can only be read optically from the document. The new cards can also be read wirelessly. To ensure that only authorized parties can access the data, their information on the card is protected by cryptography, and data is transmitted through a cryptographically secured protocol. These measures are intended to prevent access by unauthorized parties. The cardholder can personally designate who gets access to the data by means of a six-digit PIN. At the same time, government legislature regulates who may obtain access privileges. To do so, every service provider must apply for an authorization certificate from an official issuing agency, and demonstrate that it requires the information in order to conduct business. For individual citizens, this innovation comes with a whole series of advantages. With the new personal identity card, it will be possible to validate your identity on
# - Song Found On Both Lists
$
source: www.apple.com
Comparing Markets
the Internet by use of your personalized e-Identification (eID). Using the electronic identification function, individuals can initiate contact with public authorities or service providers right from their personal computers and use electronic data, to do online shopping, open an account, check into a hotel or play the lottery. Consumers can dispense with today’s electronic signature or any expensive procedures, like Germany’s PostIdent procedures. Each citizen can activate the eID function upon receipt of his identification card, and then use it with his assigned PIN. So that everything operates with technical impeccability, not only are the new ID cards needed, but also the infrastructure that guarantees their data security. To design, assemble and test them, the federal ministry of the interior, which is responsible for introducing the new personal identity cards, opted for four strong partners. Two of them are institutes of the FraunhoferGesellschaft: Fraunhofer’s FOKUS and the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT in Darmstadt. At CeBIT, SIT presented applications that demonstrate how to use the new personal identification card for verification when making a phone call through a VoIP connection, i.e., an Internet phone call. The design lets contact partners in VoIP telephone conversations mutually obtain authentication of each other, and allows for the confidential exchange of information by telephone. “Indeed, there have already been methods for both parties to establish identification on the phone,” explains Ronald Marx, “like recognizing voices, engaging the assigned telephone number, or other features from a database. These processes were frequently unreliable or unable to be deployed globally.” In the future, he explains, the online authentication function of the new personal identity card can be used for this purpose. Imagine, for example, an identity cardholder who wishes to access his bank’s telephone banking services via the call center, because he wants to expand his stock portfolio. By virtue of the indispensable confidentiality required to handle the subject matter of such discussions, mutual authentication and encryption is required. The bank offers the use of the eID function, since it is in their own best interest to have a reliable means
of identifying its customers and business partners. At the same time, it wants to be able to reliably provide evidence of its own identification. Now that process consists of three basic steps: Producing an encrypted direct line between customer and bank, transmitting the respective identification data, and finally, assigning both lines. The customer, on the one hand, enjoys the assurance that his contact partner is a bank employee. And the call center agent, in turn, knows with certainty that he is dealing with the actual customer. In the future, it should even be possible to identify oneself via cellphone. “To do so, you have to be able to read the RFID chip in the ID card with the cellphone,” explains Ronald Marx, who handles the project at SIT. “Once the identification is introduced, this function will eventually support more and more cellphones.”
More Change Is Coming It has been a little over a year since the current DANK.org design went online, and it featured the Blog and Forum. Well, we are undergoing an even larger update to the website that is going to include a huge amount of new features and enhancements. The goal is to get the new site launched in the Summer of this year! To get the latest information and to see a full detail image of the new design, head on over to our blog at: www.dank.org/blog and click on the Website Update category on the right side column.
DOW
DAX
2 month (Jan. 15, 2010 - Mar. 15, 2010)
2 month (Jan. 15, 2010 - Mar. 15, 2010)
2 Month Closing Range 10,609.65 - 10,642.15
2 Month Closing Range 5,875.97 - 5,903.56
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1885 - Gottlieb Daimler is granted a German patent for his engine design. Later, in 1890, he founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG). and the company sold their first automobile in 1892.
