Fall 2015 - German-American Citizens League

The German Pioneer
The Official Newsletter of the
German Heritage Museum
of Greater Cincinnati
It’s Oktoberfest Season!
Greater Cincinnati’s “German Time” Begins
With New Event Benefiting Your Museum
It’s the most German time of year in the most German area of the country: Oktoberfest season! This year features a new kick-off event directly
benefiting the German Heritage Museum. On Thursday, August 27th the
German-American Citizens League will co-host Oktoberfest Night at Cincinnati’s newest brewpub, Taft’s Ale House! The evening will start with tapping of the Oktoberfest bier at 5:30. Beginning at 6:00 and going to 11:00
there will be a Masskrugstemmen, or beer stein holding contest. This
distinctly German competition challenges you to hold a full 1-liter stein at
arm’s length for as long as possible. The winner of each round gets to keep
the stein, and there will be additional hourly and overall prizes for the best
times for both men and women. Entry into the competition costs $5, all of
which goes to your museum! Upon entry Taft’s Ale House will give you a
$10 gift certificate good on a future visit. In other words, you
come out $5 ahead for entering! In addition, Taft’s will offer
a 10% discount on food and $1 off beer pints for anyone who
wears tracht to the event. This promises to be an exciting
evening, so we hope to see you there!
Continued on page 3
Fall 2015 Vol. 7 No. 2
Inside
1
Oktoberfest Season
2
Upcoming Events
Join the Museum
4
German Heritage Month
5
Member Renewals
Buy a Brick!
Museum T Shirts
The German Pioneer is the official newsletter of the German Heritage Museum of Greater
Cincinnati. The museum is administered by the
German-American Citizens League (GACL).
The German Heritage Museum serves as a
focal point in presenting and displaying German-American culture. This museum is the first
of its kind in the region and a testament to the
many contributions German immigrants and
their descendants have made in the growth of
the Ohio Valley and America. The museum focuses especially on representing the history of
German-Americans in the Greater Cincinnati
area, which became and remains one of the
major German-American centers in the United
States. In addition, displays showcase the activities of the organizations currently under the
umbrella of the German-American Citizens’
League of Greater Cincinnati.
All contents are copyright © 2011, GermanAmerican Citizens League, and may not be reproduced elsewhere in print or electronic form
without written permission from the editor. Full
credit must be given to both the author and the
GACL. Unsigned material is editorial matter or
authored by the editor.
Newsletter Editor
Robert Westendorf
10296 Deerhollow Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45252-8502
513-245-1224
germanheritagemuseum@gmail.com
Advertising Rates
Advertising is graciously accepted.
The rates are as follows:
Full page: 1 issue: $30, 4 issues: $90
Half Page: 1 issue: $17, 4 issues: $51
Quarter Page: 1 issue: $10, 4 issues: $30
Business Card: 1 issue: $5, 4 issues: $15
Contact the editor for more information, including submission requirements.
Back issues are available at no cost on the
FGHM website
Join The Friends
The Friends of the German Heritage Museum
(FGHM) was formed to support the German Heritage Museum, and was established by the German-American Citizens League (GACL).
The FGHM invites the support of all who are interested in the German Heritage Museum and wish
to ensure its continued success for future generations. We strongly encourage all those interested
in the German Heritage Museum to become a
member of the FGHM!
Friends of the Museum may also wish to volunteer as guides at the Museum or assist in locating
items of German-American heritage for donation
to the Museum.
Membership Category
Individual
Family
Non-profit Organization
Business
Sponsor
Benefactor
$20.00
$30.00
$35.00
$50.00
$100.00
$500.00
Memberships are for a one-year period, and include an electronic subscription to this newsletter.
Upcoming Events
August 27th: Oktoberfest at Taft’s Ale House
See details on page 1
August 28-30: Oktoberfest at Germania Park
See details on page 3
August 28-30: Oktoberfest at Liberty Home
See details on page 3
September 18-20: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
See details on page 3
October 2-4: Donauschwaben Oktoberfest
See details on page 3
Month of October: German Heritage Month
See details on page 4.
