Volume 60, Number 4
August / September 2012
Annual DANK National Raffle By: DANK Raffle Committee Published as submitted
Info Courtesy: muenchen.de The famous Oktoberfest with thousands of visitors from all over the world has an enormous influence on the economy of Munich and the surrounding area . Approximately 830 Millions EURO during the 16 days are spent - 324 Millions EURO on the festival grounds for food, drinks and entertainment, 205 Millions EUR0 for shopping in and around Munich, public transport and restaurants as well as about 301 Millions EURO for hotel accommodation. About 12,000 people are employed to enable the world´s largest and most popular festival. The festivities begin with the grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries, Saturday, September 22nd at 10.45 am and lasts about 45 minutes. This is the official prelude to the opening of the Oktoberfest and involves about 1,000 participants, including the landlords’ families in decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands. The world-famous Oktoberfest costume and riflemen’s procession, Sunday, September 23rd, gives an impressive insight into the fascinating diversity of customs rooted in the heart of Bavaria, in Franconia, Swabia, the states of Germany and in neighboring European countries. A varied succession of regional costume groups, “troops” in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen, thoroughbred horses, oxen, cows, goats, the decorated drays of the Munich breweries, floats displaying typical local traditions and historic carriages all pass by in a 7-kilometer-long procession through the streets of the city center. Ribboned trees, harvest garlands, craftsmen’s tools from bygone days, harvest produce, dancers decorated with flowers, stars and crowns, trumpeters on horseback, flag-throwers and a host of other performers transform this traditional Munich procession into a brilliant highlight on the first Sunday of the Oktoberfest.
TidBits Pages 3-7
Auf Deutsch Page 8
History tells us that Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of SaxonyHildburghausen on 12th October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s fields”) in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the “Wies’n”. Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest. In 1811 an added feature to the horse races was the first Agricultural Show, designed to boost Bavarian agriculture. The horse races, which were the oldest and - at one time the most popular event of the festival are no longer held today. But the Agricultural Show is still held every three years during the Oktoberfest on the southern part of the festival grounds. In the first few decades the choice of amusements was sparse. The first carousel and two swings were set up in 1818. Visitors were able to quench their thirst at small beer stands which grew rapidly in number. In 1896 the beer stands were replaced by the first beer tents and halls set up by enterprising landlords with the backing of the breweries. The remainder of the festival site was taken up by a fun-fair. The range of carousels etc. on offer was already increasing rapidly in the 1870s as the fairground trade continued to grow and develop in Germany. Today, the Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, with an international flavor characteristic of the 21st century: some 6 million visitors from all around the world converge on “The world city with a heart” each year. And since this 179th Oktoberfest is still held on the Theresienwiese, the locals still refer to the event simply as the “Wies’n”.
Read all about it! By now, your tickets should have been delivered to your home for the new and improved annual DANK National Raffle! Here is the scoop, fifty percent (50%) of the ticket purchase goes directly to support and enhance your own chapter! The balance goes to DANK National to promote our own German culture, heritage, and language throughout the USA. The Early Bird Drawing with four monetary prizes and a grand prize of a big screen TV was awarded on July 20, 2012 in Chicago at The Historic DANK Haus during their monthly Stammtisch. (Check out our website.www.dank.org, for the names of the winners.). The lucky winners of this early drawing were reentered for a second chance to win again! SO, we hope you mailed your tickets in early. Remember, a German is only on time if he is early. Response has been so great that members are calling the National Office to order more tickets! Folks are calling in for more tickets knew they had two opportunities at winning, but for the fact that every ticket is a winner anyway. If you look at the back of your tickets, you will notice that when you purchase your tickets, you will receive an incentive with that purchase. Every ticket is a winner. Well-known businesses have teamed with DANK and are offering incentives with the purchase of the raffle ticket. The first on board was Matt Lodge of Laschet’s Inn at 2119 West Irving Park Road in Chicago. If you purchase an entrée at Laschet’s on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, you get a free 1/2 liter of beer or soft drink upon presentation of your ticket! How can you lose? Our next sponsor was Wolfgang Beyer of the Schnitzel Platz, 729 East North Avenue, Glendale Heights, Illinois. Wolf is offering a free ½ liter of beer with the purchase of a full meal entrée on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. In the Milwaukee area, The Old German Beer Hall, 1009 North Old World 3rd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is giving away a free Usinger Bratwurst with the purchase of a full price liter of beer, seven days a week! Chapter Benton Harbor will honor their coupon for a free domestic draft beer or soft drink of choice with the purchase of a dinner, good at their monthly Fish Fry or dances. In Erie, purchasers get a ticket on a drawing for a gas card. Pittsburgh is offering $4 off entrance to their Christmas Party for nonDANK members. Chapters worked together to find the right coupon special for your area where possible. With your help, this raffle will be the greatest success of all time. Buying DANK National Raffle Tickets gives you not only a chance of winning but also a way to help your chapter. Please support our generous sponsors all year long! “Every Ticket is a Winner” and so is being a supportive DANK Member.
Insider
Business & Tech
Calendar
Education
Lifestyle
New Members
Pages 9-12 Page 13
Page 14
Pages 15-18
Page 18 Page 18
2
German-American Journal
August / September 2012
CHECK OUT THE NEW DANK.ORG German Radio & T V Official DANK Blog Newspaper Archives And More...
Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde! Dear Members and Friends, The weather this year has certainly been unusual, breaking record high temperatures across the country. As we break into the ‘dog days of summer’, our activities are winding down, and young families are getting ready for the opening days of school for the youngsters. I certainly hope that they will enroll them in a German language program beginning in the fall. Young children learn the language much quicker than others – their minds are like sponges, absorbing more quickly! It is unfortunate that across the country, more and more schools are eliminating the formal German language classes. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of the times and unless the parents speak out, the children are the losers. September with the dwindling days of summer brings on the celebration of Oktoberfest everywhere! Beer, brats and music! It was great being at the German Festival in Milwaukee. My sincere thanks to Chapter Milwaukee for covering all the costs necessary for DANK National to participate in this big event celebrating everything German. A special thank you to Bob & Christel Miske. Bob was instrumental in securing our tent space in an ideal location on the midway that allowed us to promote DANK membership and our Credit Card program. They even drove to Chicago to get all the supplies necessary to stock our booth. I enjoyed meeting with many of our members who attended. The festival is really something to see. What really impressed me was the culture tent. I wish I had had more time to spend there. Your DANK Raffle response with its new twists, early bird drawing, grand prize finale, and coupon specials has been great! Alfred Mueller has put a lot of time and effort into making the raffle a success. His idea to get sponsors from each chapter to give added value to the tickets was a new venture. Since we will be going to press before the early bird drawing on July 20th, be sure to check our website (www.dank.org) and our Face Book page for the early bird winners! Our summer membership promotion is ongoing and we have had a nice response to that as well. Erik Wittmann and I traveled to New Castle, PA to re-start the chapter there. The Eintracht Männerchor Club was home to the DANK Chapter for many years and they allowed us to come to their annual picnic to talk to members and guests to see if we could help get them get started again. It was nice seeing Ron & Marie Benedict, two of our DANK members, there and talking to them. Sadly, we have seen the closing of Chapter Decatur in June. The Chapter was struggling and when Margit Machalek passed, the driving force that kept them together stopped. The remaining eight members have joined nearby chapters. A sincere thank you to those members for their dedication and a grateful acknowledgement of the check we received as they officially closed their books. As National President, one of my goals is to be able to raise sufficient funds and bring in new members so that we do not have to increase our national dues by $10 in 2013. Your delegates to the convention authorized the Board to raise the dues, but we are determined that if we all work together, that we can hold the line. With a little effort on everyone’s part, we can maintain and grow! It’s up to each of us to do our part. Donations, selling our raffle tickets, bringing in a new member or two will help. “Together, we can accomplish great things!” There will be new ventures in the fall for us to enjoy. So, right now, sit back and sip your lemonade or beer and enjoy these remaining lazy, hazy days of summer as you gather your energy to fully celebrate the 25th Anniversary of German American Day in October. Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Beverly A. Pochatko National President
Submission Deadline For The October / November 2012 Issue:
August 25, 2012
Der Deutsch-Amerikaner 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 Beverly Pochatko
Irish-Americans have St. Patrick’s Day, Mexican-Americans have Cinco de Mayo and Italian- Americans have Columbus Day. Not wanting to be left out, German-Americans will have an opportunity to celebrate German-American Day. October 6th marks the 25th anniversary of German-American Day. This day commemorates the landing of 13 families, led by Franz Daniel Pastoruis near Philadelphia, in 1683 and founded Germantown, the first German settlement in the “New World.” Although Germans first settled at Jamestown in 1608, it was not until 1683 that a permanent German settlement was established at Germantown. In the 1980’s the German-American National Congress (DANK), along with the United German-American Committee of the USA (UGAC/VDAK) and the National Steuben Society formed a national umbrella organization called “German-American Joint Action Committee (GAJAC)” for the specific purpose of establishing an annual German-American Day. In 1983 On the occasion of the „Tricentennial Anniversary of German Settlement in America,” Ronald Reagan, at that time President of the United States, declared Oct. 6 as “German-American Day” to honor German immigration and the culture it brought to the United States. In 1987 Congress enacted Public Law 100-104 designating October 6 as German-American Day. The official proclamation was issued by President Reagan, October 2, 1987 in a Rose Garden Ceremony calling on the American people to observe this day with appropriate celebrations and activities. There have been many contributions to the world that have been made by German-American citizens. Throughout history, there have been many great contributors to the American culture by GermanAmericans. This is the day to celebrate the achievements of people like, Albert Einstein, Marlene Dietrich, Heidi Klum, Wernher Von Braun, and Henry Kissinger, to name a few. Many German immigrants and German-Americans have helped shape the United States and have changed the face of the world for the better. German-American Day is a time of celebration, of raising awareness, strengthening a sense of identity and pride in the contributions of German-speaking immigrants and their descendants to the building of this nation. The designation “German” is used in a cultural, not in a political sense, thus including the German-speaking Swiss, Alsatians, Austrians, Germans from Eastern Europe, and German Jews There are many ways to promote and celebrate German-American Day. Here are a few ideas to get you started: • Request a proclamation from your governor, mayor or city council declaring October 6th German-American Day in your state or community. • If you live near Washington, D.C., join the celebration held at the German-American Friendship Garden on October 6th. • If you live near Chicago, there will be a celebration on October 7th, at St. Benedict church, in Chicago. • Do a little research on the internet to familiarize yourself with famous people of German-American heritage, • If your city has a German-American Day parade, go out and support those marching. • Get a group of people together and watch a German film. • Tour a museum with German art or a local German heritage center if you have one. Contact the DANK National office, or one of the Executive board members, for additional information on how you and your chapter can celebrate this event in your communities. Contact information is on page 2 of the Journal. I wish you all a memorable German-American Day.
Darlene Fuchs Editor-in-Chief
1. Vice President Alfred Mueller
2. Vice President James Dombrowski
Treasurer Bob Miske
Secretary Linda Voit
Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Darlene Fuchs darlene@dank.org Correspondents Corinna Bienger Amelia Cotter Stephen Fuchs Christa Garcia Audrey L. Hess-Eberle Matthias Knobloch Editorial Staff Margita Mandel Amanda Pedersen Chapter News Editor Darlene Fuchs darlene@dank.org Membership Erik Wittmann erik25@comcast.net Layout & Design Stephen Fuchs Stephen@FoxTaleEdit.com Advertising & Classifieds Eve Timmerhaus eve@dank.org
Office Staff DANK National Executive Office
4740 N. Western Ave Chicago, Il 60625-2013 Call (773) 275-1100 Toll Free 1-888-USA-DANK Fax (773) 275-4010 Office Hours:
9am - 4pm / Monday, Wednesday-Friday Executive Secretary Eva Timmerhaus Office@dank.org
Office Manager Eve Timmerhaus Eve@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., Suite 206 Chicago, IL 60625-2013
Annual Subscription - Rate: $15.00 www.dank.org/news.html
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. ©2012 DANK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher.