Green Tourism Protecting our climate and environment is playing an increasingly important role in tourism. In Germany, too, people are showing greater readiness to take environmentally friendly holidays. Whether ecohotels or holidays without a car, green tourism is popular and the products diverse By: Oliver Sefrin Eco-tourism in Germany already began 100 years ago in the Berchtesgaden Alps – on the emerald green waters of Königssee. Many tourists who want to discover the impressive national park landscape around the famous mountain lake in southeast Bavaria board pleasure boats for an environmentally friendly trip across the waters that reflect the mountain peaks of Jenner, Steinernes Meer and Watzmann. The vessels do not have noisy diesel engines or climate-damaging emissions that pollute the atmosphere. The Königsseeschifffahrt fleet of 18 electric boats uses gentle and quiet motors to transport some 500,000 tourists a year across the lake to visit sights like the world-famous Baroque pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomew. Admittedly, when Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria scrapped the old fleet of rowing boats a century ago and decided in favour of ships with electric motors, he was not concerned about protecting the climate. Today, however, the Königssee fleet is an important element when it comes to ecological tourism and ethical mobility in one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. After all, the resorts of Berchtesgaden and Bad Reichenhall are strong supporters of sustainable tourism, which they underline through their membership of a prize-winning association. They belong to Alpine Pearls, the partnership of 21 Alpine municipalities in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland that received the 2008 Ecotrophea international environmental award from the German Travel Association (DRV) for its exemplary commitment to environmental protection and tourism. A central element of the Alpine Pearls’ vacation philosophy is a contribution to nature conservation through sustainable mobility: tourists can travel to their destination by environmentally friendly means – by rail, for example – and get around the resort easily and cheaply with the aid of buses, shared taxis, trains or rented bicycles. Tourists can remain mobile in the Berchtesgaden region without a car because the Kurkarte, the card issued to overnight guests paying the local spa tax, entitles holders to travel free on regional trains. The Alpine Pearls example shows that climate and environmental protection are becoming increasingly important in tourism – and, according to the experts, Germany can act as an international role model in this area. “Germany was one of the pioneers of the debate on sustainable tourism and should also assume this role with regard to climate change and tourism,” says Edgar Kreilkamp, professor of tourism management at Lüneburg University. He has initiated a research project to investigate the links between climate change and sustainable tourism. International tourism is a growth sector that currently accounts for roughly 5% of global emissions of carbon dioxide, the climate-damaging greenhouse gas. The awareness of and readiness to use environmentally friendly travel is increasing in Germany. This is just one of the findings of WWF Germany in its study on the Tourist Climate Footprint 2009. A survey conducted for the study found that 43% of respondents said they intended to select a nearby holiday destination to reduce CO2 emissions
in future or had in fact already done so. Why not visit Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania instead of Majorca? When you take into account travel, accommodation, food and activities at the tourist destination, Germans who spend a vacation on the Baltic Sea coast leave a climate footprint of 258 kilograms of CO2 per person. That is only a fifth of the greenhouse gas released by a trip to the Balearic island. Although Germans consider this a popular holiday destination, in fact, their number one tourist country is Germany. Some 31% of all holiday trips in 2008 took them to resorts in their own country – preferably in the south, in Bavaria, or in the north, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the state with 1,900 kilometres of Baltic Sea coastline, the regional tourism association has developed an original idea to allow tourists to enjoy a carbon-neutral holiday: so-called forest shares. Tourists can support the growth of the first German climate forest with the symbolic purchase of a tree. When you buy a forest share for ten euros, a tree is planted that offsets the CO2 emissions produced by a four-person family during a two-week holiday. Tourists can also become active at tree plantings where they can plant the donated trees themselves. Some 7,500 forest shares have already been sold for six climate forests with a total area of 7.5 hectares. A reorientation towards environmentally friendly tourism is also discernible among tour operators and hotels in Germany. A pioneering role has been assumed by the Feldberger Hof in the Black Forest – Germany’s first climate-neutral hotel. Its management is relying on prudent use of energy and water and has gradually equipped the entire hotel with energy-saving devices. The old oil-fired heating system was also replaced by a stateof-the-art combined heat and power unit. The ecological
5 Easy Tips On How To Be Eco-Friendly During Your Stay
Turn off the lights, airconditioning, TV and other appliances when leaving your room.
Change towels every day produces unnecessary water and power usage for the hotel – use them for as long as possible.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. German tap water is so good that you can drink it. It is like pouring bottled water down the drain!
Showering uses less water than a bath.
German toilets have adjustable flushing according to your particular needs. Try it and save gallons of water!
Look out for certificates and labels that indicate an ecofriendly establishment. The “Viabono” website has a list of exclusively “green” accommodations.
