German American Journal

Proud To Be German-American Stolz Deutsch-Amerikaner Zu Sein Visit us at www.DANK.org

Volume 62 Number 5

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

GERMAN AMERICAN JOURNAL

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Contents Of This Issue 4

From the President’s Desk by Beverly Pochatko

5

Oral History Project

6

German American Day 0 October 6

7

25 Years After the Wall

8

White Rose Exhibit

9

Chapter Chapter

17

Turnip Fair in Richterswill

18

Cologne Cathedral

22

Kurznachrichten

26

Aus Oma's Küchen

23

Kurznachrichten

27

Calendar of Events

28

Count Turnip

29

"Viehscheid" in the Allgäu

30

Odds & Ends

34

New Members

38

Kinderecke

Editorial Staff Beverly Pochatko Eve Timmerhaus Eva Timmerhaus Correspondents Anne Marie Fuhrig Christa Garcia Francine McKenna Desktop Publishing and Design Eve Timmerhaus Advertising and Classifieds Eve Timmerhaus

General Information

German American Journal -ISSN 1086-8070 is published bimonthly and is the official publication of the German American National Congress.

Periodicals postage paid at Chicago IL and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER” Send address changes to: German-American Journal 4740 N. Western Avenue Suite 206 Chicago IL. 60625-2013 Annual Subscription Rate $15.00 www.dank.org/news.html

DANK does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information published herein. DANK preserves the right to change or amend submissions for any reason without prior notice.

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From The President’s Desk Beverly Pochatko, National President Dear Friends, The beautiful colors of autumn and the warm days and cool nights bring many memories. I love the smell of dried leaves and the sound they make as you walk through them bringing memories of running through the piles of leaves and just having fun! Then too, the trip to the Cider Mill then stopping for the still warm honey-glazed donuts at Jack Frost Donuts is not to be forgotten.

Ethnic festivals are pretty much a big part of summer activities, winding down on Labor Day weekend, but the German communities celebrate Oktoberfest with big parties and lots of Gemütlichkeit.

More importantly, this year we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall! In June of 1990, my late husband and I were in Germany and we saw the Wall and were able to get up to an area where people were hammering and chiseling away at the massive structure. I wanted to be one of them and so I offered a gentleman DM10 to use his hammer.

He did and I brought home a piece of the Wall that I shared with friends.

It was exciting months later we witnessed the ‘opening’ of the Wall on November 9th, 1989 on television. A peaceful revolution in East Germany had finally cracked this grim symbol of Cold War and political oppression.

It signaled the beginning of the end of Germany's postwar division and national unity came less than a year later on October 3, 1990. October is truly the month to celebrate our German heritage!

November 16th is Volkstrauertag – a day of remembrance. "On Volkstrauertag, we remember both the past and present victims of war, and of civil and domestic violence. We must remember that there have never been so many victims of war, persecution, violence and brutal terrorist attacks in the history of mankind than in the last century. My thanks to all Chapters who organize events for Volkstrauertag.

We all know that Christmas is not far off and all the mail asking for your financial support seems to triple! While many of us get weary of being asked to donate to this or that group, one group you can donate to without fear of getting tons of mail asking for your support is our St. Nikolaus Project. Hunger is not just seasonal, but is on-going. In 2010, we chose to name our sharing program after St. Nikolaus who was known for his generosity to the underprivileged. Our goal date is, fittingly, December 6th, the Feast of St. Nikolaus. Perhaps you could use the month of October to kick start out your new campaign. Chapters can organize a date and have members bring donations of canned goods, household products, and/or cash, which the recipient ‘pantry’ can use to get needed items . Be sure to let Eve (eve@dank.org) know if your chapter participates so you can be recognized for your humanitarian support.

May you enjoy the blessing of being with family and friends at Thanksgiving and every day.

DANK seeks to bring together Americans of German descent in the pursuit of cultivating and presenting their heritage and interests on local, regional and national levels. These were the primary reasons that the German American National Congress was founded in 1959 and they are still among the organization’s primary objectives today.

DANK National Executive Board President: Beverly Pochatko Vice President : Ronald Kabitzke Erik Wittmann Treasurer: Bob Miske Secretary: Esther Markwart Membership: Erik Wittmann DANK National Executive Office 4740 N. Western Avenue Chicago IL. 60625-2013 Phone: (773) 275-1100 Toll Free: 1-888-USA-DANK Office Hours: 9 am - 4 pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday Office Staff Eva Timmerhaus Eve Timmerhaus

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ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

EINSTEINCHEN: CAPTURING HISTORY ONE STORY AT A TIME In order to capture and preserve the fascinating stories of GermanAmericans around the nation, German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™ invites visitors to share their story of German-American heritage at their Oral History Project interactive terminals at the Museum in Washington DC or online from any place in the world.

In the scope of a cutting-edge oral history research project, the museum's umbrella organization, the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® (GAHF), collects audio-visual data on German immigration stories. In the course of this three-year long project, Americans with German background have the opportunity to document their immigrant background, their family history, and their relationship with Germany today. An alternating selection of the oral history testimonials will be used for video presentations at our museum in Washington DC for educational purposes.

The Oral History Project, EINSTEINCHEN, has been

Background: In March 2010, the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA (GAHF) opened the German-American Heritage Museum (GAHM) as the first national inspiration for German-American heritage and culture.

The GAHM tells the story of all Americans of Germanspeaking ancestry and how they helped shape our great nation today. The Museum collects, records, preserves, and exhibits this rich cultural legacy. It is a place for continuing discussion, study, and development of ideas about German, Swiss, Austrian, and Slovakian Americans, their heritage, their values, and their future.

In an effort to make the German-American history more readily available to a broader audience and easier to comprehend by all ages, the Museum fosters mutual understanding and increases public knowledge about the rich heritage of all Americans of German descent. Centrally located in Hockemeyer Hall in Wash-

awarded a substantial grant through the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany with funds from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology to foster transatlantic relations in the spirit of the American Marshall Plan aid.

They are also partnering with the American Association for Teachers of German (AATG) who will work with us to include these testimonials and histories into the larger story about the impact made by German immigrants to the United States which will become a part of a broader curriculum project for use in high schools and colleges.

Visit them at the museum or go to www.gahmusa.org /oralhistory.php to learn more about EINSTEINCHEN and share your story!

German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® 719 6th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 P: 202-467-5000 • F: 202-467-5440 info@gahmusa.org • www.gahmusa.org

ington, DC, the German-American Heritage Museum ™ is not only in close proximity to the National Archives, the National Portrait Gallery and the Newseum, but also serves as a historical setting for German-American immigration itself. John Hockemeyer, a German immigrant who fought in the Civil War and afterward became a successful merchant, built the hall in 1888. The townhouse is part of the historic Penn Quarter, former home to over 4000 German immigrants in Washington DC including the world famous architect Adolph Cluss (1825-1905), Carl Schurz (1829-1906) first German born US Senator, and Emile Berliner (1851-1929) inventor of the phonograph. •

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GERMAN AMERICAN DAY OCTOBER 6TH On October 6th German-Americans will once again celebrate their ethnic holiday, German-American Day. German-American Day, proclaimed in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan has already become a tradition. It commemorates the first German immigrants who arrived on the Pennsylvania coast on October 6th 1683.

It is shared nationwide with government officials, legislators, state governors, mayors and all Americans.

Fifty-seven million Americans are of German ancestry and constitute the largest ethnic group in the United States.

For more than three centuries, Germans have helped build and strengthen this country. German-Americans constitute the historically staunchest supporters of the democratic values and principles of this country.

They were the first to oppose and object to slavery, General von Steuben and his German-American soldiers fought for and helped to make American independence possible.

On German-American Day October 6, 2014, GermanAmericans will remember their history and heritage, and their participation in the creation of and contribution to the prosperity of the United States.

WE CAN BE PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE AND ACHIEVEMENTS. German American is our day – celebrate it with our fellow citizens. •

Why is German Unity Day is celebrated on October 3rd?

Why is German Unity Day is celebrated on October 3, the day of formal reunification in 1990, and not on November 9, the anniversary of the fall of the wall?

November 9, 1918, the German Republic was proclaimed, leading to the eventual dissolution of the monarchy and establishment of the Weimar Republic.

The defeat of Hitler's first coup was on November 9 in 1923 when he tried unsuccessfully to seize power in Munich, in what was known as the "Beer Hall Putsch" because he marched on Munich's Buergerbraeukeller.

It was part of his plan to use that city as a base for agitation against the Weimar Republic's government.

"Kritallnacht", the Night of Broken Glass because the streets were carpeted with the glass from any building that belonged to or was associated with a Jew, was the first large scale pogrom against Jews in Germany and took place on 9 November 1938. Tens of thousands were arrested and sent to concentration camps, many

were killed.

In Germany November 9 had a history which meant it was not suitable to be a day of celebration and a national holiday. • © German Culture

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25 Years After the Wall

by Ryan Maloney

On November 9, 2014, people across the world will celebrate the fall of an icon of the Cold War and the divided Germany. The Berlin Wall came to symbolize the titanic struggle between the East and West for almost thirty years. Twenty-five years since the beginning of its destruction, a unified German state still finds itself at a crossroads where east and west meet.

The Berlin Wall was built for different reasons than a traditional city wall. Instead of keeping someone out, it was constructed to keep East Germans from slipping into the West. West Berlin was an island in an East German sea, which made it a valuable step in many East Germans’ attempts to go to West Germany. They had many reasons to leave, with some desiring to escape the Soviet economic system of the East, while others were trying to reunite divided families. East German officials had their own reason for restricting travel: upon seeing West Berlin, many felt the Eastern half was falling behind its neighbor.

Die Berliner Mauer had humble origins, starting in 1961 as nothing more than a series of barbed wire fences erected as part of an overall crackdown on East German emigration through West Berlin. In a few years, the fencing would be replaced by the more permanent and recognizable concrete structure. In conjunction with the construction of a wall, many buildings near the border had their windows bricked up to prevent desperate Ostdeutsche from leaping into the West. Guard emplacements and other deterrents, including beds of nails and dogs, kept Berliners from mingling.

