The German Cultural Society of Erie, Pennsylvania Newsletter

The German Cultural Society of Erie, Pennsylvania
Newsletter: June 2014
Printer: Gannon University Press
Website: http://gcsoe.org
Mission:
The mission of The German Cultural Society of Erie, Pennsylvania, is to preserve German values, customs,
language and music through education and activities. The German Cultural Society of Erie, Pennsylvania, aims to
unite German-Americans and to share our German culture in the community through special events and charitable
functions.
Meeting Location and Date:
All are invited to attend our meetings and events. We meet the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the
Erie Männerchor Club, 1607 State St. in Erie.
Officers - 2014:
Board of Directors - 2014:
Paul Fischer,
President
838-4315
Rose Hill
825-6721
Betty Schubert
Vice President
217-9425
Wayne Koble
873-7552
572-8016
Carol George
572-2774
864-9474
Carol Matheis
864-8417
Marilyn Mack
734-3706
Tom Laska,
Alice Niebauer,
Treasurer
Board Secretary
Committees:
Membership:
Betty Schubert
217-9425
Ways & Means:
Carol George
Wayne Koble
873-7552
572-2774
Christian Mueller
825-5702
Nancy Rusnak
864-3427
Marilyn Melhuish
833-6718
Parliamentarian:
Marilyn Melhuish
833-6718
Dance/Luau:
Bill Matheis
864-8417
Grant Programs:
Paul Fischer
838-4315
Website:
Roy Voshall
898-2124
Activities:
Marilyn Voshall
898-2124
Newsletter:
Wayne Koble
873-7552
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Programs:
Newsletter Additions
If you have a notice that you would like to appear
in our newsletter, please submit to Wayne Koble,
PO Box 67, Girard, Pa. 16417. Or e-mail to
milesgrove@aol.com. Information is due by the
20th of the month.
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
A big ‘thank you’ for your patience and understanding of the May meeting
reschedule. In an effort to be as transparent as possible and to keep things in
the proper perspective a bit more information should make matters more clear.
Those of you who are members of the Erie Maennerchor know that there are
some major transformational changes being made within the club building and
also its management and staff. So far a modern new kitchen was recently
installed and there have been some lesser decorating changes. Of more importance however,
and affecting all members and visitors to the Maennerchor is that there is a new head chef, a
new banquets reservation person and an aggressive search is underway for a new club
manager. The Maennerchor has not had an active manager for several weeks. These changes
are the result of the Maennerchor Board of Directors wishing to better position itself in the
market going forward and more in keeping with the ideals of the Maennerchor founders. As
part of these revitalized ideals I will be meeting with Maennerchor Directors in an effort to
make our GCSoE part of the ‘new Maennerchor’. The ‘road bumps’ of the May meeting
reschedule and the frigid ballroom conditions on May 15 were anomalies that should not
occur going forward. Until the dust of the transformation settles there may be occasional
quirks but working together we’re determined to make this a win-win situation for the GCSoE
as well as the Erie Maennerchor. We both understand that we basically have a great thing
going for each other and that we need each other. Your patience, understanding and
cooperation will be sincerely appreciated as a new chapter is opened in the Germanic heritage
of our community.
As part of this new vision the Erie Maennerchor has planned a bus trip to Pittsburgh on
August 10th for a ‘meet-and greet’ with members of the Pittsburgh Teutonia Maennerchor
at their Club to be followed by a lunch/dinner on your own at the Pittsburgh
Hofbrauhaus. To join in on this brief day trip would be a great way to show our intent to be a
good partner with our local Maennerchor and possibly ‘borrow’ some ideas from the highly
successful Pittsburgh Teutonia Maennerchor. Details to follow soon.
Paul E. Fischer, President
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Calendar of Events
June 07
June 12
June 25
July 12
July 16
August 06
August 10
Bus Trip to Westside Market in Cleveland
Sold out
Monthly Meeting
Program: Kurt Hersch, “An American Student in Cologne, Germany”
Nuremberg, Germany Dancers at the Siebenberg Club
For tickets call Hildegard Marshall at 825-4137
Bus Trip to Great Lakes Wine Festival, Watkins Glen, NY
See inside of this newsletter for information
GCS of Erie Annual Picnic at Scott Park
See inside of this newsletter for information
Abend Essen Dinner
Call Carol George for information at 572-2774
Maennerchor Club Bus Trip to Pittsburgh
Contact the Maennerchor Club for details and reservations at 452- 4731
August 16
GCS of Erie Schweinfest
Pleasant Ridge Park, Dobler Road, Fairview, Pa.
September 11 Monthly Meeting
“.Getting to know you.”
October 9
October 10
Monthly Meeting – Program TBA
Bus Trip to “Cabaret” and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
$139 per person. Passport required. More to information to follow
November 2 “All That Glitters Jewelry Party”
Information to follow
November 13 Monthly Meeting
Herr Mueller’s Deutsche Spreche
December 5-7 Bus Trip to Bethlehem, Pa. Christmas Market
More information to follow in future newsletters
December 11 Annual GCS of Erie Christmas Party
The German Cultural Society of Erie holds a German Folk Dance class every
Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. for FREE. Beginners welcome! The steps are easy and our
experienced dancers are happy to assist you. It is a great way to exercise to music
with friends and to appreciate our German heritage.
Classes are held at St. Joseph Church, 147 West 24th Street Erie, PA. Call Bill
Matheis 814-864-8417, for more information.
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Announcements & Coming Events
German Cultural Society of Erie – Annual Picnic
Pack Your Picnic Basket and Come to,
The German Cultural Society, Summer Picnic
Wednesday, July 16th at Scott Park
(Across from St. Jude’s Church on West 6th Street)
GCS of Erie will provide: Hot dogs and buns, condiments, horseshoes, hula hoops,
and hillbilly golf.
