German American Journal | February/March 2014

Proud To Be German - American Stolz Deutsch - Amerikaner Zu Sein Visit us at www.DANK.org

Volume 62 Number 1

February/March 2014

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Contents Of This Issue 4

From the President’s Desk by Beverly Pochatko

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Germanic Museum at Harvard University

by Don Heinrich Tolzmann

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White Rose Edhibit in Wisconsin

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Karneval in Germany

9

Chapter Chatter (Chapter News and Updates)

17

Die Bombardierung Dresden

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Skat by Francine McKenna

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Alauf! Helau! pictures from Karneval

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Kurznachrichten

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Kaiserstuhl - A German Region Of Wine, Legends and Traditions

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Aus Oma's Küche

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Calendar of Events

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Memorial Year for Charlemagne

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Odds and Ends

35

Donations

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Kinderecke

Editorial Staff Beverly Pochatko Eve Timmerhaus Eva Timmerhaus George Nagata Correspondents Anne Marie Fuhrig Christa Garcia Francine McKenna Desktop Publishing and Design George Nagata Advertising and Classifieds Eve Timmerhaus

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 IL. and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER” Send address changes to: German-American Journal 4740 N. Western Avenue 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 preserves the right to change or amend submissions for any reason without prior notice.

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From The President’s Desk Beverly Pochatko, National President Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde, Dear members and friends of DANK, I’m sure that you celebrated New Year’s with einen guten Rusch and hopefully began the year with good health, and many happy memories. How many of us make resolutions that we know we can’t keep or give up within the first few weeks or perhaps don’t make any at all? This happens all too often and soon we shrug it off. Not so with DANK National - we made a commitment to preserve our German heritage and to ensure that we will continue to be a viable organization for many years to come. How can we all best support and encourage this commitment to our heritage? There are several ways, beginning with renewing your membership, becoming a Life Member; support our fund raising efforts (yearly raffle), donating to the Journal Magazine, German American Day, or a simple donation just to say thank you. Others might consider making DANK a beneficiary in their will; those of you who own a business should consider placing an ad in our GA Journal…this would be a big help in defraying costs and giving you widespread publicity. Support your local chapters (volunteer, attend meetings, serve on the Board) – they depend on you as the backbone of the organization. Remember, together we can accomplish much – it depends on you!

We have changed the focus of the DANK Founders and now strive to unite those of German heritage and encourage them to learn the German language of their ancestors; to learn about the many contributions of Germans and German Americans; to preserve even the simplest of traditions for their children. In other words, to be proud of whom they are and where their roots began. It is important that we don’t allow our German heritage to be lost along the wayside.

Are you willing to rise up and meet the challenge of “Just Add One” new member? Then you can help!.

A membership for the head of household is $40/year ($3.33/month or just 10.7 cents per day) and pennies more if you add your spouse ($50 total)! Think about it! That is about 75 cents per week – much less than a daily cup of coffee and this is something that will keep on giving…not just five minutes of pleasure. With that membership, you may fan that spark of inquisitiveness bringing our rich heritage back into their lives; traditions back into their homes – whether it is through specific foods, how you celebrate the holidays; or encouraging them to research the family tree…and they get a subscription to our GA Journal - a $15 value if purchased separately!

Are you willing to meet the “Just Add One” challenge? Give a gift of membership today!

At the National Convention, many offered their help and we hope that Continued on page 16

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 Vice President : Ronald Kabitzke Erik Wittmann Treasurer: Bob Miske Secretary: Esther Markwart Membership: Erik Wittmann DANK National Executive Office 4740 N. Western Avenue Chicago IL. 60625-2013 Phone: (773) 275-1100 Toll Free: 1-888-USA-DANK Office Hours: 9 am - 4 pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday Executive Secretary Eva Timmerhaus Office Manager Eve Timmerhaus

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German Heritage in America: Towns, Villages and Sites

The Germanic Museum at Harvard University

By Don Heinrich Tolzmann In 1903, the Germanic Museum was dedicated at Harvard University. It was the brainchild of Kuno Francke (1855-1930). There are probably few people today who are aware that such a museum was ever created, or who its creator was. But when it opened, it made international news. Its history reflects the ups and downs of German-American relations in the 20th century.

Kuno Francke was a professor of the History of German Culture at Harvard who taught German literature from a cultural historical perspective. He wrote that he explored German literature “from the point of view of the student of civilization rather than from a linguistic or the literary scholar.” He said that his research led him “to see in literature primarily the working of popular forces, to consider it chiefly as an expression of national culture.”

Dr. Kuno Francke

Dr. Kuno Francke Students flocked to his courses and his publications were widely read after he came to Harvard in 1884. In time, he emerged as one of the foremost representatives of German-American cultural exchange. In 1897, he and two of his colleagues published a proposal on The Need of a German Museum at Harvard.

He felt that this was absolutely necessary to transmit an understanding of German culture, noting “it is a principle now generally accepted that a nation’s history cannot be studied adequately without a consideration of its achievements in the monumental and domestic arts. Nowhere does the spirit of a people manifest itself more clearly and impressively than in the buildings devoted to public worship or public deliberations, in the images embodying the popular conception of sacred legend or national tradition, in the appliances for private comfort and security.”

The proposal also stated that there were already a variety of museums in the U.S.: “But nowhere in this country is there a chance of studying consecutively even the most important monuments of Germanic civilization. Nowhere in this country can the student obtain a vivid impression of the life and customs of our forefathers, from the early Teutonic times to the later Middle Ages, such as is afforded by the Germanic Museum at Nuremberg and other European locations.

Nowhere can be given an accurate conception of the wonderful Romanesque cathedrals of the twelfth century, of the extraordinary power of German sculpture in the thirteenth, of the exquisite works of German woodcarving in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries – or even of the work of such great men as Peter Vischer and Dürer.”

The proposal met with international support and interest. In 1902, Prince Heinrich of Prussia visited the U.S. and during his visit at Cambridge, where he Continued on page 8

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The White Rose Exhibit in Wisconsin

An exhibit chronicling The White Rose resistance group in Nazi Germany Free and Open to the Public

Formed in 1942 by University of Munich students, The White Rose was a small, non-violent Nazi resistance group in Germany that spearheaded a ninemonth anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign calling for active opposition to Adolf Hitler’s regime.

Seven members of the group were executed in 1943 and many others were imprisoned. The groups 6th leaflet, known as the “Manifesto of the Students of Munich,” was later airdropped over Germany in June 1943 by Allied planes.

Exhibit locations and dates: • University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, WI. February 3-19, 2014. Contact Joshua Brown BROWNJO@

On the cover: Salzburg is a city in central Austria,

at the northern edge of the Alps. It has a population of approximately 150,000 people, which makes it the fourth-biggest city of Austria (after Vienna, Graz and Linz). Salzburg was capital of an independent principality until the Napoleonic Wars; it became part of Habsburg Austria at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.

Salzburg means "salt castle", referring to its massive fortress and the white gold from the mountains in the South. It is the capital of a federal province of Austria with the same name. Its approximately

• •

ewec.edu Nicolet High School, Glendale, WI. February 27 – March 14, 2014. Contact: Mark Wagner: mark.wagner@nicolet.us Kessler Old World Guesthouse, 1278 Alpine Court, Cleveland, WI. March 17-28, 2014. Contact: Fred Kessler: frank@kesslerguesthouse.com

Exhibit Creator White Rose Foundation e.V. Munich, Germany weisse-rose-stiftung.de

150,000 residents make it the fourth biggest Austrian city. Beyond that, it is Austria's most beautiful spot - as we as residents will arguably claim.

Salzburg is a very popular tourist destination and famous for mainly four things: Its Baroque architecture and general prettiness (the old town is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site); as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; the world-class Salzburg Festival, a series of opera, concerts and theatre performances during the summer; and as the place where the movie "The Sound of Music" was shot. •

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Karneval in Germany If you visit a town in Germany’s Rhineland or in the southwestern region during the supposedly dark days of winter you’re likely to find the whole place thrown topsy-turvy. That's because the period before Ash Wednesday is known as Carnival or the fifth season.

Known in German as Karneval, Fastnacht, Fasching, Fassenacht, or Fasnet, depending on the region - has its roots in the spring celebrations of pre-Christian times, when people wore masks to scare away winter spirits and welcomed the rebirth of nature with singing and dancing. Today it is observed mainly in Catholic regions as a season of feasting and fun before the fasting period of Lent.

Organized revelry in the Rhineland

While some localities like Cologne mark the beginning of the season on November 11 at 11:11 a.m., the highpoint always occurs in the six days before Ash Wednesday when everyone from government officials to school children give themselves over to organized revelry. People may be laughing and having a good time, but for the hundreds of Carnival societies in the region, the season of festive sessions, balls and parades is serious business.

tion of slaughtering an animal on this day for the last meal before the fasting period. To prevent the fat from going bad people cooked food which was particularly rich in fat or else used the grease for baking.

Sooty Friday gained its name from an old custom according to which children daubed their faces with soot. Fewer festivities are held on this day.

Rose Monday is the climax of the Rhineland Carnival, with huge parades held in n the cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz. Millions of people line the streets singing, dancing or just rocking too and fro. The day is not an official public holiday, but few people are expected to show up at work or school.

The parades feature floats that poke satirical fun at politicians and their policies or otherwise comment on the issues of the day. Costumed musicians, dance troupes and mounted guards are also part of the fun.