There were bright spots involving die Mauer during its existence. American Presidents Kennedy and Reagan voiced their solidarity with the German people and their hope for the end to the division. Bruce Springsteen played a concert in East Berlin, mentioning his hopes for the wall’s eventual destruction. The brightest of moments came on November 9, 1989 with the sudden opening of the borders between East and West Berlin. Though not going as planned, the accidental freeing of East Germans was the culmination of protests and calls made by Germans on both sides to open the crossings. Luckily, this peaceful revolution was allowed to flourish and was a step toward reunification of the two Germanys.

Brandenburger Tor © Daniel Biskup

Even after its fall, the Berlin Wall still poses questions to Germans today. Though the physical divide is mostly gone, many differences between the East and West remain. Economically, the mostly agricultural East still lags behind the more industrialized West.

Culturally and politically, there are still issues with total reintegration. Even the national soccer team, Die Nationalmannschaft, has lacked a significant East German presence. However, one can see the process of reunification making progress. Chancellor Angela Merkel grew up in East Germany, as did Bundespräsident Joachim Gauck. These figures represent how the Berlin Wall, though still lingering in some ways, is still being torn down by Germans today, 25 years later. •

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White Rose Exhibit Dr. Daniel F. Lusche

The civil action of young students and one Professor of a group called the White Rose towards the end of World War II serves as one example that historic events can be used as a tool to open and set free the expression of individual consciousness. A traveling exhibit covering the contributors to the white rose group and their resistance to a dictatorship, that lead to a showcased Nazi propaganda trial and the execution of the core members in Munich 1943, has been composed for display. The mission of the exhibit initiators in the US and Germany was to encourage students and communities independent of nationalities to explore their own spring of conscience for personal civil responsibilities, personal contribution to society and for human rights as a whole. The White Rose traveling exhibit is translated in a variety of languages and has been on display in communities and at the campus of Universities of the United States and of a large number of other countries. Most recently, the exhibit supported by the German National Congress DANK (www.dank.org/) was presented to the Iowa community at the College of Public Health, a department of the University of Iowa in Iowa City with great success. The exhibit drew interest among several communal organizations lead by the Jewish Agudas Achim Congregation/ Shulman Hillel as major supporter. It will now make its journey to Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.

During an incipient event at the University of Iowa, the idea of this traveling exhibit was very elo-

quently portrayed and placed into perspective by two Professors in the College of Education and in the department of history, Prof. Greg Hamot and Prof. Elizabeth Heineman. In their interpretations, both supporters of the exhibit highlighted the need to expose current generations not only to the bravery of the individuals but also to the larger context of their action, which consisted of events and circumstances reminiscent of similar processes in the not so far past and at present. For instance, Prof.

Hamot pointed out, that youthful resistance historically occurred and is still occurring. As examples served the resistance of young students, who took their courage to the supreme court for free speech at high schools, “the Tinker case” during the time of the Vietnam War in Iowa, the resistance by young students to oppressive regimes in the Middle East, China and Europe within the last 60 years and the current resistance to any form of discriminatory behavior here in the United States. Prof. Heinemann emphasized that the uniqueness of the white rose group is rested upon the motivation for their resistance. The group members were driven neither because they were target of a persecution nor because they followed a “single issue” resistance. Instead they were motivated through their educational and sociological background. The members were ordinary citizen with an understanding of politics and they were deeply human, both of which fueled their motivation.

As Prof. Heineman pointed out, to resist the Nazi regime with their

own counter agenda in the form of leaflets and other public written protest was even more remarkable, since some of the member were active soldiers with knowledge about the war crimes, the brutal Nazi system against the Jewish and even their own population and thus they were aware that resistance would put their life in danger when bluntly placing a mirror in form of leaflets in front of their fellow Germans. The students distributed these leaflets that call for passive resistance and for acknowledgment of the facts generated by the Nazis. The leaflets were subsequently adopted as a tool by the allies to inform the German population and to create a critical mass.

To convey this educational idea is the purpose of the exhibit provided by the Weisse Rose Stiftung e.V. The exhibit is now on display at the German Heritage Museum in Washington. • Dr. Daniel F. Lusche, is a Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Biology at the University of Iowa.

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Milwaukee Travels from German Fest Milwaukee to the Wisconsin State Fair

By DANK Chapter Milwaukee member Jane Nacker DANK Chapter Milwaukee participated in Milwaukee’s 34th annual German Fest, held at the Milwaukee Lakefront Festival Grounds July 25-27. Known as “Milwaukee’s Original Haus Party” the festival celebrates the cultures of Germany and other German speaking countries. DANK Chapter Milwaukee is a founding member of Milwaukee’s German Fest, which originated in 1981.

DANK Milwaukee members volunteered in the Konditorei (café and tortes), pizza, liquor, and information booths and at admission gates. Help was also given to the DANK national public relations booth which provided membership information. DANK Milwaukee has its own booth in the Culture tent. DANK’s focus this year was on naming body parts in German. Last year, DANK focused on counting in German.

DANK Milwaukee members marched in the German Fest lakefront parade on Saturday, along with the German American societies of the Greater Milwaukee area and those from out of the state of Wisconsin. One convertible carried the 2013-2014 Milwaukee Spielmannszug Prinzenpaar, Edwin and Ursula Günther, escorted by Hofmarschall Erich Günther and Adjutant Don Wohfeil, all of whom are DANK Milwaukee members.

DANK Milwaukee was also represented in the Trachtenschau by member Adeline Kraenzler show-

The 133 voice mass choir at the German Fest Gottesdeinst. The Director was our own Milwaukee DANK Chor’s Dr. James C. Norden.

casing the Chapter’s blue dance and Chor dirndl.

The DANK Milwaukee Folk Dancers performed twice at the Fest. The DANK Milwaukee Chor also performed twice at the Fest, including at the Worship service on Sunday. The Worship service was coordinated by DANK Milwaukee President Ron Kabitzke. The 130+ singers, from numerous German singing societies and area church choir members, were directed by the Milwaukee DANK Chor Director Dr. James Norden and accompanied by the Alte Kameraden band.

Two weeks after German Fest, the DANK Milwaukee Folk Dancers were asked to be in the August 8 parade at the Wisconsin State Fair, held in West Allis, WI. Wearing the blue dance Tracht, some dancers rode in a farm wagon pulled by a farm tractor, while other dancers walked and performed shortened dance arrangements for the crowd. DANK Milwaukee was warmly received. While on the fairgrounds, members were complimented on and had pictures taken in the blue Tracht. Some members were also approached by fairgoers who wanted to know where they could get German food on the grounds and if we could lead them to the Biergarten!

DANK Chapter Milwaukee is on Facebook! See photos and chapter news. “Like” us at www.facebook.com/ dankmilwaukee. •

DANK Milwaukee joins the parade for German American Day at Carl Schurz Park.

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chicago South visit DANK Benton Harbor, MI On Saturday August 9, 2014 various members from DANK Chapter Chicago South drove two hours to their sister chapter, Benton Harbor to celebrate with them the Chapter's 50th anniversary. It was nice to share this special occasion with one of the matriarchs of the chapter, Mrs. Else Baumann, who had put so much of her and her late husband Joe's life into the DANK organization and dedication into the clubhouse that after 1/2 century is still going strong. We hope to see DANK Benton Harbor continue to grow with fun German festivities to share this legacy. Pictured (no pun intended) are DANK South members Linda Wilson, John Stern, Chris Buertow, Anita Walthier, Angelika Thompson, Christine & Martin Walthier. All of us had a wonderful time. •

DANK Chapter Chicago South hosted their annu-

al Alpine Music Fest on Sunday, August 17, 2014. This year music featured Blaskapelle Gemmingen, a brass band direct from Germany.

Show pride in your German-American heritage.

Buy a Germany/USA Flag lapel pin Not actual size

Back 1x1 inch popu by la $3.00 each plus $1 shipping and handling.demandr !

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Chapter Chatter For Chapter Chatter from DANK Lake County, IL "So ein Tag, so wunderschön wie heute," the opening verse from one of my favorite German songs perfectly • describes July 20, the day we gathered at Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth, IL for our Chapter's annual picnic.

The day was beautiful – wunderschön! It was pleasantly warm, the humidity was low, there was a gentle breeze and lots of sunshine! And enjoying the company of Chapter members and friends, maybe also a beer or two, gemütlichkeit was the order of the day.

From left: Hildegard Pieger, Ted and Hildy Geiger, John Pieger Karl Schmidt made sure there were plenty of bever- enjoying cocktails and a spectacular view of Milwaukee and ages to quench everyone's thirst. And Anni and Victor Lake Michigan in the Pfister Hotel's Blu Room. (Photo by Cathy Kordas, assisted by members of their family and friends, Angerer) once again "manned" the grills and barbequed delicious chicken and sausages. A plentiful assortment of side our Milwaukee trip a month later on August 21, the dishes made by club members and delicious desserts, American song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" more accurately described the weather. many of them also homemade, comBut the rain that fell most of the day pleted the feast. No one left hungry! didn't dampen our spirits. We started Competition in the traditional water our outing enjoying a delicious lunch balloon toss was fierce, as it always is. in the warm, cozy ambiance of Karl This year, Lou Massong and Troy BranRatzsch's (German) Restaurant. After don held the last unbroken balloon for lunch we had time to explore downa first place win. Megan Kordas and town Milwaukee before boarding the Mike Johnson, last year's winners, came Edelweiss boat for a historic Milwauin second. Bingo was back by popular kee River tour. Among other interestdemand with Ava Young announcing From left: Victor Kordas, Helmut Ap- ing facts, we learned about Milwauthe numbers. Some also played a hand pelt, Eugen Bernhardt playing a lively kee's German heritage and, of course, or two of the German card game skat. game of skat. the city's beer brewing history. After And everyone joined in a sing-along of the boat tour those who were enertraditional German tunes played on his getic enough to keep going made their way to the Blu button box accordion by Chapter member Erwin GoerRoom on the 23rd floor of the elegant Pfister Hotel for ing.

Yes, like the song says, it was a beautiful day. But for a cocktail and to enjoy a panoramic view of downtown Milwaukee and Lake Michigan. We have Judy Kanka to thank for planning this wonderful outing.

