Jasper German Club

We had another great year at the Strassenfest. Super weather and excellent volunteer worker participation at the booths helped us to achieve record earnings. Details of the fest financials will be shared at our picnic on September 25 th.

Along with thanking everyone who helped staff the booths and other support positions, I want to especially thank the Booth Chairpersons: Food Booth – Ed and Sarah Zoglman, Pastry Booth – Dave and Rita Blessinger, Souvenir Booth – John and Julie Gutgsell. A special thanks to Dan and Linda Wehr who again contributed immensely to the preparation and organization in the procurement of food, supplies, people, etc. I also want to acknowledge our Float Chairperson, Patti Goepfrich for her work in handling the logistics of getting our float and riders in the parade where we again won 1 st prize. A big thank you to the Ackermans (Rafe, Phyliss, and Mike) for pulling the float in the parade and in and out of the shed to get to the booths prior to the fest. Thanks to the crew who helped clean up the float. Thanks to all the folks who helped set up and tear down the booths. This is a big job and it certainly goes much easier when we have a good, large crew. A special thanks to Leo Eckerle and Jim Corn who oversee the set up and tear down of the booths. Thanks to the individuals who contributed trucks, trailers, etc. in transporting the booth material. A special thanks to Judy Bennett who donated her time and awesome painting talent to give our food booth sign a beautiful facelift!

The club officers truly do appreciate all the volunteer work that does go into the making of a successful fest. We hope each and every one of you is able to attend our annual picnic, which is our reward to you for all your efforts. Matt Hilger, picnic chairman, has lined up super food and entertainment. Please refer to the “Upcoming Events” section of the newsletter for specifics on the picnic. Thank you.

The Deutscher Verein Float for the Strassenfest Parade was awarded the Strassenfest Award. Thanks to all who helped prepare the float the morning of the parade and those who rode the float. Your help and support of this project are appreciated.

A feature of the 2004 Strassenfest was the outdoor German home decorating/lighting contest sponsored by the Jasper Deutscher Verein and Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc.

For the most original German theme, the winners were Allan and Bonnie Gessner and second place went to the Phil Stetter Family.

For the most traditional German theme, the winners were Donald and Patsy Herring and second place went to John and Vicki Hoffman.

For the best use of lights displaying a German theme, the winners were Barbara Fleck and Larry Taylor and second place went to Richard and Sara Pearson.

Saturday, September 18 - OKTOBERFEST at the Story Inn, Indiana's oldest bed & breakfast. Story, Indiana, is actually an entire town, founded in 1851, and located about 12 miles south of Nashville. This year's Oktoberfest will feature six hours of Blues, Bluegrass, and Mountain-Folk, from Brown County's finest bands. Old Barn, rain or shine, 4-10:00 p.m., free parking, admission is only $5. Great food, great beer, great music. Bring a lounge chair and chill! Sorry, no coolers.

Directions - as you drive south on State Road 162 (toward Ferdinand), turn left (East) onto Schnellville Road near the Dubois County Garage. Follow this road for ~8 mi to Schnellville. Turn left onto Market Street. The Schnellville Community Center is located on Market Street and is 2 blocks West of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Schnellville.

Please join in celebrating the hard work done during Strassenfest and also recognizing the efforts of everyone throughout the year.

The menu this year will be Jaegerschnitzel (Hunters Schnitzel) along with spaetzle. Wolfgang Erhardt, retired cook, will help us plan and prepare the food. Members with last names beginning A-O are asked to bring a covered dish and members with last names beginning P-Z are asked to bring a dessert to complete the meal.

Bob Sunderman is again making a Pilsner beer for our picnic. Please bring your own beer steins!

The main attraction at this year’s picnic will be the Doppel Adler Musikanten, Fritz Martin and Ken Curtin, from Indianapolis, IN.

Cinema at the Indiana State Museum : "German Immigrants" and "Rumpelstiltskin" Sunday, October, 17 2-3p.m. The film, "German Immigrants," focuses on the traditions, culture, religion, community and business contributions of Indianapolis' single largest ethnic group, German-Americans. In the classic German fairytale "Rumpelstiltskin," a young miller's daughter is forced to spin straw into gold. To complete the task,
the girl must promise her first-born child to a strange little elf. Story told by Kathleen Turner with music by Tangerine Dream. Each film is 30 minutes.

The Jasper Deutscher Verein, Jasper Partnership Commission, and Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. will celebrate German-American Day Wednesday, October 6, with a dinner at the Schnitzelbank. The dinner and program will honor the contributions made by German immigrants to the life and culture of the United States.

The public is invited to attend the dinner and the program. The social hour begins at 6 p.m. with the program and German-style buffet at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person for the buffet with a cash bar. Reservations are needed and can be made by calling Matt Hilger at 634-9812 by September 30. Reservations for the dinner will be taken at our Annual Picnic on September 25.