Fools with rules

The Thursday before Ash Wednesday is known as “women’s Carnival” in some regions. Women literally assume power and symbolically storm the town halls in many places. Men are advised to wear an old tie since the women are liable to cut it off on and compensate the bereft wearer with a kiss.

This particular Thursday is known in other regions as fat or dirty Thursday. The name goes back to the tradi-

Each city and town has its own Carnival traditions, but in Southwest Germany, the Swabian-Alemannic Carnival differs considerably from the Rhineland version. In 1924, the Association of Swabian-Alemannic Fools’ Guilds was formed with the aim of reducing the influence of the Rhineland carnival in the areas of Freiburg and Tübingen as well as part of Germanspeaking Switzerland.

The Swabian-Alemannic carnival is governed by particularly strict rules. Generally speaking, only those who have lived in the city for more than 15 years can take part. The masks and the costume also have to conform to historical precedents – unlike at the carnival celebrations in Cologne or Mainz. Accordingly, ev-

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Continued from page 5 received an honorary degree, he made the spectacular announcement that his brother, Kaiser Wilhelm II, would make “a magnificent gift to the Germanic Museum, which will include key monuments in the development of German sculpture.” Given this kind of backing, the Museum was assured of success and was officially dedicated the following year.

In 1906, the Emperor William Fund was established in honor of the silver wedding anniversary of the Kaiser.

It consisted of $30,000 from the American Friends of the Germanic Museum and Adolphus Busch, the wellknown German-American beer baron of St. Louis, who served as president of the Germanic Museum Association. And four years later, Busch donated an additional $265,000 for the construction of a home for the museum – the Adolphus Busch Hall at Harvard. More support came from St. Louis: in 1913, Busch’s son-in-law, Hugo Reisinger, gave $50,000 to the museum.

The Adolphus Busch Hall is without doubt one of the most impressive and beautiful buildings on the Harvard campus. Francke filled the museum with reproductions of original works of German sculpture and architecture, using them to illustrate and teach the history of German civilization and culture. At the same time, Francke actively promoted German-American exchange programs to enhance cross-cultural relations between the U.S. and Germany.

The Adolphus Busch Hall In 1905, he established an academic exchange program that made it possible for professors from Germany and America to teach and do research on both sides of the Atlantic. Francke also edited a landmark work, the multi-volume German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: Masterpieces of German Literature (1913-14). Here one finds translations not only of the great works of German literature, but from various areas of German cultural life, especially philosophy.

And then came World War I. Francke did his best to promote peace based on the cultural relationships he had worked so hard for. After the U.S. declaration of war against Germany in 1917, the Germanic Museum was closed and Francke retired. But the museum reopened in 1921 with the dedication of the new Adol-

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phus Busch Hall, which bears the inscription: “Es ist der Geist, der sich den Körper baut” (It is the spirit that builds itself the body).

In 1925, Francke published an illustrated guide, Handbook of the Germanic Museum, and in 1927 a collection of essays, German After-War Problems. Here he wrote that he considered it to be “the paramount duties of German-Americans, as heirs and guardians of German culture in this country” to cultivate “these precious legacies of our Old World ancestry.”

During World War II, the museum was also unfortunately closed due to the spirit of the time. After the war, the daughter of Adolphus Busch, who was the widow of Hugo Reisinger, gave $205,000 to re-open the museum. And in 1950, its name was changed to the Busch-Reisinger Museum of Germanic Culture, but it is now simply known as the Busch-Reisinger Museum. In 1991, the museum moved to its new building, the Werner Otto Hall, although its original building still stands.

Today the museum focuses more on modern, rather than historical periods of German art, indicating a more contemporary focus than that of its creator, who sought an understanding of German culture by concentrating on the historical foundations of German art and architecture. In spite of the name change and the more contemporary focus, the museum continues on as the major museum of its kind in the U.S. It survived the hard times of the past century and stands as a symbol of the strength of U.S.-German relations, as well as to the support it has received from friends in both countries, especially from the Busch family of St. Louis.

A visit to Harvard’s campus in Cambridge would be incomplete for anyone interested in German culture, if it did not include a stop at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. One should also take time to visit the majestic Adolphus Busch Hall, the previous home of the museum. And later on, take time to read some of the works of its creator, Kuno Francke. • Note: This article is reprinted from German-American News. 20:1(2014). It originally appeared at the website of the German-American Hall of Fame: www.gamhof.org.

For further information on Francke and the Germanic Museum, see: Don Heinrich Tolzmann, German-Americana: Selected Essays. (Milford, Ohio: Little Miami Pub. Co., 2009).

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Milwaukee members as Karneval Prinzenpaar and Court

By DANK Chapter Milwaukee member Jane Nacker

Members of DANK Chapter Milwaukee are involved in the 2013-2014 Karneval (Mardi Gras) for the Milwaukee Spielmannszug. Edwin and Ursula Günther were crowned the Prinzenpaar at the Milwaukee Spielmannszug Prinzenkrönung on Nov. 9. Their son, Erich Günther, who also plays trumpet in the Spielmannszug Drum and Bugle Corps, is the Hofmarschall. Their daughter, Heidi, is the Hofdame. Erich’s wife, Kara, is the Mundschenk. The Prinzenpaar’s grandson, Tyler,

is the Karneval Kinderprinz and also plays trumpet for the Spielmannszug. Other DANK Chapter Milwaukee members making up the royal court are Don Wohlfeil, as the Adjutant and William Bessa as the Schutzmann.

The Prinzenpaar’s motto for this season is “Wenn nicht Jetzt. Wann Dann” (If not now, when.) Prinz Edwin I and Prinzessin Uschi I wish everyone a good Karneval Season. •

LtoR: Schutzmann William Bessa, dignitary, Prinzenpaar, dignitary, Kinderprinz Tyler Gunther, Hofdame Heidi Gunther, Adjutant Don Wohlfeil.

LtoR: Hofmarschall Erich Gunther, Prinz Edwin I, Prinzessin Uschi I, Adjutant Don Wohlfeil. Background: Mundschenk Kara Gunther.

DANK Chapter Lake County, Illinois Weihnachtsfeier We ushered in the Christmas season on December 1 when Chapter members and friends gathered at the Lake Forest (IL) American Legion Hall for our annual Weihnachtsfeier. The party was an opportunity to reflect on the past year and renew friendships. We were especially pleased to have newlyweds Terri and Helmut Appelt with us. They had announced their engagement at last year's Christmas party.

Party planner extraordinaire and Chapter Board member Ludwina Homer once again arranged a wonderful Christmas party which included good food, good fellowship, and Weihnachtslieder. Warm cups of Glüwein added to the holiday spirit.

Lunch was buffet style, abundant and delicious. It

was followed by a traditional Christmas carol singalong to accordion music played by Dora Totzke. Alexandra Pradella-Ott helped lead the caroling.

Ursula Hoeft

Dora Totzke (with guitar) and Alexandra Pradella-Ott leading the sing-along.

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chaptper 48, Phoenix, AZ

After a long and very hot meeting. The entire board summer, the members of was so impressed with her DANK 48 in Phoenix were very work that we engaged her for happy to gather for our annual the Maifest on the spot. The Christmas party on December Maifest will be on May 3, 2014.

7, 2013, in somewhat cooler We continue with our antemperatures. We gathered nual celebrations of Germanin a recently opened estabAmerican Day, together with lishment in Phoenix called German Unification Day and the North Mountain Brewour Maifest. Our Christmas ing Company. Our incredible party is also an annual event, secretary-treasurer Nancy Wilbut that is purely for our own Back Row: Board members Regina and William Weier, liams made all the arrangeenjoyment and there is no ments, and everyone had a Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Williams, Anna Schmidt, fuss about selling tickets or Marie Howard, Walter Weber, Elsa and Horst Radtke. wonderful time. There is no filling a hall. We make a small Front row: President Jerry Wood and Vice-President end to the talent in our chap- Inge Wallmann. Photo: Werner Wagner contribution every year to ter. Rainer Fischer, a 20-year help support students of Germember, brings his accordion man at the Arizona State Uniand plays for our sing-a-long of always have a wonderful time to- versity, as well as supporting with Christmas carols in German and gether. our presence or membership in in English. Our consummate Con- On November 17, 2013, we held other local German, Austrian, and férencier Walter Weber brought our election of officers and board Swiss clubs. We are small and we some Christmas poetry, and our members. We have a new vice- are aging—thank goodness when chapter chaplain, Pastor Traugott president and two new board one considers the alternative!— Vogel, awarded honorary member- members. Inge Wallmann, who has but we are active and holding our ship at our German-American Day long been our “Sunshine Lady,” will own despite the dearth of authenCelebration on October 12, 2013, add the duties of vice-president to tic German bands in the desert. We read the poetry to the group. Our her agenda; longtime members have plenty of actual Germans in chapter is a group of very special Regina and William Weier are new the Valley of the Sun, and we hang people, and whenever we gather, members of the board. We are on to the culture and the language whether for a monthly meeting, or very happy to begin a new two- through our modest activities. for one of our annual events, we year term with these hard working Jerry Wood individuals playing key roles in the organization.

We have begun working on our Maifest . We continue to hold our annual events in the Sun City Elks’ Club, and this will be no exception.

We have contracted a local performer, Carole Kepner, to play for our Maifest. She had been recommended by one of our members, and Ms. Kepner came to a meetHoldine and Pastor Traugott Vogel with ing with her keyboard and gave Rainer Fischer plays Christmas carols.