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
3
Chicago - By German Design
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (March 27, 1886 - August 17, 1969) commonly referred to and addressed as Mies, his surname
By: John Bareither Published as submitted Chicago is a city of great architecture and architects. When people think of Chicago’s great architects they think of Louis Sullivan and his Auditorium Building (Roosevelt University today) and Frank Lloyd Wrights Prairie Style architecture. German architects also made contribution to Chicago skyline in the latter part of the 20th Century. Probably the earliest of these German architects of the latter 20th Century was Mies Van Der Rohe. Mies was born in Aachen, Germany on March 27, 1886, During his youth he studied with his father a master stonemason. When he turned 19 he moved to Berlin to worked with Bruno Paul, the art nouveau architect and furniture designer. By 20, he received his first independent commission, to plan a house for a philosopher Alois Riel. In 1908, he began working for the architect Peter Behrens, he studied the Prussian Karl Friedrich Schinkel and the rising Chicago
Letters From Our Readers This is a bitch letter! Aha, objective 1 accomplished – I got your attention. Objective 2. If we want to attract the Y generation then we must be familiar with their lingo. Terms like Oktoberfest, Heritage Night, and 100th Anniversary do little to get their attention. Before I start I want to complement our editor for the excellent job she is doing trying to put out the best DANK journal - our greatest membership benefit. Darlene Fuchs’ Editor’s Note and Matthias Knoblauch’s Look Forward in the June/July issue of our journal bring out some excellent points and address the declining DANK membership issue. They also point out the absence of our reach into the Y generation. Change must come from the bottom of the organization not from the administration on top. Let me digress with a few examples. I remember an article about 40 years ago in Popular Science magazine about an award of the year to a computer technician for inventing the credit card concept that became the key-less entry method of opening and starting a car. The idea took off and look where it is today. It didn’t originate at GM but as an innovative citizen’s input to automotive technology! I belong to a 25,000 member nonprofit organization. The editor of their monthly magazine dispensed with letters to the editor because of too much bitching. When a new president “installed” a
architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He opened his own office in 1912 and married the following year. After World War l, he began studying the skyscraper and designed two innovative steel framed towers wrapped around with glass. One of them was the Friedrichstrasse Skyscraper, designed in 1921 for a competition. The Friedrichstrasse Skyscraper was never constructed, although the degisn drew critical praise and foreshadowed his skyscrapers designs of the late 40’s and 50’s. By 1921 his marriage had failed, he decided to change his name, adding the dutch “Van Der” and his mother’s maiden “rohe”: Ludwig Mies became Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. During the 1920’s he was active in many of Berlin’s avant-garde circles of design and architecture. In the late 1920’s and 1930’s, he was name artistic director of the Werkbund. Under his leadership the Weissenhof project was initiated, a model housing colony in Stuttgart. The modern new editor letters were again allowed. One member consistently criticized the organization in writing. It ends up that his letters were backed up by other members because he made some excellent suggestions. Guess what - be was elected the next president! In the 1970s during the era of the Flower Power generation I frequented a local barbershop monthly. The owner kept bitching that he was forced to close because the Flower People didn’t cut their hair. Several blocks away a new Unisex Styling Salon opened and was doing great. Yes, that was still barbers cutting hair - but servicing a new generation and satisfying a new need, plus doing the old fashioned haircuts lost by the closed traditional barber shop. Where is DANK’s input? Can this letter start the spawning of other member’s suggestions for positive changes? Yes, veteran’s organizations, religious orders and ethnic groups such as ours and the Sudeten organization mentioned by Mr. Knoblauch all face declining membership. The bigger is better concept is no longer feasible. The problem is to stop extinction before it is too late. How do we bring in the Y generation to replace us dying German immigrants? Ask them! For starters let’s use our journal to mention things of their interest: Smart phones, Facebook, Twitter, etc. - the mention about Google’s new language innovation in the last issue was an excellent start. As Mr. Knoblauch mentions in his recent article, DANK headquarters has been discussing our
apartments and houses were designed by leading architects, including a block by Mies. In 1927, Mies designed one of most famous building, the German Pavillion at the International Exposition in Barcelona, Spain. By 1929, this small hall, know as the Barcelona Pavillion, was know for it’s flat roof supported by columns. The pavilion’s internal walls, made of glass and marble, could be moved around as they were not required to support the structure. His design of fluid space would appear in design in future decades. A smaller Mies design,”Barcelona Chair” a chrome and leather designed chair was a spinoff of his work on the Barcelona Pavillion. In 1930, Mies was introduced to New York architect Philip Johnson. Through Johnson help, Mies designs were introduced to the United States at MOMA’s first architecture exhibition “Modern Architecture” in 1932. During the 1930’s none of his designs were built because of sweeping economic and political upheaval overtaking Germany. He was director of the Bauhaus school of design form 1930 to its disbandment in 1933, due to pressure from the Nazi government. In 1937, he emigrated to the United States. The following year he decided to make Chicago his architectural home for the next thirty-one years. In 1938, he was named head of the architecture department at the Armour Institute of Technology (Illinois Institute of Technology today) and would remain the head of the department till 1958. During the 1940’s, he was asked to design a new campus for the school. The building showcased his steel-and-glass style design. By 1944, he became an American citizen and a well established architect. His designs caught the eye of an adventurous
focus for years with no success. Maybe one of the future letters to the editor by members can replicate what the credit card key-less entry did for the automotive industry. I know of no better way of getting membership input and maybe, just maybe - a turn around. Ernst Jung
Regarding the comment “...DANK headquarters has been discussing our focus for years with no success” The fact is that under National President, Bill Fuchs, and with the help of others, much was accomplished over a four year period; the website was updated, the DANK Journal underwent a face lift, the National Office was totally refurbished, the DANK Haus ownership dispute was resolved after 40 years, DANK National became transparent by posting meeting minutes on the website for all to read, one day board meetings became 3 day “leadership conferences” for all DANK members to participate in, a National information booth became a visible item at German Fest in Milwaukee, DANK became an active participant in the NYC Steuben Parade and the Washington Friendship Garden ceremonies, a National Blog was implemented along with an engaging Facebook and Twitter account , the St. Nick program was developed, a DANK credit card program took off, generating funds for DANK, a DANK forum was established and actively utilized by many young people interested in Germanic issues, merchandise, designed by interns became available, along with an eBay page selling products, a Paypal ac-
A smaller Mies design,”Barcelona Chair” a chrome and leather designed chair
and wealthy Dr. Edith Farnsworth. She commissioned Mies to build a weekend retreat for her along the Fox River near Plano, Illinois. The house was design with no foundation, it’s support was central cylindrical core, the house only touches the ground through the elegant structural legs of the walls. Dr. Farnsworth-claimed that she didn’t care for the house-finally sold it in 1972. Today the Farnsworth house is managed and accessible by the State of Illinois for all the states residents to enjoy. During the 1950’s and 1960’s he made his most significant design within the city limits of Chicago. In 1951, his design of Twin Towers 860-880 Lake Shore Drive were completed. Other Mies towers would follow in New York, Detroit, Toronto culminating in 1954 with what is consider his masterpiece of skyscraper designSeagrams Building in New York. Mies also added to Chicago’s office space with the design of the IBM building(today AMA Plaza) at 330 North Wabash completed in 1969. The 52 story and adjacent plaza sits on the Chicago River and Wabash Avenue. He died one year before the building was completed. During Mies’s life he made an impact on Chicago and world architecture. He also made an impact on our lexicon. Two phrase of his that come to mind during these difficult economic times are “less is more” and “God is in the details”. count was set up allowing membership dues to be paid on line, and a very active DANK National internship program was developed. Matthias Knoblauch, the Journal “Auf Deutsch” writer, was the first DANK intern, benefiting from his internship leading to a full time job at Condor Airlines. Those, unable to understand the need for some of these changes, did not participate or were reluctant to empower the young people developing new and innovative ideas for a positive twist on DANK. As a result, many of those energetic people have branched off and are engaged in other German-American endeavors, while still remaining active DANK members. I agree with 99% of what you wrote except when it comes to insinuating that the past years have had no successes. I take great pride in knowing that I was one of the individuals that helped establish many new DANK programs. I do not know if DANK members are aware of the many positive changes that took place during this 4 year timeframe. Your letter to the editor has given me an opportunity to highlight some of these changes. As for , “Change must come from the bottom of the organization...,” I believe this is happening in a few DANK chapters. However, as new and younger members try to implement change, the leaders within the organization must be willing to embrace change, or membership will continue to decline. Make sure to let the current DANK leadership know that you support the programs that have been developed. Thanks for your continued support, Darlene Fuchs
4
German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Germany’s Lucky Chimney Sweeps By: Francine McKenna-Klein BellaOnline’s German Culture Editor Published as submitted
Chim chiminey Chim chiminey Chim chim cher-ee, a sweep is as lucky as lucky can be, Bert the chimney sweep sang as he and his fellow sweeps danced across London roof tops in Mary Poppins. Not much dancing over roof tops happens in Germany, but from medieval times a Schornsteinfeger or a Schlotfeger, literally a stone chimney brush and funnel brush or a smokestack brush, and in fact a Chimney Sweep, has been believed to be a lucky charm. Just starting the day by seeing one of
Germany’s 25,000 chimney sweeps in the age old working outfit, a black suit with double breasted gold buttoned jacket, white kerchief and black top hat, or better still being able to touch one of those buttons, is believed to guarantee good fortune. On New Years Day it is especially symbolic as that should bring good luck for the entire year and of course seeing one on a wedding day is a traditional good luck omen in many countries, not only Germany. Not surprisingly a typical gift to celebrate the New Year, or Sylvester as it is called in Germany, hopefully to bring ‘good luck’ throughout the year, is a small black clad chimney sweep made from pipe cleaners,
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Celebrate Germany’s Most Famous Wines During the “31 Days of German Riesling”
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silver foil covered chocolate, colored marzipan. Often clutching a four leaf clover together with the toxic but pretty ‘gluckpilz’, the ‘lucky’ red mushroom with white spots and attached to flowers, chocolates, sparkling wine or a pot filled with ‘alive and growing’ four leaf clover. The arrival of winter in Germany brings with it the smell of wood smoke drifting through the air from the welcoming and warming open fires and wood burning heat storing stoves its countrymen are so fond of and which, thanks to the chimney sweeps, will burn safely and uneventfully through the cold weather months, because by law each year every one of those fires, and all types of central heating systems, must be inspected by a Schornsteinfeger to make sure they are clean and functioning efficiently. However it is not possible to just pick up the phone book and choose a chimney sweep oneself, as the German law that decrees all chimneys and heating systems must be checked annually also insists that the one used is allocated to you because you happen to live in his district, and free choice is not an option. Not only that if you don’t want him to enter your home he is entitled to do so with the help of the police and a locksmith, and without your permission if necessary. A hangover from Germany’s pre war days when the mandatory yearly inspection was introduced, the regime of the time thought it quite useful to have people who could freely enter homes and perhaps see if anything untoward was happening there. There are 7,888 separate ‘chimney sweep’ regions in Germany and each is covered by a qualified chimney sweep, together with trainees who also wear the traditional black suit outfit but with a skull cap not the ‘masters’ top hat. The uniform might be from another age however the profession has become more technical, not limited to cleaning chimneys but inspecting all stages of chimney construction in new buildings, and for environmental and safety reasons checking for carbon monoxide leaks in gas heating systems, making Germany a country that has fewer problems with that gas than any other. Earning a licence takes four years but it doesn’t stop there, because the newly qualified Schornsteinfeger can exchange his skull cap for a top hat and join a waiting list to eventually have his own district, or Kehrbezirk as it is called, however as a 12 to 15 year stay on the list is not unusual, he, and there are some ‘she’s’ but very few,
will continue working as an assistant. In the past only German nationals could become chimney sweeps, and unlike in many other countries children were never used to climb the chimneys, but in theory there is now a law in place that says anyone can learn the trade, nevertheless generally that is not the way it works. As a job for life and a closed society, places are handed down from generation to generation with some families going back to the 18th century which, together with a ‘chimney sweep monopoly’, means new openings are limited and protected. A German chimney sweep is ‘lucky’ in many ways. Chimneys were brought to Germany by the Romans who appreciatez being warm on cold nights and had developed a technique to clear the smoke produced by their fires so it was possible to enjoy the warmth without the smog. For the Germans however things developed more slowly, castles and monasteries were their first tall stone buildings and in the beginning fires were placed in the centre of the rooms, only later being moved to a corner of two outside walls to be built around a chimney, and it was this that in the 16th century brought about the emergence of chimney sweeping as an essential service. Open fireplaces created a lot of smoke, potentially fire hazardous waste, dirt and dead birds, soot and creosote coated the chimney, and after a visit from a chimney sweep bringing fresh smoke free air back into the home and clearing away the debris, people were said to have ‘good luck’ for the next year because their houses would not burn down. In fact since pagan times fire and firesides have been linked with good fortune and well being, and perhaps it is also because of their connection with this that in so many countries, including Germany, a chimney sweep is considered a symbol of good luck, wealth and happiness, and somehow the day is brighter if it begins with seeing a Schornsteinfeger on his way, wire brush hanging from a loop on his shoulder, ladder at hand. Chim chiminey Chim chiminey Chim chim cher-oo Good luck will rub off when I shakes ‘ands wiv you, Or blow me a kiss and that’s lucky too. Photo: Thomas Blatt, who is a genuine Schornsteinfeger with his own business in Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, ‘in the middle of the north’ of Germany.