Second Monday: Stammtisch Night
Join the GACL and it’s member clubs at Hofbräuhaus
Newport from 6:30 to 9:00 for general information
and lots of socializing. Stammtisch participants will
receive special pricing on food and beverages.
Memberships, heritage items and financial donations will support the Museum, as well as its ongoing educational programs and activities in the
Greater Cincinnati area.
Make your contribution payable to the GermanAmerican Citizens League, a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization. Gifts are tax deductible.
Please mail your membership or contribution to:
Karin Kraeling
GACL Treasurer
3258 Hanna Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45211
karinkraeling@gmail.com
Information
For further information about the museum, or the
Friends of the German Heritage Museum, contact:
Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann
GACL President
6829 Westin Ridge
Cleves, OH 45002
dhtolzmann@yahoo.com
Museum Hours
The museum is open on Sundays, mid-May through October, from 1 until 5
PM. The museum can also be opened by special appointment. There is no
admission charge. The museum is staffed solely by volunteers. If you have
a desire to view any particular artifacts, please make prior arrangements by
calling (513) 574-1741.
The museum is located in West Fork Park, at 4764 West Fork Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45247.
Map It!
Continued from page 1
Oktoberfest Season!
Next up on the schedule is Cincinnati’s original Oktoberfest, the Germania Oktoberfest. Back for it’s 45th
season, it all starts on Friday, August 28th, and runs through Sunday, August 30th. Located on the grounds
of Germania Park in Colerain Township, admission is only $4 with free parking. Germania’s Oktoberfest is
famous for outstanding food and drink, lots of German entertainment, rides and games, and overall Gemütlichkeit!
Following up on Labor Day Weekend is the Liberty Home Oktoberfest. Held from Friday, September 4th
through Sunday, September 6th, admission is only $3 with free parking. Liberty Home Park is conveniently
located on SR 128, near Hamilton. This weekend also offers great food and drink, and Liberty Home’s famous cabbage rolls!
Rolling into downtown, America’s largest Oktoberfest takes place over the weekend of September
18th-20th. Originally started by the German-American Citizens League, the GACL is still deeply involved, and the German societies of the league are featured in the Grand Opening ceremonies and
parade on Saturday morning. This massive event takes place on Fifth St., in downtown Cincinnati.
Rounding out the season is the Donauschwaben Oktoberfest, held on the weekend of October 2nd-4th. Held
at Donauschwaben Park, in Colerain Township, admission is only $3 with free parking. This final weekend
features over 25 imported and domestic beers on draft (including the new Donauschwaben house brew
“Schwaben Lager”), pit-roasted Bavarian pig and chicken, homemade German sausage, stuffed cabbage,
goulash with Spätzle (noodles), homemade tortes and pastries, funnel cakes, goetta, and so much more!
October is German Heritage Month
Since October 1989, German-American Heritage Month has been sponsored in the Ohio Valley by the German-American Citizens’ League, which was founded in 1895. The month is centered around October 6th, which was the day in
1683 when the first permanent German settlement was established in Germantown, Pennsylvania. October is also
Family History Month.
October 11 & 18 & 25, 2015 (Sundays) Visit the German Heritage Museum at West Fork Park in Green Township at 4764 West Fork Road.(The Museum
is closed October 4, 2015, please attend the Donauschwaben Oktoberfest in Colerain Township.)
October 3, 2015 25th anniversary of German Unity Day
October 3, 2015 Annual Genealogy Fair with various groups including the Germany Genealogy Interest Group where you can ask the experts German
Genealogy questions and trace your German roots - 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. Downtown Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County at 8th & Vine Streets.
October 4 thru 6, 2015 Reflections on/of German Unification, a conference at the Max Kade German Cultural Center, University of Cincinnati, Room
701 - See www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/german/ events.html
October 5, 2015 “Reading Old German Script in Genealogical Records - Part 1” Presented by Kenny Burck and/or Deb Cyprych of the Hamilton
County Genealogical Society Pleasant Ridge Public Library at 6233 Montgomery Road.