Jerry Wood after receiving their Honor- us a mini-concert at the end of the Werner Wagner, William Weier, and Peter ary Memberships. Photo: Susan Wood

Schmidt sing along. Photo: Jerry Wood

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Uniontown, PA Christmas Party

DANK Chapter 54 celebrated their annual Christmas Party at Duck Hollow Golf Party Center with a delicious buffet dinner, Feuerzangenbowle, Christmas Carols, and the movie Dinner for One. There were 33 people in attendance and Christmas gift baskets were raffled.

A good time was had by all.

DANK Chapter Springfield, IL

Hi everyone, We are off to a new and exciting year! We have many new events and functions planned! The first event of 2014 is Fasching (Mardi Gras) on Wednesday, February 19th. Think up your best costume and try to be voted as the King or Queen! There will be lots of surprises.

Come have some fun! Watch the calendar for all of the upcoming events, bus trips, dinners, cooking classes, and something new (learning German sing-along songs).

I would like to give a HUGE “Thank You!” to everyone who helped make the Christkindlmarkt a success! It was cold! But, you made it happen! Thank you! I must say this year’s Christmas party was a blast. The food, wine, prizes, and singing were great! I thank everyone who went above and beyond to make this evening magical. Wow, we have a great club! You know a club is only as strong as its members! You’re it!

I can’t wait to see you in February. Start thinking of that costume or mask! Being crowned King or Queen of Fasching could just be the highlight of your life! Just sayin!

I would like to give a Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! to Springfield DANK member Eric Koeppel (SHS German Language teacher) and his new bride Rosemary. Congratulations & Welcome!

Jeff Engel

Photo: Dr. Jean Braun, President of DANK 54 with family Drs Angela and Evan Braun and grand-daughter Arden Braun.

Pay your 2014 dues today!

2014 Springfield DANK Board 1st row (l-r): Gisela Motzkus, Bonnie Matheis, Beth Beasley, Edith Baumhardt, Cathy Sweitzer and Pat Milner: 1st Vizepräsident 2nd row (l-r): Jeff Engel: Präsident, Bob Gobel: Schatzmeister, Lynne Wright: Sekretärin, Robin Fuchs, Karl Kohlrus, Paul Herche, Bill Ryan: 3rd Vizepräsident Not pictured – Chuck Martin: 2nd Vizepräsident

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Chapter Chatter Greetings from NW Pennsylvania!

We had a Gemütlichkeit Weihnachtsfeier on Dec. 7th hosted by Richard and Mary Jane Hartman at BrewErie! The theme was “Tis better to give than to receive”. The brunch was very enjoyable and everyone enjoyed the Glühwein and homemade cookies. Putting us in the Christmas spirit, the Männerchor Gesangverein members led us in traditional German (and English) Christmas carols in anticipation of Santa’s visit.

Santa made his appearance and then gave us the true meaning of Christmas.

(Left to right) Margaret Carter, Margaret Potocki, Carol Snippert, Gretel and Emil It was really food for thought. This time Daeschner, Heather Blodget (hidden), Glenn Blodget, Tammy Wolfram. (Charof the year I always go back to my youth. lotte Chase and Melissa Lesniewski in background) We are very lucky to have the choice to make Christmas with a Deutsch or American theme. Our heritage makes us what we are it is fun to hear news from there from the others! Betoday! I am grateful for that. Yes, we are getting older ing realistic, we live in Erie and winter is a ‘slip and slide’ but we have wonderful memories and they are ours time. So I made the decision for our Kaffee Klatsch parforever. ticipants to take a winter ‘break’. We will have much to It made me feel good in this cold weather that we do- discuss when we resume in March! nated money and supplies to the “Upper Room” and We did not have a January Chapter meeting because the Warming Center at the NW PA Mental Health Cen- of severe winter conditions, but I look forward to seeter! ing everyone at the meeting on Feb. 19th, when we I do have to admit that I was so homesick for my fami- gather to beat those ‘winter blues’. Meanwhile stay ly and the German language when I immigrated with warm and healthy! my husband. That’s why I enjoy the Kaffee Klatsch! My Margaret Potocki, Chapter President • brain switches to German and we all learn a few new words in either language. Germany has changed but

Santa with Heather Blodget

Angela Beaumont (guest)

Gretel Daeschner

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Milwaukee Closes 2013 and Looks Forward to 2014

By DANK Chapter Milwaukee member Jane Nacker DANK Chapter Milwaukee finished 2013 with Board Elections and a Christmas Party while beginning plans for 2014.

A membership meeting and Board elections were held on November 24, 2013 at the German Fest office.

Results for two year terms are as follows: President Ronald Kabitzke, 1st Vice President William Bessa, 2nd Vice President Edwin Günther, Secretary Sally Shearer, Treasurer Victoria Ohde, Membership Secretary Ursual Günther. Advisors to the Board are: Gene Brunner, Irene Brunner, Kathleen Kabitzke, Robert Miske, Doris Mueller, Edward Mueller, Jane Nacker, James Schmidt, Jill Shearer, and Don Wohlfeil.

Members shared holiday cheer at the Christmas party on December 7 at Sacred Heart parish in Milwaukee. The DANK Chor performed multiple selections, including songs from their United German Choruses of Milwaukee Christmas

Concert on Dec. 1. Members sang along in German and English with some songs. While Jingle Bells was being sung, real jingle bells were heard as Santa stopped in for a visit with treats for the children… and even some adults. Coffee and cookies were served. Raffle tickets were sold, and lucky winners received prizes which had been donated by members.

Planning is likewise underway for our spring event on May 10, 2014 at the Schwabenhof in Menomonee Falls, WI. The Pieptones, a German Schlager band from Chicago, will play. Themes and ideas for fun activities for the young and those familiar with the oldies music (more senior people) are being generated. • Note: the 2014 Germany Under Glass scheduled for March 1 has been cancelled due to construction at Mitchell Park Domes. The event will return March 7, 2015. •

DANK Chapter Lake County, IL congratulates newlyweds Terri and Helmut Appelt

DANK Chapter Listing ARIZONA Phoenix IOWA Quad Cities ILLINOIS Chicago Chicago South Chicago West Fox Valley Lake County Northern Suburbs Peoria Springfield INDIANA Indianapolis LaFayette South Bend MICHIGAN Benton Harbor Great Lakes Bay Region NEW JERSEY Pascack Valley OHIO Cleveland PENNSYLVANIA Erie Philadelphia Pittsburgh Uniontown WASHINGTON DC Washington DC WISCONSIN Milwaukee www.dank.org

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Chapter Chatter German Memorial at Fort Custer Michigan, November 15, 2013

by Donna J Lippert, Benton Harbor/St. Joseph DANK

I am often asked why I participate in the Volkstrauertag at Fort Custer and my comments are “it is a very heart-warming event and I love making the wreaths to put on the graves of the “Forgotten 26” German soldiers that are buried in Fort Custer cemetery. Also, I am paying respect to the POA’S that were imprisoned here during the 1940’s.

It was a most terrible day when we arrived it was raining very little, and then a full blown storm hit and everyone took cover under a coat or umbrella. The ceremony was cut short due to the bad weather which hit the Fort Custer area plus back at home. Those in attendance at the ceremony were: Lt. Col Bernd Wirtz, German Liaison officer; and Fred Hoffman Honorary Consul Federal Republic of Germany along with Pastor David Sidwell from Immanuel Lutheran Church. Ernst Floeter was also a guest of honor and a prisoner of war.

The Tetoria choir sang many songs which included Der Gute Kamerad and Abendruhe and Breath on me of Breath of God. Also present was Nikolaus Pohr from Chicago who spoke at the ceremony.

Many wreaths were presented which included Lt. Col Bernd Wirtz from the German Consul presenting a wreath on behalf of the “Forgotten 26”. Reinhard Lip-

DANK Benton Harbor, MI

2014 Fish Fry Schedule February 7 March 7 · April 4 May 2 · June 6 More dates to follow

The House Of Gemütlichkeit DANK Haus - Benton Harbor

2651 Pipestone Rd Benton Harbor, MI

(269)926-6652 · www.dank13.org

pert from DANK Benton Harbor/St. Joseph donated a wreath in memory of Josef Baumann, founder of the Benton Harbor DANK Chapter and Donna J Lippert presented a wreath in honor of Stephen Fuchs, owner/ President of German Pulse in Illinois. Heinz Reinhardt and Otto Grunewald presented a wreath on behalf of the St. Joe Kickers Sports Club in Arden Michigan and the Toledo German American Festival Society also presented a wreath along with Marianne Krenzer presenting a wreath from the German American Cultural Center in Sterling Heights Michigan. Dave and Mary Anne Hinz from the Benton Harbor DANK chapter also presented a wreath. I apologize for one wreath being presented, but I cannot recall the name of the two nice gentlemen, so “thank you both very much” .

An afterglow was held at the new VFW post in Augusta who welcomed all with warm coffee and wonderful desserts provided by the many ladies who donated their time to make the treats. Thanks also to Wilma Wallet from the B. Harbor DANK for making dessert. The Tetoria choir also sang some more additional songs.

