Attention  Attention
The Strassenfest is Coming!!!!

STRASSENFEST 2008

Although it’s still a few months away, it is already time to begin planning for our most important fundraiser.  Without a successful Strassenfest, the German Club and many other organizations in our area could not function as we have become used to.

Linda and I, along with Al and Judy Bennett, have agreed to co-chair the event again this year, using the day chairman concept as we did last year, which was very successful and reduced the workload for the Chairmen.

This year our club has been asked to take an even more active role in planning the event.  Several of us, along with Virgil, have attended various Strassenfest Committee Meetings.  The general theme this year is to get even more “German” back into the fest.  Chairman, Ron Flick and his committee are doing a terrific job of planning and listening to what we have to say.

A few of the changes I am aware of for this year are:  much more German entertainment; Mike Harvey will not be at the fest this year; nearly constant entertainment will be on the new stage on the Southwest side of the Court House; sprucing up appearance from 6th Street; more banners and greenery throughout; more stuff for visitors to do on Saturday and expand tables and seating of our DeutscherPlatz.  There will be no fireworks on Sunday evening due to the time change, making it so late.

The committee will also be recognizing the Deutscher Verein for its contributions to the fest’s success for all of these years.  They are really trying to make this one special since it is the 30th anniversary.

I expect prices of our supplies to be up this year, so we will have to somehow offset that.  After discussions in our meetings, the committee will take over the expense and labor of the tables and chairs, realizing many other stands also use them.

Most everything works like clock work with so many of you pitching in for so many years.

A real challenge we are having in the last few years is staffing.  Though our membership level has remained relatively constant, there are many of our original members who have died or are no longer able to work a shift.  I am sure that you can think of many of these members.

A few years ago we broke off the Souvenir Booth requirements and are now staffed by Matt and his group of High School German students and their parents.  This year we are freeing up one slot per shift by not having to clean tables.  We reduced one person last year by going to canned drinks and eliminated Sunday sales requirements.

This year we must spread our workload out a bit more to get the job done.  We will be asking some of you to possibly take a different shift to match staffing with sales a bit better. Example; we really have way too much help on Thursday evening (our least sales day) and not enough on Friday and Saturday.  We very much appreciate your cooperation and help!  We will begin taking signups at the next meetings and later, please call the Bennett’s at 482-4275, or Linda at 482-4432 to schedule your shift – and we really appreciate you scheduling more than one shift, which several members did last year.

Dan Wehr

Congratulations to Dan Wehr 2008 Hofmarschall of the Strassenfest

This year’s theme of the Strassenfest is –
Hoosier Hospitality – German Style

Strassenfest – July 31st to August 3rd

The 24th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Indiana German Heritage Society

On Friday evening, March 14th, and Saturday morning, March 15th, thirty three people from through out Indiana, along with members of the Deutscher Verein, attended the Indiana German Heritage Society Symposium held at the American Legion and Dubois County Museum.

Bob Steffe gave a tour of St. Joseph’s Church and presentations were made by Janet Kluemper, Stan Jochum, Matthias Hilger, Father John Schipp, Ron Flick, Father John Boeglin, and Kristen Ruhe. 

Attendance prizes and special prizes were won by Pat Sermersheim, Heiko Muehr, Ruth Weisheit, Fred Schramm, Dan Gutgsell, Alma Kreilein, Mary Young, and Joan Jochem.

The members of the IGHS were very impressed with the activities we have demonstrating our appreciation of our German heritage.   

Thank you to all who made this event very interesting and informational and attended the meetings. Thank you to Rita Egler and Art and Irene Kapp for everything they did on Friday evening and to those who helped clean up on Friday and Saturday after the meals and programs.  Thank you to Dave and Janet Kluemper for helping at the Museum.    It was sincerely appreciated.

Patti Goepfrich

Upcoming Events

April Deutscher Verein Meeting

Date:  Thursday, April 17, 2008

Place:  VFW in Jasper

Time:  6:00pm – Social Hour

6:30pm – Broccoli Soup.  Members with last names A – L are asked to bring desserts and those with last name M – Z are asked to bring snacks.  The Club will provide beverages.

7:00pm – Meeting
Dan Gutgsell, President of Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc., will give the Annual Report of Sister Cities Activities for 2007 and present the nomination of officers for 2008.
Tommy Eckerle – son of Tim and Mary Eckerle of Marion and nephew of Gil and Nancy Eckerle will give a presentation on his time spent in Germany in 2007.  He attended the University of Freiburg and took classes in Germanic studies.  He visited Pfaffenweiler and other areas of interest during his semester in Germany.

Dave Buehler will be giving information on ROJAC and what is being planned for this year and what we can do to help. 

May Meeting – Thursday, May 15th, at the VFW

Family Picnic – Saturday, September 20, at the Jasper Outdoor Recreation Club

German American Day Dinner – Monday, October 6, at the Schnitzelbank

Membership Dues

It’s that time of year again!  Please submit your dues for 2008 as soon as possible by completing and sending in the following form at the back of the Newsletter. 

