April 2005

March Meeting in Review

German Students at
Deutscher Verein Meeting

The Deutscher Verein met Thursday, March 17, 2005 at the Jasper VFW with 74 members and 8 guests present.

President Bob Dilger opened the meeting by inviting all present to enjoy a meal of bean soup, corn bread and desserts.  Linus Lechner, Bob Fleck and John Wibbels made the delicious soup.

Following the meal, Father John Boeglin introduced Cheri Brosmer Hartley, the local international exchange coordinator for the Exchange Foundation for Foreign Studies.  Mrs. Hartley has been involved with the group, Education First, for the past 6 years.  The home office is in Boston with the international office located in Sweden .  The organization serves 51 countries, including all 50 states.  They place students with families to attend high school from August to June.  Each year about 3000 apply for this program and she places about 16 students locally.

The students present were:  Nadine Meissner from Berlin, attending Southridge High School and staying with Scott and Sherry Sollman family of Huntingburg; Katharina Hilger from Bavaria, attending Heritage Hills High School and staying with the Scott and Rose Fischer family in St. Meinrad; Sam Rosenow from Berlin, attending Northeast Dubois High School and staying with Tony and Kathy Vogler family; Florian Schmucker from Berlin, attending Forest Park High School and staying with the Daniel and Margi Gilmore family; Nina Kett from Cologne, attending Jasper High School and staying with the Don and Paula Book family; and Katja Dittrick from Leitzig, attending Northeast Dubois High School and staying with the Steve and Karen
Hopster family.

Other foreign students in the area but, unable to attend the meeting were: Fabian Purps from Hamburg, Germany, attending Loogootee High School and staying with the Chris and Rozanne Hogan family; Nils Reinke-Dicker from Vechta, Germany, attending Heritage Hills High School and living with the Randy and Donna Haynes family; Andrea Bohnet from Werl, Germany, attending Pike Central High, living with the Terry and Darla Fullington family; Sandra Moerzacker from Germany, attending Jasper High School and living with Bob and Brenda Dietrich;  Evelina Johansson from Sweden, attending Forest Park and living with the Shaune and Lisa Evitts family; Stephanie VanZoelen from Holland, attending Jasper High School and living with the Duane and Jane Flannagan family.  Kariann Ness is from Norway , attending Northeast Dubois and living with the Pat and Cheryl Seger family.

The students introduced themselves and told the audience their local activities as well as their insight to local customs and differences between America and their home country.  Club members asked questions about these differences and were very interested in the student responses.  Members thanked the students and Mrs. Hartley for a very informative presentation and exchange.

Dan Wehr, Vice President of Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. (in President Jim Gutgsell's absence) then gave the Annual Report on the activities of the Sister Cities of Jasper organization for the year 2004 and up to the
present.  This organization is a non-profit organization established to help promote and support exchange activities between Jasper and Pfaffenweiler. Its primary project is to help the Jasper students when they travel to
Germany for their biennial student exchange.

A copy of the 2005 Strassenfest button was displayed.  President Dilger also updated those present on the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment.

Attendance prizes were won by Lowell Glendening and Ron Flick. Raphael Ackerman won the special prize.

The April meeting will be held on the fourth Thursday, April 28, 2005 at the VFW in Jasper.  Ron Flick will update Club members on the latest developments in the reconstruction of the Eckert Mill project.  Hilary Begle
and Friends will entertain following this presentation.

President Dilger closed the St. Patrick's Day meeting with 'Fred O'Hopf' singing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling".

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendars!

April Deutscher Verein   Meeting

 
After a brief Club meeting, we will be given an update of the Eckert Mill project by Ron Flick from ROJAC.  The Deutscher Verein has been a strong supporter of this project and we look forward to learning the latest status of this endeavor.

Attendees will then receive a repeat performance by "Hilary & Friends".   As you know from their appearance last April, 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. 

The group consists of the following folks:

Hilary Begle.........Guitar & Harmonica
Clarence Waninger...."Squeeze box"
Henrietta Harder.....Spoons & Folk Dancer
Ron Keusch...........Stumpf Fiddle
Laverne Begle........Stumpf Fiddle
Charlie Dilger.......Broomstick & Bucket, Train Whistle, and Bicycle Horn

Make your plans now to welcome this group and have some fun!

The Club will provide popcorn, pretzels, chips, soft drinks and beer. 

May Deutscher Verein Meeting

The club is honored to accept an invitation to spend its May meeting on the grounds of the Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand.  Several different activities are planned.

The evening will begin with Sr. Charlene Ann Wheeless, Mgr. of For Heaven's Sake Gift Shop, opening the shop from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM to allow anyone to purchase gift items during our visit.  For Heaven's Sake is normally open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM .

We will then gather in the foyer area outside the main entrance to the Church to meet Sr. Christine Kempf, Director of Tourism at the "Castle on the Hill".  She will begin the tour of the Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and other parts of the Monastery at 6:30 PM .   As you know, the renovation of the Church is nearing completion and we look forward to viewing its architectural magnificence!