Most from Berrien County then went home only to be greeted at home with no electric for the next four (4) days. All in all, we had a nice time and I hope that next year in November 2014 we can invite more groups and even the local schools that still teach the German language as the younger kids need to know about these “Forgotten 26” buried at Fort Custer. Also, we will be needing to raise funds as a plot of cement by the memorial is in need of repairs so we will be assisting Randy O’Neill who will be checking around for a good mason to complete the work and we will be making calls to see if any grant monies may be made available to us to complete the project by new year. •

Donna Lippert Best wishes for a speedy recovery

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Chapter Chatter The Joy of Giving

As the frigid arctic air made its way across the country with record breaking lows, members of DANK Chapter Erie received their Christmas gift – knowing they helped in some small way to care for the homeless.

At the November meeting of the Chapter, decisions on the distribution to several organizations from the chapter’s share of the proceeds from the German Fest were confirmed for the following: The Erie Public Library, The Erie Society for Genealogy Research, and The Erie County Historical Society . The charity selected was the “Upper Room”, operated by the Church of St. Paul that is a daytime haven for the homeless.

A discussion ensued regarding the exchange of gifts between the members. It was overwhelmingly stated that many preferred not to do a gift exchange. “Every party you attend there is a gift exchange and/or door prizes to purchase. Why not collect donations for the ‘warming center’ hosted by the NW PA Mental Health Center”? They open their doors at 11 pm when the temperature dips below 20°, giving the homeless a place to rest and stay warm overnight. The Upper Room stays opens from 5-11 pm on any night they operate the Warming Center at MHA which is right across the street.

Fast forward….On St. Nicholas Day, Santa Claus (portrayed by Fred Huttel, Jr.) made his usual appearance at our party and talked about believing in Santa Claus, not the man we see portrayed or commercialized, but

South Bend Christmas Party

The 15th of December was a cold and snowy day for our Christmas party. The weather did not make it easy to leave the house for some of our members . For that reason only a small group gathered to enjoy the home cooking that was shared with everyone. Our special treat for this year was a trio that played for us. They call themselves the Riverrun trio. Patricia on keyboard, Kate on violin and Richard on the accordion. The combination of our voices and the instruments made us sound very joyful. Günter Kison dressed as Santa Claus and made the party complete. No one can say the poem "Draussen vom Walde da komme ich her" better than Günter. It was a total delight to watch him reach into his bag to pull out a treat for each child.

We wish all of you a Happy New Year and may our chapter grow a little bit more in 2014. • Sincerely Christine Weiss

Photo: Santa Claus and Tom Schlaudecker his spirit of giving.

We all went to sit on Santa’s lap and he surprised each one with a gift mug filled with candy! Then it was his turn to receive donations from the members…packages of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, beverage condiments and cash donations for the MH warming center. DANK member, Tom Schlaudecker, Director of the Upper Room was at the Christmas Party and with Santa’s help, we presented him with a $200 check to help purchase needed supplies for the Upper Room mission.

Everyone said that the spirit of giving was much better and made everyone thankful that we were able to help others. •

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DANK Executive Office Update by Eve Timmerhaus

A warm greeting, in this frigid weather, to all our members and friends.

The DANK office was closed during the holidays and several days during the winter storms and freezing temperatures.

Thanks to our members who have sent in their dues and generous contributions. Dues reminders will be mailed in February to our members who have not yet had the opportunity to send in their payment. It is your annual dues that help support the work of your local chapter and the national office.

This edition of the German American Journal features an articlesabout the Germanic Museum at Harvard University by Don Heinrich Tolzmann.

Staff Columnist Francine McKenna writes about the history of Skat, an early 19th-century card game devised in Germany. We hope you find these articles interesting and enjoy this issue of the Journal.

Have a healthy and happy year, and please support your local DANK chapter.

The President's Desk continued from page 4 you will step forward now that the ‘dust has settled’. We are seeking volunteers to serve on various committees including Bylaws Revision, Marketing, Computer Technology, Journalism, and Fund Raising. Please send me a note if you are willing to help DANK move forward (BeverlyPochatko.President@ DANK.org). We can accomplish a lot via modern technology and it wouldn’t involve only those living in the Chicago vicinity. mit freundlichen Grüßen, Bev Pochatko

Exchange Rates

1 USD = 0.73 EURO 1 EURO = 1.36 USD

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Die Bombardierung Dresdens im Februar 1945 Historisches Zentrum fiel in Schutt und Asche Von den Renaissance- und Barockbauten im Zentrum blieben nur verbrannte Trümmer übrig.

Kulturhistorische Prachtbauten wie Semperoper, Residenzschloss oder Zwinger wurden größtenteils zerstört, die Frauenkirche stürzte am 15. Februar in sich zusammen.

Die 773 Bomber der britischen Airforce warfen in den ersten zwei Tagen 1.478 Tonnen Spreng- und 1.182 Tonnen Brandbomben sowie Luftminen auf die Stadt ab. US-amerikanische Flieger klinkten tagsüber weit-

ere 711 Tonnen Bomben aus. Am 15. Februar folgte eine letzte Angriffswelle von 210 US-amerikanischen B-17-Bombern, die 463 Tonnen Sprengbomben abwarfen.

Zahl der Opfer lange umstritten

Wie viele Menschen in der etwa 630.000 Einwohner zählenden Stadt bei diesen Bombardements ums Leben kamen, war lange umstritten. Eine 2004 einberufene Expertenkommission kam auf bis zu 25.000 Tote. •

Ein Stückchen Brot

geschrieben von Herbert Wegener 1946 in der Russischen Gefangenschaft Ein Stückchen Brot,- du weißt was es bedeutet !

Doch hast du früher drüber nachgedacht, Als es mit Wurst und Butter zubereitet Dir täglich wurde auf den Tisch gebracht?

Du nahmst es hin, ohn viel zu überlegen, Was galt schon eine Schnitte Brot?

Heut`ist das Brot für dich ein Gottessegen, Du lerntest schätzen es erst in der Not. Ein Stückchen Brot,- mit dankerfüllten Blicken Nimmst du es heute wohl in deine Hand.

Es kann ein Stückchen Brot dich schon beglücken Und Achtung hast du vor dem Bauernstand.

Siehst auf dem Feld du wieder Ähren reifen, Im Sommerwinde wogen hold, Dann lerne Gottes Allmacht recht begreifen Es ist das liebe Brot - der Erde Gold!

Ein Stückchen Brot,- nie sollst Du es vergessen, Wenn einmal wieder du zuhause bist, Wie du mit Andacht hast Dein Brot gegessen, Wie heilig es dir hier gewesen ist.

Was du dir still geschworen - sollst du halten, Gedenken stets im Glück - der Zeit der Not. Lehr' du dein Kind schon früh die Hände falten: "Gib lieber Gott uns, unser täglich Brot ! "

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SKAT

by Francine McKenna, Staff Columnist

W

hat happens in Germany when there are still gray skies, the excitement of the holiday season is over but Carnival hasn't yet arrived? Thoughts turn to another national institution.

Out come the playing cards for Germany's trick-taking brain game Skat.

Around a quarter of Germans play it at any time of the year, there have even been candid shots of senior politicians playing while waiting for or during flights, but winter months mean those cards hit the table with increasing frequency, and the game not only cuts across all levels of society but also an entire range of skills.

From 'friendlies' with family and friends in homes and bars, to deadly serious games with fellow members of the German Skat Association and worldwide tournaments organized by the International Skat-Players Association.

As for the origins of the card game they are in Altenburg, Thuringia that's for sure, but there are many legends surrounding a history which dates back to the early 19th century.

Including that Napoleonic soldiers, who were occupying the area at the time, and Saxon students created it as a game to create some common-ground between them, or alternatively that an Altenburg coachman brought the game of Schafkopf (Sheepshead) back after a trip to the Saxon-Bohemian Erzgebirge mountains and Skat developed from that.

What is known is that rules were first laid down for what is now Skat as 'Scat' on September 4, 1803, so 2013 was its official 200th anniversary, and its name

is older than the game itself coming from the Italian 'scartare' - lay aside. Skat made its first 'press' appearance in1818 in the "Osterlaendische Blaettern" published in Altenburg, a town not far from Leipzig where playing cards had been made since the early 16th century.

Although often described as the best three-player card game in the world, as well as 'the game anyone can play', Skat is also probably the most complex.

Using cards from a traditional 52 card pack, cards below seven were removed and ten cards then dealt to two opposing players and a dealer. Two cards left from the 32 Schafkopf cards were given the dealer as eleventh and twelfth cards. The only advantage to this at the time was the possibility to use them in exchange for two unwanted cards.

The so-called Skat.

Over the years the game was continually refined with the current rules dating from January 1st, 1999.

German emigrants took Skat with them so it is played in various regions of the USA, but usually a version from the time the original immigrants left Germany and, although 'Texas Skat' doesn't differ very much from the current game, 'Tournee Skat' played in Wisconsin follows rules from 19th century Germany.

And although the German name originally was 'Scat' the American game of 'Scat' is a different card game altogether.

In 'friendly' games there are often variations, but in Germany's Skat clubs the rules are strictly observed.

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A simple description, because there are many detailed ones out there if you would like to learn the German game, is that it is played with 32 cards. Each player having 10 cards while the remaining two are laid aside face down forming 'Skat'. This belongs to the 'declarer', who can decide whether or not to choose to use it and make two discards before play.

Each Ace is counted as 11, Ten 10, King 4, Queen 3, Jack 2, Nine, Eight and Seven are zero each.

A 'trick' is won by the highest card of the suit led, unless it contains a trump then it is won by the highest trump, and the winner of a trick leads to the next.

