September 2006

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!!!  

Thank you to Mike Ackerman, Rafe and Phyllis Ackerman, Scott Buschkoetter, Jim Corn, Leo and Lora Lou Eckerle, Raymie Eckerle, Rita Egler, Matthias Hilger, Mike Hochgesang, Les and Barb Lorey, Don and Eileen Scherle, Phil Schmidt, Tom Schmidt, Doug and Karen Schulte, Dan Wehr, and Ed and Sarah Zoglman and their committee members for the hard work prior to, during, and after the Strassenfest.

Much preparation goes into the planning, setting up, and take down of the area occupied by the Deutscher Verein during the Strassenfest.   Thanks to all who worked their work shift(s) in the main food booth, the pastry stand, and the souvenir booth.   Proceeds from these booths are the only source of revenue for the Deutscher Verein.  

Despite the hot weather and challenging time schedules, members of the Deutscher Verein stepped forward and gave their time and talents to make the booths successful.

Winners of Strassenfest Events Sponsored by the Deutscher Verein
Log Sawing Contest

Grand Champions:
Beavers with Kris Buechler and Eric Goepfrich

Women’s Division:
First:   The Jeeps with Lori Bennett and Pam Spencer
Second:   Werner’s Women with Shannon Werner and Ashley Tabor

Men’s Division:
First:   Beavers with Kris Buechler and Eric Goepfrich
Second:   Sawmill Dropout with Ryan Hopf and Clint Renner

Outdoor German Home Decorating Contest

Most traditional German Theme:   Stacy and Bill Allen
Most original German Theme:   Bonnie and  Allan Gessner

Sheephead Tourney

First:   Millie Erny
Scond:  Ed Werner
Third:   Shaun Werner

Winners of the Gift Certificates:

Clara Hurm, Judy McCarty, and Millie Erny

Winners of DeutcherVerein Memberships:

Ann Laake and Marilyn Schepers

 Thanks to those who planned, organized, helped, and participated in each contest.

Sister Cities International Luncheon

Victor J. Knies, former president of Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc., and Mayor Fritz Gutgsell, Mayor of  Pfaffenweiler, Germany, were honored for extraordinary influence in the sister city movement.  These leaders were inducted to the 50th Anniversary Local Government Leadership Circle.

The induction ceremony took place at the prestigious Warner Theatre on Saturday, July 15, 2006, where a musical tribute to citizen diplomats hosted by songwriter and singer John McCutcheon highlighted the event.
Inductees for the 50th Anniversary Local Government Leadership Circle were nominated by local sister city programs.  Inductees were chosen because of their support for sister city activities and efforts to build cross-cultural international partnerships.

Dave Buehler, Martina Eckert, Matthias Hilger, Mary Jo Meuser, Ruth Reichmann, and Dan Wehr were also honored in the 50 th Anniversary Circle of Distinguished Volunteers.

The sister city movement is marking the 50th Anniversary of its founding in 2006. The movement dates its beginnings to a White House Conference on Citizen Diplomacy convened in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to bring together citizens forging ties with communities abroad. On September 11, 1956, President Eisenhower exhorted delegates, "to help build the road to an enduring peace" and a Civic Committee was appointed by the President to set up town affiliations linking U.S. communities with counterparts around the globe. Today it is a grassroots movement that reaches around the globe to 134 countries. The 50th Anniversary Conference, took place July 13-15, 2006, and involved more than 1,000 sister city activists from throughout the globe. Conference activities included embassy receptions, visits to Capitol Hill, workshops on economic development, and the National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy.

Lugar Highlights Jasper for its Citizen Diplomacy

Friday, July 14, 2006

U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar highlighted Jasper and its sister city of Pfaffenweiler, Germany, in his keynote address at the 50th Anniversary Conference of Sister Cities International luncheon on Thursday, July 13, 2006. Indiana has more than twenty cities and towns with active sister city relationships.

Lugar shared the story of Matthias Hilger, a German woodworker who participated in the exchange program in 1987. He has lived in Indiana ever since and is   married to a woman from a Jasper. Matthias keeps Dubois County residents updated on happenings back in Pfaffenweiler through a biweekly column he writes in The Herald.

“The future of every nation depends on developing close working relationships with people across the globe. This affects not just issues of war and peace. Our economic prosperity and environmental quality are deeply affected by the practices of nations far beyond our continent,” said Lugar in his address.

“In the United States, we have critiqued and even lamented some aspects of our public diplomacy since the end of the Cold War. But citizen diplomacy of the type practiced by Sister Cities International has been an unqualified public diplomacy success. Underlying citizen diplomacy is an admission that one nation does not have all the answers – that any single national understanding of the world is incomplete. It is an affirmation that we are all part of a much larger world that has intellectual, cultural, and moral wisdom that we need to learn and share.”