Members are asked to bring: Table service, beverage of their choice and a dish to
share with members.
We will gather around 3:00 PM for social time and we will eat between 4:30 and 5:00 PM .
Carol Matheis
Editor’s Note: Please be advised that last month’s Newsletter had an incorrect
date for the picnic. As noted above, the actual date is Wednesday, July 16.
Thank-you.
Welcome New Members!
Paula & Robert Praetzel
Donald & Judy Nordin
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Review of May 8th Meeting
German Cultural Society of Erie President,
Paul Fischer, assisted by his son, Mark
Fischer gave our membership an
educational, yet often amusing insight into
the history of the Erie organ industry (which
was started by German immigrants). This
industry contributed greatly to the
development of the Erie region. His
presentation was accompanied by a slide
show documenting the various organ
manufacturing locations in their past and present state.
Preview of June 12th Meeting
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a semester and study in
a foreign country? How about Germany? Or how about a beautiful and historic
city such as Cologne? Well the speaker for
our June meeting did exactly that. Erie
native Kurt Hersch, currently
Instructor of Entrepreneurship at
Gannon University spent a semester
doing graduate work in Cologne. Kurt will
share his experiences as a young
American living and studying in a distant
land. Not any distant land, but the land of
his ancestors. Join us for what should be an insightful and entertaining
evening.
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Finger Lakes Wine Festival-Saturday, July 12, 2014
Motor coach departs Walmart parking lot on upper
Peach Street in Erie promptly at 6:30 AM for Watkins
Glen, New York where we will spend the day sampling
the best wines and cheeses New York State has to
offer.
They have partnered with regional chefs, The New York
Wine & Culinary Center, Finger Lakes Culinary Center, Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty
and Cargill, Inc. to bring you cooking classes and demonstrations. No festival is
complete without live, quality entertainment and at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival
there is no shortage of talented individuals and groups. With over 25 bands booked in
the four major courtyards, roaming a-Capella
singers and much more – you can’t help but
enjoy the atmosphere they’ve created.
Brings a lawn chair to lounge by the bus and
enjoy the weather and the wine. You will even
have a chance to ride around the famous
Watkins Glen race track in an official pace car.
The festival runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We
will arrive back in Erie by 9:00 PM.
COST $89 PER PERSON
Trip includes: Roundtrip motor coach transportation, admission to Wine
Festival, wine glass, festival guide, and carry bag plus bus driver gratuity.
SPACE IS LIMITED. PLEASE CALL IN YOUR RESERVATON TO 814-923-1044. THEN FILL OUT AND RETURN
THE FORM ON THE OUTSIDE COVER OF THIS NEWSLETTER. INCLUDE PAYMENT IN FULL TO ADAMS
TRAVEL AND MAIL TO 3714 ZUCK ROAD, ERIE, PA. 16506. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 923-1044
OR E-MAIL adamstravel@verizon.net
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German Heritage in America
Oldenburg is a quaint little town located in the southeast corner of Indiana in
Franklin County, with a population of about seven hundred.
Driving into town the visitor finds German/English signs at each
intersection, and from there it only gets better. Oldenburg is not
set up as a tourist site, but has the touch of authenticity
reminiscent of the original settlers from northwest Germany.
Founded in 1837 by Johann Heinrich Ronnebaum and Heinrich
Plaspohl from the Oldenburger Münsterland (parish of Damme),
the town attracted many immigrants from their homeland,
giving Oldenburg a distinctive north German Catholic flavor and
character. Like German hometowns, Oldenburg's horizon is
defined by its towering church-related structures, causing it to be known as "the
village of spires."
Built in 1862, the Gothic Revival style, Holy Family Church
forms the nucleus of Oldenburg and is adorned with beautiful
stained-glass windows. Additionally, there is the Franciscan
Monastery, which was built in 1894, and is located on
Perlenstrasse, whereas the other church buildings are on
Hauptstrasse. In the Holy Family Church cemetery many of
the stone and iron grave markers bear German inscriptions.
A drive through Oldenburg reveals that the residential
architecture is as impressive as that of its religious
institutions. Brick and stone houses, many of them built
before 1900, adorn the town, often combining home and shop
together. In 1983, Oldenburg was not surprisingly added to the National Register of
Historic Places. In 1863, Morgan's Raiders, led by General John Hunt Morgan, came
through area, providing interesting anecdotes to
places where the Confederate soldiers drank
beer, or had their horses shod.
also is the Kessing Haus Café.
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After touring the town, visitors will obviously
want to look for some refreshment. The Brau
Haus, which features German and American
brews and items on its menu, is especially well
known for its fried chicken. Another good place
to whet your thirst and satisfy your hunger is at
the Perlen Strasse Pub. And if your taste runs
in the direction of a good cup of coffee there
From Christian Mueller
German Cultural Society of Erie
PO Box 67, Girard, Pa. 16417
Finger Lakes Wine Festival, Watkins Glen, NY
Saturday, July 12 * $89 per person.
Name________________________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________
City/State____________________________
Zip Code _______________________
Phone______________________ E-mail Address __________________________
I am enclosing $89 per person x _________ people = $ __________________________
Are you interested in purchasing travel insurance for this trip for anyone in this reservation?
_____ Yes ____ No Signature ____________________________________________
Mail to: Adams Travel, 3714 Zuck Road, Erie, Pa. 16506. Make checks payable to ADAMS
TRAVEL.
For more information, read page 6 of this newsletter.
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