Jasper German Club

The Jasper Deutscher Verein held their monthly meeting at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 673 on Thursday, March 18. Over 50 members were in attendance.

Dan Gutgsell, president of the Jasper Deutscher Verein, welcomed all present. He announced that members may sign up for work shifts at the Food Booth and Pastry Stand during the Strassenfest. Sign up sheets will be available at the March, April, and May meetings. Dave and Rita Blessinger are the Chairpersons for the Pastry Stand. The Club is still looking for a Chairperson for the Food Stand during the Strassenfest. John and Julie Gutgsell will chair the Souvenir Booth. Patti Goepfrich will chair the Float Committee. Anyone interested in serving on that committee can call Patti at 482-4821 or sign up at the April and May meetings.

Mr. Gutgsell then announced that the Saint Meinrad Archabbey is marking the 150 th Anniversary of its Foundation Day with a series of events to be held on Sunday, March 21 st . He then encouraged members to donate to the Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment established by the Jasper Deutscher Verein to benefit generations in ensuring that the German heritage is preserved and enriched in Jasper and Dubois County . Gifts may be made in honor of or in memory of a special person.

Bob Dilger, Vice President, then recognized those having birthdays in March. They included John Wibbels, Linus Lechner, Gene Humbert, and Dave Prechtel.

Club dues this year are still being collected. Membership is $5 for a single membership and couple membership is $10 and dues may be sent to Jasper Deutscher Verein, Attn: Rita Egler, P. O. Box 15, Jasper, IN 47547-0015.

Mr. Dilger then introduced the speaker for the evening. Alan Welsh, owner of The Clock Shop in Jasper, gave a very interesting presentation on clocks and their "inner workings".

After he retired from Kimball International, Alan and his wife, Marilyn, started The Clock Shop. It first began as a hobby but has now turned into a "word of mouth" business. Their shop is located at 216 W 6 th Street in Jasper.

Years ago, clocks were usually repaired at jewelry shops. At present, this service is not usually done in the jewelry shops but at a few clock shops. Years ago, many servicemen sent cuckoo clocks home because they could be bought at reasonable prices. Now, it is less expensive to purchase a clock here in the States. The Black Forest region in Germany was once the heart of clock manufacturing. Now, there are approximately 3 major clock manufacturers in that region. The first "tall case" (Grandfather Clocks) were made by undertakers who also made their own caskets. These clocks were the most expensive pieces of furniture in the home.

Peddlers would go around and sell clocks. The 30-hour movement was the most popular. Mr. Welsh stated that when a clock is restored, its label should be protected because it tells the history of the clock and helps the clock to keep its value. He also stated that a timepiece tells time and does not strike.

When restoring a clock, keep the original finish, if possible. He does not recommend changing the movement in a clock. Get it repaired. He displayed several clocks and gave the history of each clock. After his presentation, Mr. Welsh answered questions from club members.

Mr. Dilger then announced that the April meeting will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #673 on Thursday, April 15 th . The club will be entertained by Hilary and Friends. This is a local group of folks who enjoy playing "down home" music like folks did years ago. They play old German waltzes and a few other toe-tapping tunes. The group consists of Hilary Begle, Clarence Waninger, Henrietta Harder, Ron Keusch, Laverne Begle, and Charlie Dilger.

The May meeting will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #673 on Thursday, May 20 th , with a card party and bratwurst meal. More details will be given in the next club newsletter.

The annual Fall Picnic will be held on Saturday, September 25 th , at the Schnellville Community Center.

Bob Dilger thanked Sharon Dilger, Ruth Wibbels, Rita Corn, and Patti Goepfrich for their efforts in planning the meeting. President Gutgsell thanked Mr. Dilger for planning the program.

Attendance prizes were won by Vic Knies and Gene Humbert. John Wibbels won the ½ pot attendance prize. The remainder of the evening was spent socializing.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the Deutscher Verein or parents of students taking the German language in area schools are welcome to attend any activities.

The Program will be a performance by "Hilary & Friends". This is a group of local folks who enjoy playing "down home" music like folks did years ago. They play old German waltzes and a few other toe-tapping tunes. They have shared their talents at several of the local nursing homes and brought many a smile to the faces of those who have heard them play. The group consists of the following folks:

Staff Sgt. Wayne Nealy, Indiana National Guard 1st Battalion, 152nd Regiment and Jennifer Prechtel, Holy Family SonShine Preschool teacher, will present the May program. They will share their real life story of a young man's journey while serving his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the impact that a group of Preschool students had on Sgt. Wayne, his fellow Guardsmen, and some of the local Iraqi people.

Gene & Betty Kempf will be organizing bratwurst grilling for the meeting. Additionally, Leo & Lora Lou Eckerle will be organizing a card party to begin at the conclusion of the program. Come prepared to celebrate a very interesting evening!