Single membership is $5.00 per year and a couple membership is $10 per year.  What a deal!!!  What an opportunity to experience our German heritage on a monthly basis.

News from Norb Krapf
The new CD, Imagine – Indiana in Music and Words by Norbert Krapf & Monika Herzig,   is now available in Indianapolis at The History Center Gift Shop, Luna Music, Indy CD & Vinyl and soon at Barnes & Noble and Borders stores; in Bloomington at Barnes & Noble, TIS Music Shop, Monroe County Historical Society Gift Shop, Waldron Arts Center Gift Shop, Wandering Turtle Arts Gallery, B-ton Visitors Center; in Jasper at the Gift Shop of the Dubois County Museum; and Online at www.CDBaby.com and soon at www.Amazon.com. You can also send an order request to mherzig@indiana.edu or to ACME Records, 3375 E Old Meyers Rd, Bloomington, IN 47408 - cost for up to three CDs is $15 each plus $2 shipping and handling, after that add $1 s&h per CD.
LISTEN
For a complete track listing, entire audio file of the first two tracks, and samples of the other tracks, visit www.acmemrecords and click on the CD image on that page.  Click on “Performance Content” for the audio file of Norbert’s version of “On the Road with the Hampton Sisters.” For the text and complete audio file of “One Long Love Song,” go to http://www.krapfpoetry.com/xmascard.htm.

Music

I have put together a band to play German folk music; polkas, waltzes, schottisches, etc. We are available for appropriate events. Searching for a singer who can sing traditional songs in German and in English.

Ray Major
367-0847 or dmajor54@aol.com

Aileen Ehrhardt

Introducing Aileen Ehrhardt of Ehrenstetten, Germany.  Aileen is 17 years old.  She attends Jasper High School and is a Junior.  In Germany, she attends Faust Gymnasium in Staufen.  Aileen arrived in Jasper on September 3, 2007 and will be here until June 12, 2008.  She enjoys sculpture and sculpting and played on the JHS soccer team.  Aileen enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the movies.   When asked about the difference between school in Germany and here in Jasper, she indicated that the school day is longer here, teachers here have their own classrooms.  In Germany, the class has its own classroom and the teacher move from room to room.  Here we have the same class schedule each day.  Germany has every day another schedule (only each week compared are the same).  Here the classes are 50 minutes and in Germany, the classes are 45 minutes.  She has observed that there is the same drama here between teenagers as is in Germany, there are no school uniforms, and five minute breaks between classes.  Aileen wanted to go to school in the US because she wants to learn about another culture and better her language knowledge.  She already knew Jasper and some people here from the 2006-2007 Student Exchange.  Aileen is hosted by Michelle and Mark Bramlett. 

Address Changes for Newsletters

If a member has an address change, please notify Rita Egler at P. O. Box 15, Jasper, IN  47547-0015 or call her at 634-9068. 

Any help you can give in maintaining postage costs is greatly appreciated!!!!

FRICKENHÄUSER WEINSUPPE

50 grams carrots, diced
40 grams onions, diced
30 grams celery, diced
60 grams butter
40 grams flour
0,75 liter beef broth
0,25 liter Frickenhäuser Müller Thurgau or a Chardonnay
0,2 liter cream
1 egg yolk
Salt and beef stock
2 slices of sandwich bread in 1/2 inch cubes
40 grams butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Gently cook diced vegetables with the 60 grams of butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, beef broth and wine. In a separate pan, roast the bread cubes with butter and add cinnamon. Set aside. Whisk egg yolk and cream and add it to your soup; let it simmer for a minute (don't let it boil).

Add salt and beef stock to your taste.

Serve it in cups add the bread cubes.

(taken from www.derdeutschemichel-online.de)

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 or Rita Egler at 634-9068.

Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der Gemut-lich-keit, Ein Prosit
Ein Prosit, der Gemut-lich-keit, Eins Zwei, Drei…G’suffa
A toast, A toast, To happy times, A toast, A toast, To happy times, One, two three… drink up

Erinnerst Du Dich?

The following is from the pamphlet, The Pfaffenweiler Emigration by Gerhard Auer.  This pamphlet was written in September, 1984 and the English version translated by Seiffert.

Cause of Emigration

A wine grower or craftsman, well established in his village with a secure income very rarely would have nourished any ideas of immigration unless serious circumstances forced him to, especially since Africa as well as America presented an unknown and alien “New World”.

Preceding the emigration must have been events which united people from home.  Difference groups of emigrants have been moved by political or religious motives.  With Pfaffenweiler nothing of the like is recorded.  In this community economic reasons caused the emigration.

Document 1
“With the inflation in 1817 many decided to emigrate to North America.  However (at least in this community) there was little success.  Some had already sold all their belongings but reconsidered as the family of the blacksmith Aloys Eckert who after all left in 1847.  Others were unable to proceed with their journey and returned as the families of Simon Baumann, Bernard Gutgsell, and Conrad Gutgsell, etc.”