Plans are underway for our Chapter's annual Volkstrauertag observance on November 16. We will again observe the People's Day of Mourning at the Fort Sheridan, Illinois Military Cemetery where nine German prisoners of war are buried. The ceremony will begin at 1:30 in the afternoon. Everyone is invited to attend.

Everybody loves bingo! That's Ava Young with the microphone announcing the numbers.

Ursula Hoeft DANK Chapter Lake County, IL

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Chapter Chatter Erie Celebrated Its German Heritage On Saturday, Aug 30th, visitors from the tri-state area and beyond gathered at St. Nick’s Grove for the 18th Annual German Heritage Festival. At 12 o’clock noon, the official opening began with the parade of flags, led by the national flags of the United States, Germany and Austria, and followed by the sixteen state flags of Germany. It’s a grand sight to behold as they make their way through the festival site to the main tent where the respective national anthems are sung. Then with the tapping of the keg and a hearty ‘ein Prosit’ the festivities begin in earnest. It was a beautiful day but rather hot (93°) and the DANK fans we gave to our guests were greatly appreciated. Sunday turned out to be the opposite…cool (73°) and mid-afternoon the rain came in torrential downpours! But that did not stop people from coming to the fest as they were still coming in despite the rain! By four p.m. the rains stopped and everyone was still having a great time. Our numbers

Flag bearers l to r: (Austria) Roland Zuschlag, (United States) Philip Susann, and (German) Fred Huttel, Jr.

Volkstrauertag

November 16, Fort Sheridan, IL DANK Lake County, IL will again observe Volkstrauertag at the Fort Sheridan, IL cemetery where nine German POWs are buried. The service will begin at 1:30 in the afternoon. Everyone is invited to attend.

For more information, call 847-272-5545. •

were down slightly, but we did sign nine new members for the chapter! Our volunteers are the greatest and this year we had additional help from the Gannon University Travel Club students who have joined DANK to learn more about the German heritage and culture.

At our September Chapter meeting, we presented the video “Ode to Joy and Freedom” as part of our celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. October will find us celebrating German American Day, and on Sunday November 16th (Volkstrauertag), members will again gather to remember those past and present victims of war, and of civil and domestic violence. We must remember that there have never been so many victims of war, persecution, violence and brutal terrorist attacks in the history of mankind than in the last century.

Thanksgiving will soon be here and then begin our preparations for Christmas. Let everyone, each to his/ her own beliefs, give thanks for the gifts we have received, our families and friends. •

Members of the Gannon University Travel Club with NP Beverly Pochatko and Charlotte Chase.

Martin Hartig alles Gute zum Geburtstag

Happy 85th Birthday from DANK Chicago

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Pittsburgh, PA St. Nicholas Project continues In the spirit of holiday giving, we continue our local support of the St. Nicholas Project – a united effort to fight hunger. DANK Chapter Pittsburgh along with DANK National feel that we all need to do our part to replenish the food pantries in our communities, which so many families in our communities rely on to survive. 100% of the proceeds from our various fundraising to the project will support local food pantries. On Saturday, October 4th, from 4-7:00 pm the Pitts-

burgh Chapter of DANK along with Concord Presbyterian Church (1907 Brownsville Rd., Pittsburgh PA) will be hosting a BratFest! The menu will include two types of Bratwurst, buttered noodles, green beans, red cabbage, applesauce and dessert, coffee or tea. Cost will be $10 for adults, children 12 and under will be $5.00. All proceeds will benefit the George Steiner Food Pantry. Join us to fill your tummy with good food and your heart with the spirit of giving. •

A personal reflection by DANK Chapter Milwaukee member Jane Nacker

DANK Chapter Milwaukee has sponsored one German American radio show in the Milwaukee area for several years and just decided to start sponsoring another radio show. When we discussed this at a recent chapter board meeting, I had the realization that we (and I, personally) are extremely fortunate in Milwaukee.

We have not one, but two established German radio shows based here. These shows not only broadcast entertainment--from local, national, and international artists, but they also provide cultural information and language. They provide an avenue for German clubs to showcase and advertise their activities.

In addition, the radio hosts are truly invested in their appreciation of German heritage as evidenced by their on-air enthusiasm and attendance at German events.

Likewise, I thought I am extremely fortunate. These thoughts flooded my mind as I reflected on my enjoyment of the radio shows: • Not musically inclined myself, I am appreciative and amazed at the talents of those who are!

• Hearing the music my parents enjoyed at home, the choral pieces my father sang, and reminiscing about dancing to the music with my father.

• Revisiting memories of the music at Milwaukee’s German Fest and the Gemütlichkeit and dancing with friends at German events.

• Relearning the language I took in grade school, through the mix of German and English spoken on the air, and by translating words to understand the meaning of the songs whose melodies and rhythms entice

DANK Chapter Listing ARIZONA Phoenix IOWA Quad Cities ILLINOIS Chicago Chicago South Chicago West Fox Valley Lake County Northern Suburbs Peoria Springfield INDIANA Indianapolis LaFayette South Bend MICHIGAN Benton Harbor Great Lakes Bay Region OHIO Cleveland PENNSYLVANIA Erie Philadelphia Pittsburgh Uniontown WASHINGTON DC Washington DC WISCONSIN Milwaukee www.dank.org

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Chapter Chatter DANK Chapter Milwaukee Sponsors German American Radio Show DANK Chapter Milwaukee sponsors two Milwaukee radio shows: Continental Showcase and Heimatecho.

Both shows play a wide variety of German music including Volksmusik, Blasmusik, Schlager, pop, etc. The music is primarily from German and European artists, but also American artists performing German music.

Continental Showcase: Saturdays 1:00PM-4:30PM CST. Typically a live show, interspersed with guest conversations about German events in the Milwaukee area. An offshoot of this show is Breakfast on the Run at 5:00 AM CST starring the current Milwaukee area German American Societies Queen.

Heimatecho: Saturdays 8:00AM-9:00AM CST. Typically a show recorded earlier in the week and broadcast on Saturday mornings. In addition to music, includes history, geography and cultural aspects of some of the performances. Milwaukee area German events are also advertised on this show.

Both shows are on Milwaukee radio AM1340, but you don’t have to be in Milwaukee to hear these wonderful shows. Join listeners around the world who tune in by listening live on the Internet at joy1340.com. And, if you miss Heimatecho on Saturday mornings, you can listen to a previous show online at polkaparade.org. •

What Fun We Had!

Five Pittsburgh Chapter DANK members and six of their Friends/Family took a once in a life time 15 day River Boat Cruise from Budapest to Cologne this past August. Organized by Pittsburgh Chapter Member Erik Wittmann, the group sailed on the River Splendor starting August 1, 2014 from Budapest to Vienna, then sailing through the Wachau Valley to Passau; Regensburg; Nurnberg, Bamberg; Wurzburg/Rothenberg ob der Tauber; Marktheidenfeld; Frankfurt/Heidelberg; Rudesheim along the Romantic Rhine ending up in Bonn and Cologne. To say it was a wonderful trip and experience for all in attendance is an understatement.

Even Erik’s grandnephew 16 years old Demonic, the youngest person aboard the 168 passenger ship felt it was a trip of a life time. The scenery was amazing, the food wonderful and the camaraderie superb. The tours from the Wine tasting in Markheidenfeld to the walled

city of Rothenberg were amazing, one event better than the next. Despite being a 15 day trip, being stationed aboard the ship and not having to unpack and go through the regular travel difficulties made it that much more pleasant. German lessons were provided aboard as well as instructions on making Apple Strudel- so something for everyone.

DANK member Gerard Gilman took pictures and is making a video that will be shown at a future Chapter Meeting. The group had such fun the Chapter is looking at sponsoring another one next year that will start in Zurich , Switzerland head up the Rhine and proceed up the Moselle River visiting places in Switzerland, Germany, Alsace Lorraine and end in the Netherlands ( Amsterdam) . Should non-Pittsburgh Chapter DANK members be interested in possibly going, contact Erik Wittmann for more information. If we can get a large enough group together we will be able to rebate some additional funds to those going besides the already discounted group rate for such a trip. •

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50 Year Strong

DANK Benton Harbor prepares to celebrate anniversary Saturday

By LOUISE WREGE - HP Staff Writer

Note: This article appeared in the August 7, 2014 edition of the Herald Palladium and is reprinted at the request of Chapter Vice President Donna Lippert. DANK Chapter Benton Harbor's celebration was held August 9, 2014.

If you have a hankering for schnitzel, red cabbage, spaetzle or cucumber salad and some good German music, then the celebration Saturday of the DANK's 50th Anniversary of Chapter 13 is the place for you.

Organizers of the Deutsch-Amerkanischer NationalKongress said the homemade German food buffet will also include rouladen, German potato salad, beans and desserts. Soft pretzels will be served later in the evening.

The celebration begins at 5 p.m. at the Deutsches Haus at 2651 Pipestone Road in Sodus Township.

Wil Smaka and musiConnection will perform. For tickets, call Kat Schramm at 876-4337. The cost is $35. She said tickets will also be available at the door. Besides the buffet, ticket holders will receive a Chapter 13 50th anniversary commemorative glass and a drink ticket.

The local DANK chapter was formed in 1964 to give Germans who had immigrated to America a chance to socialize and to speak German, according to Else Baumann, wife of the chapter's first president, Josef Baumann, who died in 2005. The chapter met in various locations until building their own hall in 1970 on Pipestone Road.

"Once the building was up, this became home," said Barbara Callendar, the Baumanns' daughter, who came to America with her parents in 1952 when she was 3 years old. "The German immigrants had a place to go to."

Since it was built, the DANK has been added onto twice.

Callendar said the DANK used to be the place to be.

She said she remembers riding on the DANK's float during the Blossomtime Grand Floral Parade. "(People from Chicago) would come by the busload here because it was cool," she said. "We had some really good bands."

A local girl was crowned each year as Miss DANK. The organization also gave out scholarships.

She said the DANK helped German immigrants connect with each other.

After World War II, hundreds of thousands of Germans

immigrated to America, said Adolf Pelzer, a retired German and history teacher from Benton Harbor High School.

He said he came to America in 1951 when he was 10 years old.