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
5
FAHRSCHULE
The joy of being a mother of a teenager, who is taking driving lessons Photo by xflickrx via flickr
Understanding The German-American Generation Gap By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com
Anyone who has been involved in a GermanAmerican club or organization has probably heard the question come up on what can be done to get younger members involved. Some find a way to make it happen but most do not. I’m sure we all have our ideas as to what can be done to solve the problem and in all honesty the solution varies from club to club. The purpose of this editorial is not to offer up solutions but to help clarify some of the disconnects between the two generations of German-Americans… the Baby Boomers and Generation X/Y. Once we become clear on what each side is looking for, we can then take the next step to solving the problem. The Way Things Have Been Done Not a lot has changed in most German-American organizations since they first formed years ago. After WWII, when some time had passed and it was once again acceptable to publicly show pride in your German heritage, there was a sudden boom in the formation of German clubs all around the United States. People could once again get together to celebrate the customs of the country they immigrated from, or at least traced their ancestry to, and the clubs were growing at a very fast rate. What has changed since then is that those same people have gotten a bit older and the growth has pretty much come to a stop. They are still celebrating the Germany they grew up knowing, but have shown little interest in celebrating the positive changes that have spread through their homeland since the war ended and the wall fell. There’s no problem celebrating the older traditions of Germany, and the German-American community has done a great job preserving the many customs. Some Germans will even comment that the GermanAmericans are more German than they are. As a result. some of the Baby Boomers here in the States may see this as something they are proud of, but at the same time see as a responsibility to be the ones that have to keep the old traditions alive. Welcoming A New Generation 50 plus years have now passed since these German clubs formed and the original founders and members have had children and grandchildren, many of which show little interest in their German heritage. Then there is the new generation of Germans who have made the choice to move to the United States and grew up in a more modern Germany that barely resembles the times celebrated and known by the German-American clubs. What these two groups, from the same generation but different birth countries, share is their desire for modern culture. This is where the Baby Boomers often miss the point.
They believe that the next generation wants nothing to do with the Germany of the past and only want to celebrate the 2012 version of Germany. What the newer generation really wants is a combination of both instead of one or the other. A Time and Place For It So now that we established what is wanted by many of the new generation German-Americans, how do we make the necessary changes? It’s important to note that no matter what is done, you won’t be able to please everyone, and there will always be those who only want one or the other. This doesn’t mean that we should hold back due to the fear of negative comments we’ll receive by those afraid of change. A great place to look for inspiration is Germany itself. German’s have found a way to celebrate their country’s past and have done it across many generation groups at the same time. There are still the clubs that resemble our German clubs in the states, but a majority of the people take the time to honor the traditions during the appropriate times. If you walk down the streets of Germany today, you are not going to see men and women wearing the traditional tracht unless they are on their way to celebrate Oktoberfest. During Oktoberfest season, Germans young and old bust out their traditional, yet slightly updated, clothing and will all enjoy singing the music hits of years past as loud as they can. When Oktoberfest is over, the tracht return to the back of the closet until the appropriate time comes around again. They aren’t ashamed of it, it’s just not meant to be worn at every German celebration. Yes, there are still times when Germans will still wear something that resembles the traditional clothing of years past, but it has been updated to fit in with the fashion trends of today. This is something that often catches new German immigrants by surprise when they attend their first German event in the States. They don’t expect to see everyone dressed in their tracht in the middle of summer. Sure, the German-Americans may do it all year to give Americans a taste of the German culture that is often stereotyped, but is that all we want Americans to know about Germany?
I love my daughter dearly. She is the “bestest” child ever and I would do anything for her! No, not that I would, I DO do everything for her. There is nothing she can do to get on my nerves, and there is nothing she ever WOULD do to get on my nerves. Or so I thought. That is, until she started taking driving lessons. In Germany, in order to even attempt getting a driver’s license, you have to enroll in a driving school. First, you learn theoretical stuff and there is an obligatory number of at least 12 hours you have to take before you can take the theory test. Then follows the practice. In our case, in order to avoid paying for a few first driving lessons, in which my daughter would have to learn how to shift gears and look out the window at the same time, I took her to a traffic training course, where it is allowed to practice driving without a license. That went very well, and after she took some more private “lessons” with friends in a parking lot, she took her first “official” driving lesson in driving school. Her instructor took her on a 15k-drive in the first hour and told her that she is doing very well. We hope that she will only have to take around 20-25 hours before taking the practical test before receiving her driver’s license, although the average seems to be 35-40. The compulsory number of practical driving lessons is also 12, but those apply only for Autobahn and country road driving, so an additional amount of driving lessons - dependent on the ability of the student to drive has to be taken for city driving, usually quite a few driving hours have to be added to the 12 obligatory ones. Since her very first practical lesson, my baby now sits in my car next to me, calling my attention to those things I do wrong when driving, because, of course, now she is a driving expert. She tells me when I go through the lights a wee bit late. She tells me when I turn the corner just a bit too narrow. She also tells me when I drive too fast. Or too slow. Or that I almost hit that person on the roadside. I do love my daughter. Really, I do. But sometimes - just sometimes, I have to pull myself together nowadays. Soon she will have her own drivers licence and SHE will be driving ME around. Will I be cool and relaxed in the passenger seat, or will I be the one telling her when she goes through the lights a wee bit late, or when she turns the corner just a bit too narrow.......?
Incorporating Change Now that you have a better understanding of what both generations want, what do you do about it? Like I mentioned earlier, there are many ways to accomplish change and bring in younger members. This editorial also is not meant to represent 100% of the thoughts from both generation groups. What’s important to note though is that you don’t have to abandon the old to bring in the new. One suggestion for incorporating change is to celebrate the progression of German culture during your events. Start off with the traditional culture of the past and work your way up to the Germany of today as
the night goes on. What we can all agree on and celebrate, whether we are a Baby Boomer or find ourselves in Generation X/Y, is the pride we have in our German heritage. We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so please share your experiences and comments with us at GermanPulse. com or e-mail stephen@germanpulse.com. Look at this as not a solution to the problem but the opportunity to begin the important discussion on working together to bring new life into the GermanAmerican community.
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German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Our American German Heritage By: Beverly Pochatko DANK National President Published as submitted
There has been criticism about the seemingly immobility of the generation of the baby-boomers of the 40’s and 50’s by today’s new generation Y, the new German immigrant, who landed on our shores to the 2nd & 3rd generations who were born here. I like to call us the ‘lost generations’ – those who were raised American with ‘secret’ German roots. We are proud of our heritage and not afraid to declare it. People who know they have German heritage and are looking for a way to reconnect, and seek out an organization such as DANK, to learn how to connect more personally with the heritage of my ancestors. Germans today, do not have the curiosity about heritage as is found here among our Americans of German heritage because they lived among it. My friends in Germany, Tom & Petra Davis often tell me that the traditions in Germany are being ‘forgotten/lost’ and, Americans are more German than they are! Recently, Rüdiger Lentz, curator of the German
American Heritage Museum in Washington DC mentioned in a talk to the German Society of Maryland that “America may be the repository of the German Heritage.” There is no doubt that times are changing. Perhaps the new younger generation of German immigrants and U.S. citizens with recent ties to their German forebears are not interested in preserving the culture and traditions they left behind. We realize that generation Y and a recent German immigrant think differently about Germany but, they come to attend schools, to work, or to set-up a new life in America just as the early immigrants did. The difference is that they have a multitude of new tools to connect with Germany and Germans while in the U.S. that their predecessors did not have. Matthias Knobloch, contributor to our DAMK Journal wrote: “I know all of my grandfather’s stories, his traditions, and his roots and I’m proud of where I come from.” Matthias has been fortunate to have a grandparent living who could share stories with him, unfortunately not everyone has had that opportunity for various reasons. For instance, my German ancestors came to
the U.S. in 1752 and in approximately in 1862. My family’s American roots are deep and we were ‘victims’, so to speak, of two world wars in which you didn’t publically acknowledge your German roots; some of them changed their names (Sabretzky to Saber) so as not to be recognized as Germans. Why? The anti-German hysteria that swept the country made everyone suspect; and the allegations that all Germans were Nazi and were secretly plotting and giving away secrets of the United States. Understandably, for years after WWII, German immigrants did not want to talk about what had happened during the years of National Socialism in Germany. They held close to them their traditions of Christmas and happier days. Organizations such as DANK, the Rheinischer Verein, The Steuben Society, German genealogy societies, turnvereins, gesangvereins and others were founded to meet the needs of individuals, each with a different focus, working indivodually to preserve our heritage. In Germany and in the U.S., trachtenvereins have been formed to preserve for future generations, the clothing of days long gone by – no polyester fabrics here!
The same goes for the traditional folk dancing. Do these things make a comeback? One only has to look at the resurgence of ballroom dancing to find the answer to that question. Is it just nostalgia or a true desire to relive and captivate what was once so important and keep it alive? Grandparents are asked by their school age grandchildren “where is our family from”, thus begins the odyssey of genealogy research and the desire to be able to pass on information that was ignored or forgotten. The question is, “Should we embrace the old traditions and culture or look at things through different, younger eyes?” Looking at it from the perspective of generation Y, they view the older generation as being stuck in the past…like a ‘hippie’ and out of touch with reality. Perhaps they are right! But… we have a German heritage of which we are proud. There are many Americans of German heritage that have made great contributions to this country, which are widely recognized and accepted. It is up to organizations such as ours to preserve it and the heritage of our forebears with all its contributions for future generations.
Hermann Monument Society Plans Defenders’ Family Reunion Picnic at the picnic. Speaker Mr. Denny Warta, a founding member of HMS, will present “The Relationship of Regional Hostilities Against the Wider Backdrop of the U.S. Civil War.” Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, noted author, lecturer and consultant on Germanic-Americana will speak on “The Defense of New Ulm.” Mr. George Glotzbach, another HMS founding member, will recognize New Ulm Defender or Civil War veteran descendants in attendance. Info: (507) 233-4300, nuchamber@newulmtel.net Are you a descendant of one of the US-Dakota War of 1862 defenders of New Ulm or a Civil War veteran? The Hermann Monument Society is currently seeking previously unpublished family memoirs for a Defenders’ Family Book. The goal of this ambitious project is to compile previously unpublished historical letters, journals, photos and memoirs of those who lived within 30 miles of New Ulm circa 1861-1865 into a book. Guidelines for submission and picnic updates are posted on Photo: Der Hermann Denkmal, New-Ulm Minnesota, USA www.HermannMonument.com with ancestry resources and history By: George L. Glotzbach links. Contact HMSExecDirector@ Published as submitted newulmtel.net with questions. “I appreciate the opportunity the U.S. New Ulm, MN-The Hermann Monument Dakota War Commemoration presents,” Society (HMS) will honor defenders of New said HMS Executive Director, Wendy Ulm and Civil War veterans in conjunction Enter. “Learning more about the plight with the 150th Anniversary Commemoration which starving Dakota faced with a rapidly of the U.S. Dakota War of 1862. The HMS changing lifestyle thrust upon them and will host a Defenders’ Family Reunion the harrowing experiences of those who Picnic on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from lived and died, creates empathy and 4:00-7:00 p.m. in Hermann Heights Park, understanding of both the Dakota and U.S. New Ulm, Minnesota, U.S.A. immigrant cultures. Reading submissions Three speakers will highlight the unique we have already received has heightened contributions of Germanic-Americans and my appreciation for immigrants who other ethnic groups of settlers who found persevered to establish a better life for their themselves in the midst of hostilities in families and the sacrifices they made in 1862. Defender families will be recognized defense of New Ulm.”
Vallure, the Gold Standard Premium German Vodka Now Available in the United States By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com
Vallure Vodka, a super premium vodka made in Germany, has finally made its way to the US and is available for purchase at select retailers. Don’t expect to find a bottle at your local discount liquor store though. Like many other German-made products, this vodka sells for a premium price. Each 750mL bottle is cased in 24 karat gold and packaged in a two piece black shell with a red velvet interior, and sells for 369 Euros in Germany. We haven’t been able to find the going price in the United States, but I’m sure there will be a mark up over the German retail price. What make this vodka so special besides the fact that it is German-made? According to Vallure, their vodka is “made with a unique, age-old recipe, and from the top percentage of the world’s
finest German winter wheat. The vodka is subjected to a high level multi-distillation process followed by a genuine triple goldfiltering process, whereby the spirit is passed through three gold filters, boosting its flavor and increasing its smoothness.” Vallure has been producing this premium German vodka for over 100 years and claims that at the turn of the 20th century they produced many bottles for the highranking Russian Czars, known for their connoisseurship in vodka. By expanding into the US market, Vallure is hoping to quickly expand its market share. Q. Ladraa, Co-founder of Vallure Vodka said ”We are pleased to introduce Vallure Vodka to U.S. consumers that value the exceptional things in life. Our search for perfection is our primary commitment and we look to exceed growing expectations.”
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
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Hofbrau America president Fred Schumacher, right, closes the valve on top in the ceremonial tapping of the keg during the second day of the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival in Frankenmuth on Friday evening. Photo: JosephTobianski (jtobians@mlive.com)
Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival Gets Underway With Food, Music, and Entertainment By: Kyle Campbell | www.mlive.com FRANKENMUTH, MI — The smells of fresh chicken cooking on a barbeque and cinnamon roasted almonds hang in the air as polka music emanates from the blue and white pavilion. The Bavarian Festival has returned to Frankenmuth’s Heritage Park. The German-themed carnival drew hundreds of people from near and far with the allure of music, dancing, fresh food and cold beer on Friday night. Many festival goers, including Frankenmuth native Jake Hollenbach, even sported authentic Bavarian garb. Decked out in green lederhosen, 21-yearold Hollenbach was enjoying what he referred to as his first “true experience of Bavarian fest,” nodding to his cup of beer
as he and his friends waited in line to pick up a fresh chicken dinner. “I only get to wear lederhosen so many days out of the year, so I thought this would be a good opportunity,” he said. Hollenbach moved through the chicken line, which at one point wound through about 30 feet of festival ground. The crispy fowl was a hot ticket item as the grill masters from the Frankemuth Rotary Club cooked up 1,150 birds, rotary club member Tim Gilmour said. Local groups alternate cooking responsibilities for each of the festivals four nights and the Frankenmuth Rotary Club has been involved since the festival started 54 years ago, Gilmour said. “It’s all fun,” Gilmour said. “The whole weekend is fun.”