For each hand the highest bidder in an 'auction' becomes the declarer and can choose the trump suit, if any, with the aim to capture a majority of card points with the tricks won, not to win a majority of the 10 tricks played.

With 120 card-points available the declarer must take at least 61, and it is possible to do this with just two tricks. Opponents win when their combined tricks make at least 60 card points.

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But the fact is playing to learn, it is even possible 'online' these days, is much easier than reading the rules and trying to understand them.

Altenburg remains the home of Skat. Going back to the days of East Germany the Skat Tribunal, with its 'last word' information and decisions covering the rules of the game, continued to be based there, while Altenburg's Castle houses the 'Skat Home' and a Playing Card Museum with machines and card designs used through the generations, the town has a replacement Skat Fountain, the original one from 1903 was melted down during WWII, and there is an Altenburg Skat School.

It could be that Skat really does combine the elements of skill, psychology and chance more successfully than any other card game but, even more especially on those wintery 'in-between' days, for many in Germany it is simply a natural and enjoyable way to pass time that only needs a simple pack of cards and a game first thought of in the19th century. •

Alaaf! Helau!

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GERMAN AMERICAN JOURNAL Mainzer Fastnacht

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©Landeshauptstadt Mainz – Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Foto: Wulf Wagnerm, www.narri.narro.info

Karneval in Köln

©www.koelntourismus.de

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Ein Villinger Narro mit „Scheme“, einer Holzmaske mit glatten, höfisch anmutenden Gesichtszügen unter Schillerlocken - © © Heike Budig/STG Schwarzwälder Masken aus dem Kinzigtal - © Dieter Wissing - Kinzigtal Tourismus

©Tourist-Information Konstanz (Jaenecke, Sven) Hopfennarr aus Tettnang

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Kurznachrichten Robert Redford beim deutschen Fasching in München

Robert Redford (77) hat einst in München deutsche Faschingstraditionen kennengelernt.

"Ich fand die Stadt damals fantastisch. Ich weiß noch, wie ich dort erstmals ankam, alle sahen so seltsam aus, waren so ausgelassen. Ich dachte: Die sind ja alle gut drauf hier", sagte der Schauspieler ("Jenseits von Afrika") der "Welt am Sonntag zu seinem Besuch 1957. "Irgendjemand erklärte mir dann, dass gerade Fasching sei und dass sich die Menschen hier nicht das ganze Jahr so benehmen würden."

Auch in den Genuss der bayerischen Biertradition kam Redford damals offenbar: "Ein paar Studenten schleppten mich dann mit ins Hofbräuhaus, drei Tage später wachte ich irgendwo auf, hatte große Kopfschmerzen und wusste nur noch, dass ich eine gute Zeit gehabt hatte." •

"Schellenrührer" vertreiben die bösen Geister Mit dem traditionellen Umzug der "Schellenrührer" hat die oberbayerische Feriengemeinde Mittenwald (Landkreis Garmisch-Partenkirchen) den Höhepunkt ihres diesjährigen Faschings erlebt. Weit mehr als 100 Maskierte zogen am Mittag bei leichter Bewölkung durch den tief verschneiten Ort. Die meisten von ihnen hatte mit Lederriemen am Rücken zusammengebundene Kuhglocken umgehängt und verursachten damit einen gewaltigen Lärm.

Auch maskierte Kinder marschierten mit. Teils rannten die Teilnehmer mit furchterregenden Masken durch die Straßen. Trotz Temperaturen um den Gefrierpunkt trugen die Männer kurze Lederhosen. Unter den zahlreichen Zuschauern waren auch viele Winterurlauber. Die großen Glocken sollen nach altem Brauch die bösen Wintergeister vertreiben. •

Wenn am Faschingsdienstag heißt: "Der Butz ist wieder los in Oberstaufen", dann fegt der "Butz" am "Fasnatziestag" symbolisch die Pest weg. Der närrische Brauch erinnert im schwäbisch-allemannischen Raum ans Pestjahr 1635. •

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Kurznachrichten Feuer in Norwegen zerstört 140 Häuser

Im Norden Norwegens greift ein Flächenbrand um sich. 140 Häuser auf einer Halbinsel durch das Feuer zerstört worden.

Bei einem Flächenbrand im Norden Norwegens sind vermutlich insgesamt etwa 140 Häuser zerstört worden. Das Feuer war auf einer Halbinsel in der Gemeinde Flatanger in Nord-Trøndelag ausgebrochen und am Dienstagmittag immer noch nicht unter Kontrolle, teilte die Polizei mit. Die 32 Bewohner waren in der Nacht in Sicherheit gebracht worden.

Die Polizei in Nord-Trøndelag sagte dem Fernsehsender NRK, man gehe davon aus, dass die 139 in der Umgebung registrierten Gebäude verloren seien.

Unklar blieb, wie viele Wohnhäuser betroffen waren.

In der Gegend gibt es auch viele Sommerhäuser.

Die Polizei vermutet, dass das Feuer von zwei Hochspannungsleitungen verursacht wurde, die sich wegen des starken Windes berührt hatten. Wegen des Windes konnten sich die Flammen schnell ausbreiten, Büsche und Bäume gaben dem Feuer Nahrung.

Das Ausmaß des Brandes war lange unklar. Sturmböen behinderten die Löscharbeiten. Helikopter konnten zunächst nicht aus der Luft löschen. •

Pupsende Kühe fackeln Stall ab

Pupsende und rülpsende Kühe haben in Hessen beinahe ihren Kuhstall in die Luft gejagt.

Die 90 Milchkühe hatten in dem Stall in Rasdorf mit ihren Blähungen jede Menge Methangas produziert, wie die Polizei mitteilte.

Das Gas habe sich entzündet und sei in einer Stichflamme verpufft - wohl nach einer statischen Entladung an der Massage-Maschine im Stall.

Das Dach wurde beschädigt, eine Kuh erlitt leichte Verbrennungen. Auf dem Bauernhof waren nach Polizeiangaben die Feuerwehr und ein Gasmesstrupp im Einsatz. •

Olympische Winterspiele 2014 Mehr Frauen Als Männer

Der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund hat 151 Sportlerinnen und Sportler für die Olympischen Winterspiele in Sotschi nominiert.

Wie der DOSB bekanntgab, werden 76 Männer und 75 Frauen nach Russland geschickt. Vor vier Jahren waren 153 Athleten nach Vancouver entsendet worden.

Ziel des deutschen Teams sei es, erneut im Medaillenspiegel einen Podestplatz zu erreichen, betonte DOSB-Generaldirektor Michael Vesper.

In Kanada war Deutschland mit zehn Gold-, 13 Silber- und sieben Bronzemedaillen zweiterfolgreichste Nation nach Kanada. •

Lufthansa speckt Jets ab und spart Kerosin

Die Lufthansa hat erfolgreich zwei ihrer Flugzeugtypen auf Diät gesetzt. Beim Frachter MD11 wie auch beim Langstreckenflieger A340-300 wurden sämtliche Gegenstände an Bord gewogen und auf ihre Notwendigkeit überprüft. Als Ergebnis gehen das Frachtflugzeug mit 35 Kilogramm weniger und die Passagiermaschine sogar mit 70 Kilogramm weniger Ballast auf ihre Reisen. So könnten über 1200 Tonnen Kerosin im Jahr gespart werden, berichtet das Unternehmen. Von Bord gingen unter anderem Papierdokumente, die auch elektronisch vorhanden sind. •

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Kaiserstuhl — A German Region Of Wine, Legends and Traditions

K

aiserstuhl, literally translated it means Emperor’s Chair, is a hilly region northwest of Freiburg. One of its greatest attractions is its beautiful vineyards. Locals will proudly tell you that the vines are some of the oldest in Europe. They believe the vineyards originate from plants brought across the Mediterranean from Mesopotamia in ancient bible times.

The rich fertile soil of the Rhine valley has indeed produced many award winning wines. If you enjoy wine then take a day or two to visit many of the small cellars for wine tasting. Many of the winemakers are also the farmers and they will happily share with you the history of their wines.

The railways are a great way to explore the area.

The train timetables are designed in such a way that you almost have to stop en route for wine tasting.

It’s a relaxed and enjoyable way to explore the re-

gion. For a special treat you can board a vintage andteam train that will take you through Kaiserstuhl’s scenic vineyards. For a round trip you can return on a leisurely cruise boat down river.

Of course if you prefer, you can simply opt for a leisurely boat cruise down the Rhine. Operating throughout the summer season this is a great way to take in the beautiful scenery of the region.

Bicycling is a popular way to explore the many quaint towns and villages as well as the countryside.

There are several routes that have been designed around specific cultural interests. Maps are available so you can easily plan which route you would like to follow. Stop for a steaming cup of coffee at a roadside café and watch local town life unfold before you.

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It is also possible to do a multi-day tour combining cycling and hiking routes. String several of the themed routes together or take an escorted and guided tour of the area.

Getting out from the towns and cities there are many hiking trails which form a network across the countryside. The tall trees of the majestic Black Forest provide welcome shade as you explore the forests.

The Kaiserstuhl has species of wild orchid that can be found in the countryside. Several of the hiking trails follow routes that specifically seek out these beautiful flowers.

The Nature center in the Black Forest offers guided walks. In this way you can learn all about the area without having to scan the pages of your guide book. It’s not only the flora that’s of interest, the legendary emerald lizard and many species of birds can

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also be seen on your explorations.