"The people who joined the DANK were displaced people and so they wanted to get together, speak their language and sing the German songs," said Reinhold Lenz, who came to America in 1956 with his wife, Helga Lenz, and their 8-month-old daughter.

Pelzer said Germans came to America because there were no jobs in Germany and very little food.

"We lost everything in the war. Everything was left behind. Everything," he said.

He said all of his worldly possessions could fit in a small suitcase.

"If you're going to start over, (America) is the best place to start over because over there, everything was destroyed," he said.

Baumann said she was told that the streets were paved with gold in America.

"I said I am not looking for roses. I'm looking for a job," she said.

Baumann said life was hard in Germany. Before they moved to America, her husband lived in a small house with no furniture. She said her husband collected old wood and made a frame for a couch, using hay as a cushion.

"And that was where Barbara (Callendar) was born," she said.

Baumann said they raised chickens in the home's kitchen so they could use the eggs to barter with. She would also ride her bicycle with her daughter in the basket for 15 to 20 miles, asking farmers if she could glean crops from their fields.

To come to America, Pelzer said immigrants needed a sponsor and a place to live for one year. He said his family was sponsored by a Kentucky farmer who was looking for cheap labor. Once the year was up, his father moved the family to Berrien County after finding a job at LECO. • Reprinted with permission of Louise Wrege, Staff Writer, The Herald Palladium.

See pictures on page 21.

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DANK Chapter Benton Harbor mourns the passing of former Chapter President

Walter Patzer

Walter Patzer, 63 of Benton Harbor passed away Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Lakeland Medical Center under the care of Hospice At Home after a lengthy illness with his family by his side.

Visitation will be Monday from 5-8 p.m. at Fairplain Chapel of Florin Funeral Services at 1053 E. Napier, Benton Harbor with the funeral service Tuesday at 11 am. The Rev. Richard Hennig of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church will officiate. Please send Memorials to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church or Hospice At Home.

Walter was born Sept. 6, 1951, in Benton Harbor.

He was past president of DANK House Chapter 13, a member of the Moose, and was a lifelong member of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church. He lived in the community all his life. Walter worked for Consumers Concrete Co. for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Julie Merrill Patzer; sons, Walter C. (Monica) Patzer Jr. of Benton Harbor, Jordan C. (Katie) Patzer of Niles and Joshua A. (Sara) Patzer of Holland; brother, Terrance L. Smith of Moore, Okla.; sisters, Suzie Merrill and Linda (Richard) Nelson of Riverside; numerous cousins; Uncle Bud Whelan of Dowagiac and lifelong friend George Rice.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents.

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German Memorial at Fort Custer Michigan November 16, 2014.

By Donna J Lippert. 2nd vp Benton Harbor Dank I am often asked why I participate in the Volkstrauerstag at Fort Custer and my comments are "it is a very special and heart warming event and I love making wreaths to put on the graves of the " Forgotten 26 German soldiers that are buried in the cemetery".

Please plan on attending this years event and consider making a wreath or two as many wreaths are needed on the 26 graves. If you know friends that belong to a German club please invite them to attend this special event. Many groups in the area come To this event and a reception is held after the ceremony which starts at 2 pm.

Last year we headed home and endured a terrible storm and we were without power for many days.

Come and join us or email me at ladybug3656@yahoo.com for information and directions. •

DANK Chapter #78 Bay City, MI DANK Chapter #78 Bay City, MI, had two guest speakers from Germany at the August meeting. Walter Hagen, Chapter Treasurer, introduced, his cousin, Alexander Glockler from Trossingen and family friend, Father Theofil Gaus from Monastery St. Ottilien near Munich.

Both guests enjoyed the meeting and spoke about themselves and their professions. Alexander is a civil servant for the city of Trossingen (manufacturing site of the famous Hohner accordions and harmonicas).

His ambition is to become Mayor (Burgermeister) in the near future. Father Theofil is a chemistry and biology teacher at the 700-Student high school of St. Ottilien where he is also an organist as well as curator of the museums. The St. Ottilien monastery has its own restaurants and stores, which sell locally produced items as well as spirits and room rental for overnight

Elder member Herb Schmidt leads the Schnitzelbank song.

guests.

The Chapter is planning another sauerkraut making party mid September.

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Turnip Fair in Richterswil (Räbechilbi) The age-old, rural custom of symbolically marking the transition from autumn to winter with lantern parades has, in recent decades, become increasingly popular among children in Swiss cities.

But the most important festivity featuring "turnip lamps" (hollowed-out large white turnips decorated with transparent ornaments lit up by a candle burning inside) remains the "Räbechilbi" (Turnip Fair) held on the second Saturday in November in the village of Richterswil on Lake Zurich. Well over a century old, the Turnip Fair is to-day made up of a mammoth parade which attracts spectators by the thousands.

A few days before the Fair, practically the entire population of Richterswil, from schoolchildren to their great-grandparents, produce an average of 25 tonnes of turnip lamps; a specially developed hollowing-machine makes the job a bit easier.

Apart from the most attractive individual lamps at the head of the parade, it is the glowing, often fabulously imaginative collective "pictures" which make the greatest impact. In recent years the most memorable subjects depicted were a rocking horse, a church and a gramophone. Turnip lamps are not only the main feature of the annual parade, they also serve to

decorate the buildings of Richterswil, both public and private.

The custom of Turnip Fair is said to be based on a legend according to which, in the mid 19th century, the wives of farmers living in the hills above Richterswil used turnip lamps to find their way home from evening church services in the wintertime. This explains why the Turnip Fair parade, first documented in 1884, is and always has been opened by so-called "churchgoing ladies" dressed in dark colors. • © Presence Switzerland

Zweiter Weltkrieg: Stift Engelszell als rettender Zufluchtsort Engelhartszell/Amerika. Nach 70 Jahren kehrte Alexandra Pradella-Ott von Amerika an ihren Zufluchtsort während des Zweiten Weltkrieges, ins Stift Engelszell, zurück.

Am 17. Januar 1945 floh Alexandra Ott im Alter von zehn Jahren gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter und ihrer Schwester von Kenau bei Krakau über Berlin mit dem Zug nach Bayern. Zu Fuß mussten sie nach Engelhartszell auf bayerischer Seite gehen. „Das Kloster war auf der anderen Seite und kein Brücke in Sicht. Wir hatten eine dramatische Überfahrt mit der Fähre, denn ein Tiefflieger schoss auf

uns“, erzählt Pradella-Ott. Damals lebte ihre Tante Solina, die Oberin im Kloster war, im Stift Engelszell und bot ihrer Familie Zuflucht. An ihre Zeit im Kloster erinnert sie sich gerne zurück, obwohl natürlich auf so manche Erinnerung an die Schrecken des Krieges dabei sind.

1957 wanderte sie in die USA aus, wo sie als Deutschlehrerin in Chicago arbeitete. Außerdem gründete sie einen deutschen Kinderchor, als Zeichen der Freundschaft zwischen Deutschland und den USA. 1988 erhielt Alexandra Pradella-Ott das Bundesverdienstkreuz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. •

Alexandra Pradella-Ott (2. v. r.) suchte im 2. Weltkrieg Zuflucht im Stift Engelszell.

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Cologne Cathedral - Story of a Gothic Masterpiece by Francine McKenna, Staff Columnist

The cathedral city of Cologne is one of Germany's oldest cities. Its roots go back almost 2,000 years to 50 AD when it was a village on the right bank of the Rhine River belonging to the Ubii, a Germanic tribe.

Then the Romans came and founded Kolonia, Colony.

Dominating the city's panorama Cologne Cathedral's twin towers are as visible today, from nearly everywhere within the city and many points outside, as they were in 1880, when over 600 years after the foundation stone had been laid on August 15, 1248, the cathedral was finally completed.

Archbishop Rainald von Dassel was given relics of the Three Kings in 1164 by Holy Roman Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa, who had brought them to Cologne after taking them from a conquered Milan where they had been kept since the fifth century.

After the 'Old Cathedral', which had been built on the site of a 4th century Roman temple, burned down on April 30, 1248, work immediately began on planning a new Cologne Cathedral.

And it was to be one considered suitably impressive to house the relics, and their magnificent gold and jewel encrusted sarcophagus.

Plans were drawn up in the new style of Gothic architecture with the form of a Latin cross, based mainly on the French Gothic cathedral of Amiens, and a building program began that was to continue for several centuries.

Housing the remains of the Biblical Magi, which were of enormous religious significance, the Cathedral of Cologne was one of Europe's most important pilgrimage destinations, nevertheless through lack of both interest and money building work gradually ceased in the early 16th century.

The lower section of the South Tower with bell tower,

as well as the long nave and the cross nave, had been completed up to the lower arcades, but the North Tower was almost nonexistent and for more than 400 years an ancient, and huge, building crane on the incomplete South Tower, believed to date from 1350, was a major scenic landmark and symbol for Cologne.

Nevertheless the rich decoration of the cathedral's interior was continued until 1794, when French revolutionary troops marched into Cologne.

The archbishop and cathedral chapter fled to Aachen, and in the following years the building was used for many purposes, including as a storehouse for grain and fodder, until it was re-consecrated as a Cologne church in 1801.

These seven years of misuse helped bring about a renewed enthusiasm for Cologne's cathedral and its unfinished building work, which gained support from the emerging and influential German Romantic movement with its passion for the Middle Ages.

Continuation and completion of Cologne's Gothic Cathedral now became a matter of urgency and importance, and a foundation stone marking the continuation of building work was laid in 1842 by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia, a supporter of Romanticism who became the first King of Prussia, and a protestant at that, to ever enter a Roman Catholic building, and his treasury contributed half of the necessary financing.

Using modern building practices, but following the original medieval plans, forms and techniques faithfully, the beautiful Gothic Cathedral with its soaring buttresses and pinnacles was completed in a record time of 38 years, with both of the towers, the North Tower at 157.38 meters is 7 cm (2.3/4 inches) higher than the South Tower, finally finished in 1880.

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Its completion was celebrated as a national event on 14 August 1880, 632 years after construction had begun.

The celebration was attended by the first German Emperor Wilhelm I, Kaiser of a united Germany and King of Prussia, younger brother of Friedrich Wilhelm IV King of Prussia whose influence and financial support had helped towards the continuation of the cathedral's construction.