Festival goers also were able to enjoy a show while chowing down on their chicken. Local girls, led by 19-year-old Kelsey LaFferty performed traditional German maypole and ribbon dances while dressed in authentic Bavarian attire. LaFfery, who performed in her 10th festival this year, spent the duration of the show announcing the different parts of the routine and actively leading the other 20 or so girls through the moves. Also a Frankenmuth native, LaFfery knows a number of people participating in this year’s festivities and she said she looks forward to the event every summer. “My friends are on the Bavarian court so I go to the coronation to support them and also like the rides that come out every year,” she said.
But not everyone is a festival regular. This is Jürgen Brenner first time coming to Frankenmuth — and his second time coming to the U.S. Brenner is one of 111 Germans to come over from Frankemuth’s sister city Gunzenhausen, Germany to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the sister city partnership. Along with attending the festival, he and the other international visitors went to Mt. Pleasant to visit the native American museum and to Claire to see the Amish. Brenner said the festival reminded him of Bavarian with a little American twist. “Everything you see (at the festival) is the same as we do,” he said. “Just a little bit different.”
Captured Germans Remembered Professor’s lecture looks at Michigan’s WWII POW legacy By: Debra Haight | H-P Correspondent Published as submitted
DOWAGIAC - Southwest Michigan has a rich legacy of Germans choosing it as home. But more than a few adult Germans were brought here against their will. They were soldiers, captured by American troops during World War II. About a half-million were shipped stateside because there wasn’t enough proper space to hold them in Europe, said Howard Poole, a retired Western Michigan University professor who lives in Sister Lakes. And a healthy number ended up in Southwest Michigan. Poole, who has performed extensive research on the matter, said the first shock for German POWs came when they received good food and accommodations on the ships coming over. “That was their first awakening that we had more resources,” he said in a lecture
last week at Southwestern Michigan College. “When they were put on trains to take them inland it was their second shock. They had seats and good food on the trains and weren’t on cattle cars.” He said the federal government had visions of re-educating the soldiers on the marvels of democracy, but experiencing America’s bounty was lesson enough. Poole said the German POWs solved a major labor shortage created by men fighting overseas. Most POW camps were in the South, but Michigan had more than a dozen major camps. The main Southwest Michigan camps were in Coloma, Allegan and at Fort Custer near Battle Creek. In Southwest Michigan, the primary need was for farm labor, and Poole listed several farms and vineyards that used German POWs. Among them were Skyline Orchards, which is now the Teichman farm near Eau Claire and what is now the Warner Vineyards in Paw Paw and the Bronte Vineyards near Keeler.
Poole told tales gained in research, including that of Herb Teichman, who was 14 at the time, saying how his mother treated the German POWs like members of the family and how he got a special dispensation to drive them to town. More than 125 people attended Poole’s 90-minute presentation. Ann Sharp of Mishawaka, Ind., who grew up in the Decatur area, said she made 25 cents an hour working at the Pete Zelfde farm. “There were 10 of us girls who went out to the farm to work,” she said after the program. “The POWs came under guard, and the people told us not to smile or wave at them. We didn’t have any contact with them.” Harvey Ross of Dowagiac had his own memories. “I was in a restaurant in Germany and a couple of guys came up to me,” he said. “They said they knew where Dowagiac was. They were members of the Luftwaffe and had been captured and sent to a camp near Sodus. They said the people were so
nice here, they would take them to Benton Harbor for dances.” Bill McLaughlin of Hartford was in Allegan County during World War II and worked with prisoners from Fort Custer near Battle Creek, who came to work at an area farm. “Those guys were the nicest guys,” he said. “They just loved it here. The first morning we saw an army vehicle with three POWs and one guard and we were a little shaky. The guard said ‘don’t worry, they’re not going to run or harm you.’ One of them was a 41-year-old guy, and we could kind of converse. He said he didn’t care for Hitler.” Poole said he has heard that as many as a dozen former POWs returned to Southwest Michigan after the war. He said that as many as 8,000 tried to escape from camps nationwide, and there are estimates that fewer than 50 survived without being recaptured.
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German-American Journal
Paradies der Erinnerung
Vor Kurzem veröffentlichte die Reichenberger Zeitung einen Artikels meines 85 jährigen Großvaters, welchen er der Thematik „Heimat“ – insbesondere seine Heimat gewidmet hat. Mein Opa wurde 1927 geboren und wuchs im schönen Großmergthal in Sudetendeutschland, der heutigen Tschechischen Matthias Knobloch Republik, auf. Im zarten Alter von 17 Jahren wurde er zum Dienst an der Waffe gezwungen um fuer Hitlers sinnlosen Größenwahn zu kämpfen. Während sich mein Opa in alliierter Gefangenschaft befand, wurde seine Familie aus Heim und Hof verjagt. Die neu gegründete Regierung der Tschechoslowakei vertrieb alle Sudetendeutschen aus ihrem Hoheitsgebiet. Dieser turbulente Lebensabschnitt meines Opas (er bezahlt gegenwärtig mit seiner fünften Ihm bekannten Währung und kennt seine nun vierte Nationalhymne) beschäftigt ihn bis heute noch sehr. Daher liegt es nahe, dass der Begriff „Heimat“ für ihn eine ganz andere Bedeutung haben mag als für uns. Einem bekannten Wörterbuch kann man entnehmen, dass Heimat zunächst als Zuflucht und Obdach definiert
werden kann. Andere definieren Heimat als der Ort, „wo die Erinnerung Bescheid weiß“ oder „Heimat ist nicht nur dort, wo man geboren und aufgewachsen ist, Heimat, zweite Heimat, ist auch dort, wo man lebt, wo man sich geborgen, zugehörig und verstanden fühlt“ Eine andere, vierte Definition, welche mein Opa fand war „zur Heimat gehören die Landschaft, die Sprache mit ihrem Dialekt, das Brauchtum und vor allem die Menschen.“ Fragt man nun meinen Opa, was er unter Heimat versteht, so würde er sagen, dass Heimat nicht nur der Ort ist, wo man geboren wurde und aufgewachsen ist, sondern „Heimat, zweite Heimat, ist auch dort, wo man lebt, wo man sich geborgen, zugehörig und verstanden fühlt ohne die alte (erste) Heimat zu vergessen“. Viele unter uns Lesern des German American Journal teilen sich aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach den Fakt, dass wir nicht mehr in unserer ersten Heimat leben. Heimat –erste Heimat- ist für mich nicht der Ort, in dem ich geboren wurde. Es ist der Ort, an dem ich aufgewachsen bin – der Ort wo ich meine Wurzeln habe. Ich möchte an dieser Stelle erwähnen, dass ich den Begriff Heimat nicht auf einen bestimmten Ort runter brechen möchte. Für mich verkörpert der Begriff eher eine Region, welche nicht durch Zeichen, Namen oder Linien auf einer Landkarte abgegrenzt wird. Mit dem Begriff (erste) Heimat verbinde ich in erster Linie meine Muttersprache, bestimmten Dialekten, Familie und Freunde, Erinnerungen und die Wärme, welche mein Herz erfüllt, wenn ich an mein Elternhaus denke. Das Flair
August / September 2012
auf Erfurts Straßen sowie all die verschiedenen Dialekte in meiner Umgebung stehen für mich ebenso für den Begriff Heimat, wie der Geruch der traditionellen Gerichte gekocht von meiner lieben Mutter oder meinen lieben Großmüttern. Verglichen mit meinem Opa konnte ich mein Schicksal selbst in die Hand nehmen und meine zweite, neue, Heimat mit meinem freien Willen bestimmen. Ich entschloss mich meiner Liebe, meiner Frau, in die Windy City zu folgen um dort ein Leben als junge Familie zu beginnen. Obwohl wir uns in unserer Wohnung und in Chicago sehr wohl fühlen, denke ich nicht, dass ich Chicago noch als Heimat bezeichnen würde, wenn wir in eine andere Stadt umziehen würden. Ich teile die Meinung meines Großvaters, das es eine erste und eine zweite Heimat gibt. Die erste Heimat ist in meinem Fall fix. Definiert nach meinen Wurzeln, dem Ort, an dem ich aufgewachsen bin. Meine jetzige, zweite, Heimat ist in jedem Fall und ausnahmslos der Ort, in welchem sich meine Frau, mein Sohn und ich niedergelassen haben oder zukünftig noch niederlassen werden. Zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt ist dies noch Chicago aber wer weiß jetzt schon, was die Zukunft bringen wird? Meine zweite Heimat ist immer da wo meine Familie ist. Es hat mehrere Jahre gedauert, bis sich mein Opa und seine Familie an die neue Umgebung gewöhnt hat. Doch sein eiserner Wille, „sich nicht unterkriegen zu lassen“ hat ihm schließlich geholfen den neuen Ort als zweite Heimat zu akzeptieren und sich dort wohl zu fühlen und zwar so, wie es der Begriff Heimat definiert.
Paradise of Memories By: Matthias Knobloch
My 85-year-old grandfather recently published an article* about “home”, in particular his first home in what is now known as the Czech Republic. He was born in 1927 in Sudeten Germany, and grew up in the town of Großmergthal. He was drafted and sent to war to fight for Hitler’s megalomania at the age of 17. Displaced by the newly developed Czechoslovakian government after the war, my grandfather’s family was forced to find a new home. His turbulent past – characterized by the fact that he now pays with the fifth currency he’s known in his life and sings the fourth national anthem - led him to reflect in an article about his home, his roots, and what he believes home means. I’d like to follow his lead and discuss the idea of home, too. According to a well-known dictionary, “home” means shelter or place of refuge. However, we all know that home is more than just the human necessity implied by this definition. My grandfather found different definitions. For example, he writes that “Home is not just birth place and a stage of life where one grew up, but also a place of life where one feels comfortable and understood.” Another definition of “home” is language, dialect, heritage and people. My grandfather, Opa Walter, believes that home means not just a place where one was born and raised, but the place where one lives, feels comfortable and understood, without ever forgetting where one comes from. Many of us may share the fact that our first home is not the place where we live now. For me, my first home isn’t the place I was born either- it is the place where I grew up, the place where my parents raised me, and the place where I think my roots are. However, I’m unable
narrow “home” down to only this one single place or city - is more of a region that is not defined by landmarks, signs, or simple lines on maps – it’s memories, and the warmth coating my heart when I think about my mother’s homemade food, the flair on Erfurt’s streets, or the dialect in the south of Thuringia. I also find “home” in language- certain dialects (yes plural), friends and family with whom I speak certain languages. Sure thing, unlike my grandfather, I was able to decide where to make my “second” home. I chose to follow my love, my wife, to the city of big shoulders to begin my/our life as a family. But, would I call Chicago my new home? Well, it currently is in a physical way. We have a very nice place; a nest that we look forward to go home to, we feel comfortable in our neighborhood and are surrounded by good friends. However – I don’t think that I would call Chicago my home if we were to move to a different city. In my opinion –and I share my grandfather’s perspective- there are two “homes”; where I grew up and, now, where my family is. My first home is fixed in Erfurt. My, well, our home is wherever my son and my wife are. It currently is Chicago, but this can always change. I’m sure that my grandfather had a hard time settling down and feeling comfortable in a place imposed upon him. He eventually arrived at his second home and found the warmth and family that makes a home being worth to be called a home. Thankfully, I have the ability to make the same type of choice for myself. A piece of my grandfather’s first home, a photo of a yew tree on my grandfather’s former yard, stands in my book shelve in my living room in Chicago. Honoring my grandfather’s first home.
*His article was published in the May issue of the “Reichenberger Zeitung”
Die 2000 Jahre alte Eibe auf dem ehemaligen Grundstueck meiner Vorfahren in Krombach in der heutigen Tschechischen Republik.
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
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OK Folks, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This! I hope everyone is staying cool and has enjoyed the summer, the German festivals, picnics and time with your friends and family. We have been very busy in the office dedicating all our time to the DANK National Raffle. Special thanks to those members and friends who have already participated in our raffle. For more information please see the Raffle Committee’s article in this issue. Congratulations to the lucky winners of the July “Early Bird” drawing. You can find their names listed on DANK’s web site. www.dank.org
The Summer Membership Drive has been very successful. So far we have signed up 48 new members! The Membership Drive continues through October 30. Reports show some of you have not yet paid your membership fees for the current year. We hope this was an oversight. Please renew your membership today and continue to enjoy the benefits of being a DANK member. We would like to wish Jakob Setter, a 50year DANK, member a belated happy 80th birthday.