Lugar joined Hoosier delegates to the Sister Cities Conference for a photo and visit. Delegates shared the value they have found in joining with a sister city to exchange business opportunities, expertise, cultural knowledge, students, and many other benefits.

Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities. The organization operates under the mission statement of promoting “peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time.”

An annual conference is held each summer as a means to educate sister city volunteers, elected officials, professionals and international colleagues and teach effective networking skills. The events include interactive workshops, speakers and international events.

This year marks the organization’s 50th Anniversary Conference in Washington D.C. from July 13-15. Senator Lugar co-chaired the conference, along with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Mayor Anthony Williams of Washington D.C.

As a mayor of Indianapolis, Lugar served a term as President of the National League of Cities and in 1971, hosted an International Conference on Cities in Indianapolis. This event brought together mayors and civic delegations from towns and cities in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Indianapolis established a sister city relationship with Porto Alegre, Brazil.

(Information taken from press release from Senator Lugar’s office and The Herald.)

Post Card of Appreciation

Pfaffenweiler Mayor Fritz Gutgsell and former Jasper High School German teacher Mary Jo Meuser sent a post card to Sister Cities of Jasper in appreciation of Sister Cities of Jasper nominating them to be honored during Sister Cities International's 50th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C.

Both visited the Capitol for the event.

Mary Jo and Fritz expressed their deepest thanks to the nominators, realizing very much, that they are representing the many more people in Pfaffenweiler and Jasper who have made our Sister City relation such a huge success in the past 21 years.

Upcoming Events – Mark Your Calendars!

Annual Family Picnic

Date:   Saturday, September 16, 2006
Place:   Jasper Outdoor Recreation Club
Doors Open:   3:45 pm

Mass will be offered by Father John Brosmer at 4:00 pm

Dinner will be served at 5:30pm. This year’s menu will be cooked ribs and mashed potatoes with sauerkraut along with a selection of sausages from Kroeger & Sons Sausage at Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

We will have our annual German Club Picnic to celebrate another successful Jasper Strassenfest and also recognize the efforts of everyone throughout the year.

Members with last names beginning A – P are asked to bring a salad or vegetable and members with last names beginning Q – Z are asked to bring a dessert to complete the meal.

A fresh brew of Sunderman’s Pilsner Beer is bottled and maturing at a cool place ready to be served for you at the picnic. Bring your own Beer Steins. It tastes so much better versus out of a plastic cup.

This year, we will be entertained by Indy Polka Motion.   This should be a blast and hopefully you   will have some strength left after the Strassenfest to dance some Polkas and Waltzes with Indy Polka Motion.  

Special Invitation goes to the Strassenfest Committee, all Jasper High School German Exchange Students and their parents, and any of your friends.

Honoring Mayor Gutgsell

On November 20th, Fritz Gutgsell will retire as Mayor of Pfaffenweiler, Jasper¹s Sister City.  To commemorate this special occasion, the community of Pfaffenweiler will honor him on November 17th with a farewell gathering at the Batzenberghalle in Pfaffenweiler.

Members of the Jasper Partnership Commission discussed several ways to participate in this event. Unfortunately, a live link via the internet would not be feasible so the decision was made to record a two part

DVD for Mayor Gutgsell.

Part One of the DVD will consist of special wishes from Mayor Bill Schmitt on behalf of the City of Jasper. Individuals who have been influential in the formation of the Sister City Partnership will also be in the video. Mayor Schmitt will then lead into a “toast” from the German Club. This portion of the DVD will be played during the official farewell celebration in Pfaffenweiler.  Part Two will be a picture and video review of Mayor Gutgsell¹s involvement with the Sister City Partnership.  

The “toast” portion of the DVD will be video taped at the German Club Family Picnic on Saturday, September 16th, at the Jasper Outdoor Recreation Club.  Individuals are encouraged to wear their dirndls and lederhosen and bring their German Steins.

In an effort to make this a very special event, there will also be a “card shower” for Mayor Gutgsell.  Everyone is encouraged to write a note or letter and include it in a card.  These cards will be sent to Pfaffenweiler along with the DVD.  The basket of good wishes and the DVD will be presented to Mayor Gutgsell at the farewell gathering. Cards can be brought to the Family Picnic or you may take them to Lois Kuntz at City Hall.  The dead line is October 6 th.

The Partnership Commission needs additional photos of Mayor Gutgsell and Partnership events from the past 20 years. Pictures can be taken to the German Club Family Picnic or Lois Kuntz at City Hall.  Please record the approximate date of the picture, your name and phone number on the back of the pictures so they may be returned.

This is a SURPRISE for Mayor Gutgsell so please do not send cards directly to him prior to the celebration.