For something a little different, you can take a guided canoe trip down the Altrhein. Following the tributaries as you wind your way through the forest undergrowth you can watch the many birds as they flit between the trees. Fishermen can also enjoy some good angling along the river banks.

There is no lack of places of cultural interest in Kaiserstuhl. The historic towns of Endingen, Wyhl, Vogtsburg, and Breisach make for interesting meandering. Magnificent old buildings and a detailed history will keep you entertained in tales of Kings and Emperors from yesteryear.

For a bird’s eye view of the Kaiserstuhl you can view the magnificent forests, vineyards and meandering rivers from a 1920's bi-plane or a hot air balloon.

Sailing above the landscapes it is a great way to end a tour of this area. •

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Aus Oma's Küche Sacher-Faschingskrapfen Carnival Doughnuts Carnival in Vienna has a lot of delicious desserts to offer. The Carnival Doughnut is one of them and typical of Vienna. Legend has it that it is the creation of Cäcilie Krapf, a Viennese cook at the court, who is apparently responsible for its name.

Serves: 16 Ingredients: 330 g flour (fine) 80 ml milk 30 g yeast 1 egg 3 egg yolks 1 pinch salt 40 g icing sugar 1/2 pkt vanilla sugar 1 lemon (rind) 2 cl rum 80 g butter apricot jam (with a little rum for the filling) flour (for the work surface) vegetable oil (peanut oil, preferred) icing sugar (for dusting)

Preparation: Warm up about 2 tablespoons of milk to drinking temperature and dissolve the yeast in it. Stir in a little flour to create a thick-pasted pre-dough. Sprinkle with flour, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place (28–30 °C) for about 15 minutes, until the surface begins to show small cracks.

Use the rest of the milk and stir together the egg, egg yolks, salt, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, grated lemon rind and rum. Add the melted butter and beat. Using a blender with a kneading hook, blend the mass with the remaining flour and the yeast dough until smooth.

Cover with a cloth and leave to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour. Knead the dough again and on a floured surface shape into a roll. Cut nut-size pieces about 20 g in weight and, using the palm of your hand, shape into round balls. Dust with flour and press them a little with a baking tray. Place on a baking tray and leave to rise in a warm place.

Heat some oil (160 °C) in a pan for deep frying or in a saucepan and fry a golden brown on both sides. Scoop out and place on a cake grid to drain. Fill a pastry bag with the rum-jam mix and squeeze into the doughnuts. Dust with icing sugar. •

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Calendar Of Events February 1 Milwaukee, WI. Board Meeting. 3:00 pm 1 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL 1 Chicago, IL. Visit the "Lost German Chicago" exhibit!

Museum open Saturdays 11am to 3pm or by appointment. Free and open to the public. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave., Chicago IL. (773) 561-9181 5 Milwaukee, WI. Singing. 7:00 pm.

7 Benton Harbor, MI. ALL YOU CAN EAT Monthly Fish Fry. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Food served at 6:00 pm. $9 per adult. $4 per child (ages 2-12). 2651 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 7 Chicago, IL. Weiberfastnacht - Women's Mardi Gras.

Food and refreshments available, including krapfen; German-style chicken schnitzel with potato salad, oven roasted BBQ pulled pork sandwich with apple slaw, and cash bar. Entrance: $5. DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL. 8 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL 9 Chicago West. Meeting.

12 Milwaukee, WI. Dancing 6:00 pm. Singing 7:00 pm.

13 Chicago, IL. Kulturkueche - Sausage Making. Austrian Chef Martin, of Alpine Brand Sausages, will guide you through the art of Wurst. Students will make 3-4 sausages from bratwurst and chorizo to sweet Italian and kielbasa. Tickets: $20. 7:30 pm.

14 Benton Harbor, MI. Valentine’s Dance featuring Mollie B and the Squeezebox Band! Members: $9. Nonmembers: $10. Doors open at 6:00. Music starts 7:00 pm. 2651 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI

15 Pittsburgh, PA. Valentine’s Luncheon. Crown Plaza Hotel. 1:00 pm. Reservations required. (412) 563-2352.

15 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL 19 Milwaukee, WI. Singing 7:00 pm.

19 Erie, PA. Membership Meeting at Erie Männerchor Club, 1607 State St. No fee. Open to the public.

22 Frankfort, IL. Fasching/German Mardi Gras. Music

by Die Perlen. Doors open at 5pm. Music begins at 6:00pm. Advanced Tickets: $10 per adult. At the door $15.00 per adult. Children under 16 are free. German food and drink available for purchase.

22 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL 26 Milwaukee, WI. Dancing 6:00 pm. Singing 7:00 pm.

March 1 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL 1 Chicago, IL. Visit the "Lost German Chicago" exhibit!

Museum open Saturdays 11am to 3pm or by appointment. Free and open to the public. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave., Chicago IL. (773) 561-9181 7 Benton Harbor, MI. ALL YOU CAN EAT Monthly Fish Fry. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Food served at 6:00 pm. $9 per adult. $4 per child (ages 2-12). 2651 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor, MI 9 Chicago West. Meeting.

8 Milwaukee, WI. Board meeting. 3:00 pm 8 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL

Continued on page 34

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ery fools’ guild has carnival masks, usually intricately carved from wood, which are handed down from generation to generation.

Mainting Sorb traditions

In eastern Germany, the Sorbs, a Slavic nation that settled in the Lusatia region, celebrate the Zapust or Shrovetide at this time of year. Zampern, which means going from house to house and collecting gifts, is an important part the festivities. A noisy procession wends its way through the village with the aim of driving out the spirits of winter. The merry group in fancy dress stops at every farm to ask for gifts of bacon, eggs

and money. To show their gratitude the revelers treat the farmer to a glass of schnapps and invite the lady of the house to a dance.

The boisterous celebration is held every year on a weekend between mid January and the beginning of March. Another aspect of Zapust is a procession of girls dressed in traditional costumes and boys in suits who go around the village visiting those residents who have contributed most to the community such as the mayor, the pastor or local craftsmen. In the evening the young people gather in the village pub for a bumper egg feast and all those taking part tuck in to a hearty meal of bacon and scrambled egg. • © Germany.info

All dressed up for Zapust celebrations

Valentine’s Day in Germany Since the end of World War II, Valentine’s Day, or Valentinstag, has grown increasingly popular in Germany.

While children in many countries will participate in Valentine’s Day celebrations, this is really not the case in Germany. It’s quite a grown-up holiday.

To celebrate this romantic special occasion, Germans often give their love interests bonbons adorned with hearts and marzipan pink pigs. In Germany, these little pigs are the symbol of luck but also of lust. Thus, for extra luck with the love one or the would be Valentine, there are some pigs holding a 4 leaves clover while climbing a little ladder on a heart.

Another important item of Valentine's day in Germany is the big ginger cookies, made in the shape of a heart and decorated with frosting. They usually have a few words written on them such as: meine Shatzi, Ich liebe dich, etc.

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Memorial year for Charlemagne

2014 is the memorial year for Charlemagne. The “Carolingian Renaissance” laid the foundations for the culture and geography of Europe today.

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hristmas in the year 800 really went down in the annals of history. More than 1,200 years ago Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, then King of the Franks, a West Germanic people, Imperator Romanorum, the Roman Emperor. Charles thus placed his empire firmly in the lineage of the ancient Roman Empire. From today’s viewpoint, Charles was a true European, the father of the continent. Presumably born in 748, Charles learned his skills as a general during his days as King of the Franks and thus field marshal over its armies. Back then, the Franks’ empire covered many parts of today’s Europe.

Two nations, France and Germany, associate their birth with this great man, and he was quite literally so, between 1.93 and 2.02 meters tall. Geographically, his empire was likewise of quite a legendary size. It stretched from the Pyrenees to today’s Poland, and in the south it included large parts of the Balkans and Italy. And it united almost all the Christian peoples in the West European part of the Continent. Cultural speaking, the Continent was desolate before Charlemagne’s rule. Waves of migration and the demise of the West Roman Empire had led to cultural decline. Neither the Roman way of life nor literature nor the arts had been nurtured.

All that changed with Charlemagne, who initiated

nothing less than an educational reform that has since the 19th century been termed the “Carolingian Renaissance”. Under his august eye, the culture and education of the Ancient Greeks and Romans was rediscovered and revived. The “Carolingian minuscule” a new and especially clear font on which today’s Latin script rests, was created in his university. It strongly facilitated the copying of scrolls, and thus the dissemination of ancient texts. Before he ascended the throne, Charlemagne had already assembled numerous scholars at his court and had opened monastic and cathedral colleges. Charlemagne’s commitment to education, literature and art laid the very foundations of European culture. Moreover, he introduced an effective administration for his vast empire, with uniform laws and a single CURRENCY. Charles died on 28 January 814 in Aachen. He had spent the last 20 years of his life a resident of that town and his son Ludwig was crowned the new ruler of an empire that stretched from the North Sea to Abruzzo, from the Elbe to the Ebro, from the Balaton to Brittany.

1200th anniversary of the death of Charlemagne on 28 January 2014 www.karldergrosse2014.de © www.deutschland.de

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Odds & Ends Bavaria's Chinese Carnival Amidst all that revelry of Carnival, one of the more unusual celebrations takes place annually in the small Bavarian town of Dietfurt, population 6,000.

Since 1928, the people of Dietfurt have celebrated the Thursday before Rose Monday by becoming "Bavarian Chinese." During what they call "Chinese Carnival" they dress up in Asian costumes and metaphorically hand over the rule of their town to a "Chinese emperor" chosen from among the townspeople. The town's mayor is relegated to the status of "imperial Mandarin" for the week.