October 6, 2015 28th anniversary of German-American Day
October 11, 2015 “German Unity Day Celebration to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of German Unification in 1990”- Hosted by Dr. Richard
E. Schade, Honorary German Consul Emeritus and Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, President of the German-American Citizens’ League and Curator of the
German Heritage Museum - 2:00 p.m. German Heritage Museum at West Fork Park in Green Township at 4764 West Fork Road.
October 13, 2015 “Reading Old German Script in Genealogical Records - Part 2” Presented by Kenny Burck and/or Deb Cyprych of the Hamilton
County Genealogical Society Pleasant Ridge Public Library at 6233 Montgomery Road.
October 18, 2015 “The German Heritage of Montgomery County, Ohio” Presented by Dr. Elfe Dona (Wright State University), 2:00 p.m. German
Heritage Museum at West Fork Park in Green Township at 4764 West Fork Road.
October 20, 2015 “Reading Old German Script in Genealogical Records - Part 3” Presented by Kenny Burck and/or Deb Cyprych of the Hamilton
County Genealogical Society Pleasant Ridge Public Library at 6233 Montgomery Road.
October 22, 2015 “Printed Resources for German Genealogy” Presented by Kenny Burck of the Hamilton County, OH Genealogical Society, 7:00
p.m. Kenton County, KY Public Library at 5th & Scott Streets, Covington, KY.
October 25, 2015 50th anniversary of Austrian National Day
October 25, 2015 “Reflections on Unity” Presented by Dr. Andrea Fieler (Northern Kentucky University) 2:00 p.m. German Heritage Museum at West
Fork Park in Green Township at 4764 West Fork Road.
October 27, 2015 “Reading Old German Script in Genealogical Records - Part 4” Presented by Kenny Burck and/or Deb Cyprych of the Hamilton
County Genealogical Society. Pleasant Ridge Public Library at 6233 Montgomery Road.
Programs sponsored by the:
German-American Citizens’ League of Greater Cincinnati, Hamilton County (OH) Genealogical Society, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton
County, OH, Wright State University, Kenton County (KY) Public Library, Northern Kentucky University, UC Max Kade German Cultural Center
Museum T Shirts
In Short and
Long Sleeves
Our popular GHM museum T shirts
are available in long and short sleeve
versions. Available in S though 3XL,
a new supplier has enabled us to
drop the price to $15 for short sleeve,
and only $20 for long.
New Members
and Renewals
Thank you for your
continuing support!
Buy a Brick!
Commemorate the contributions of the
German-Americans of Cincinnati
by becoming a part of
The Heritage Walk
at the German Heritage Museum.
Sponsor
Individual
Dave Carpenter
Ron Von Den Benken
Helga & Mathias Bucher
Frances Morris
Organizations
Bayerischer Unterstützungs Verein
To become a member of the
Friends of the German
Heritage Museum,
see the information on page 2.
Thank You!
The Heritage Walk is a 24 x 26 foot brick walkway directly in front of the German Heritage Museum. The
purpose of the walkway is to allow the people of Cincinnati to celebrate their German-American heritage by
becoming a permanent part of the German Heritage
Museum. In addition, all funds derived from this program will assist in the maintenance of the museum.
It’s For Everyone
You need not be of German ancestry or even from the
Cincinnati area to become a part of The Heritage Walk.
You need only be proud to be a citizen interested in
preserving a large part of Cincinnati’s history.
Gift or Memorial
An engraved brick makes a thoughtful and lasting gift
to a relative or friend. A brick can also be a way to memorialize your ancestors and others. Gift cards are also
available. In addition, donations are tax deductible!
Bricks are available in two sizes. The large 8x8 bricks
have space for up to six lines of 14 characters each.
The smaller 4x8 bricks have space for up to three lines.
Large bricks are available for $50. Small bricks are
$35, or three for $100.
Note: We have short sleeve shirts in
red with white or black lettering, as well
as black with yellow lettering, and long
sleeve in black with yellow lettering
Join Us On Facebook!
Order Today!
The German Heritage Museum is now on
Facebook! Just click the logo below, and you’ll
be taken straight to our page.
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For more information about obtaining your brick for The
Heritage Walk at the German Heritage Museum, contact:
Manfred Schnetzer
moschnetzer@fuse.net
5986 Ranlyn Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45239
513-923-3743