German Christmas Program

A German Christmas Program will be held at the Gasthouf in Montgomery on Friday, November 10 th, and Saturday, November 11 th.   More details in upcoming newsletters.   Mark your calendars for a great way to begin the Christmas season with good food and great German music.

German Club Awards Scholarship

Deutscher Verein President Bob Dilger presented a $1000 scholarship to Jennifer Kunkel, daughter of Sharon & Mark Kunkel, during the annual Honors Day Program held at Jasper High School on May 18, 2006.  President Dilger stated during the presentation that "...the Club wished to recognize a student applicant that had completed at least 3 years studying the German language...and more importantly, plans to continue that study in college." 

Ms. Kunkel plans to attend the University of Evansville this Fall to major in Elementary Education.  Congratulations, Jennifer, and best wishes as you continue your education!  

Wooden Coasters – Great Gift Idea!!!

Sister Cities of Jasper is selling sets of beautiful, solid wooden coasters.  

Preliminary designs were shown to the membership of the German Club earlier this year during a monthly meeting.

The four designs are the Jasper Train Depot, Eckert Mill, St. Joseph Church and the City Hall.   The coasters can be purchased individually for $5 each. They are also offered as a set of the four designs resting in a wooden base for $25 per set.

We will have them for sale at the Deutscher Verein Picnic. They can also be purchased at the Jasper City Hall, the Jasper Chamber of Commerce, and Dubois County Museum Gift Shop as well as at the Schnitzelbank Gift Shop.

The profits will benefit the Jasper High School German Exchange Program. These are a nice gift for anyone and can be a holiday gift for family and friends in Germany or outside of the area.   Take a look at them at the Picnic or at the above mentioned places around town.

Lapel Pins with the Jasper/Pfaffenweiler Logos

Lapel pins with the Jasper/Pfaffenweiler logs have arrived.   They are available for sale at the Dubois County Museum Gift Shop, the Schnitzelbank Gift Shop, and the Chamber of Commerce.   Cost is $3.00 each.

German Heritage Day Program and Annual German Heritage Award  

The 8 th annual German American Day Program will be held on Wednesday, October 11 th, at the Schnitzelbank Restaurant.   Social hour begins at 6:00 pm with the Program beginning at 6:30 pm.   The eighth annual German Heritage Award will be presented.   Past recipients of the German Heritage Award are Mary Jo Meuser, Claude and Martina Eckert, Dave Buehler, Linus and Sally Lechner, Joe and Irene C. Eckerle, Danny and Linda Wehr, and Leo and Lora Lou Eckerle.

The German American Bank will again sponsor an essay contest open to all seniors in the four county high schools.

Giles R. Hoyt, Ph.D., Professor of German and Philanthropic Studies at IUPIU, Director of the Max Kade German-American Research and Resource Center, and president of the Indiana German Heritage Society, will be guest speaker.   The winners of the Essay Contest will also present their essays.

Cost for the German-style buffet dinner is $10.   For reservations, please call Patti Goepfrich at 482-4821 by October 4 th.   There will also be a reservation sheet at the Family Picnic.  

Deutscher Verein and Sister City Golf Shirts  

Deutscher Verein and Sister City Golf Shirts may be ordered and purchased at Jasper Embroidery, 310 Main Street, Jasper.   They can also embroider the American Flag and the German Flag on shirts.   What a great way to display your German heritage.   These could also make great gifts and also worn at the annual Family Picnic.

German Festivals Around the State

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.

DeutscherVerein Website Update  

The Deutscher Verein Website has become an affiliate for the German Corner Store.   The German Corner Store is a mail order store where you may purchase German apparel, books, flags, food, celebration/seasonal items, etc.  

We have placed a link to the German Corner on three pages of the website.   If a visitor clicks on one of those links and purchases items, we will earn a 10% referral fee for the merchandise purchased, excluding shipping fees.   We will be applying any monies earned to the monthly website host fee.  

We encourage all to view our website and purchase your “German” items.   The German Corner Store has a nice variety of merchandise and items were purchased from there for the Souvenir Stand at the Strassenfest.

Also, for the first seven months of this year, the DeutscherVerein website had an average of 21,000 “hits” per month!!!

Potential New Club Members

If someone knows of a potential new club member and would like information about the Deutscher Verein forwarded, please contact Ruth Wibbels at 482-5403.

Tomatensalat (Tomato Salad)  

Ingredients:

Blend all ingredients together and chill for one hour before serving on lettuce leaves.

Gefuellte Tomaten (Stuffed Tomatoes)

Wash and clean the tomatoes, cut off a lid.

Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes, put in a bowl.   Clean and cut leek or green onions in small rings.   Press the garlic clove or cut into small pieces.   Heat oil, put garlic and the rice mixture into it and saute.   Add

salt and pepper, and the water.   Cook for about 25 minutes in covered pot, stirring frequently to avoid the rice from sticking and burning.   Prepare vegetable broth.   Add leek or green onions and the grated cheese to the mixture and fill the tomatoes with it.   Set filled tomatoes in an oven proof dish, add the vegetable broth and bake in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 15 minutes.

(taken from www.derdeutschemichel-online.de

Erinnerst Du Dich?

From The Dubois County Daily Herald
Thursday, January 13, 1955

HARK THE HERALD

Switzerland , Its Alps, Lakes, Cities--- by A. T. Rumbach

Perhaps I put the cart before the horse when I took you on our last trip to Pfaffenweiler.   I must back-tract to October 13, 1954, when we got up early to be on our way to Switzerland.   We made the trip in a small bus, owned and chauffeured by Herr Buehler of Emmendingen, starting at 8 A. M. sharp.

The morning was clear and crisp; the frosty air congealed the windows of the bus, obscuring the view of the Black Forest hills as we headed for the Swiss border.   At any rate, we have seen most of this scenery on previous trips, and now we had our minds on the big league of the Scenery World, the Alps of Switzerland.   This is no reflection on the Schwarzwald, which can not be beaten for variety of scenery and places of interest.   And after all, more people see and enjoy the minor league, semi-pro and amateur games by far than the big leagues.

At 10 A. M., we were on the outskirts of Basel, gateway to Switzerland, going through customs.   Upon entering Basel, the first thing that attracted our attention was the big muenster.   So we paused to stretch our legs and to view the beautiful church.   Like so many other large cathedrals of Central Europe, this one traces its origin to the eleventh century, going through different stages of construction and rebuilding during the 12 th to 15 th centuries.   It passed to the control of Evangelical church when Basel was taken over by the Protestants after the Reformation.   It contains many statues, paintings and stained-glass works of art by great artists of the Middle Ages and of modern times.

As we proceeded on our way, the landscape, which at first was rather flat, began to be dominated by rolling hills, the foot hills of the Alps; these grew in frequency and in stature as we went on and on to Lucerne, where the majestic hulk of the Pilatus and the Riggi tower skyward. These mountains seem to rise out of the mirror surface of beautiful Vier-waldstetter see, one of Switzerland’s largest and prettiest lakes, with the gem of Lucerne twining its branches of streets and the foliage of granite buildings around the mirror.

It is strange how persistent, demanding and punctual the desire for food is in the human body.   We needed no clock to remind us that the noon hour had arrived – our appetite sharpened by the crisp afternoon air and the long ride from Reute, brought enough pressure to bear on our consciousness, obscured partly as it was the magic of the lake, the mountains and the city, to force a halt as we parked the bus at the Bahnhof Parkplatz (depot parking area)

We chose the Bahnhof restaurant, where we had an excellent dinner for about six Swiss francs (about $1.25), which included a stein of real Munencher Bier.   I chose goulash served with steamed rice, a stuffed tomato with baby shrimp, Swiss chard, Swiss cheese and mocca (coffee) ice cream.   Rejuvenated by this excellent fare, we set out on foot to “do the city”.   We took the trail along the lake front, pausing to watch the graceful flight of sea-gulls, swans, geese of various breeds and other waterfowl under the protection of the law.   We three morsels of bread into space and watched the gulls swoop down to catch them with their bills before the bread hit the water.

Our first concern was to change dollars and Deutsche marks into French francs.   We then invaded a grocery store where, at the request of Klara, our ubiquitous guide, each of us purchased two pounds of “Bohnenkaffee” (bean coffee), the limit allowed each traveler coming from Switzerland into Germany.   (Coffee is much cheaper and more plentiful in Switzerland than it is in Germany.)   After window shopping along the store windows on the boulevard, we crossed the picturesque wooden bridge across the upper end of the lake, looking at the pictures and inscriptions over the archways of each section of the bridge.   

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 appropriate  information  to the Dubois County Community Foundation, P. O. Box 269, Jasper, IN   47547-0269.   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:

Name: _______________________________________

Address:______________________________________

City/State/Zip:__________________________________

SPEISEKARTE
Tagesgericht : Gekochte Schweinerippchen (Cooked Pork Ribs)

mit Kartoffelbrei und Sauerkraut dazu Salat – und Gemueseauswahl vom Volk.

(with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut and salads and vegetables brought by the club members)

(Fuer die, die keine Rippchen moegen, geraeucherte Kroeger Bierwuerste)

( For the ones which don’t like ribs, smoked beer sausages from Kroeger’s)

Nachtisch

(Dessert)

Vom Bueffett praesentiert by der Mitgliedschaft

(from the buffet, presented by the club members)

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions please contact Matthias Hilger or Patti Goepfrich.