The origins of the Chinese carnival in Dietfurt are not completely clear, although it is thought that when the local church demanded more taxes of the Dietfurters in the 1870s, residents refused to pay. They locked their doors and their walled town so that nobody could collect the money. When helpless officials found themselves in front of the walled city, they likened the Bavarian townspeople to the Chinese who took shelter behind the Great Wall of China.

In 1997, a high-ranking delegation from China visited the unusual festival and were so impressed by the

townsfolk’s' efforts, that the delegation's leader called for a closer relationship between Beijing and Dietfurt. •

Berlin subway sections have to be rebuilt after operator bought trains that were too wide Sections of a German city's subway will have to be rebuilt after operators bought trains that were too wide for its tunnels.

Bungling subway bosses in Berlin thought the extra 5cm (2 inches) on either side of each car would give passengers a more comfortable ride.

But it’s left them with a major headache — after it emerged the added width means the trains can't fit into the narrower, older sections of the network.

Tagesspiegel reports that they flout rules stating there had to be at least 20 inches between the train and the tunnel wall so travelers can escape in an emergency.

The Local reports that sections of the U2 line, between Wittenbergplatz and Bismarckstraße, will be closed for widening from mid-August.

Several other lines will also be temporarily shut, but exact details have not yet been revealed.

U-Bahn operator BVG has already bought two new

trains and plans to buy another 24, at a total cost of $260 million, before 2015. •

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Odds & Ends Latvia: The Newest Member of the Euro Family Just a dozen years after the first 12 EU countries began circulating the euro as their single currency, Latvia becomes the 18th Member State to trade in its national currency for euros. This is a major step in a member country’s economic integration, and to ensure a successful, stable, and sustainable transition, it must first meet certain economic and legal conditions. •

German – an attractive foreign language German is one of around 15 Germanic languages, a branch of the Indo-Germanic family of languages. It is the most frequently spoken mother tongue in the European Union (EU) and one of the ten most widely spoken languages in the world: Around 120 million people speak German as their mother tongue. After English German comes second in terms of foreign languages in Europe. There are currently some 17 million people worldwide learning German as a foreign language at institutions and schools. The teaching of the German language abroad is promoted by the Federal Foreign Office and entrusted to organizations:

The Goethe Institute offers German language courses in 127 cities in 80 countries. 440 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) lecturers work on behalf of the DAAD at universities in 102 countries. The Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA) manages 135 German schools outside the country, as well as some 1,900 German staff teaching abroad. "Schulen: Partner der Zukunft" (Schools: Partners for the Future), a Federal Foreign Office Initiative aims to establish German as a foreign language more strongly abroad. The goal is for a network of 1,500 partner schools. •

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Odds & Ends Over half of Austrians have a fear of flying A new study by Austrian travel search engine Checkfelix as revealed that over half of Austrians are scared of flying.

From those asked 55 per cent said they did not really feel comfortable flying. 15 per cent said they were really scared, 44 per cent admitted to having a queasy feeling.

62 per cent of those asked said the main reason for their fear of flying was the feeling of being out of control once they enter the air plane. Many people also said they were scared of a plane crash and others said they did not like being stuck in the aircraft once it takes off.

When asked what they do to combat their fear of flying 59 per cent said they tried self hypnosis. 34 per cent said they relied of a partner to keep them calm.

22 per cent said they did relaxation exercises, 16 per cent took some kind of tablets to keep them calm and 11 per cent they relied on alcohol.

The new Cabinet of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel presents some surprises.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Federal Ministry of Defense will be led by Ursula von der Leyen (pictured). She has moved from the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. As a result, Germany will have a female Defense Minister for the first time.

Her appointment triggered speculation not only about how the male-dominated army would respond to having a woman in charge, but about whether she is being groomed to become Angela Merkel's successor as leader of the Christian Democrats.

SPD Deputy Chair Aydan Özoguz is the new Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration. As a result, a woman of Turkish descent will receive a seat at the Cabinet table for the first time. •

43 per cent of those who said they were scared of flying said they avoided air travel all together - 48 per cent said they made their journey by car or by train instead.

35 per cent said they had tries professional help against their fear of flying and 13 per cent said they intended to get help to try and get over their fear. •

Population in Germany Grew in 2013

As the new year begins, the Federal Statistical Office has released their annual population report, which gives an overall estimate of the year-to-year population change in Germany. For the third year in a row, the office reported a relative increase in population. In the beginning of 2013, 80.5 million people lived in Germany and now that number has increased 80.8 million.

The increased population is due primarily to the increased immigration to Germany. In the first half of 2013, net immigration rose by 13 percent. New data indicates that Germany saw a total net increase of 400,000 immigrants in 2013. Immigration has not been this high since 1993, when the office recorded a 462,000 person increase. • © Germany.info

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Odds & Ends Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Confidence in Germany for 300th Anniversary 2014

On the 8th of March, 2014, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach passes his 300th birthday. Johann Sebastian Bach's second eldest son is the most important representative of the musical sentimental movement that finds itself at home in between the baroque epoch and the Vienna classic. C. P. E. Bach's body of work is incredibly diverse. It includes a variety of musical styles of instrumental music, including symphonies, chamber music, piano sonatas, pieces for solo instruments as well as ecclesiastic and worldly vocal music of all genres.

The Bach-cities (Hamburg, Potsdam, Berlin, Frankfurt-Oder, Leipzig and Weimar), as well as numerous other German cities, are organizing converts and events for the anniversary year. •

The Allensbach Institute released their annual data on the overall mood in Germany at the end of 2013.

The report indicates that the majority of people in Germany are looking into 2014 with confidence. Around 57 percent of Germans expressed hope for 2014 when asked the question “Do you look to the year 2014 with hope or apprehension?” Only 12 percent responded that they were apprehensive about 2014.

Allensbach has been asking this question in late December every year since 1949. The 2013 results are especially positive, according to the report. Optimism hasn't been this high in Germany since the mid 1990's.

Since the beginning of the decade, there have only been a few years in which the majority of people were optimistic. In 2011 and 2012, only 49 percent of Germans were hopefully about the coming year.

The Allensbach poll is often a good indication for the economic sentiment for the new year. The ifo Institute also predicted earlier this year that the German economy will grow 1.7 percent in 2014. Those predictions, along with boosts in business, investor, and consumer confidences, are a strong indicator for overall optimism in 2014. •

Ben and Mia – Germany’s Top Baby Names

Starkbierzeit

The Starkbierzeit is Munich, Germany and the world’s premier strong beer festival and attracts thousands of devotees of fine, strong ales and lagers each March to taste their favorite brews and dine on German classics such as bratwurst. It kicks off on 19th March in the Paulaner Keller and lasts two weeks.

This beer festival dates back to the 17th century and all the acclaimed brewers parade their products, along with many small independent brewers, so this is truly a beer connoisseur’s paradise on earth. There are stonelifting competitions and other traditional entertainments going on all over the city, but the first keg is always tapped at the Paulaner Keller, which is the traditional pub and official watering hole of the event. Be sure not to miss it if you’re in Munich in March! •

The most popular names for new-born babies in 2013 are (once again) Ben and Mia. Among boys, second and third place went to Luca/Luka and Paul respectively, while among girls it was Emma and Hanna/Hannah. This is the result of an assessment by the www. beliebte-vornamen.de portal of 182,945 birth registrations from all over Germany. In other words, the statistical base was some 27 per cent of all new-born babies in 2013. There are no officially kept statistics on first names in Germany.

The most popular girls' names 1. Mia 2. Emma 3. Hanna/Hannah 4. Sophia/Sofia 5.

Anna 6. Lea 7. Emilia 8. Marie 9. Lena 10. Leonie The most popular boys' names 1. Ben 2. Luca/Luka 3. Paul 4. Jonas 5. Finn/Fynn 6. Leon 7. Luis/Louis 8. Lucas/Lukas 9. Maximilian 10. Felix Source: beliebte-vornamen.de

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Calendar of Events continued from page 27 12 Milwaukee, WI. Dancing 6:00 pm. Singing 7:00 pm.

ton Harbor, MI

14 Chicago, IL. Kulturkueche - Sausage Making. Austrian Chef Martin, of Alpine Brand Sausages, will guide you through the art of Wurst. Students will make 3-4 sausages from bratwurst and chorizo to sweet Italian and kielbasa. Tickets: $20. 7:30 pm.

8 Chicago, IL. Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen. 12:00 pm 4:00 pm. DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave. Chicago IL

15 Pittsburgh, PA. St Patrick’s Day Luncheon. Location to be announced. For updates please visit: www.germaninpittsburgh.org.

15 Benton Harbor, MI. Concertina - St. Patrick's Dance.

Doors open from 12 - 8 PM. 2651 Pipestone Rd., Ben-

19 Milwaukee, WI. Singing 7:00 pm.

19 Erie, PA. Membership Meeting at Erie Männerchor Club, 1607 State St. No fee. Open to the public.

26 Milwaukee, WI. Dancing 6:00 pm. Singing 7:00 pm.

29 Chicago West. Spring Dance.

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Thank you!

We would like to thank the many generous members and friends listed below who have supported the works of the German American National Congress through their donations.