Following completion of the tour, we will proceed to the basement area of the Kordes Retreat Center to meet its Director, Sr. Barbara Catherine Schmitz.  We will have a brief Club meeting followed by brats (prepared by Gene Kempf and his crew), snacks, and desserts.  We ask all members to bring either a snack or dessert to share with our hosts and the membership.  The club will provide the brats and canned drinks.

Come prepared for an interesting and fun evening!  For anyone wishing to see information online, you can access their website at < http://www.thedome.org/ >.

Don't forget to sign up to work a shift at the Deutscher Verein booth during Strassenfest this Summer!


Annual Fall Picnic

Matt Hilger and his group are busy making plans for another great picnic!

Mark your calendars now for the date and location!

If anyone has any beer bottles from last year's picnic, please return them to Bob Sunderman as soon as possible.   He will need them to make refreshments for this year's picnic!!!

20 th Anniversary of Jasper-Pfaffenweiler Sister
City Partnership

Updated Schedule as of 04-06-2005

Please note that there will be more updates in the coming weeks.

Monday 8/1/2005
Guests Arrive in Jasper

Tuesday 8/2/2005
Activity to be announced

Wednesday 8/3/2005
Family Day

20 th Partnership Anniversary Celebration
at Jasper Outdoor Recreation

5:00 Doors Open
6:00 Program
7:00 Catered Meal (menu, cost info, and reservation info forthcoming)
Followed by band/music

Thursday 8/4/2005
Opening Ceremony of Strassenfest/Alpine Horn Blowers/German Guests

Friday 8/5/2005
Activity to be announced
Strassenfest

Saturday 8/6/2005
ROJAC Activity/Strassenfest
Polka Mass

Sunday 8/7/2005
Polka Masses
Strassenfest Parade/Alpine Horn Blowers featured on German Club Float
Fireworks

Monday   8/8/2005
Dubois County Museum Tour

Tuesday 8/9/2005
Depart from Jasper in the morning

Look for more information in the May newsletter and in the local media.

THANKS !!!!!!

2005 Deutscher Verein Dues

A big thank you to all who have paid their Deutscher Verein dues for 2005.  Rita Egler is still accepting membership dues for 2005.  Membership dues are $5 for a single membership or $10 for a couple membership.   Please send your check and appropriate information (see coupon on page 7) to Jasper DeutscherVerein, Attn:   Rita Egler, P. O. Box 15 , Jasper , IN   47547-0015 .   2005 membership cards will be sent with the May newsletter.   Due to bulk postal restrictions, all membership cards are sent at the same time.  

THANKS JIM CORN!!!!

Check out the new landscaping around the May Pole at the corner of 6 th and Newton Streets.   Jim coordinated the project which was funded by the Deutscher Verein.

Outdoor German Home Decorating and Lighting Contest 

A feature of the 2005 Strassenfest will be an outdoor German home decorating and 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 our community for the Strassenfest and Partnership Anniversary Celebration.

The entry blank for the contest will be published twice in The Herald.   It will appear on Saturday, July 16, and Monday, July 18 th .   Additional forms will be available at the Jasper Chamber of Commerce at 302 W. Sixth Street , or by calling 482-6866, faxing to 482-1883 or e-mailing the chamber at chamber@jasperin.org .

Entries must be received in the chamber office no later than Monday, July 25 th .   Entries may be mailed to P. O. Box 307 , Jasper , IN   47547-0307 .

Judging will take place Friday evening, July 29 th .   Lights should be turned on by 7:30pm .

Deutscher Verein to be Represented in German Life Magazine

Thanks to Kristen Seitz of the Dubois County Tourism Commission for including images of Deutscher Verein members in an ad which will be run in the June/July Issue of German Life Magazine.   Check it out!!!!

Deutscher Verein Web Site Information

Each month, we get a report from PSC on how successful our web site is.   The following is information that was received for the months of January, February, and March, 2005.  

A "hit" occurs when someone accesses our web site via the internet.   Our web site address is www.jaspergermanclub.org for those who wish to view it.  

The popularity of the web site is something the members of the Deutscher Verein should be very proud of.   Congratulations!!!!!

Deutscher Verein Food and Pastry Booths Sign Ups

It is that time of year again!   We are 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.

To sign up for a work shift, please contact Ed or Sarah Zoglman at 482-2886.   Sign up for working in the booths will also take place at the April and May German Club meetings.   Please sign up for the shift of your preference.

German Festivals Around the State

Terre Haute Strassenfest - 4 th week of April

Montgomery Gasthof Springfest - 2 nd weekend of May

Fort Wayne Germanfest - 1 st and 2 nd weekends of June

Haubstadt Sommerfest - Celebrating 150 Years 2 nd and 3 rd week of June

St. Henry Heinrich's Dorf Fest - 2 nd weekend of June

Oldenburg Freudenfest - 2 nd week of July

Berne Swiss Days - last 3 days of July

Evansville Germania Maennerchor Folksfest - 1 st week of August

Tell City Schweizerfest - 1 st week of August

Vincennes Germanfest - 2 nd week of August

Anderson Octoberfest - last Thursday of September

Huntingburg Herbstfest - 4 th week of September

Indianapolis Octoberfest - 1 st and 2 nd week of September

Indianapolis Germanfest - 1 st and 2 nd week of September

Kokomo Octoberfest - 4 th weekend of September

LaPort Octoberfest - 1 st week of September

New Harmony Kunstfest - 3 rd weekend of September

Seymour Octoberfest - last week of September, 1 st week of October

Marion Octoberfest - 1 st weekend of October

Terre Haute Octoberfest - 1 st and 2 nd week of October

Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt - 3 rd weekend of November

Fort Wayne Christkindel Market - 4 th week of November

Jasper Tannenbaum Days - 1 st weekend of December

Thanks to Ralph Ruppel of Vincennes for gathering this information.   For more information on German Heritage in Indiana , contact the Indiana German Heritage Society at 317-464-9004 or www.ighs.org.