Matt Hilger and his group are busy making plans for another great picnic! Mark your calendars now for the date and location!

On Wednesday, April 14, the Indiana German Heritage Society will sponsor a presentation "The Antebellum German Theater in Indy: The Thalia Verein" by Tom Meunier.

You won't believe the extent and variety of German theater in Indy, even before the Civil War. Tom Meunier, a recent graduate of IUPUI, has been very active in theater life in Indianapolis. He worked for the American Cabaret Theatre and also was part of an independent theater company in the city.

The program - in English - is free of charge and open to the public. It is held at 7:15 p.m. in the Max Kade German-American Center Seminar Room, first floor of the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis. At 6 p.m. the presenter, members, and guests meet for Stammtisch and a German meal in the Athenaeum Rathskeller. Good food and good talk, some in German!

June 4-6, 2004, the Gasthof at Montgomery is offering a weekend German-American Genealogy workshop with Genealogist Robert C. Rau and Drs. Eberhard and Ruth

Reichmann. The program will explore tracing family roots, locating ancestral places of origin, and discovering the resources that will help genealogical search. Participants learn to read Fraktur und Handschrift, --older forms of German printing and handwriting--and receive help with reading their own documents. Learning about the German-Americans and touring an Amish settlement nearby are part of the program. The Gasthof, ideally located in the heart of Southern Indiana's Amish Community, offers home-cooked meals and features Amish specialties.

Further information: Jocelyn Burger at 812-486-4900 or send an e-mail to gasthof@rtccom.net . Information is also available at the Gasthof Web site:

Fri, April 9 , 10 a.m. German Good Friday Service at Zion Evangelical UCC, Corner of New Jersey and North Streets, Indianapolis. (317-639-5411)

Wed, April 14 , 6:00 p.m. Stammtisch and 7:15 p.m.
Program: Tom Meunier "The Antebellum German Theater in Indy: The Thalia Verein." Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan St., Indianapolis.

April 22-25 , 2004 SGAS Conference in New Ulm, MN (317 464-9004 or Giles Hoyt ghoyt@iupui.edu )

Wed, May 12 , 4:30 p.m. Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m. Stammtisch and 7:15 p.m. Program: Kristin Byers "Oldenburg, Indiana: A Real and Virtual Tour." (317 464-9004 or Giles Hoyt ghoyt@iupui.edu )Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan St., Indianapolis.

June 4-6, Genealogy Workshop at the Gasthof in Montgomery (Jocelyn Burger at 812-486-4900 or gasthof@rtccom.net )

Wed., June 9 , 4:30 p.m. Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m. Stammtisch and 7:15 p.m.Program: June 9: Dr. Thomas Bonsett "German-Language Instruction in the Indianapolis Schools and World War I." Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan St., Indianapolis. (317 464-9004 or Giles Hoyt ghoyt@iupui.edu )

Sun., July 4 , 5:30 p.m.: Independence Day Celebration at the Athenaeum Biergarten, 401 East Michigan St., Indianapolis (317 630-4569)

Wed., July 14, 4:30 p.m. Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m. Stammtisch and 7:15 p.m. Program: Dr. Philip Reid. "America and the Turners". Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan St., Indianapolis. (317 464-9004 or Giles Hoyt ghoyt@iupui.edu )

The 28 th Annual Symposium of the Society for German-American Studies will be held in New Ulm, Minnesota this year. New Ulm is celebrating the 150 th anniversary of its founding in 1854. It began as a commune organized by the German immigrants belonging to the "Chicago Land Society." The city has a colorful German-American history, and is the site of the large Hermann monument.

The Symposium will begin with the first evening get-together, the Gemuetliches Beisammensein on Thursday 7-9 pm. Friday scholarly papers will be presented during the day, and a banquet will be held in the evening. SGAS members will also present results of their research on Saturday morning. During the afternoon tours to various sites of German-American interest will be available. That evening there will be a German Buffet banquet at the Turnverein Hall. The after-dinner program will include The Concord Singers, sponsored by the city's Chamber of Commerce. On Sunday morning at 9am there will be a "Waldler Messe" presented in German at the New Ulm Cathedral, which will include Martin Luther College musicians.

Membership in SGAS is not required for attendance at the Symposium. Everyone interested in exploring German-American Studies and the German-American heritage of New Ulm is invited to attend. The conference hotel will be the Holiday Inn, New Ulm, Minnesota. For information on local details, registration, etc., contact Jenny Eckstein, Visitor's Bureau, New Ulm, phone: (507) 354-4217; fax: (507) 354-1504; email: jeckstein@newulmtel.net

I am writing as a representative of The Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit cultural and educational organization which is organizing the upcoming exhibition entitled The Glory of Baroque Dresden . The exhibition will include over 400 artworks from Dresden, and is exclusively appearing in Jackson, Mississippi, from March 1 - September 6, 2004. Organized in conjunction with the State Art Collections Dresden, this is the first major exhibition of Dresden's treasures in North America since the reunification of Germany. It is a brilliant opportunity for anyone wishing to enjoy the spring and summer in the southland to experience a taste of the magnificent art collections from Dresden.