Cologne Cathedral's interior is spectacular. A stone mass seems to rise weightlessly up to the 43 meterhigh canopy styled arches and the narrow main nave leading to the chancel, the space around the altar in the sanctuary, has two side naves with a kaleidoscope of multi-colored light shining through the five glass windows in the northern side nave.

The cathedral has the largest existing collection of 14th century windows in Europe.

The full length of Cologne's cathedral is 145 meters (476 feet) and the cross nave 86 meters, (282 feet), the total area of the Cathedral measures almost 8,000 square meters (86111 square feet) with room for more than 20,000 people, and above and behind the high altar, an enormous monolithic slab of black marble, is the Shrine of the Three Kings, Dreikoenigsschrein.

A large gilded and decorated triple sarcophagus containing relics of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the Biblical Magi and city patrons of Cologne, is covered by seven feet of gilded silver and jewels pillaged from Constantinople during the Crusades.

In terms of medieval gold craftsmanship, size and opulence it surpasses all other reliquary in the western world.

At least 70 bombs, 14 of them heavy and high explosive, landed on Cologne Cathedral during WWII but although badly damaged it survived, probably because its two towers remained standing so could be used as navigation points for Allied pilots.

Then during June 1945 the cathedral was used by American troops as a rifle practice range, however by 1956 its reconstruction was complete.

Now over 60 stonemasons, glaziers, roofers and other specialists work constantly maintaining, and restoring, the cathedral from the everyday ravages of weather, the environment, while pigeons are a bit of a headache.

Although there is also a cathedral falcon

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Unfinished cathedral, 1856 with ancient crane on south tower. who helps out with that particular problem.

It is "die ewige Baustelle", an everlasting construction site, and it normally does have some scaffolding as additional decoration, which as there is a saying that the world will end once the Cologne Cathedral has been finished is considered to be "voellig in Ordnung". Absolutely OK. A beautiful World Cultural Heritage site alongside the Rhine River, the image of centuries old Cologne Cathedral is a symbol from the past, and together with Schloss Neuschwanstein, identified worldwide with the art, culture and life of today's Germany. •

Window detail of Cologne Cathedral.

Source: Jan van der Crabben (Photographer)

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DANK Chapter Milwaukee at Germanfest

DANK Milwaukee member Adeline Kraenzler (center) wears the Milwaukee Chapter blue dance and Chor dirndl with white apron in the Milwaukee German Fest Trachtenschau.

DANK Milwaukee members Brigita and Gerhard Roth with volunteer Amber Holland (middle) helped staff the DANK Milwaukee Culture Booth at Milwaukee’s German Fest.

DANK National Booth at Milwaukee’s German Fest. L to R: Eva Timmerhaus, Geroge Nagata and Eve Timmerhaus from Chicago and DANK Milwaukee member Erika Guth-Degner.

DANK volunteer Amber Holland helps children learn German words for body parts at the DANK Culture booth, while DANK member Brigita Roth looks on.

DANK Milwaukee members Victoria Ohde (Treasurer) and daughter Lydia carry the DANK Milwaukee banner in the Wisconsin State Fair parade.

DANK Milwaukee members Gene Brunner (Advisory Board member) and Edwin Günther (VP) in the Wisconsin State Fair parade with the Wisconsin State Fair Cream Puff mascot and the Milwaukee Admirals mascot.

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DANK Chapter Benton Harbor 50th Anniversary Celebration

Congratulations DANK Chapter Benton Harbor on your 50th Anniversary Photo credit: George Nagata

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Kurznachrichten

Sprachforscher adeln Neuschöpfung

"Schland" kommt ins Wörterbuch Es war schon länger diskutiert worden. Jetzt ist klar: Die Wortschöpfung "Schland" kommt in ein Nachschlagewerk.

Acht Jahre nach der Erfindung, wird dem Wort damit eine besondere Ehre zuteil.

Mannheim - Acht Jahre nach der SommermärchenWM kommt die Wortschöpfung „Schland“ zu besonderen Ehren. Das Mannheimer Institut für Deutsche Sprache (IDS) hat „Schland“ in sein Nachschlagewerk Neuer Wortschatz aufgenommen, wie eine Sprecherin des Projektes Lexikalische Innovationen der Nachrichtenagentur dpa sagte.

Das Neuwörter-Nachschlagewerk definiert „Sch-

land“ dabei wie folgt: „Deutschland als Land, dessen Bewohner ihre Fußballnationalmannschaft in einer Welt- oder Europameisterschaft feiern.“ Als Beispiele für eine typische Verwendung werden aufgeführt: „Schland rufen, Schland brüllen, Schland grölen, die inoffizielle WMHymne „Schland o Schland“, T-Shirts mit dem Aufdruck Schland, ein fröhliches Schland, Schland feiert“. Die Kommunikationssituation sei „meist mündlich“, der Stil umgangssprachlich und zur Entstehung heißt es „seit Mitte des ersten Jahrzehnts des 21. Jahrhunderts in Gebrauch“. •

Die Großstädte schneiden schlecht ab In Ostdeutschland sind die Einkommen zwar niedriger, doch man kann sich dort für sein Geld mehr leisten als in Westdeutschland.

Entsprechend verringern sich die Unterschiede bei der Einkommensarmut zwischen Ost und West deutlich, wenn die unterschiedlichen Preise berücksichtigt werden.

In Deutschland gelten Personen oder Haushalte als einkommensarm, wenn ihr Einkommen maximal 60 Prozent des mittleren Einkommens (Median) erreicht. Die unterschiedlichen Preise in den einzelnen Regionen werden nicht berücksichtigt. Dabei braucht ein Münchner Single 1.030 Euro, um sich genauso viel leisten zu können wie ein durchschnittlicher deutscher Bürger mit 870 Euro monatlich. Der letztgenannte Wert markiert die Schwelle für die relative Einkommensarmut.

Ost und West liegen real weniger weit auseinander

als nominal. So weist Thüringen die drittniedrigste Q u o t e aller Bundesländer auf. Dagegen ist das Stadt-Land-Gefälle stärker als vermutet. In ländlichen Regionen sind im Schnitt nur knapp 14 Prozent der Bevölkerung kaufkraftarm, in den Städten aber 22 Prozent. Besonders schlecht schneidet Köln mit mehr als 26 Prozent ab. Aber auch Städte wie Bremerhaven oder Duisburg weisen fast ein Viertel Kaufkraftarme auf.

Die besonders von relativer Kaufkraftarmut betroffenen Gruppen gleichen sich deutschlandweit.

So gelten knapp die Hälfte der Personen, in deren Haushalt mindestens ein Arbeitsloser lebt, knapp ein Drittel der Alleinerziehenden sowie rund ein Viertel der Alleinstehenden und der Personen mit Migrationshintergrund als kaufkraftarm.

Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.

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Kurznachrichten

Mein Auto, dein Auto, unser Auto

Der Trend geht zum Teilen: Jeder zweite Deutsche interessiert sich für Carsharing-Angebote GETEILTER FAHRSPASS. Ob Gärten, Unterkünfte, Essen oder Musik: Der Trend geht zum Teilen. Das gilt auch für Autos. Carsharing entwickelt sich für viele Menschen immer mehr zu einer Alternative zum eigenen Auto.

Jeder zweite Deutsche interessiert sich für CarsharingAngebote. Bei den unter 30-Jährigen sind es sogar zwei Drittel. Das geht aus einer Untersuchung des Bundesverbands Informationswirtschaft, Telekommunikation und neue Medien (Bitkom) hervor. Je nach individuellen Bedürfnissen können Verbraucher auf drei unterschiedliche Modelle zurückgreifen. Beim sogenannten stationsabhängigen Carsharing mieten Kun-

den die Wagen für einen bestimmten Zeitraum, meist ein paar Stunden oder einen Tag. Die Autos werden an bestimmten, festgelegten Parkplätzen oder Stationen abgeholt und abgestellt. Für einfache Fahrten in der Stadt nutzen immer mehr Kunden stationsunabhängige Angebote wie DriveNow oder Car2Go. Per Smartphone-App suchen angemeldete Nutzer nach einem verfügbaren Auto in der Umgebung und buchen es direkt. Beim dritten Modell stellen Autobesitzer ihren eigenen Wagen gegen Geld zur Verfügung, häufig inklusive speziellem Versicherungsschutz. • Quelle: Zeitschrift Deutschland

Ältere Menschen mit weniger Furcht:

Taxi Kasupke über Denglisch und Kiezdeutsch

Jeder Zweite hat Angst vor dem Tod Ältere Menschen haben seltener Angst vor dem Tod als jüngere. Das geht aus einer laut Meinungsforschungsinstitut Insa repräsentativen Umfrage zur Generation 50plus hervor.

Während nur 28 Prozent der 18- bis 29-Jährigen angeben, "keine Angst" vor dem Sterben zu haben, waren es bei den Menschen über 80 immerhin 70 Prozent.

Insgesamt hat jeder Zweite Angst vor dem Tod. Bei den über 50-Jährigen sind es 44 Prozent, bei den unter 50-Jährigen dagegen 62 Prozent.

Das Meinungsforschungsinstitut befragte 2013 und 2014 gut 3000 Erwachsene in Deutschland. Davon waren zwei Drittel älter als 50 Jahre. Von seelischer Belastung im Job sind Jüngere stärker betroffen. Unter allen Altersgruppen hat oder hatte gut jeder Zehnte (11 Prozent) eine psychische Erkrankung, die auf die Arbeit zurückzuführen sei. Bei den unter 50-Jährigen sind es zwölf Prozent, bei den über 50-Jährigen neun Prozent. Allerdings haben die Älteren öfter körperliche Beschwerden wegen ihres Jobs, zum Beispiel einen Bandscheibenvorfall. • Quelle: n-tv.de

Die „Berliner Morgenpost“ thematisierte in ihrer im Berliner Dialekt geschriebenen Kolumne „Taxi Kasupke“ Denglisch und Kiezdeutsch: „[...] der Präsident vonne FU kämpft wie icke jejen die Ausbreitung von Denglisch. Unta diesem fürchterlichen Kaudawelsch, det die Menschen für modern halten, leidet unsere schöne deutsche Sprache. Vom Info Point üba die Kunden-Hotline bis zur Telefon-Flatrate – allet zum davonloofen. Übrijens jenau wie det anjeblich so anjesagte ‚Kiezdeutsch‘: ‚Isch geh Schule‚‘ heeßt übasetzt: und nach der Schule uffs Arbeetsamt, weil ick mit mangelhaften Deutschkenntnissen keene Lehrstelle krieje. Is klar wie Kloßbrühe, oder?“. • (www.morgenpost.de)

Zu guter Letzt "Herr Ober, die Tasse hat einen Sprung!"