www.viabono.de energy balance is extremely positive: 600 to 700 tonnes of CO2 and some 300,000 litres of heating oil can be saved every year. Deutsche Bahn, the German rail company, has taken another route. Its Destination Nature offer takes passengers to 17 German national parks, bioreserves and nature parks from the Wadden Sea to the Alps. Jointly with large environmental organizations like Nabu and BUND, Deutsche Bahn promotes these protected nature areas by encouraging excursions, cycling and hiking. The Viabono brand is another good example for sustainable tourism. Founded in 2001 on the initiative of the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency, it brings together some 350 hotels, vacation apartments, conference centres, camping sites, hostels, restaurants nature parks and tourist resorts in Germany. They are promoting sustainable travel in conjunction with other organizations involved in consumer protection and the environmental and tourism sectors. Some 140 tour operators – primarily in Germany, but also several based abroad – have joined together to form “forum anders reisen”, an association committed to sustainable forms of tourism. Together with Berlin-based company atmosfair GmbH, the association enables tourists to offset the climate gases produced during a flight. The money they pay for an atmosfair certificate is invested in renewable energy projects in developing countries. Similar activities are also carried out by Futouris, a sustainability initiative founded at the beginning of 2009 whose membership includes Germany’s largest travel groups, such as TUI and Thomas Cook. Whether it is the reafforestation of mangroves in Sri Lanka or support for wind energy in Turkey, Futouris is currently supporting 14 projects to promote nature conservation, environmental protection and biological diversity in tourist countries around the globe. © www.magazine-deutschland.de
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
ATLANTIS – A New Paradise Found
By: Audrey L. Hess-Eberle Euro Lloyd Travel Group/Chicago Lost in a shroud of mystery and myth, researchers have placed Plato’s Lost Continent of Atlantis, home of Poseidon, God of the Sea and Shaker of the Earth, to have been part of the Minoan civilization of Crete and Thera, Greece. Others have suggested sunken remnants of buildings found in the Azores off the coast of Portugal. Still others stretch the story so far as to suggest that the underwater ruins off the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas were Atlantean temples, streets and foundations. Resplendent in buildings of dazzling design, in a myriad of colors artfully blended to please the eye and spirit, Atlantis is said to have epitomized the blend of its unique natural beauty with man-made creations – a city whose land was linked by bridges across circles of water, brilliant gardens, flowering trees and sparkling fountains. Welcome to Atlantis – a resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. This family-friendly resort is founded on the theme of the Lost Continent of Atlantis, where 50,000 sea creatures swirl through 14 exhibit lagoons, from sharks, barracudas, stingrays to tropical fish, becoming the largest marine habitat in the world, second only to Mother Nature. Stretched across 63 acres of tropical gardens and lagoons along 3 miles of white
pristine beach, this spectacular resort offers a new dimension in resort life. Within 14 waterscape acres, there are 20 swimming areas including cascades of pools joined by waterslides, and more than 40 waterfalls. From their five-story Mayan Temple, choose from 5 waterslides including the ‘Leap of Faith’ – a 60-foot drop from the top of the temple – sending the rider through an enclosed clear tunnel submerged in a sharkfilled lagoon. Looking for the unusual? Discover the ‘Dig’ - a full-sized archeological labyrinth of interconnected passageways and boulevards that have gigantic picture windows through which you can view deepwater environments ranging from piranhas to sharks and eels. Then, interact with gentle dolphins in Dolphin Cay. Participate at the daily fish, predator or stingray feedings – if you are brave enough! Had enough of water for a while? Try your hand at rock climbing, or choose a book from their library where you also have access to limited free internet time. Atlantis is an all around experience on many levels. Choose from 20 restaurants ranging from seafood, exotic Asian, Mediterranean, New York Deli to sports bar fare. Their full-service spa, exercise programs, tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, water-sports, and 18-hole championship golf course will help you keep fit.
EURO LLOYD TRAVEL
‘Discovery Camp’ for children ages 5 to 12, offers great educational entertainment. Five camps host activities ranging from ‘arts and crafts’ to the ‘technology lag’ where they can make their own films. ‘Camp Rush’ is the equivalent for teens. Atlantis has the largest casino in the Caribbean with 800 slot machines, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, craps and stud poker. ‘Joker’s Wild’ Comedy Club and other live entertainment fills your evening hours with enjoyment. With 1147 rooms and suites in three towers, plus condos at their Harborside Villas, rates start from $185 USD per
night. Beach Tower is the lowest priced in a quieter location. Coral Tower is more central and close to the action, while Royal Tower is the newest, most luxurious in the most prestigious surroundings. Atlantis – inspired by the legend of 9000 years. While much intrigue would have us delve into those legends of fantasy or truth, our secret contemplation of an Atlantis with riches and intellectually advanced civilization …would set us to wonder and search for those places in our world where that spirit still dwells.
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Announcing 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 roundtrip airfares for travel to and from German, including taxes, start from: Chicago Indianapolis Milwaukee Madison Cleveland Detroit
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Call now for information: 1-800-572-3149 or 1-312-362-0218 email: chi@eurolloyd.com Visit us at: www.eurolloyd.com
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.