German American Day Rpbert Griner Leslie Suppan Richard Noeller Horst Deubler Siegfried Kratzke Juliana Mueller Matthew Wirtz David Gudeman Sara Brantsch Alan Lemke George Dornseif Meredith Dunn Boza Susan Limbrunner Nancy Nazquez Anneliese Wegner Gerhard Beinhauer Juergen Scharpenberg Gerald Streib Reimer Pielstrom Gerta Penev Jack Manthey George Herrmann Elfriede Michallek Wolfram Kollacks Rudolf Strahl John Lakota George Blanke Harry Mai WalterGeissler Rolf Eilhauer Johann Thiel Ernst Hofmann Prof. Frederick Schaupp Linda Ray William Kane Sofia Froom Charles Hubbard Matthew Hoffman

Ada Trbojevic Elly Heuberger August Pfeifer Guenter Kempf Walter Radke Erwin Gronau Erhard Totzke Mark Bohn Elfriede Vogel Joseph Wakelin Richard Garlitz Elizabeth Verterano

Technology Fund Maria Killian Leslie Suppan Horst Deubler Siegfried Kratzke Juliana Mueller Matthew Wirt Edith Kebleris David Gudeman Alan Lemke Susan Brunner Gerhard Beinhauer Gerald Streib Reimar Pielstrom Gerta Penev Jack Manthey George Herrmann Sepp Oberle Wolfram Kollacks Rudolf Strahl John Lakota George Blanke Dr Ludwig Dech Elaine Kerill Phillip Nice Irmgard Bergmann

Walter Geissler Rolf Eilhauer Susan Schubert William Weier Linda Ray Sofia Froom Charles Hubbard Matthew Hoffman Ada Trbojevic Elly Heuberger August Pfeifer Guenter Kempf Walter Radke Erhard Totzke Mark Bohn Elfriede Vogel Elizabeth Verterano

Education Fund

Gunther Greulich Leslie Suppan Jakob Setter Horst Deubler Siegfried Kratzke Marvin BlockJuliana Mueller Atthew Wirtz David Gudeman Sara Brantsch Horst Wagener Waltraud Tooren Heinz Freese Dennis Antkowiak Alan Lemke George Dornseif Rory Trausch Joseph Port Susan Limbrunner Joseph Grosskopf continued on page 36

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Continued from page 35

Erik Wittmann Raymond Beck Linda Ray Sofia Froom Charles Hubbard Matthew Hoffman Ada Trbojevic Elly Heuberger August Pfeifer Erika Spainys Hans Callies Guenter Kempf Scott Baranski Gerhard Greiff Guenther Boeger Dr William Pelz Walter Radke Erwin Gronau Erhard Totzke Ilse Workman Mark Bohn David Collrath Bruce Ostertag Elfriede Vogel Martin Gah Henry Koepfle Rosemarie Lotspeich Ingewalde Snyder Christine Luscher David Moser Elizabeth Verterano

Dr Stevan Ostojic Ortwin Kairies Anneliese Wegener Gerhard Beinhauer Juergen Scharpenberg Pauline Zultner Hans Heinscher Horst Muenx Gerald Streib Reimar Pielstrom Kirsten Schnoor Steven Fulghum Jeanne Kross Henry Dreisilker Gerta Penev Jack Manthey George Herrmann Hans Scheel Frederic Leinweber Elfriede Michallek Renate Schuler Wolfram Kollacks Leonhart Burkhart Rudolf Strahl Ingeborg Martin John Lakota George Blanke Fred Lemke Paul Dorocke Willi Maas Harry Mai Irmhard Bergmann Walter Geissler Walter Harnischmacher Robert Kilcoyne Rolf Eilhauer Heidi Eichler Walter Whisler, MD Gustag Hopp John Dorow Joan Kristy W Y Espenschied Barbara Galloway Rose-Mary Rigow William Ebinger Lynn Schuler Margarete Tkocz William Weier Magdalene Eisenloeffel

Newspaper Fund

Robert Griner Leslie Suppan Jakob Setter Katherine Messing Horst Deubler Guenther Kranz Walter Hartung Siegfried Kratzke Juliana Mueller Matthew Wirtz Kurt Paterek David Gudeman Waltraud Tooren Alan Lemke George Dornseif Barbara Garbelmann

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 Meredith Dunn Boza Susan Limbrunner Katherine Braun Robert Adam Anneliese Wegener Gerhard Beinhauer Hans Heinscher Fritz Petzold Gerald Streib Reimar Pielstrom Gerta Penev Dr Wolfgang Seibt Heinrich Hanssen Jack Manthey George Gerrmann Hans Scheel Ralph Stern Sepp Oberle Loni Singer Eugene Bernhardt Wolfram Kollacks Michael Fack Rudolf Strahl John Lakota George Blanke Margarete Quaas George Hoban John Fluss William Marshall, Jr Kunigunda Puckett Wilfried Smaka Harry Mai Richard Linzing Dr Christiane Keck Phillip Nice Ilse Davit Hans Goemmer Wendy Wurlitzer Gerhard Ellerkamp Steve Nagel Irmhard Bergmnn Walter Geissler Siegfried Goerke Frank Misch Doris Mueller Clifford Wilson Christine Wjst Robert Kilcoyne Rolf Eilhauer continued on page 38

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Robert Vance Carter Sr., "Chip"

Robert Vance Carter Sr., "Chip", age 66, of Erie, passed away on November 23, 2013 following a brief illness. Born in Tarentum, Pa. in October 1947, he was the son of Margaret Steber Carter and the late Vance Carter.

Robert proudly served his country during the Vietnam War in the United States Army, where he was a member of the Army Security Agency (MACV).

A member of Holy Family Catholic Church, he also held memberships in Siebenbuerger Club, American

Legion Carl Neff POST 0571, Moose Lodge East, Lawrence Park Coin Club, Erie Stamp Club, Vietnam Veteran of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart and DANK Chapter Erie since 2003.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife of 43 years, Lottie Turowski Carter, one son, Robert Carter Jr. and his wife Sue of Holly Springs, N.C.; one daughter, Patricia Mazzarese and her husband Frank of Erie; five grandchildren, Andrew and Allison Carter and Jillian, Jennifer and Frankie Mazzarese Jr. and two sisters, Linda Tatara and her husband Martin and Tammy Wolfram.

Interment with full military honors took place in Mary Queen of Peace Cemetery. •

Gerald R. Kainz, German-language editor

Bart Barnes Gerald R. Kainz, the editor, publisher and pbbauer Petar Gataricresident of the German-language weekly newspaper Washington Journal, died Dec. 23 at home in Indialantic, Fla. He was 83.

The cause was congestive heart failure and kidney failure, said his son Robert G. Kainz.

Mr. Kainz retired in 2000 after 33 years at the Washington Journal, which had been published in the city since 1859.

Gerald Rudolph Kainz was born in Graz, Austria. He emigrated to Canada in 1951 and was a print and television journalist in Ontario before moving to Washington in 1961.

In Washington he was a journalist for German-lan-

guage newspapers based in Canada. He also produced German-language television documentaries and worked part time for the U.S. Information Agency.

He interviewed U.S. presidents from John F. Kennedy to George H.W. Bush.

He was active in German-American organizations and in 1997 was named German-American of the Year by the United German-American Committee of the USA Inc. In 1990 he became a U.S. citizen. A former resident of Vienna, Va., he moved to Florida in retirement.

Survivors include his wife since 1970, Irma Hruschka Kainz of Indialantic; three children, Robert G. Kainz of Cary, N.C., Thomas M. Kainz of Haymarket, Va., and Karen LoDico of Voorhees, N.J.; and four grandchildren. •

In Memory of

Hans J. Witalski

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DANK Chicago South & Suburbs mourns the passing of member, friend and former chapter treasurer. He was a member for 47 years and was born on October 30, 1925 departed on December 27, 2013.

He is survived by his loving wife Hildegard (Susie) Witalski with whom he shared 57 years of a beautiful marriage. Together they enjoyed countless travels, entertaining friends and family and he took exceptional pride in the workmanship he did in his home and flower garden. He was a perfectionist in every manner.

A memorial of his life was celebrated on January 4, 2014. Hans will be missed by all his friends and family.

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Kinderecke Handfl채che

Handr체cken Mittelfinger

Nagelhalbmond Fingernagel

Ringfinger Zeigefinger kleiner Finger

Daumen

DONATIONS continued from page 36 Hartmut Kempf David Lasich Irene Baumert Anneliese Gregory Werner Kalbfleisch William Ebinger Walter Weber Ingrid Wagoner Horst Wolf Peter Schmidt William Weier Ilona Dean Anneliese Ross George Mandl Karl Schweisthal Ronald Ernhath Erik Wittmann Raymond Beck Linda Ray

Barbara Good William Kane Sofia Froom Alan Nietzke Louise Krease Edith Prusak Charles Hubbard Matthew Hoffman Ada Trbojevic Alexandra Pradella-Ott Elly Heuberger Helene Schoentag Moritz Roetter AUgust Pfeifer Erika Sprainys Guenter Kempf Gerhard Greiff Martina Kistner Guenther Boeger

Hedwig Dr William Pelz Walter Radke Harri Strelis Armimn Fiedler Ewald Gansewendt Erwin Gronau Erhard Totzke Mark Bohn Elfriede Vogel Gerhard Wolf William Wirth Richard Garlitz Rosemarie Lotspeich Ingewalde Snyder Harry Meinhold Kurt Gebert Martha Jasniowski Elizabeth Verterano

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Edwin Gunther Get well soon The National Executive Board

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