Do We Have a Deal For You! By: Erik Wittmann Membership Chair
Over the last two years we have talked about membership - including the “JUST ADD ONE” campaign - where we encouraged our members to give a membership to family or friends, as well as doing outreach to your neighbors and friends. We have asked you to consider joining our organization in order to maintain a vibrant national organization, representing Americans of Germanic ancestry, which supports German culture, language and various local social activities. Some of you supported the effort while others felt the cost of giving a membership to family or friends was just too expensive. NO MORE EXCUSES! I am happy to share that the National Board voted to initiate a “Summer Membership Drive,” which will run from July 1 through Sept. 30th, at a 50% discount. Certainly a $15 individual or $20 family membership is something most of our members can afford, in order to
Do You Know Anyone In Appleton, WI, Rochester, NY, Fairbanks, AK or Salt Lake City/Provo, UT?
By: Erik Wittmann DANK Membership chair
If you do, here is the time to get them involved in undertakings to establish, or re-establish, DANK Chapters. All four areas have interested individuals wanting to start DANK Chapters and would be interested in getting support from those wanting to become members while establishing a local chapter. What a great time to get new members involved, with our new 50% off summer membership drive. Wisconsin area residents, residing near Appleton, can sign up at the DANK booth at German Fest in Milwaukee, or submit their applications via the membership form in the DANK Journal. You can also go to www.dank.org and fill out a membership application. While the Wisconsin effort has our immediate attention, we will also be participating in forthcoming events in Rochester and Salt
Lake City/Provo. The benefit of having local folks active in chapter development allows those chapters to formulate the kind of group they wish to be, including becoming part of the local chapter leadership. Once 15 members are assigned to an area, a charter is provided to that group, recognizing chapter status, plus funds are provided to assist in the chapter’s growth. We continue to also gauge interest in the Las Vegas area with the hope of establishing a chapter in that city. If you are reading this article and are located in an area not currently part of an active membership drive or existing chapter and wish to consider working on developing a chapter in your area, please contact me, Erik Wittmann, Membership Chair, and I will be happy to work with you in expanding DANK in your community. Contact information is on the inside page of the DANK JOURNAL.
$5 $5*
If you are gifting a membership:
Your Name
provide a gift to loved ones, that are either family members and/or friends. So here is a chance to fill out the Membership Form below and send it in at the discounted price. Gifting a DANK membership helps your organization while acknowledgeing your Germanic pride. All members are also being asked to buy four raffle tickets this year. Please note that there are more chances to win, more prizes, plus greater valued prizes. So take one of those raffle tickets you buy and put it in a card with a note that you are providing both a membership and raffle ticket to that special someone. They don’t need to know that all you spent was $20 (or $25 including the raffle ticket and a family membership,) which will give them both a chance to win prizes, but more importantly a DANK member for the year 2012. There is no limit. If you want to give 2, 3 or 4 DANK memberships to those who value their Germanic roots, here is the chance. Do it now before the three month special ends.
$15* $5
Your Phone #
Sign Up For Membership Online @ www.DANK.org
10
German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Spring Fling: Member Anniversaries Were Celebrated At DANK Chapter Lake County, IL
From left: Wolfram and Linda Lee Kollacks, Ursula and Greg Hoeft, Anna and Steven Schmidt
By: Ursula Hoeft Published as submitted The severe thunderstorms that blanketed the Chicago area on May 6 didn’t dampen the spirits of the DANK Chapter Lake County, IL members and guests who gathered at the White Deer Run Golf Club in Vernon Hills, Illinois for the Chapter’s Spring Fling Awards Luncheon. They were there to recognize members’ anniversaries, to enjoy a delicious meal, and to bask in the camaraderie and gemütlichkeit that’s always abundant at DANK get-togethers. Fifty year DANK membership pins were
presented to Wolfram Kollacks, and Anna and Steven Schmidt; a pin for forty-five years of DANK membership was presented to Linda Lee Kollacks, and fifteen year pins were presented to Greg and Ursula Hoeft. Other Chapter members eligible for pins but not at the luncheon included Anneliese Bode, for fifty years; Anna Bates, Helga Knauz, Gisela Mueller, Margareta Radke, Walter Radke, Cobi Stein, for forty-five years; Erwin Pfluegl, for thirty-five years; Harry Kordas, Lisa Kordas, Ralph Kordas, Linda Kordas, Paul Mueller, Ann Mueller, Rose Marie Shaver, for twenty-five years; Karl Szersba, Ruth Szersba, for five years.
Designs by Margaret Sutherland Östling
Designer Goldsmiths
While celebrating anniversaries was the main reason for the luncheon, it also was a time to reflect on the past. Chapter Vice President Karl Schmidt shared much interesting information about the history of DANK Chapter Lake County, IL. The Chapter, originally known as DANK Chapter Waukegan, was founded on July 10, 1966 at a meeting chaired by DANK National President Walter Kollacks. (His son was the recipient of a 50 year pin at the luncheon.) The Chapter soon offered German language classes and formed an active Frauengruppe, whose members were often asked to sing at local functions. Through the years, the
Chapter hosted many well-attended parties and dances, and sponsored many enjoyable bus trips. In 2002, the Chapter’s name was changed to DANK Chapter Lake County, IL, which better reflected the geographic area in which most of its members lived at that time. The luncheon was planned and organized by Chapter Board member Ludwina Homer, party planner extraordinaire. Karl Schmidt and Membership Chair Judy Kanka made sure all anniversaries were recognized.
Beautiful Spring For Chapter 36 In South Bend
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By: William Troutman Published as submitted It’s traditional for us to have a picnic at Fernwood and relax on a spring day after a long winter. Fernwood is a botanical garden just north of South Bend and it’s filled with every kind of plant, scrub and tree that will survive in this environment. It has a photographic art room, restaurant, and gift shop as well as a big train set with authentic little buildings outside in the garden. Many nature paths lead to the Saint Joseph River passing by a nature center filled with things to see and do including bird watching. On this beautiful day we had our picnic and proceeded to walk the path down to
the river stopping only at the train set and nature center. We ended up at a nice pier on the river where we sat and listened to the sound of water and laughed at some jokes being told. Then it was back to the picnic to have desert and coffee. This we did on Saturday May 19. On June 2, Christine Weiss and I proceeded to Chicago for a D.A.N.K. board meeting at the D.A.N.K. house in Lincoln Square. I must say, I was very impressed. The building was a wonderful old limestone with a ball room and a culture center on the 5th floor. The meeting was impressive too with a lot being accomplished. If anyone hasn’t seen this building yet; they should. It really made me proud to be a member.
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
11
German POW Graves At Fort Sheridan Cemetery Have A New Look By: Ursula Hoeft Published as submitted
By: Margaret Potocki, President Published as submitted “Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!” Doesn’t that just sound like a postcard you might get in the mail? But it’s true! We are having a great summer and we do wish that you could have been here to enjoy our annual summer family picnic, German Day with the Seawolves Baseball team at Uht Park, and the city celebration of “Celebrate Erie”! We had a great meeting in June with a local architect, Gary Matczak, who had a great presentation on the German presence in Erie, from large business buildings built by a construction company owned by Henry Mayer, the Erie Männerchor Club, to the Waldemeer Amusement Park and more! His postcard collection was fantastic to say the least. We gathered at the Mt Carmel Picnic Grove again this year just to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Oh, but there’s a method to our gathering…where else can you get together for Gemütlichkeit
and a gourmet picnic dinner, complete with music? John Lesniewski did an outstanding job with providing delicious ox-roast for our sandwiches. When you couple that with everyone’s favorite picnic dish they shared, no one could say they didn’t get enough to eat! The ‘groaning table’ was so full that it was groaning and desserts had to be relegated to a different table! Desserts…from apfel kuchen, brownies, pies and cakes…everyone’s sweet tooth was satisfied! August is already here and we are gathering our volunteers to get a full team together to work our 16th Annual German Heritage Festival over Labor Day weekend. It’s a lot of work, but well worth the efforts. Giving a discount with the donation of canned goods for our St. Nikolaus Project is a great community involvement. We also collected quite a few items during our German Day at the Ball Park. The sultry days of summer are dwindling down and we look forward to the beautiful display of colors in the fall. Enjoy!
DANK Chapter Lake County, IL is pleased to report that the stones marking the graves of the nine German World War II prisoners of war buried at Fort Sheridan have been replaced. The stones had deteriorated through the years, making them look rundown and neglected. Chapter members had attempted for some time to make them look more presentable by cleaning them, but their efforts did little to improve the stones’ appearance. Former DANK member and DANK Chapter Lake County, IL Vice President Werner Stein decided that the only solution was to have the stones replaced. He presented a plan for their replacement at a Chapter Board meeting last Fall and received the Board’s authorization to proceed with the project. The Board also agreed to provide the needed funds. Mr. Stein quickly got permission from
Check Us Out Online Head on over to our National Website to get the latest updates and information on DANK and the Germanic-American community.
www.dank.org
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the cemetery supervisor for the stones’ replacement and obtained the name of a company in Vermont that would make the new stones to official specifications. He spent many hours working with them, negotiating pricing, viewing and – eventually – approving the company’s artwork. Mr. Stein also contacted the German Consulate General in Chicago about the gravestone replacement plan. Thanks to Mr. Stein’s efforts, the new stones were put in place last December, before the Winter’s first frost. The project was ultimately funded jointly by DANK Chapter Lake County, IL and the German Consulate General. A generous donation was also made by Highwood (Illinois) VFW Post 4741. This year, Volkstrauertag will be observed on November 18. DANK Chapter Lake County, IL will again hold a memorial service and wreath laying ceremony at the Fort Sheridan cemetery, beginning at 1:30 in the afternoon.
dank.org/blog
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Stiglmeier has a large selection of delicious German-style sausage... with a Bavarian accent.
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12
German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Pittsburgh Chapter Plans On Visiting Cleveland & Chicago! By: Erik Wittmann
German Volksfest & Picnic Hosted By DANK South
By: Anita Walthier
DANK Chapter Chicago South & Suburban and the Frankfort-Mokena Heritage Society, along with Chicago’s German radio host Armin Homann, presented a German Volksfest, with show and dance at our DANK Haus in Frankfort, IL, on Saturday June 23, 2012. The festivities took place in our beer garden pavilion and the weather was perfect. The featured entertainers were well-known from Germany’s television, stage and radio; Armin Stöckl sang and even made some of the ladies scream with excitement, with some of his songs. Angela Nebauer was absolutely lovely and her voice simply stunning. The distinguished Max Lechner performed with class. The guests listened and danced to the music of “Die Perlen”. Our own Miss DANK 2012, Andrea LaMontagne, represented us proudly. Chicago Rheinischer Verein
president Reinhard Richter and wife Ilse visited with us. We even had members, Mr. & Mrs. Hoffman, share their 50th wedding anniversary with us that day. The event could not have taken place without the dedication and volunteer time of a handful of people, which I am going to mention. Former president, Mr. Bill Schmidt, so often goes unmentioned for his behind the scenes hard work and efforts to make the grounds and appearance of the building maintainable. The set-up crew was Charlie Noles and Joe Osterhout. The commitment to the kitchen extends beyond the event day and includes days before, for food preparation. Many thanks to Frank & Linda Janca, for an outstanding job. Our appetites were filled with Frankfurter/Bratwurst dinner platters (the perfect Biergarten special.) The sous chefs were Bob & Marlene Kaiser and were helped by Linda Wilson & Paula Malloy. Our club photographer was Marlene Kaiser. The bar was
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Plans are underway for two excursions for the members and friends of the Pittsburgh Chapter. The first trip, on Aug-18-19, will be to Cleveland. There we will party at a number of places, including the Donuaschwaben Annual Summer-Oktoberfest on Saturday August 18th, the West Side Market, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Horseshoe Casino and, of course, a Sunday Buffet at one of the best German oriented restaurants:Sterley’s. The trip will leave Pittsburgh on Saturday, August 18th at approximately 10 am and return on the 19th in the late afternoon. Hotel accommodations will be provided - details on the hotel and full agenda, including costs, are currently being worked out. Our second trip, scheduled for October 12-14th, will be to Chicago and the annual Fox Valley Oktoberfest. Details for both can be found on the Pittsburgh Chapter web site www.germaninpittsburgh.org . handled by Dan Duffy, Kurt Paterek and Barry Cornell. Kurt kept us informed of the German soccer scores. Sean and Nathan Harfmann, our junior members, were available to help when needed. The Volksfest was nicely attended and we are hoping to see you at our upcoming events. See our website for details www.dankchicagosouth.org
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
13
Your Mother Tongue - Deine Muttersprache! Published as submitted
The Amerika Woche of June 18/25, 2012 just announced: “ And the New Miss German-America 2012 is...Kirsten Mueller, a resident of Dix Hills, NY and a Pre-Vet student at the University of Delaware. Her princesses are Elise Wilkinson of Wallingford, CT a Law student at Christa Garcia Quinnipiac University School of Law and Kyra Schugt of Brooklyn, NY, a former Fulbright scholar, an Art Teacher in the NYC Public School system. (p.31) Congratulations to all of these young ladies! I was especially happy about the fact that all three members of the court are fluent in German, a criteria which we used to insist upon for our “Miss DANK” Pageants! So what happened to the German language skills of our own DANK Members in our DANK Chapters and to those of our Associate Member Chapters? Here is a typical eye witness account of Eric J. Weilbacher who wrote in the Herald-Zeitung of New Braunfels on May 8, 2010 in his article Still speaking German. “In the mid-1800s, tens of thousands of German immigrants landed in the Texas ports of Galveston, Indianola and elsewhere, and made a trek into central Texas and the Hill Country to found communities such as New Braunfels, Comfort, Round Top and Fredericksburg, building distinct communities and adding their mark to the increasingly diverse Texas cultural landscape. No one is certain, but there are anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 living speakers of German in central Texas, down from the more than 100,000 estimated at the turn of the 20th century. Those speakers use the distinct Texas German dialect that developed among them, according to the Texas German Dialect Project, a project of the University of Texas at Austin Department of Germanic Languages that interviews and archives recordings, transcripts and translations of interviews with living Texas German speakers. (Full disclosure: the author’s brother was a researcher and interviewer for the TGDP). Eric J. Weilbacher’s article sadly ended: “Basically, we still see each other at times,” Frueholz said of the group from his
school days that attended the summer school classes, but the longer they go without speaking, the rustier they get. The older one gets, accuracy has fallen by the wayside,” he said. (herald-zeitung.com) This article prompted me to ask: Have we ever surveyed how many DANK members spoke and still speak German? Do we know how many DANK members still enjoy reading and writing German? Erica Westly, a freelance science journalist based in New York City, summarizes her research and leaves us (Oldies) with an important message: learning, knowing and using another language “shows greater mental flexibility, a superior grasp of abstract concepts and a better working memory.” This was also affirmed in The Wall Street Journal (04/30/12) report of a Northwestern University research project which tested 50 teenagers. The Proceedings published in the National Academy of Sciences show bilingual people have longer attention spans and improved memories. Another study conducted at the University of Chicago found growing evidence that using a second language leads to more thoughtful decision making! So here is my challenge to each of the DANK Members in the DANK Chapters: can you please survey your members and administer a short questionnaire? You will be surprised by your findings - definitely a worthwhile project! And for those DANK members who have young students in the family, the DAAD Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst ( German Academic Exchange Service) has a number of very helpful links which are worthwhile looking into. Leslie Harlson of the DAAD North America Information Center San Francisco daadsf@daad.org explained the most recent developments at the Saturday School June Conference in San Francisco. The DAAD warns, however, that each degree program may have its own individual requirements, especially in the cases of art/music/film/architecture. Each degree program is responsible for selection of its own student body and prerequisites may vary by institution and degree program. The requirements for admission to a German university can be summarized as follows: The student must be able to prove regular attendance of high school grades 9-12 with completion of 16 “academic units” which must include 4 units of English, 2 units of a second language, 3 units of Social Studies and 5 units totaling math and science courses to include Algebra II or III, Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus, Biology, Chemistry or Physics. The minimum SAT (1150-
DANK SURVEY
1. how many of your members spoke German as a child? 2. how many of your members learned German in school? a. elementary school c. high school
b. Saturday School d. univeristy
3. how many of your members kept up with the language via: a. newspapers b. journals c. personal conversations d. writing letters to relatives e. emailing 4. how many of your members use today’s hottest social media tools? a. Twitter c. YouTube?