"Da können Sie mal sehen, wie stark unser Kaffee ist...!"

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Aus Kundensicht die Besten: Allianz pro Schiene kürt Siegerbahnhöfe

Dresden und Hünfeld sind Bahnhof des Jahres 2014 Nach ausgedehnten Testreisen durch ganz Deutschland hat die Jury ihr Urteil gefällt: Dresden und Hünfeld gewinnen den Titel „Bahnhof des Jahres 2014“. Zum elften Mal in Folge prämiert die Allianz pro Schiene damit die kundenfreundlichsten Bahnhöfe Deutschlands. In der Kategorie „Großstadtbahnhof“ gewinnt das sächsische Dresden, das die Jury als „Denkmal einer lichten, beschwingten Leichtigkeit“ auszeichnete. In der Kategorie „Kleinstadtbahnhof“ überzeugt das hessische Hünfeld, in dem die Jury „ein ländliches Idyll mit Gesamtkonzept“ entdeckte.

Die 6-köpfige Jury besteht aus Vertretern des Fahrgastverbandes Pro Bahn, dem Deutschen Bahnkunden-Verband (DBV), dem Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), dem Autoclub Europa (ACE), dem Allgemeinen Deutschen Fahrrad-Club ADFC und der Allianz pro Schiene.

Ensemble in eine lichte, beschwingte Leichtigkeit verwandelt. Die ruhige Gelassenheit des Gebäudes strahlt auf die Reisenden ab: Hektik kommt in der sächsischen Landeshauptstadt nicht auf. „Mal eben zum Bahnhof hetzen und eilig weiterreisen? Dafür ist dieses Schmuckstück viel zu schade.“ Die Jury ist sich einig: „Der Bahnhof des Jahres 2014 ist wie guter Wein: zum Genießen.“

Hünfeld Bahnhof: Der Idyllische

Dresden Hauptbahnhof: Das Schmuckstück Der Preis in der Kategorie "Kleinstadt" geht nach Hessen, an den idyllischen Bahnhof Hünfeld.

Schmuckstück in Sachsen: Der Hauptbahnhof in Dresden gewinnt den Titel "Bahnhof des Jahres 2014" in der Kategorie Großstadt.

Wie vereint ein einziges Gebäude den Prunk vergangener Epochen und moderne Ansprüche an Funktionalität? „Der Dresdner Hauptbahnhof beweist jeden Tag, dass der Spagat gelingen kann“, urteilt die Jury. Nicht nur ist dieser Prachtbau Kopf- und Durchgangsbahnhof in einem. Nach umfassenden Umbauarbeiten und überstandener Überschwemmung hat sich die Last der Historie an dem denkmalgeschützten-Sandstein-

Das klassizistische Empfangsgebäude ist sehr sauber und sehr grün: Gleich hinter den Gleisen beginnen Wiesen und Felder des Biosphärenreservates Rhön. „Hünfeld ist ein ländlicher Bahnhof im allerbesten Sinne“, lautet daher der Spruch der Jury nach dem Vorort-Test. Offenbar habe man im hessischen Hünfeld beschlossen, sich vorbildlich um seine Gäste zu kümmern. „Reisende mit Fragezeichen über dem Kopf sucht man hier vergebens.“ Ein Reisebüro drinnen, dezente Tafeln zu Stadtzentrum und Wander-Wegen draußen, wer sich hier verirren will, muss sich richtig anstrengen. „In Hünfeld ist mit Händen zu greifen, dass die Stadt sich kümmert“, lobt die Jury und meint damit nicht nur das adrette Umfeld. „Der Bahnhof hat ein rundum durchdachtes Gesamtkonzept. Damit macht Hünfeld, die Wahlheimat des Computer-Erfinders Konrad Zuse, seinem Ahnherren alle Ehre.“ • © Allianz pro Schiene

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Germany's Top Tourist Attractions Board.

The Top 100 sites are spread across all parts of Germany and include 21 of Germany's 39 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

More than 11,000 travelers took part in the survey, which was conducted between August 2013 and April 2014.

Germany's top-rated events included the Munich Oktoberfest, the Nuremberg Christmas market and the Dresden Striezelmarkt.

Neuschwanstein Castle has been voted Germany´s top sight.

Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle has defended its place as Germany's most popular tourist destination, according to a new survey among foreign tourists.

Theme park Europa-Park, located in Rust in southwestern Germany, came second, ahead of UNESCO World Heritage site Cologne Cathedral, according to a new survey released by the German National Tourist

Germany's Top 10 sites: 1 Neuschwanstein Castle 2 Europa-Park 3 Cologne Cathedral 4 Brandenburg Gate 5 Berlin Wall (East Side Gallery, Mauerpark, etc.)

6 Lorelei on the Rhine 7 Black Forest Natural Parks 8 Heidelberg Castle 9 Lake Constance 10 Museum Island

Bulgaria is the cheapest, Denmark the most expensive holiday destination in the European Union In many EU countries, staying in a hotel and eating out in a restaurant are far more expensive than in Germany. In 2013, this applied for instance to popular holiday destinations such as Italy (+13%) and France (+14%). However, tourists had to pay most for hotel accommodation and restaurants in Northern Europe.

Compared with Germany, the relevant price levels in Denmark and Sweden were higher by 53% and 50%, respectively.

Holidaymakers from Germany could however save money in Greece and Spain. Compared with the Federal Republic, the prices for eating out in a restaurant and staying in a hotel in Greece and Spain were lower by 10% and 7%, respectively, in 2013. The cheapest destination in the European Union was Bulgaria where restaurant and hotel guests paid less than half the prices in Germany (-52%). The price level was similarly

low in Hungary and Romania (-46%). • © Statistisches Bundesamt

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Aus Oma's Küche The Weckmann - Man of the Holiday Season Formed out of sweet yeast dough, this man goes by many names in Germany—Weckmann, Nikolaus, Stutenkerl, among others—and is a popular treat for either St. Martin’s Day on November 11, or St. Nicholas Day on December 6. For the traditional Weckmann, the dough is shaped by hand into the form of a man, and raisins and/or nuts are used for eyes and buttons.

In Germany, a clay pipe is often added, but this detail is hard to find in the United States.

The following recipe comes from the website germanfoods.org and is used with permission.

Serves: 10 Ingredients: 1 cup milk 1/3 cup sweet butter 3 tablespoon (1/6 cup) shortening 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons real vanilla extract 1 grated lemon peel 1 bag rapid yeast (1/4 ounce) 3 tablespoon warm water 4 whole eggs 6 2/3 cups flour 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water for glazing Preparation: Mix yeast with warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Combine milk, butter, shortening, and sugar, in a saucepan and heat gently then set aside to cool. Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and pour yeast mixture into the well, cover and

my ear and mind.

• Cherishing the wonderful friends I’ve made in the German community—those who immigrated to America while treasuring their homeland and those born in America who preserve their German heritage.

• Connecting with a larger community of people who have similar admiration.

let rise for 20 minutes. Add milk mixture to flour and mix all the ingredients together. Knead into a ball, dust with flour and let rise for 45 minutes.

Roll dough and divide into 10 pieces to form into men. Place the men on a large baking sheet covered with baking or wax paper, making sure to leave enough room between each shape. Let rise for a further 20 to 45 minutes.

Brush with egg and water mixture, decorate with raisins and dried cranberries for the eyes and buttons Bake at 325 to 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. ©www.germanfoods.org

• Learning more about my ethnic roots. As my father would say, “Know where you came from.” The songs and conversations expound on the beauty of my ancestral country.

• Thankfulness for these Milwaukee treasures. •

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Calendar of Events

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Count Turnip

While not much is known about him, he was believed to have been a giant depending upon whom you ask. He enjoyed courting young ladies and deceiving aristocratic gentlemen, but on the other hand he was kind to poor charcoal merchants. He has a name to remember, Rübezahl, Count Turnip, and comes from the mountains known

GERMAN AMERICAN JOURNAL as the Riesengebirge which forms the border between Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Just how did he get his name?

Well, the story goes that Count Turnip, the mountain giant was subject from time to time with very masculine impulses. When he spotted Emma, the demure daughter of a Silesian king, he felt like any man might in the lusty month of May… especially when Emma was bathing with her girlfriends in a secluded spot. His first attempts proved to be a disaster. He transformed himself into a raven and flew over the bushes. While he saw what he wanted to see, but as a raven he was not particularly impressed by the sight of the young maiden. He tried in the form of a mouse, but that was no better.

The next time, he discovered a new trick. He cast a spell over Emma and enticed her into his subterranean realm. Emma, in fact, felt quite attracted to the giant. Her father wept for a short time, and then returned to his hunting. Kings, as Museus, the narrator of the story, tells us, only grieve for the loss of their thrones.

Back to Emma, who was having a good time with Count Turnip in the under-world. It was true love which he revealed to her and which she blushingly requited.

And yet, something was missing.

She missed the companions of her youth whom she used to play with.

Not to be forgotten, to the detriment of her latest affair, was her love for Prince Ratibor. It was of the prince that she thought when the first flames of passion died down.

How could she get back to him?

She discovered a trick. She pre-

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 tended that she wanted to marry Count Turnip and demanded categorically, as proof of his love for her, that he “go into the fields and count the turnips, and not make a mistake.” (admittedly a pretty stupid demand, but such is the tale).

He set off (also rather stupid for a bridegroom, but that is the way things are) to count the turnips.

One, two, three…being careful all the time not to make a mistake.

Emma saw that the time had come and fled back to the arms of her beloved Ratibor.

And what of our deceived mountain giant? Well he got a new name: Count Turnip.