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April / May 2010
German-American Journal
17
A German Classic: Bratkartoffeln Home Fried Potatoes (Serves 4) As simple as these home fries are, they contain all the elements of a delicious and satisfying meal. The few ingredients called for here are still typically found in every kitchen, and the dish comes together in no time. Rather than cook potatoes just for home fries, I rely on leftover boiled potatoes from the previous day’s lunch or dinner. Garnish the dish with chopped chives, and serve them with a fried egg and a glass of dry white wine for a quick but elegant lunch.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled 1 lb. bacon, cut into strips about 2 in. long and 1/8-inch wide 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram 1 t parsley (chopped) 5 ml
1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, pour in water just to cover, and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are just tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, cool slightly, and cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Potatoes cooked WITH the peel the day before are best so that they do not fall apart. 2. Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon, and sauté until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving about 3 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pan.
Salt & pepper to taste
3. Heat the reserved fat over medium heat, add the garlic and onion, and sauté until golden brown. Remove the onions & garlic with a slotted spoon, adding them later so they do not burn. 4. Toss the bacon, potatoes, and marjoram into the bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Slowly sear the home fries, until well browned. Add the onions and garlic. Do not turn too often. You want the potatoes to develop a crisp outside, and a tender inside. Let them come together to form one big cake. Be patient - you will be rewarded 5. Serve the home fries on a large platter.
Book Review: auf Wiedersehen WWII Through the Eyes of a German Girl Book By: Christa Holder Ocker Review By: Darlene Fuchs
Christa, an outgoing 7 year old, tells the story of her family’s evacuation during the collapse of the Third Reich towards the end of WWII and their eventual immigration to New Jersey. It begins as her family is forced out of their comfortable home in Gorlitz, Germany, to become penniless immigrants fleeing from the advancing Red Army. They eventually are placed in a boardinghouse, in Apolda,
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during the evacuation. Here Christa tries to have a normal childhood surrounded by the many other homeless children. Her heartwarming tale unfolds as she befriends a horse named Lottie and an American soldier who gives her Hershey bars, as well as, experiencing her first childhood crush. The universal themes of love, loss and hope are visible even as her family flees the horrors that surround them. Christa must say auf Wiedersehen, goodbye, each time her family moves and she realizes she may never see any of these
friends again. Getting to America, the land of milk and honey, is her families ultimate goal. This book, which is written more like a personal Journal through the eyes of a child, shows how life goes on even in the midst of war. Christa overhears conversations referring to the atrocities of WWII, which she cannot understand. Throughout the book, readers will gain insight into how much adults go through to keep the atrocities of war hidden from their children.
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
*** 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)
APRIL 2010 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.
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Benton Harbor: Student Award Night and Potluck Dinner, 6pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more info.
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Chicago South: Membership/Monthly Meeting, 1pm. 25249 Center Road, Frankfort, IL. Contact Nancy at 708-448-8731 for more information.
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Chicago: German Cinema Now, 7pm. Free admission and popcorn, refreshments available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
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Pascack Valley, NJ: Regular Meeting. Birthday Celebration! For more info call (201) 391-2185.
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Lake County: Mai Fest under the Tent in Lake Forest. Contact Ludwina Homer, 847-249-0073 or Cobi Stein, 847-234-3920 for more info.
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Erie: Student Awards Night—Winner of German History Essay Contest, 7pm. Erie Männerchor Club, 1617 State St. Call 835-1939 for info.
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
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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
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Chicago South: Spring Dance. 25249 Center Road, Frankfort, IL. Contact Nancy at 708-4488731 for more information.
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Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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Benton Harbor: Membership Meeting, 4pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information.
Benton Harbor: Rummage Sale-Rent a Table or Donate, 8am-6pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for info.
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Chicago: Stammtisch, 7:30pm. No cover, food and drink available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
Chicago: Stammtisch, 7:30pm. No cover, food and drink available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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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
Benton Harbor: Rummage Sale-Rent a Table or Donate, 8am-5pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for info.
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Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
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Chicago: Bach & Beyond, 3pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For advance tickets, go to www.BachandBeyond.org
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Lake County: Brunch and Membership Pin Ceremony at In Laws Restaurant, Gurnee, Illinois. Meal will be buffet style with three entrées. Contact Ludwina Homer, 847-249-0073 or Cobi Stein, 847-234-3920 for more information.
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Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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Chicago: German Cinema Now, 7pm. Free admission and popcorn, refreshments available. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
Benton Harbor: Spring Dance with Hank Haller, 6pm. 2561 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Call 269-926-6652 for more information.
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Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
MAY 2010
Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
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Lake County: Road Trip to the Milwaukee 50th Anniversary Celebration. Contact Ludwina Homer, 847-249-0073 or Cobi Stein, 847-2343920 for more information.
Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
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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.
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Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
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Chicago: Treffpunkt DANK, 7:30pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
Milwaukee: 50th Anniversary Celebration, Sacred Heart Church, 917 N. 49th St., Milwaukee. Doors open at 5:30pm. Concert, family style dinner, presentations, sing-a-long, and dancing are all on tap. Tickets at $25 per person available from Ron Kabitzke, 262-675-6336 or Gene Brunner, 262-783-6884. You may also send an SASE to Ron Kabitzke, 6811 Hickory Rd., West Bend, WI 53090 with checks payable to Milwaukee DANK Chapter 23.
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Pascack Valley, NJ: Regular Meeting. Celebration of Spring! For more information, please call (201) 391-2185.
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Chicago: Sportsklub DANK, 7:30pm. No cover, cash bar. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. Call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com for info.
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German American Heritage Center of Davenport, IA: Book Discussion—“The Speckled People” by Hugo Hamilton, 7pm. Free and open to the public. Call 563-322-8844 for more information.
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Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
Chicago: Kino, Kaffee, und Kuchen. $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
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Erie: Founding Anniversary Celebration and “Schmidt Family Adoptions,” 7pm. Guests welcome. Gold Room—the Erie Männerchor Club, 1617 State Street. Call 835-1939 for information and reservations.
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South Bend: Picnic at Fernwood, 1pm. For more information, call Christine at 574-272-8163 or Trudy at 574-271-6922.
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American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society: Founder’s Day. To be held at City Cemetery, Rockingham Rd., Davenport, Iowa. For more information, email ashhs@ashhs.org
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American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society: Quarterly Meeting, 1:30pm. Walcott American Legion, 121 Bryant St., Walcott, Iowa. For more information, call Mary Ann Muller 563-2846640, or email meemarmul@aol.com
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Abbott, Kathleen Bell, Brian Douglas Bollman, Waltraud M. Brandl, John M. Brown, Tiffany L. Callendar, Barbara I. Callendar, Gary Davidson, Katja Davidson, Talita Dunning, Katherine Evans, Clara Evans, Stephen Faher, John L.
Faher, Jonelen Fields, Joseph T. Frahm, Katharina Gindler, Kirsten Gingrich, Kerry Haas, Anna Haas, Franz Hagmann, John A. Hagmann, Jonathan G. Hagmann, Tracy L. Krakau, Cathleen A. Kwak, Kori Langer, Ingrid
Maurer, Anneliese McCouch, Candice Militante, Julius D. Myers, Alison Myers, Charles Myers, Karen Noonan, Sandy Nykamp, Frank Nykamp, Lisa Oldani, Michael Oldani, Vicki Owens, Holly Schweickart, Joachim T.
12/22/09 to 2/19/10 Spa, Kaitlyn E. Spa, Zachary Thomas Sproul, Jeannette Ruth Sweet, David Sweet, Rhonda Tanzyus, Allison Tanzyus, Barbara Tengolics, Irma Tengolics, Istvan G. Terpilowski, Paul Walsh, Maxine Walsh, Patrick Weidner, Mary
Life Members Mauermann, Rita Mauermann, Thomas
Associate Member Erie Maennerchor Gesangverein
April / May 2010
German-American Journal German-American Journal
Sudoku Challenge Sudoku 9x9 - Puzzle 1 of 5 - Hard Difficulty Level: HARD
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Merchandise For Sale
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Moon Landing Coin
50th Anniversary Pin
Silver - $30
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Bronze - $19
Bicentennial Poster
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$17.00
All Prices Include Shipping And Tax! Call Our Office To Purchase Toll Free: 866-926-1109 Bulk Discounts Available With Purchases Of More Than 5 And Sent To The Same Address
DANK Tote
German-American Journal
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Sudoku 9x9 - Solution 1 of 5 - Hard
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Check Us Out Online Head On Over To Our National Website to get the latest updates and information on DANK. DANK.org DANK.org/forum DANK.org/blog
OBITUARY Marie Roik
Menschen, die wir lieben, bleiben f端r immer, denn sie hinterlassen Spuren in unbseren Herzen. Eine Stimme, die uns vertraut war, schweigt. Ein Mensch, der immer f端r uns da war, ist nicht mehr. Marie Roik, 89, was born May 4, 1920. She transitioned into eternal life on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010. She is survived by her loving daughter Irene Rotter, along many other family members and friends she touched during her life. She was a dedicated mother and grandmother, and will be dearly missed by all.
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German-American Journal
April / May 2010
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