b.Google+ d. other?
5. how many of your members would like to learn how to use these social media tools which have become second nature to many young people for learning and networking which could also help each DANK Chapter to recruit new members! 1290) or ACT (23-27) does require a preparatory course for admission to a German university, SAT scores of 1300 or ACT score of 28 and higher generally allows direct general admission, and four AP courses in math, technology, natural sciences, medicine or pharmacy or humanities, social sciences, law or economics could lead to direct subjectrestricted admission. Please also consult the following websites: www.daad.org and www.study-in.de Should your family member be interested in a German language degree program, he or she should start early in order to qualify for the prerequisites: the DSD - das Deutsche Sprachdiplom ( I and II). Language Immersion Programs by State
14
German-American Journal
PepsiCo Teams Up With German Dairy Company To Enter the Yogurt Business
By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com PepsiCo has just announced that in the coming weeks they will be introducing a new line of yogurt products in the United States under their Quaker brand. This new market for the company will allow it to add some more health conscious items to its current lineup of sodas and Frito-Lay snacks and they are teaming up with the German owned Theo Muller Group to get it done. “Chocolate Flakes” and “Choco Balls” will be some of the new fun flavors introduced alongside the more typical fruit flavors, all of which will contain between 130 and 220 calories and are being marketed as “European-styled yogurts.” “As we’ve seen through the success of our dairy business in other parts of the world, this is a category with strong growth prospects,” said Mehmood Khan, M.D., PepsiCo
chief scientific officer, global research & development. “Muller makes some of Europe’s most delicious and unique dairy products, and there is no better partner PepsiCo could have in order to meet historic U.S. consumer demand for premium yogurt. With the name recognition and trust Quaker provides, together, we will be able to offer U.S. consumers an amazing range of products that taste delicious and are unlike anything on the market currently.” At first, the yogurts will be produced in Germany and shipped to the US for a limited release in the Northeast and MidAtlantic states. As the brand expands nationally, a new US plant will be built in Batavia, NY to produce the yogurt and is expected to become the largest plant of its kind in the US. PepsiCo expects the new venture with the Theo Muller Group to produce 180 new jobs in the US and hopes to make a dent in the projected $9 billion market by 2016.
Official German Customs App Now Available for iOS and Android Smartphones By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com
Germany’s Ministry of Finance has released a specialty app for Android phones and the iPhone that will help travelers coming into Germany find out what items can be legally brought into the country. The app covers all the basics and allows users to enter in the quantity of certain allowed items, such as cigarettes and alcohol, to see if it is within the legal limit and how much you may have to pay in taxes. While it is a simple app, it can save travelers a lot of headaches and confusion once they confront German customs.
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The app does not need an internet connection to work, so you don’t need to worry about any international data charges showing up on your bill. For some reason though, the Ministry of Finance has only made the app available in German, so travelers who don’t have a basic understanding of the language will find the app useless. You would think they would at least add English as an available option. If you are going to be making a trip to Germany and have relatives that want you to bring along some gifts, I suggest downloading the app beforehand to make sure you clear customs. ”Zoll und Reise” is currently available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
LinkedIn Sees Huge Growth in the German Speaking Region of Europe In The Last Year
By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com LinkedIn, the social network for businesses and professionals, has only recently pushed its site in the German-speaking regions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland and they are already seeing higher than expected results. Their biggest European competitor is the Hamburg-based Xing, which offers a very similar service and currently holds the number one spot, but the latest membership statistics from LinkedIn shows that LinkedIn memberships are growing at a pace of more than double that of Xing. One of the biggest advantages LinkedIn has over Xing is that a majority of the site’s features are available for free to registered members. LinkedIn makes its money from job hiring services, marketing solutions, and premium subscriptions for its power users whereas Xing on the other hand offers very little for its free members and charges a monthly fee for many of the necessary features that go along with a social networking site. Only 20% of LinkedIn’s income comes from subscription costs versus 69% at Xing. Back in August, LinkedIn opened up an office in Munich and at that time had a European membership of 30 million. In less than one year they saw an increase of 5 million users. During that same period, Xing only saw an increase of 700,000 members throughout Europe. At least 2 million LinkedIn users are from one of the German-speaking regions, and while that may not seem like a large amount, its important to note that Xing only reports 5.51 million users in that same area. It’s only a matter of time before the American based LinkedIn takes the number 1 business network title away from Germany’s own Xing.
iTunes Top 10 Song Downloads United States
DAX
August / September 2012
Data Taken July 22, 2012
Germany
05/18/12:
$12,369.38
05/18/12:
€6,271.22
1 Whistle • Flo Rida
1 I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix) • Lykke Li
07/20/12:
$12,822.57
07/20/12:
€6,630.02
2 Wide Awake • Katy Perry
2 Balada (Tchê Tcherere Tchê Tchê) • Gusttavo Lima
$ Change:
+ $453.19
€ Change:
+ €358.80
3 Call Me Maybe • Carly Rae Jepsen
3 One Day / Reckoning Song • Asaf Avidan & The Mojos
% Change:
+ 3.66%
% Change:
+ 5.72%
4 Take a Little Ride • Jason Aldean
4 Tacatà • Tacabro
5 Some Nights • Fun.
5 Call Me Maybe • Carly Rae Jepsen
EUR/USD
6 Lights • Ellie Goulding
6 Euphoria • Loreen
05/18/12:
$1.2761
7 Titanium • David Guetta feat. Sia
7 I Follow Rivers • Triggerfinger
07/20/12:
$1.2156
8 Want U Back • Cher Lloyd
8 Whistle • Flo Rida
$ Change:
- $0.0605
9 Good Time • Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
9 Du • Cro
% Change:
- 4.74%
10 Pontoon • Little Big Town
10 Summertime Sadness • Lana Del Rey
Source: Yahoo! Finance
Shaded Row: Song found on both lists
Source: iTunes
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
15
Hawaiian Islands The Spirit of Aloha
By: Audrey L. Hess-Eberle Euro Lloyd Travel Group/Chicago Published as submitted In the old days, it was that far-off set of enchanted islands that seemed like the other side of the world, tugging at us, enticing us to come…explore. Many destinations catch our awareness these days, and we travel great distance to find both the familiar, or unknown destinations to add to our ‘Bucket List’. But this may be the time to make your re-acquaintance with, or new introduction to, the magnificent Hawaiian Islands, our 50th state. The Hawaiian Islands were inhabited and founded by Polynesian voyagers some 1600 years ago when they crossed 2400 miles of open ocean, bringing items essential to survival like coconut, sugar cane, bananas, sweet potatoes, medicinal plants and livestock. Some 500 years later, Tahitians arrived, and the blend of cultures became the history, majesty and traditions of the native Hawaiian people of today, chronicling their life through aloha (love), oli (chant), mele (song) and hula (dance). While Hawaii remains a good deal about its culture, resorts and natural wonder, it is also much more. With six main islands, paradise is found in a perfect blend of experiences including some important history. We recently celebrated the birth of our nation that began with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. There is no greater testament to the sacrifice and World II valor than to start with the island of Oahu, and the memorial over the sunken Battleship SS Arizona in Pearl Harbor - the catalyst bombing by Japanese warplanes that pulled us into World War II on December 7, 1941; the Battleship SS
Missouri upon which the Peace Treaty of the Japanese surrender was signed to end the war on September 2, 1945; or the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum. Next, visit the Pacific Aviation Museum and Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to understand WWII’s impact. It is easy to fly to any of the islands from the mainland, then between each island for further exploration of any or all of them. Honolulu on Oahu is a fast-paced urban setting with nightlife, the best shopping and restaurants, all at close distance to rainforests, deep canyons, valleys, waterfalls, mile-high mountains, coral reefs and sand beaches. One of the most beautiful beaches is Lanikal on the west coast for snorkeling and kayaking. Hike to Diamond Head with your family, (a 760-foot volcanic cone), to view 360 degrees of Honolulu, followed by a swim in the crystal clear waters of Hanaauma Bay where you can go face to face with some 50 species of reef and inshore fish. The Polynesian Cultural Center offers an experience of the natural beauty and culture of the Pacific in a single day – a kind of living museum. Fiji, New Zealand, Marquesas, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga and Hawaii are represented in re-created, inhabited villages throughout a 42-acre lagoon park where you travel by foot or in a dugout canoe through the exhibit. On Hawaii, the Big Island, you will see the miracle of creation during your visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as you watch red-hot lava ooze from two active volcanoes – Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Walk up to view them or watch from the shoreline. Hapuna Beach is one of the world’s most beautiful areas to picnic, camp, body surf, or enjoy water-time on the black sand beach of Punalu’u – home to
EURO LLOYD TRAVEL Announcing AIR FARE SPECIALS for members of DANK If you have not traveled to Germany lately, Summer is that special time of year to visit family and friends and to explore the variety of destinations, both familiar and new, in spite of high fuel surcharges. Please identify yourselves as D.A.N.K. members when calling our office
Current airfares (special sales are offered as they occur) for travel to and from Germany, including taxes and fuel surcharges, start from: Chicago Indianapolis Milwaukee Madison Cleveland Detroit
$1152 $1070 $1088 $1088 $1127 $1152
Audrey L. Hess-Eberle or Tiffany Nedwed EURO LLOYD TRAVEL GROUP Partner of Lufthansa City Center The Monadnock Building 53 W. Jackson Blvd. - Suite 863 Chicago, Illinois 60604
*Call for special airfares to other European cities and beyond. *Low discounted Domestic and international airfares. *European Rail passes and single tickets. *Car rentals with special low dollar rates in most European countries. *Cruises world-wide. *Worldwide tours – independent, hosted and fully escorted.