But Count Turnip was not all stupid or evil. He had his good sides too. He often appears in tales as a giant, and sometimes as a little man. Once upon a time there was a poor farmer left to tend to his sick wife and feed his six hungry children. He begged his relatives to lend him money, but they chased him away. And so he called on Count Turnip who appeared before him in the form of a red-bearded charcoal merchant with a huge club in his hand. To make a long story short, Farmer Veit signed an IOU and got a loan from Count Turnip, but when the farmer wanted to return the sum three years later, he couldn’t find Count Turnip anymore. The honest farmer was uneasy about not being able to repay his debt until he caught sight of a piece of paper blowing in the wind through the forest. It was his IOU torn apart with a note from Count Turnip in one corner: ‘payment received with thanks’. •

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Whisky from Germany

Outside Scotland, there is no other country with so many whisky distilleries as Germany.

Germany of course is the land of beer. You therefore rub your eyes in disbelief at this (sober) statistic: Germany takes in second place, following the frontrunner Scotland, in the number of whisky distilleries. There are around 29,000 fruit and grain distilleries throughout the country, of which 250 produce whisky. About 130 of these again operate in Germany expressly under the name of whisky distilleries.

Renowned along with the Scottish producers of whisky (so the Scottish spelling) are the Irish distilleries of whiskey (so the preferred spelling on the Emerald Isle). Whisky is also abundantly produced in the United States, especially bourbon. But across the pond there is a smaller total number of distilleries. Exotic producers include a few firms in India and Japan. In Germany, it is mainly small family businesses that experiment with the high-proof “water of life” and bottle it in small quantities. Robert Fleischmann from Franconia in BAVARIA started his distillery the “Blaue Maus” (Blue Mouse) more than thirty years ago, and today whisky distilling has developed into a trend. The online portal www.deutsche-whiskys.de reports on the successes: “A few reviews of the whisky Pope Jim Murray have made professionals prick up their ears”. For instance, the Derrina Schwarzwälder Einkorn Single Malt Whisky, produced by the small distillery of Fitzke, scored 96 of 100 points – the hitherto best result for a

German product.

Divided opinion of whisky lovers

The responses of whisky lovers have been divided.

Some consider everything that does not come from the mother countries of the beverage as a sacrilege.

They refuse to drink even a wee dram of it. Others like to try out new things. Experts recommend tasting a German whisky as a distinct drink of its own and not to compare it with Scottish single malt or blend. After all, there are now collectors of German whiskies. Well then – Slàinte mhath! • © www.deutschland.de

German as a native and second language Some 140 million people worldwide speak German as their mother tongue or second language. The group of second language speakers include, for example, people in Germany with migrant background who speak their parent’s language at home and German in everyday life. An estimated 100 million people speak German as a foreign language German is the official language in seven

European countries: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Belgium (Eastern Belgium) and Italy (South Tyrol; it is a recognized language of minorities in eight European countries: Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Poland, Romani, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. • Deutschland.de

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Odds & Ends Berlin’s Festival of Lights 10th - 19th of October 2014 Once a year, Berlin’s world famous sights and monuments in the city centre become the canvas for spectacular light and video projections at the Festival of Lights.

The Festival of Lights takes place each year in October.

It transforms Berlin’s world famous landmarks, cultural monuments, historical buildings, streets and other locations including Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and the radio tower through light. The projections and events are presented by many local and international lighting artists.

History of the Festival of Lights The Festival is organized and led by Birgit Zander, a native Berliner. She developed the concept and brand in 2005 together with her event agency. Since then it has been responsible for the organization and realization of the festival. The original goal of the festival was to take the theme of light and establish a worldrenowned international public event for Germany's capital Meanwhile the Festival of Lights has become a mag-

net for the tourism industry as well as a significant economic factor. Throughout the entire festival period, there are 520,000 overnight bookings, more than 1.5 million guests and many events and conventions which are especially planned during the festival period.

The festival includes various special events such as the arts and culture event "OpenCity“, the “LightRun”, "Jazz in the ministry gardens“ and Sunday sales in shopping centres. Besides, the Festival of Lights is also an active partner in charity events presented and organised by the “City Stiftung Berlin”. • www.festival-of-lights.de/

Berlin’s Pergamon Museum to Close until 2019 Berlin’s most prominent cultural and tourist attraction, the Pergamon Museum, will be partially closed for five years of renovation. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation’s president Hermann Parzinger announced the closure, which began on September 29th. By 2019 the northern and central halls of the museum should reopen. These halls contain its most prominent exhibits, among them the monumental Pergamon alter and other friezes taken from the site in present day Turkey. Work on the southern wing and construction of a fourth wing will then commence and will foreseeably carry on through 2025 or 2026.

More than 1.3 million visitors passed through the Pergamon Museum’s doors last year. That makes the institution both the most popular on Museum Island and in Germany as whole. The decision to close the museum was not taken lightly, according to Parzinger,

who noted that it is the biggest and longest lasting construction project the Museum Island has yet to undertake. •

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Odds & Ends World population grew by 112,350 naturalizations in more than a third between 2013 1990 and 2013

World Population Day is July 11th. On this day, the United Nations (UN) want to draw more attention to the problems of the growing world population.

In 2013 there were roughly 7.1 billion people in the world. Compared with 1990, the world population thus increased by a good third.

In 2013 most people lived in China (1.4 billion) and India (1.3 billion). A comparison with the previous year shows that the growth of India's population (+1.2%) was markedly larger than that of China's (+0.5%). The largest population growth worldwide from 2012 to 2013 was recorded in Oman (+9.2%). However, with roughly 3.6 million, the population of Oman was relatively small. With Qatar (+5.6%) and Kuwait (+3.6%), two other countries of the Arabian Peninsula were among the five nations with the largest annual population growth.

In many European countries, however, the population decreased from 2012 to 2013. The decline was largest in Lithuania (-1.1%). In Germany the population grew slightly by 0.2% according to World Bank data. •

A total of 112,350 foreigners became naturalized German citizens in 2013. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the number of naturalizations did not change on the previous year. Compared with the average of the last 10 years (113,400), it declined by a good 1,000. • Source : Statistisches Bundesamt

Number of divorces down 5.2% in Germany

In 2013, roughly 169,800 married couples divorced in Germany, representing a decrease of 5.2% on 2012.

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that, based on the current pattern of divorce, approximately 36% of all marriages registered in a year will end in divorce within the next 25 years. •

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Odds and Ends 55th German Finger Wrestling Championships Hundreds of lederhosen-clad men competed in the 55th German Finger Wrestling Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, August 2-3, 2014.

In the traditional Alpine sport, two competitors matched in age and weight sit across from one another at a table and pull a small leather band with one finger until one player has pulled the other across the table.

Finger wrestling (or Fingerhakeln in German) is thought to have originated in the 17th century as a way of settling disputes in Alpine countries.

The sport is taken very seriously in Bavaria and Austria. Wrestlers build up their finger muscles by lifting weights with one finger and doing one-fingered pullups.

Injuries are not uncommon at the event; competitors have been known to dislocate or break their fingers. •

Gamsbart The Gamsbart (literally chamois beard, plural Gamsbärte) is a tuft of hair traditionally worn as a decoration on trachten-hats in the alpine regions of Bavaria (Germany).

Originally worn as a hunting trophy and made exclusively from hair from the chamois' lower neck, Gamsbärte are today manufactured on a large scale from various animals' hair and are commonly sold by specialized dealers and also at souvenir shops.

A Gamsbart is made by enclosing the lower end of the tuft of hair in a setting of metal or horn that allows the upper end to spread in a brush-like fashion.

Traditionally, hairs are selected for a dark color at the lower end with a very light tip. The size and diameter

of the Gamsbart are important signs of the wearer's pride and manliness.

Traditionally, Gamsbärte are exclusively placed on hats worn by men; however, recent developments in dirndl fashion have seen Gamsbärte added to various places on female dresses. •

World's first Youth Hostel

Built by the Counts of Berg in the 12th century, Burg Altena was the seat of the influential House of the Marck. In 1912, it became the world's first permanent youth hostel established within the castle, which is still used as such today. The castle also houses two museums: the Museum of the County of Mark and the World Youth Hostels Museum. •

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Odds and Ends Steer kills Austrian farmer Police say a steer killed a farmer while he was working in its stall, in the latest of several deaths or injuries over the past few weeks caused by Austrian cattle.

A police statement says the 49-year old victim was crushed to death. A worker on the farm in western Austria heard screams but arrived to find the man already dead.

He was killed a little more than two weeks after a herd of cows attacked and killed a German woman hiking through their pasture in Tyrol province. Police said the animals were apparently riled by the sight of her leashed dog, and was the woman was rushed by about 20 cows and their calves. No word if the dog sustained any injuries.

The both victims names were not released in accordance with Austrian confidentiality rules. •

Austrian Mountain Rescuers Deliver High-Altitude Baby A team of 15 mountain rescuers accompanied by a gynaecologist had to climb 8,200 feet above sea level to help deliver a baby in Austria, police have said.

The mother, 30, went into labour in a mountain hut at around 7am, but could not be brought down by helicopter due to bad weather in western Austria's Alps.

"The team managed to bring her down to 8,200 feet where the baby was delivered in a meadow," said a police spokesman. "The weather then cleared and a helicopter was able to take them to hospital." •

Currywurst turns 65!

It's "A Happy 65th Birthday" today to Germany's iconic CURRYWURST. Invented, according to Currywurst legend, in her Berlin kitchen by Herta Heuwer using ingredients from a British military services store.

On September 4, 1949 she opened a stall on the corner of Charlottenburg's Kant and Kaiser-FriedrichStrasse, offering Currywurst for 60 pfennig, at the time about 50 US cents and 6 UK pennies, and a cult began.

Photo from - Die "Echte" von Doenninghaus aus dem Bratwursthaus - Bochum in the Ruhrgebiet. Home of some of the best Currywurst around. • Francine McKenna, BellaOnline's German Culture Editor

Milwaukee's German Fest puts the FORCE in Hunger Task Force!

Milwaukee's German Fest is proud to have collected 15,075 pounds of donated food for the Hunger Task Force, helping families in need put food on the table. In addition to non-perishable foods, there were cash donations totaling $698.48.