The program will begin with opening remarks by Dan Gutgsell, president of the Deutscher Verein. Mayor William J. Schmitt will read the German-American Day proclamation.

Hilger, president of the Jasper Partnership Commission, will present the German-American Heritage Award. The award will be presented to an individual or group who has contributed generously his/her or their time, talents or resources to maintaining, improving or building upon the German roots in Dubois County. Sister Cities of Jasper and the Jasper Partnership Commission created the award in 1999. The Jasper Deutscher Verein is sponsoring the award.

Past recipients are Mary Jo Meuser, Claude and Martina Eckert, Dave Buehler, Linus and Sally Lechner, and Joe and Irene C. Eckerle.

Norbert Krapf will present the program. Mr. Krapf is back home in Indiana after 34 years in New York and will read passages from immigrant letters, poems, and folktales dealing with German heritage. His books will be on sale at a discount at the dinner. He will have a new book of poems set in southern Indiana and Germany published in April from Time Being Books, “Looking for God’s Country”.

An essay contest open to all seniors in the four county school corporations is being held. The essay topic is “Why is it important to maintain our German Heritage in Dubois County”. A winner from each school corporation will be named, and the four winners will read their winning essays at the German-American Day dinner. Each winner will be awarded a $250 scholarship. The German American Bank is the financial sponsor of the contest. Additional information is available to the students at their high schools, or additional information can be obtained by calling 482-4821. Entries must be postmarked by September 16 th.

Jim Gutgsell, president of Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. will introduce the winners of the essay contest and their parents.

Sunday, Oct. 3, German-American Day will be celebrated at the German-American Klub, 8602 S. Meridian St. Sponsored by the Federation of German Societies it was planned by Anne LaPorte. It will be an all-day celebration: Soccer in the morning, German Food ala Carte from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Edelweiss Restaurant. From 1-4 p.m. entertainment by the Fledermäuschen Dancers, the Saengerchor and the Maennerchor. At 7 p.m. a two-hour show, "The Liederkranz Cabaret." Cost for the show is $7.00. For reservations call Anne LaPorte at 317-773-8730 or E-mail imzarah@aol.com.

On Wednesday, October 6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Annual German-American Day celebration, commemorating the first group arrival and the founding of Germantown, PA, will be once again celebrated on the upper balcony of the Indianapolis City Market. There will be proclamations by the Governor and the Mayor, folk dance demonstrations by the Fledermäuschen of the German-American Klub and Die Doppeladler will play. There will be book sales and members of German-American organizations will be there with information and handouts.

The Jasper German Club (Deutscherverein) met at 7:30p.m. Thursday, October 20, at the Schnitzelbank. President Bob Verkamp opened the meeting.

He informed the club of the dues increase effective Jan. 1. Family membership will be $10 and single membership will be $5. All the activities the club sponsors and postage increases were cited as the reason for the increase.

He thanked all who participated in the German-American Day at the Northwood Good Samaritan Center. Dr. Reichmann gave a presentation. President Verkamp will try to get Dr. Reichmann to a meeting next spring.

President Verkamp thanked the committee for the family picnic. He said the float has been moved to the new location in Bretzville. The descriptive plaques for the Gambles Building should be up soon. Postcard sales for the Jasper High School German Club are going well, and it plans to reimburse the club soon with a partial payment on the loan.

Dan Wehr made an appeal for contributions to pay off the outstanding debts on the gifts taken to Germany. A hat was passed to accept donations.

President Verkamp informed the club that 16 students from Germany want to come to Jasper while 21 students from Jasper want to go to Germany for the six-week summer course.

Matt Hilger expressed his appreciation for the party in his honor held on October 13 at the K of C. He received a letter stating it will take another four to seven months for the paperwork to be processed.

The next meeting will be held on Nov. 17. A program on genealogy will be held. Members were reminded of the wine and cheese tasting on January 20 at the VFW basement. Election of officers will also take place in January.

The dance had to be rescheduled. It will be held on February 18 at the Heritage Inn with the original Alpine Express providing the music.

The rest of the evening was spent viewing the video prepared by Tom Kunkel on the trip to Europe and Germany. Claude Eckert and Vic Knies showed some slides and photo albums were also shared.

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.

The Deutscher Verein Website has been updated and Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. information added. This was possible because of a grant that was received from the Dubois County Community Foundation through the general grant making process.

We have added Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. information and information (in German and in English) from the 15 th Anniversary Partnership Booklet.

The club is in need of someone to assume the responsibility of the monthly club newsletter starting with the January 2005 issue. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Kathy Gutgsell (482-4386) or Bob Dilger (482-9149).

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