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.
sea turtles. The legend is that ‘Hina’, the mother of Maui, lives in a cave behind the 80-foot Rainbow Falls of Hilo. Search for petroglyphs or big-game fish for Marlin off the Kona Coast – any wrangler’s dreamcome- true. Liliuokalani Gardens are the largest formal Japanese gardens outside of Tokyo…a vision of ponds and bridges, bonsai and pagodas. Hilo is renowned for its premium orchid nurseries – an inspiration to gardeners and artists. Kauai, the Garden Isle, offers chiseled mountains and thundering waterfalls, lush vegetation, and small towns. Helicopter rides over colorful rock formations in Waimea Canyon and Napali Coast are costly, but worth experiencing. Bird watching is at its best at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. On Maui, the Valley isle, take the cliffside road to Hana, deeper into the lush rain forest then search for Charles Lindberg’s grave. Explore cinder cones at the summit of Haleakala, the Whalers Village Mall in
Kaanapali, ride a Sugar Cane Train, then visit the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium. Want more? Deep sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, catamaran and boat tours, river kayaking, surfing, golfing, horseback riding, zipline tours, helicopter tours, hiking - smiling…… Hawaii will stun you into thinking what took you so long. And she will seem like an old friend welcoming you lovingly home – Aloha style. From budget to deluxe, Independent stays or escorted tours, cruises, air and car rentals. Starting from $120 per person/per day Call today for more information, on this and other cruises or tours, various destinations. Identify yourselves as a DANK member. Ask for Audrey or Tiffany. Phone: 312-362-0218 /// Toll Free: 800572-3149 /// Email: chi@eurolloyd.com
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German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Donald J. Trump To Be Inducted Into the German-American Hall of Fame
Donald J. Trump and William Hetzler, GAMHOF Chairman
New York, NY (June 13, 2012) The Board of Trustees of the German-American Hall of Fame (GAMHOF) is proud to announce their vote to induct Donald J. Trump into the Hall of Fame. The formal induction ceremony will take place Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York City. GAMHOF Chairman William Hetzler recently met with Mr. Trump to inform him of the Board of Trustees’ decision. “I am honored to join the remarkable group of outstanding Americans already in the Hall” said Mr. Trump. GAMHOF was established in 2004 by prominent Americans of German ancestry to recognize and celebrate the impact of German immigrants and their progeny to the United States by highlighting some of the most remarkable German-Americans through a virtual “Hall of Fame.” As has been a custom every year, there is a posthumous inductee, and the inductee for 2012 will be John H. Roebling, the revolutionary civil engineer builder of the Brooklyn Bridge and other notable American structures.
Donald J. Trump is the grandson of a Frederich and Elizabeth Trump, two German immigrants from Kallstadt, Pfalz. Both arrived 1885 in the United States. Mr. Trump started making business deals with his father, Fred C. Trump, while attending the Wharton School of Finance. Fred attributed much of the success of his company to the tenacity of his son: “Some of my best deals were made by my son Donald...everything he touches seems to turn to gold.” After five years of their father-son partnership, Donald embarked on a solo career in the lucrative market of Manhattan real estate and completely dominated the field. His name is synonymous with some of the most memorable buildings in American architecture including, among many others, Trump Park Avenue, Trump World Tower and Trump Tower. In 2004, his reality show “The Apprentice” debuted to become the #1 show on television, and the Apprentice series, which includes the highly successful Celebrity Apprentice, is entering its thirteenth season. His golf course portfolio includes golf clubs that are among the highest
Die Purpurnen Kommen!
German Translation of Children’s Story “The Purples are Coming” Available on the iPad By: Amelia Cotter Published as submitted
The children’s book, The Purples are Coming! by Ilow and Sheri Roque, is now available in German (Die Purpurnen Kommen!) for iPad. A Catholic faith-based tale about the power of prayer, this sweet and happy story can also be useful for anyone wanting to practice or keep up with their German. Die Purpurnen Kommen!, translated by Amelia Cotter, is 41 pages and costs $4.99. It is currently available only for iPad through Apple iBooks, but the hardcover English version can be purchased on Amazon.com for $17.99. The English description of the book is as follows: “A delightful, beautifully illustrated long verse poem, The Purples are Coming! enables children 9 and under to develop a love of reading while gaining a deep appreciation of Catholic faith and virtues. Thrilled at the alarm signaling the arrival of spring (‘THE PURPLES ARE COMING!’), a humorous band of meadowland animal pals sets off on a most unusual journey. They travel to the little chapel by the pond to see the purples at the very peak of their bloom, and meet a wise old ram, Father Fred, who teaches them important lessons about prayer, apostleship, and the love of God. Maybe prayer is not so complicated after all.” Please pass the word on to friends and family who are German-speaking and/or Catholic, and may be interested in reading or sharing this story with their children and friends!
rated in the world, with the Trump International Golf Links Scotland due to open this July in Aberdeen. In addition, the Trump Hotel Collection has won many awards, nationally and internationally, and continues to receive accolades for excellence. Two of his latest acquisitions are the historic Old Post Office in Washington. D.C. which will become a luxury hotel while retaining the original façade and the iconic Doral Hotel & Country Club in Miami, which is 800 acres and includes five championship golf courses. In addition, he is the author of sixteen books, many of which have been bestsellers. Although Trump is most significantly known for his candid, no-nonsense attitude, his true passion is helping the community. Trump serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League. He pays tribute to our troops as Co-Chairman of the New York Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund, and he hosts the annual Red Cross Ball at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. In 2012 he received the American Cancer Society Lifetime Achievement Award. John Augustus Roebling is the genius behind some of the most iconic symbols of American culture - our suspension bridges. Roebling studied architecture and engineering at the Bauakademie in Berlin, specifically bridge construction, foundation construction and hydraulics. After completing two semesters in college, Roebling left for America with his brother Carl in 1831 and settled in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Though Roebling created bridge projects around the country, the majestic Brooklyn Bridge is Roebling’s most famous architectural masterpiece. He never saw its completion; he lost his life in a horrendous accident. His son, Colonel Washington Roebling, completed the project while serving in the Union army during the Civil War. More than a century later, his beautiful landmark stands today as one of the most recognizable symbols of the City of New York. “By inducting Donald J. Trump and John A. Roebling into the German-American Hall of Fame, we are recognizing two great Americans of German ancestry who have truly changed the skylines and landscape of America,” said GAMHOF Chairman and Founder William Hetzler. “Literally tens of millions of Americans and visitors have shopped, traversed or lived in the architectural creations of Messrs. Trump and Roebling. We are most proud of them, their distinctive styles and their huge impact on the United States of America.”
Featured Album: Ballast Der Republik by Die Toten Hosen By: Stephen Fuchs GermanPulse.com Die Toten Hosen is one of the most recognized German punk bands not only in Germany but around the world. Since forming the band in 1982, Die Toten Hosen has released 15 studio albums and a mix of live and compilation albums, all of which have become hits. Their latest album, “Ballast der Republik” has been released for their 30th anniversary and the 16 song album makes up for the long 4 year pause since their last release. “Ballast der Republik” is packed with the higher powered songs fans love, but there is a nice pacing throughout the album that provides a softer break every once in a while. If you’re expecting an album full heavy metal/rock sounds you won’t find too much of it here. Die Toten Hosen has stuck with a more alternative/punk sound that will easily produce a few radio hits in Germany. “Tage wie diese” is the first single to hit German radio stations and is sure to become a Toten Hosen classic. You can download “Ballast der Republik” from music stores such as iTunes and Amazon as either a standard album or deluxe edition which features a bonus disc of cover versions of popular German songs performed by Die Toten Hosen.
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
17
Service Organizations Struggle With Membership… The Solutions Will Surprise You! Members.”
FACT: Most Members of Organizations, NEVER Sponsor a New Member Recruitment Ideas That Work: FORMER MEMBERS Encourage the membership chairs to keep track of former members. Invite the former members to rejoin your organization.
By: Alan Adler Almost every service organization in the US is struggling to attract and retain members. Lions, Kiwanis, Elks and ethnic organizations like DANK, are experiencing levels of attrition, not seen in years. Yet the biggest single obstacle to increasing the ranks of members in these organizations, are the members themselves! This past year Rotary International discovered that in the US, more than 90% of members have not asked or sponsored a new member to join their Rotary club during the past ten years. This alarming statistic is consistent with most service organization clubs. Many club members I’ve interviewed have told me they presume new members won’t be interested in joining their clubs because of economic issues. This is a terrible strategy that should be considered totally unacceptable. While this seems to be the excuse du jour, most organizational experts agree that fellowship, networking and doing good things for others are among the best ways to overcome tensions caused by a problematic economy. Retention is another key issue for service
organizations. One club that I know of, with a membership of 300+ has been losing 10% of their members, per year. One of the biggest mistakes senior club leaders can make is to avoid the problem. If efforts to attract and retain members are not driven top down, little will change. A second mistake many clubs make is to have a “membership chair,” who is the sole person responsible to attract and recruit new members. As quickly as the membership chair runs out of prospects, whom they have personally recruited, new membership comes to a grinding halt. So, while this can work short-term, it is not a very good longterm strategy. It should be the job of the membership chair to create, implement and oversee strategies that will make individual, key member’s ambassadors of their local chapters. Surprisingly, when attention is paid to the problem, and a few simple strategies are implemented, new members can be recruited and retained. I know this because a service organization that I belong to (with 2,800 members) used many of my strategies. This effort resulted in the attraction of more than 300 new members in 120 days. Below are a few ideas from, “Great Ideas to Recruit and Retain Service Club
COMMUNITY PROJECTS A successful project/event attracts new members. Involve members in worthwhile community projects. Then, make sure every event includes a recruitment plan for optimizing membership building opportunities. SIX-MONTH PLAN Encourage every new member to bring in another new member within six months of joining. “The Summer Membership Drive” is a great way to accomplish this. MEMBERSHIP AMBASSADORS Search your membership directory and create a list of everyone who has a large sphere of influence. From that list build a group of 3-10 people to become membership ambassadors. Set a goal for each ambassador to bring in 2-4 members over the next 12 months. THIS CAN BE VERY POWERFUL CLUB GUEST DAY Develop a list of potential members and distribute invitations to those on the list. Host this chapter event with light refreshments and information for those who accept the invitation. CONTEST Have an organizational contest to see who can bring in the most members. Reward the top 3 with special awards that will instill a desire to compete. BRING A FRIEND DAY Designate one event every few months as “Bring a Guest”
meeting. The “Just Add One” campaign is great for an event like this.
BUSINESS/PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH Usually, members have other associations with men and women in their business, professional, spiritual community, etc. This strategy asks every member to invite an outstanding leader in their business, profession or community to become a member. LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE This strategy emphasizes true leadership. Leaders will be expected to bring in one new member in the first month of each calendar year. Presidents, Membership Chairs, Committees heads, Chapter board members and National board members. Two of the most important words to help retain members in an organizations are EXPECTATIONS and ENGAGEMENT. It is best for all parties, if, during the recruiting process prospective and or new members are made aware of what they should expect from the organization and what the organization should expect from the new member. When expectations are in alignment both the new member and the organization are seldom disappointed. There will always be some retention issues that are impossible to avoid such as, job change, relocation, family and health issues. Separate from those, the single biggest factor that causes members to lose interest and potentially drop out is lack of engagement. Therefore, it should be the responsibility of the organizations leadership and chairs to keep members engaged in both the purpose of the organization and its activities. If not, retention of members will almost certainly become an issue at some point in time. The above is written by Alan Adler, Author of Getting the Fish to Swim to YOU & Keeping Them in YOUR Boat… www. gettingthefishtoswimtoyou.com/blog.php
Book Review: A Serendipitous Life Book By: Karl Rickels MD Review By: Stephen Fuchs GermanPulse.com
“I am sitting in an easy chair in the library, listening to radio from the Metropolitan Opera, and reading The New York Times.” This is not something you would expect to read in a letter being sent home by a German POW in America, but it is the experience that Karl Rickels had as one, and he wrote it all down in his personal memoir “A Serendipitous Life.” Rickels’ motivation for writing his book was to pass on his captivating life experiences to his family, present and future, but anyone that picks up this book will be instantly drawn in to his serendipitous life. The story begins with a very well written background on his early childhood, which paints a picture of what life in Germany was like right before the start of WWII and then captures the struggles many families faced when the war
started. Like many young German males at that time, Karl Rickels had no choice but to join the German military. While stationed in Africa, Rickels is captured by American forces and in his story he recounts how life was as not all that bad as a POW in America for the first few chapters of his memoir. After the war, Rickels returns to Germany to enter medical school and eventually returns to America, with no bad feelings of his POW days, to work as a psychiatrist at the Mental Health Institute of Cherokee, Iowa. This is where his story now changes directions to detail his career in psychiatric health and medicine with many interesting stories of his family life spread throughout. A Serendipitous Life is filled with many enjoyable stories that will keep you entertained and often wanting more. Don’t let the fact that it is written by a medical professional or that there is a focus on the research of early psychiatric medicines stop you from picking up this book. It is a very
well written personal memoir that will keep you engaged throughout the pages of the book. There are a few moments in Rickels story that get into the more technical side of his medical research, but it is only a small
portion of the 215 page memoir. When you finish the book you will have a new insight to the pre-WWII German life and will see how being in the right place at the right time can lead to some unexpected fortunes. B+
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German-American Journal
August / September 2012
Classic German Food Becomes The Latest Trend in LA By: Stephen Fuchs | GermanPulse.com
the Wurstküche is filled with a younger crowd listening to the latest German music while enjoying a bratwurst and cold beer. The owner, Joseph Pitruzelli, stated that he “never expected to spark such a boom” and due to the overwhelming popularity, Wurstküche has been forced to operating as a reservation-only restaurant and has also opened up a second location in Venice Beach. What makes many of these new German restaurants throughout Los Angeles unique are their choices to abandon
Los Angeles is known for being a trendsetting town, and while the residents may be known to go for more healthy or organic options, German food has become a surprising hit among foodies. German restaurants are cropping up all throughout LA bringing fast food stand stands and Biergartens, both popular finds in any town in Germany. When walking down Sunset Boulevard, you’ll find yourself feeling like you’ve traveled to urban Berlin where
the typical cuckoo clock and beer stein lined walls for an atmosphere that more resembles modern Germany with new music and minimalistic decor and modern art. Stefan Kloo, who works at the Goethe Institut in LA, explained why he believes there is this sudden interest in German food by stating that “In L.A., it’s always about having what you couldn’t have before. The trend of currywurst and a cold beer on the table is something new. Americans are very open to new things”
*** 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.
August 2012 3
Benton Harbor, MI. DANK Benton Harbor Fish Fry. 6-8 pm. Doors open at 5:30 PM. The band plays from 7-10 p.m. 2651 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI.