Congratulations German Fest! •

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DANK Summer Membership Drive Continues Through October 30th From June 1st to October 30th, DANK is offering a special pro-rated membership fee to new members who join during this time period only. The fee, $40 per single/head of household has been reduced to $20; spouses from $10 to $5. ($25/couple). This will cover membership dues for the balance of 2014.

As a new member, you will receive four issues of our German American Journal: June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/ Nov, and the Dec/Jan 2014 issues - (a $10 value); you will be joining the brotherhood of thousands of people who actively acknowledge and preserve their Germanic heritage; meet other like members and share in

the camaraderie of a chapter at special events such as German American Day, Oktoberfests, Christmas parties and more. Many chapters offer discounted prices to chapter members; opportunities to travel, language classes and more. Most importantly they will be helping us to preserve the heritage entrusted to us when the German immigrants gathered to lay the foundation of respecting and honoring our German heritage.

To join or enroll new members go to www.DANK.org and join on-line. Or for more information contact our National Office: 888-USA-DANK . •

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New Members Chicago South Janice and Dirk Wolgast Chicago, IL Michelle Mbekeani Robert McHugh Springfield, IL Elsa O’Connell Jack Trapp Juliet Eggemeyer Benton Harbor, MI Carol and Robert Puckett Bonnie and Kent Ramsey Bruce Burke Milwaukee, WI Randall Peterka Elizabeth Kressin Julia Durica Richard Stenzel

Kathryn and Richard Seelig Leonard Kressin Richard Durica Chicago Northern Suburbs Chris and Malik Carter Sabine Schweich Chareena, Andrew and Kay Wrobel Christina, Jack, Brett and Emily Van De Walker Andrew Gander Jonah Carter Bettina, Leroy, Marion and Rebecca Herrmann Farhad and Rameen Marzban Suma, Vasi and Kamala Urs-Juffa Kristine Willman-Hammer and Caedence Hammar Rosemary, Peter and Lukas Prommer Jenny, Alex, Chris and Thomas Silke Clementine Hagler

Dawn Patitucci Renata Szmal Mary Arden Juergen JuffaJonah, Chris and Malik Carter Cleveland, OH Martha, Thomas, August and Frieda Strohmann South Bend, IN Scott Sherry Pittsburgh, PA Shirley Wilkinson Erie, PA Caleb Pifer Patricia Madlehner Thomas and Barbara Hutzelman Jim and Kathi THuran Rebecca Heidecker

We welcome our newest Life Members:

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Siddatha

By John Bareither Everyday, I gave my Pakistani co-worker Amin (pronounced Amen) a ride to and from work. One day he asked me on our way home if I had every heard of Hermann Hesse. I thought to myself "Herman who.". I told Amin that I hadn't heard of this Hermann Hesse guy. Amin replied, " You have a German last name and you never heard or Hermann Hesse". "He wrote a great novel about India-Siddhartha and won the Nobel Prize for literature.

Well, I informed Amin that just because I have this funny sounding German last name doesn't mean that I know every good, bad and ugly German. I also asked Amin" Why would a Pakistani guy be interested about a German guy that wrote a book about India". Amin explained that when India won it's independence from Britain in 1947 it resulted in a partition of India and Pakistan. This partition resulted in a bloody conflicted (loss of ten of thousand of lives) that gave birth to the majority Muslim state of Pakistan. He went on to say that India and Pakistan are very unfriendly neighbors today.

Well, I thought that I better find out something about this Herman Hesse guy or I would never hear the end of it from Amin. I couldn't exactly tell Amin to take the bus-he paid me $20.00 for the ride.

Our novelist was born on July 2, 1877 in Calw,Germany.

India was part of the family history and business you might say. His parents and one grandfather's were all Pietist missionaries (a movement within the German Lutheran church) for a good part of their live. His grandfathers house was full of mementos of his missionary work in India.

Hesse was not a very consistent student during his adolescent years. Though he was able to attended preparatory school in Göppingen and easily passed the treacherous Swabian state examination. Thus making him eligible to study for the protestant ministry at the prestigious Maulbronn Seminary. Hess didn't take well to life at the seminary and ran away after a year. He became serious depressed and attempted suicide at the age of fifteen. After a brief period in an institution, he enrolled in a secondary school in Bad Cannstatt and finished his formal education there. His formal education was followed by an apprenticeship with a clockmaker in Calw, and then worked for a bookmaker in Tübingen.

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In 1899, he would move to Basel Switzerland. That same year would mark the publications of his first works, the prose collection "An Hour Behind Midnight" and a volume of poetry "Romantic Songs". His first big literary success came in 1904, with the publication of his first novel, Peter Camenzin. Hesse married in the same year and settled in the small German town of Gaienhofen, not far from the Swiss border.

The couple would take the trip to the East Indies in 1911. Thus beginning Hesse's profound interest in Eastern religions and culture. This trip would be a catalyst for him to write Siddhartha.

By the start of World War l , Hesse had moved to Bern Switzerland. At the out break of war he volunteered for military service (he was not accepted for military service) , as the war progressed he grew critical of the war and spreading of German Nationalism. His view made him very unpopular with his German neighbors.

In 1922, Hesse novel Siddhartha was published. It is a reflection of his immersion in Asian mysticism and culture. Siddartha would become a favorite of Indians and other peoples surrounding India. The book is about a man that is in search of peace and inner contentment. Hesse spent much of his life looking for the same contentment that Siddartha sought. The book would become a favorite of the American counter culture of the 1960's.

With the rise of Nazism after the fall of the Weimar Republic many of Hesse's books addressed German Anti-Semiticism. The result of his speaking out against anti-Semiticism resulted in his works being banned in Germany. After the publication of his novel The Glass Bead Game (1943) he was blacklisted by the Nazi's. Nothing the German government did deterred Hesse from speaking out about German atrocities during the war.

Yes, Amin was correct that Hermann Hesse won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. His acceptance speech embraced the ideals of the Nobel Foundation:"The idea that the mind is an international and supra-nation, that it out to serve not war and annihilation, but peace and reconciliation. Herman Hesse died in 1962 and left a legacy that lives on today and into the future".

Unfortunately, Amin and I no longer drive to work together. We still remain very goods friends. Amin did buy me a copy of Siddartha for my reading pleasure.

My friend left me with his kindness,Hermann Hesse and of course- Siddartha. •

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Die Auswanderer Ferdinand Freiligrath, 1810-1876

Ich kann den Blick nicht von euch wenden; Ich muß euch anschaun immerdar: Wie reicht ihr mit geschäft'gen Händen Dem Schiffer eure Habe dar!

Ihr Männer, die ihr von dem Nachen Die Körbe langt, mit Brot beschwert, Das ihr aus deutschem Korn gebacken, Geröstet habt auf deutschem Herd; Und ihr, im Schmuck der langen Zöpfe, Ihr Schwarzwaldmädchen, braun und schlank, Wie sorgsam stellt ihr Krüg und Töpfe Auf der Schaluppe grüne Bank!

Das sind dieselben Töpf und Krüge, Oft an der Heimath Born gefüllt!

Wenn am Missouri Alles schwiege, Sie malten euch der Heimath Bild; Des Dorfes steingefaßte Quelle, Zu der ihr schöpfend euch gebückt, Des Herdes traute Feuerstelle, Das Wandgesims, das sie geschmückt.

Bald zieren sie im fernen Westen Des leichten Bretterhauses Wand; Bald reicht sie müden, braunen Gästen, Voll frischen Trunkes, eure Hand.

Es trinkt daraus der Tscherokese, Ermattet, von der Jagd bestaubt;; Nicht mehr von deutscher Rebenlese Tragt ihr sie heim, mit Grün belaubt.

O sprecht! Warum zogt ihr von dannen!

Das Neckarthal hat Wein und Korn; Der Schwarzwald steht voll finstrer Tannen, Im Spessart klingt des Älplers Horn.

Wie wird es in den fremden Wäldern Euch nach der Heimathberge Grün, Nach Deutschlands gelben Weizenfeldern, Nach seinen Rebenhügeln ziehn!

Wie wird das Bild der alten Tage Durch eure Träume glänzend wehn!

Gleich einer stillen, frommen Sage Wird es euch vor der Seele stehn.

Der Bootsmann winkt! - Zieht hin in Frieden: Gott schütz euch, Mann und Weib und Greis!

Sei Freude eurer Brust beschieden, Und euren Feldern Reis und Mais!

The Emigrants

© Translation: Roland Freischlad, 2012

To take my eyes off you? No, never!

I have to look, and look again: O, how your hands are busy ever To hand your things to sailor-men!

You men, who in the boat are posted To grasp the baskets full of bread: Of German grain t'was baked, then roasted Back at a German farming stead.

And you, adorned with lengthy braiding, Black Forest girls so tan and lank, Upon the sloop's green storage bank!

These are the pots and crocks which often When thoughts at the Missouri soften, They will go back to German loam, Will go to village wells, where bending You often drew the water cool, Will go to hearths, 'round which extending Were mantelpieces, as a rule.

Those crocks will beautify the boarding Of lodge pole cabins way out west; Soon they refreshment are affording, Cool water to a native guest.

The Cherokee his thirst is slaking With it, back from a hunting scene; No longer vessels these are making For German grapes with leafy green.

Pray tell, what prompted you to leaving The Neckar Valley's wine and grains?

Black Forest pines to hills are cleaving, The Spessart echos alphorn strains.

Oh, how in daydreams you'll be longing Back for the homeland mountains green; To golden wheatfields you'll be thronging, To German vineyards once again!

Yes, how the thought of bygone living Will color often what you dream!

A quiet, pious legend giving It is your soul -- theme after theme.

The skipper waves! Farewell with blessing!

Godspeed to young and old of days!

May joy be ev'ry heart possessing, And may your fields grow rice and maize!

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Kinderecke Liebe Mitglieder, liebe Leser, In der letzten Ausgabe des DANK Journal (August/September 2014)ist uns auf Seite 38 (Kinderecke) ein Fehler underlaufen.

Wir bitten hiermit das Versehen zu entschuldigen.

Auserdem danken wir unseren eifrigen Lesern, den der ein Fehler aufgefallen is, und uns darüber zu berichten. •

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 .

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