In November of 1847 Father Kleiser starts his “Records of the Years of Emigration from 1817 and 1835, 1842, 1846 and 1847 from his Parish to North America by Families and Single Persons.”

The “inflation” mentioned by Father Kleiser was the famine that followed the bad harvest in 1816/17.  Twenty-thousand Germans then tried to escape misery by emigrating – mostly from Southern Germany. 

Part of this surge of emigration was the family of Karl Scherle.  They did not reach America.  Karl Scherle died in the seas, the ship as driven off to Portugal.  From there came the last news of his wife M. Elisabeth Dierenbach.

Besides his records of emigrants, Father Kleiser also put together a chronicle of Pfaffenweiler’s wine harvests in the years from 1805 to 1858.  These statistics were completed by Father Deichelbohrer who used information from Karl Mueller’s  “History of Wine Growing in Baden”, Lahr 1953.

The records indicate how economic situation and emigration are interconnected:  Prolonged periods of bad harvest or low wine sales are succeeded by a surge of emigration.  Strikingly enough there weren’t any wine growers emigrating but craftsman, day-labourers and single mothers.  One may conclude that wine growers, in spite of bad harvest, were able to provide for themselves because they owned gardens, fields and cattle.  They did not have any money, however, therefore they were unable to order anything from blacksmith, shoemaker or taylor.   With a bad harvest, day-labourers did not have enough work; craftsmen and day-labourers owned little or no acreage – at least this was not the basis of their income.  Consequently they did not have close ties to the soil.  The same holds true for single mothers’ marriage was only possible if one owned the Civic Rights and only wealthy people could afford them.  In 1837 Civic Rights cost 70 Florin for men and approximately 17 for women.  Even though bad harvests hit the wealthy also, they were disastrous for those who did have any supplies or a financial backup.   

Two more completely different circumstances accelerated the economical ruin of larger parts of the population:  hereditary partitioning and a rapid increase in population in the first half of the 19th century.  In1813 there were 983 people living in Pfaffenweiler / Oehlinsweiler, in 1852 there were 1269 – until then already 201 had emigrated. 

By hereditary partitioning we mean the complete and just distribution of someone’s estates to all legar shrink estates within a few generations to a size that will not support its owner(s) any more.  This is especially true for Pfaffenweiler, since its areas is small in the first place.  To subdue the misery in the village, the community – partially by order of the Grandduke in Staufen – took various measures:

--Assumption of cost of living for the poor.
--Assumption of cost for medical examination and treatment.
--Leasing-contracts between the community and homeowners to supply housing to the poor.
--Assignation of poor children to be nourished by wealthy families:  expenses paid by the community.
--Job-production-measures for the unemployed.
--Installation of a soup-kitchen to feed the poor.
--Purchase and distribution of flour to the needy who paid it back with wine in autumn.

Records prove, that the community of Pfaffenweiler / Oehlinsweiler had undertaken very strong efforts to decrease misery but because this situation lasted for years, it was only a matter of time before the community itself would be ruined.  Since they could not rid themselves of the poverty they decided to get rid of the poor by encouraging emigration.  The Hansa, organ for German Emigration, Colonisation and Trans-Atlantic-Traffic, wrote in their 1854, edition 3, No 5, Pg 5: “Emigration to America, Algeria and Australia is increasing in the Granddukedom of Baden this year. Communities try to lighten their burden of an ever increasing number of poor people by helping them on, especially in wine-growing villages, where misery is so stifling that they almost don’t know a way out.”

Willingness to emigrate was augmented by information, that made the “New World” more imaginable to people:  “The family of Aloys Eckert, his wife Maria Agathe Dierenbach and their three children Caecilia, Stephan and Elisabeth departed 24 March 1847.  A. Eckert had been in America in 1846 already with an earlier part of emigrants to look around there and returned in October of the same year. Since, on the above mentioned day, he decided to take along his family, he inspired many others to do the same because they concluded that North America couldn’t be all that bad if he returned there after looking around.”

We may assume, that emigration was a last ditch measure for emigrants as well as communities to escape misery.

In the beginning of the 19th century, a village was a more secluded community than we can imagine today.  There were only a few inhabitants who had left the village in the 18th century in order to move to Hungary which, like Pfaffenweiler, belonged to the Austrian Kingdom at that time.  A few more had settled in Freiburg, Lahr, Alsace-Loraine or in Switzerland; most of them kept their Civic Rights in Pfaffenweiler.

Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club)
German Heritage Endowment

A donor-advised endowment to benefit generations in ensuring that our German heritage is preserved and enriched in Jasper and Dubois County.

Claude and Martina Eckert
Sister Cities Endowment

A designated endowment to provide support to Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. to support the Jasper/Pfaffenweiler relationship.

A gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment or to the Claude and Martina Eckert Sister Cities Endowment 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 __________________________________ Endowment (Please specify appropriate 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:__________________________________

Membership Dues

It's that time of year again! Please submit your dues for 2008 as soon as possible by completing and sending in the following form. Thanks!