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Chicago, IL. Lost German Chicago, Exhibit celebrating the establishments no longer with the Chicago German community. Doors open 11am DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call: 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
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Chicago, IL. Kulturekueche. Make Oma proud demonstration, recipes, tasting and drink. 7:30 pm. 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL. For more information call: 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com Chicago, IL. Lost German Chicago, Exhibit celebrating the establishments no longer with the Chicago German community. Doors open 11am DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call: 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
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South Bend, IN Annual Picnic atr Kison’s Farm. 1:00 p.m. Potlock. 6320 Maple Rd., South Bend, IN
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Benton Harbor, MI. DANK Benton Harbor Membership Meeting. 4PM
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Erie, PA. DANK Erie Meeting
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Chicago, IL. Stammtisch. Monthly Open –Haus – Great German food, Bier and Gemütlichkeit . 7:30 pm DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave Chicago, IL. For more information call 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
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Erie, PA. Germa Day at the UHR Ballpark with the Seawolves vs. Harrisburgh
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Chicago, IL. Lost German Chicago, Exhibit celebrating the establishments no longer with the Chicago German community. Doors open 11am DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more info call: 773-561-9181 or visit dankhaus.com
18-19 Pittsburgh bus trip to Cleveland Ohio- includes visit to
the West Side Market- Oktoberfest at German –American Cultural Center, Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame, Horseshoe Casino and Sunday Buffet at Sterley’s Slovenian House. Details can be found at www.germaninpittsburgh.org
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Chicago IL. DANK Haus Adult Fall Registration for German Classes. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For info call 773-561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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South Bend bus trip to Toledo, OH. Call for more information: 272-8163 or 271-6922
Chicago-South , IL
Chicago, IL
David Lange Emil & Sandi Marunde George Nagata Ronny Frym Ingrid Durham Patricia Michalski
DANK Pittsburgh, German Heritage Parade- East Ohio Street- North Side starts at 11 AM. Luncheon Buffett at the Teutonia Mannerchor afterwards- tickets available from any DANK member or at the door. More details at www.germaninpittsburgh.org
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Chicago, IL. Kinderschule Registration, DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. For more information call 773561-9181 or visit www.dankhaus.com
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Pascack Valley, NJ Regular Meeting.. For more information: 201-391-2185
16-18 Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest- Sept. 16-18th-
September 2012
Downtown Canonsburg- visit the DANK Booth!
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Erie Männerchor Club, 1607 State St., Brief Meeting; Program “German Tracht” presented by Heidi Cowey. No fee. Open to the public. Join us for dinner at 5:00 – reservations by Tuesday evening. (814) 520-5036
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Benton Harbor, MI. DANK Benton Harbor’s 1st Oktoberfest . Doors will open at 6 PM. $7 entrance per person. The Kitchen and Bar will be open to serve at 6 PM for an extra charge. Eddie Korusa & The Boys will entertain from 7-11 PM for your dancing pleasure. German food is available.
1-2 Erie, PA. German Heritage Festival, St. Nick’s Grove,
5131 Old French Rd., Erie, PA. $5 admission, $1 discount with donation of canned goods for the St. Nick Project benefitting the Second Harvest Food Bank. Children under 12 years of age free.
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Benton Harbor, MI. DANK Benton Harbor Fish Fry. 6-8 pm. Doors open at 5:30 PM. The band plays from 7-10 p.m. 2651 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI.
Welcome New Members Cosima & Alfred Cosima Clementia & Thomas Niemann Erick Coners Richard Noeller Lothar & Debbie Gehrig
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Jeanie & Brad Lewis Lisa Scott Justin Barner
Fox Valley, IL
Farhad & Rameen Marzban Walter Kubon
Springfield, IL
Esther Allen Gloria & Benton Read Pat Pedigo
April 26, 2012 - June 25, 2012 Benton Harbor, MI
Donna, Allison, Amanda & Alexis Tober Erich Norris Barbara Dorgelo Lynn Wilda Sandi Marrill Gregory Bauman William Marshall Laurel Purdy
Milwaukee, WI
Gary Rebholz Ernie Schimpf William & Carolyn Wohlbedacht
Chicago Northern Suburbs Andreas Gass
Cleveland, OH
Hillary & Alyssa Rombazzi
South Bend, IN
Jeffrey & Halrun Lupes
Phoenix, AZ
Paul & Rose Marie Scheske
August / September 2012
German-American Journal
German Vocabulary Die Familie
INSTRUCTIONS: Circle the 21 words that are hidden in the puzzle. The words you are looking for are listed below the puzzle. Words appear straight across, up and down, and diagonally.
German Vocabulary - Die Familie German Vocabulary - Die Familie
FAMILIE FAMILIE BRUDER BRUDER GROßVATER GROßVATER COUSINE COUSINE
VATER MUTTER VATER MUTTER SCHWESTER GESCHWISTER SCHWESTER GESCHWISTER GROßELTERN ENKELSOHN GROßELTERN ENKELSOHN ONKEL TANTE ONKEL TANTE
ELTERN ELTERN OMA OMA ENKELIN ENKELIN
SOHN SOHN GROßMUTTER GROßMUTTER ENKELKINDER ENKELKINDER
B R U U K E N F Z Y G U C V X J N E E F
Answers N H P F S Z F P N A H F N D B C F T K N
B B R R U U U U K K E E N N F F Z Z Y Y G G U U C C V V X X J J N N E E E E F F
H R F E F Y F X N M V B V N Y C E N F E
N N H H P P F F S S Z Z F F P P N N A A H H F F N N D D B B C C F F T T K K N N
O E F Q E Z C K R O E C G B G Y Y A H G
H H R R F F E E F F Y Y F F X X N N M M V V B B V V N N Y Y C C E E N N F F E E
S D F V J N F V X L X P Y U V S H T W Q
O O E E F F Q Q E E Z Z C C K K R R O O E E C C G G B B G G Y Y Y Y A A H H G G
L U F Z E Q I B X R N Z Z R D N R R V F
S S D D F F V V J J N N F F V V X X L L X X P P Y Y U U V V S S H H T T W W Q Q
E R R V Z N R S E N K E L K I N D E R Y
L L U U F F Z Z E E Q Q I I B B X X R R N N Z Z Z Z R R D D N N R R R R V V F F
K B D U J K E M U T T E R J H Q P F L F
E E R R R R V V Z Z N N R R S S E E N N K K E E L L K K I I N N D D E E R R Y Y
N N F W D Q T U U O E J C E V F B Q U G
K K B B D D U U J J K K E E M M U U T T T T E E R R J J H H Q Q P P F F L L F F
E E B G B Y H C B P C N D V F X C K F F
N N N N F F W W D D Q Q T T U U U U O O E E J J C C E E V V F F B B Q Q U U G G
Z J C Y R J C D E C N G K F A M I L I E
E E E E B B G G B B Y Y H H C C B B P P C C N N D D V V F F X X C C K K F F F F
P D Q V E F O U W R D L X P E X H B H E
Z Z J J C C Y Y R R J J C C D D E E C C N N G G K K F F A A M M I I L L I I E E
S O H N T E T F H R Y F G C O U S I N J
P P D D Q Q V V E E F F O O U U W W R R D D L L X X P P E E X X H H B B H H E E
K F G B S D R H R X H Q S K N D F N Y X
S S O O H H N N T T E E T T F F H H R R Y Y F F G G C C O O U U S S I I N N J J
R K Y Z E Q E P E S K F R X H Y R R D X
K K F F G G B B S S D D R R H H R R X X H H Q Q S S K K N N D D F F N N Y Y X X
E L D N W P T U T K V E K W P Z E E C J
R R K K Y Y Z Z E E Q Q E E P P E E S S K K F F R R X X H H Y Y R R R R D D X X
T E P I H B T G S P H S R U N G T T B W
E E L L D D N N W W P P T T U U T T K K V V E E K K W W P P Z Z E E E E C C J J
A L G L C Y U J I F L W G H P L A L E P
T T E E P P I I H H B B T T G G S S P P H H S S R R U U N N G G T T T T B B W W
V S L E S L M E W X G D S Y K G V E F K
A A L L G G L L C C Y Y U U J J I I F F L L W W G G H H P P L L A A L L E E P P
W G U K K N ß U H Z Y D G V H V ß ß S H
V V S S L L E E S S L L M M E E W W X X G G D D S S Y Y K K G G V V E E F F K K
D C E N W R O Z C S L R L H E L O O L C
W W G G U U K K K K N N ß ß U U H H Z Z Y Y D D G G V V H H V V ß ß ß ß S S H H
E H K E C E R A S D L N V Q N L R R E D
D D C C E E N N W W R R O O Z Z C C S S L L R R L L H H E E L L O O O O L L C C
N Q Y L P T G P E Y V J Q V H J G G K K
E E H H K K E E C C E E R R A A S S D D L L N N V V Q Q N N L L R R R R E E D D
X V N L E L C O G X C B D P B L W W N K
N N Q Q Y Y L L P P T T G G P P E E Y Y V V J J Q Q V V H H J J G G G G K K K K
Y N K C P E F D J N L K G S V E E X O C
X X V V N N L L E E L L C C O O G G X X C C B B D D P P B B L L W W W W N N K K
German Vocabulary - Die Familie
Y Y N N K K C C P P E E F F D D J J N N L L K K G G S S V V E E E E X X O O C C
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TOCHTER TOCHTER OPA OPA COUSIN COUSIN
User-created with abctoolsTM (abcteach.com) Graphics and format ©2000-2006 abcteach®
On the Light Side
There are lots of times that words look similar in different language, but by no means it meanuse theonly. same! Here are some examples of German words that look like most User-created with abctools™ for home anddoes classroom www.abcteach.com Graphics and with format ©2000-2006 abcteach® May not be without permission User-created abctools™ for home andpeople classroom only. www.abcteach.com who use speak English would understand, butsold/redistributed you would be wrong - very wrong! Graphics and format ©2000-2006 abcteach®
What You May Be Thinking
May not be sold/redistributed without permission
Gurtel – not only for women, men and kids wear them as well. Hell – most of you prefer this in your room. Dick – nope, not what your neighbors name is. Bar – yes, it can mean where you go to get a drink, but also has to do with money. Bad – no, it is just the opposite, really. Fart – usually quite pleasant and is not embarassing. Mensa – nothing to do with geniuses. Kind – trust me, this has nothing to do with a personal trait. Puff – not the name of a magic dragon or what you do with a cigarette. Schmuck – although a Yiddish word for afool, this can be quite pricy. Gift – never give this to a German or you may be imprisoned.
Basic German For Travelers
German is spoken by about 95,000,000 people, and it’s the official language of Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, as well as one of the four official languages of Switzerland. Most Swiss speakers actually speak a variety of German called Schwyzerdütsch, so the standard German is really a second language to them.
The German Translation
Gurtel – means “belt”, as what you wear to hold your pants up. Hell – means “bright” or very well lit. Dick – this is the word for “fat” or “overweight”. Bar – this is the word for “cash” instead of a check or credit card. Bad – this means “bathroom” Fart – from the German verb fahren – means to “travel” or take a trip. Mensa – this is the cafeteria at a university where everyone has lunch. Kind – the word for “child” – hence “Kindergarten” is children’s garden. Puff – the word for whorehouse or bordello. Schmuck – this means “jewelry”. Gift – means “poison”, which is why Germans love having their pictures taken in front of “Gift Shops” for the amusement of friends back home.
Thank you - Danke Thank you very much – Vielen Dank You’re welcome - Bitteschön Please – Bitte Excuse me – Entschuldigung I’m sorry - Es tut mir leid I don’t understand – Das verstehe ich nicht I don’t speak German very well - Ich spreche nicht sehr gut Deutsch Do you speak English? - Sprechen Sie Englisch?
Speak more slowly, please - Bitte, sprechen Sie langsam Repeat, please - Bitte wiederholen What’s your name? - Wie heißen Sie? How are you? - Wie geht es Ihnen? Where is the subway? - Wo ist die U-Bahn? How much does that cost? - Wieviel kostet das? Can I get on the internet? - Kann ich ins Internet gehen? Can you help me? - Können Sie mir helfen? Where is the bathroom? - Wo ist das WC?
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German-American Journal
August / September 2012
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