Part of MCICE's goal is to promote tourism in Mississippi and the south, and since we are promoting the exhibition all over the globe, we would appreciate the support of the wonderful network of arts and cultural organizations, especially those which focus on German culture, around North America. The Goethe Institute in Atlanta features the exhibition in its latest newsletter and the New York Goethe Institute is featuring us on their website and print materials.

To give you a preview of some of the masterpieces that will be here in Jackson, we are pleased to offer news media, through exceptional copyright, the use of high-resolution photos for coverage of the exhibition. These photos may be downloaded at http://www.germany.info/photos . Copyright Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden; use of the images is allowed for articles on the exhibition and copyright is to be included. The German Embassy would appreciate clips of published articles and press coverage of the exhibition.

Where : The Leonard Wehr Farm (inside his tool shed). Take Hwy 56 West thru Ireland 2 miles to the 2 nd Black-Top on the left (County Road 300 N), then approx. 1 mile on the left.

11:00AM - Lunch - Liver and Onions, Homemade Pie
4:00PM - Dinner - Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes, Ribs, and Homemade Whole Hog Sausage

What To Bring : Women - Homemade Pie, Cookies, or Brownies Men - Wine (Preferably Homemade) or whatever. (Beer and Soft Drinks will also be available.)

Agenda : We will be butchering 2 hogs to demonstrate the actual full butchering process from start to finish. Ex. We will be making Blood Sausage, Liver Sausage, Whole Hog Pork Sausage and Head Cheese. Also we will be cleaning the casing and cooking out the lard. (Cracklings and Beer go great together!!)

Entertainment : This should be an informative and fun day to learn more about your German Heritage. Oh Yes.There will be some German Music and perhaps even some dancing and card playing!!

A special thanks to the butchers, cooks, and organizers for putting together this event: Ron Kieffner, Dan Wehr, Ron Keusch, Leonard and Viola Wehr, Virgil and Becky Schnaus, and Leo and Lora Lou Eckerle.

The weather will not be a factor because the butchering will be done inside Leonard's tool shed.

A gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment of the Dubois County Community Foundation is a wonderful way to remember that special someone. A gift in honor of someone or in memory of someone may be given. The Dubois County Community Foundation will send a letter of acknowledgment to the individual being honored or to the family of someone being remembered. Send your gift along with the appropriate information to the Dubois County Community Foundation, P. O. Box 269, Jasper, IN 47547-0269 and note that you wish your gift to go to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment. Appropriate envelopes are also available at the greeting table at each club meeting.

It's that time of year again! We're already gearing up for our annual Strassenfest. Remember that this is our only fundraiser during the year, so we need the support of our large membership.

Sign up for working in the booths will take place at the April and May German Club meetings. Please sign up for the shift of your preference.

A feature of the 2004 Strassenfest will be an Outdoor German Home Decorating/Lighting Contest sponsored by the Jasper Deutscher Verein and Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. The contest is open to all residents of Jasper and those living within two miles of the city limits. The categories for the contest are: Most Traditional German Theme, Best use of Lights Displaying a German Theme, and Most Original German Theme.

Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each category. A category/placing sign will be placed in each winner's yard. This is a wonderful way to promote our German Heritage and a great way to decorate the city of Jasper for the Strassenfest.

Judging will take place on Friday evening, July 30 th . Lights should be turned on by 7:30PM that evening.

Anyone interested in being on the committee to "spruce up" the current float should contact Patti Goepfrich at 482-4821 by June 1 st . If schedules permit, the "sprucing up" will be done in June. Thanks..

Those people who have paid their dues will receive their membership cards in the May newsletter.

It's that time of year again! Please submit your dues for 2004 as soon as possible by completing and sending in the following form. Thanks!

Deutscher Verein

Officers :

Directors :

Bob Dilger - President
dilger@fullnet.com
Virgil Gress- Vice President
vgress@fullnet.com
Rita Egler - Treasurer
gregler@fullnet.com
Ruth Wibbels - Secretary
wibbles@fullnet.com

Die Zeitung
Editor: Patti Goepfrich
Phone: 482-4821
e-mail: pmgoep@fullnet.com

Fr. John Boeglin
Dave Buehler
Raymie Eckerle
Dan Gutgsell
Jim Gutgsell
Matthias Hilger
Janet Kluemper
Linus Lechner
Danny Wehr