Indiana Sister Cities with Chosen Sister Cities

Anderson - Bernburg
Columbus - Lohne
Evansville - Osnabruck
Ft. Wayne - Gera
Goshen - Bexbach
Huntingburg - Bissendorf
Indianapolis - Cologne
South Bend - Arzberg
Vincennes - Wasserburg
New Harmony - Wiernsheim
Celestine - Wagshurst

Erinnerst Du Dich?
By Patti Goepfrich

German Ambassador to attend Strassenfest

By Martha Rasche

Herald Staff Writer

The West German ambassador to the U.S. , Dr. Jurgen Ruhfus, has confirmed that he will be in Jasper, August 6, and Sunday, August 7, for the Strassenfest. The ambassador will be the grand marshal of the parade August 7.

The ambassador has not said what time he will arrive in town, so it is uncertain which other Strassenfest activities he will be able to attend, according to Rick Stradtner, chairman of the Strassenfest Committee.

Stradtner said Mayor Jerome Alles and Congressman Lee Hamilton were responsible for telling Ruhfus about the Strassenfest and for inviting him to attend it.

Apparently, Hamilton and the ambassador are good friends, Stradtner said, and Hamilton mentioned to Ruhfus that he had in his district a town that was "very proud of its German heritage" and that it hosted an annual German festival.

Hamilton called Alles last month and asked if Jasper would be interested in having Ruhfus attend the Strassenfest.   The next step was for Alles and Stradtner to write separate letters to the ambassador.   "It was a matter of a formal invitation," Stradtner said.

Jerry Cacciotti, Hamilton 's press secretary, said from Hamilton 's office this morning that is the congressman's habit to support invitations from his district to heads of state and other dignitaries.

"We're very pleased to have the main representative from the Federal Republic of Germany to attend our fest," Stradtner said.

(Found in The Deutscher Verein Records - July, 1988)

CURING COMMON COLDS 

There is nothing really that can cure a commons old but the following three recipes can make you feel a little better.

BEER-YOLK-MIXTURE

Ingredients:

1     egg yolk
1     glass dark beer

Preparation:

Mix the egg yolk with the beer.   Drink before going to bed so that it can work over night.

UNCLE TONY'S DRINK FOR COLDS

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 l water

1/3 l beer

Preparation:

Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil.   Pour this sugar water into the beer and drink while hot.   This drink helps combat a common cold and bronchitis.

COUGHING MIXTURE

Ingredients:

½ l  beer

4   tablespoons honey

Preparation:

Heat the beer and add the honey. Drink while warm. This mixture helps cure coughs.

(taken from Cooking and Healing with Beer - Secrets from Germany's Famous Andechs Monastery )

Recent Gifts to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment

In memory of Ardella Humbert
Ardella Kordes 

In memory of Kenneth Schaefer
Jim and Ann Arvin
Al and Judy Bennett
Jim and Rita Corn
Dave and Donna Kieffner

In memory of Dorothy Turner
Dave and Donna Kieffner 

Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment 

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 information below to the Dubois County Community Foundation, P. O. Box 269 , Jasper , IN   47547-0269 .   Appropriate envelopes are also available at the greeting table at each club meeting.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enclosed is my gift of $___________.   Please direct my gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment.  

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

City/State/Zip: _________________________________

I want my gift to be in memory of/in honor of:

_____________________________________________

Please acknowledge gift to:

Name: ______________________________________

Address:______________________________________

City/State/Zip:__________________________________

Information from the Germany In US List Serv

There is a competion for learners of German as a Foreign Language (only for adult learners/those OVER 18) running at the moment. (Deadline: 30th April, 2005 ) You may like to pass this information on.

About taking part: A fantasy-story (max 250 words) about my German state, North-Rhine Westfalia is requested. There is information about the state provided, so even for people, who have never ever been here, it is well possible to write with key-words given and links ready to click on.

FLIGHTS ARE INCLUDED.

You will find more information on this hp (German only): http://www.wflv.de/hintergrund.0.html

There are 20 trips to be won and the chances so far are excellent!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kristin Hoyt
Coordinator for World Languages & International Education Indiana Department
of Education Office of Program Development Room 229, State House
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

317.232.9148 (phone)
317.232.9121 (fax)

www.doe.state.in.us/opd/wrldlangs

Membership Dues

It's that time of year again! Please submit your dues for 2005 as soon as possible by completing and sending in the following form. Thanks!