September 2005 

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!!!! 

Thank you to Ed and Sarah Zoglman, Don and Eileen Scherle, and John and Julie Gutgsell for Chairing our Main Food Booth, the Pastry Stand, and the Souvenir Booth.

Thanks also to Mike Hochgesang, Rafe Ackerman, Tom Schmidt, Phil Schmidt, Linda Burk, Leo Eckerle, and Jim Corn and their hard working set up and tear down crews.   Much preparation goes into the planning, setting up, and take down of the area occupied by the Deutscher Verein during the Strassenfest.

Thanks to all who worked their work shift(s) in the main food booth, the pastry stand, and the souvenir booth.   Proceeds from these booths are the only source of revenue for the Deutscher Verein.

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

Thanks to Mike Ackerman for the "smooth" ride during the Strassenfest parade .

  20 th Anniversary of the Sister City Partnership Celebrated

  The Jasper Partnership Commission with assistance from members of the German Club and Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc. planned the 20 th Anniversary Celebration of the Jasper-Pfaffenweiler Sister City Partnership.   The Partnership Commission serves as the official liaison between the City of Jasper and Pfaffenweiler , Germany , their Sister City .

Fifty guests from Germany arrived via train at the Train Depot in Jasper on Tuesday, August 2 nd .   The guests were greeted by their host families and friends.   A welcoming ceremony took place and the guests were shown their names on bricks purchased from ROJAC.   These bricks are in the courtyard near the Train Depot.   The guests from Germany stayed in the homes of area family and friends.  

On Wednesday morning, a Partnership Meeting was held in the Pfaffenweiler Room at Jasper City Hall .   Attending were both Mayors, members of the Partnership Commission,   and members of the Pfaffenweiler and Jasper communities.   Both Mayors shared information on the happenings within their communities.   Attendees found that there are similar challenges in both communities.

The dinner and program celebrating the 20 th Anniversary was held on Wednesday, August 3 rd , at the Jasper Outdoor Recreation Club.   A dinner was served followed by a Program with speeches, signing of the 20 Year Partnership document by Mayor William Schmitt and Pfaffenweiler Mayor Fritz Gutgsell, and presentation of gifts.   Mayor Gutgsell was also presented with the "The City of Jasper German Heritage Leadership Award", from the City of Jasper in recognition of "23 years of Leadership in the Promotion of the Jasper/Pfaffenweiler Partnership".

The Strassenfest began on Thursday, August 4 th .   Pfaffenweiler Mayor Fritz Gutgsell and his wife, Brigitte, and this year's Grand Marshals, Franz and Baerbel Hilger of Pfaffenweiler, were a part of the opening ceremonies.   The Gutgsells and the Hilgers have visited Jasper many times.    

A special feature of the Strassenfest were the Alpine Horn Blowers from Pfaffenweiler.   This quartet performed the same mountain songs which entertain the citizens of Pfaffenweiler and at other festivals in Germany .   The Alpine Horn Blowers were featured on the German Club Float in the Strassenfest parade and members of Pfaffenweiler's Brass Band were on St. Joseph 's Catholic Church Float.       

The visitors from Germany took part in the Eckert Mill dedication along the Patoka River on Saturday, August 6 th .    They brought with them from Pfaffenweiler a carved stone to be used in the reconstruction of the Mill.  

On Tuesday, as part of the departing ceremonies, the Baumann Cross, located in the south lawn at St. Joseph 's Catholic Church, was rededicated.

The guests from Pfaffenweiler departed Jasper on Tuesday, August 9 th .

Dear Friend Bill,
Dear friends and citizens from Jasper,

Our visit in Jasper to celebrate our 20th existence of our partnership was an absolute highlight, a true anniversary.   The exceedingly heartfelt hospitality which all of our 49 travelers experienced impressed us with no exception. The success of all anniversary activities had to reward all your organizational and financial efforts and at the end had to help (hopefully) forget all the hard work which automatically are related to such an undertaking.

We enjoyed the stay in Jasper and your versatile program offering. The responsible ones of the Partnership Commission and the employees of the City Hall under the leadership of Bill Schmitt  worked exemplary and fulfilled more than we could have expected.

We think back to the great welcoming with the great surprise - a historical train, a new train station and the engraved bricks on the train station lot.   The partnership Evening will be unforgettable in the beautiful decorated Jasper Outdoor Recreation. Another impressive event also was the opening ceremony of the Strassenfest, the Strassenfest itself and the great parade on Sunday.

We were amazed by the wonderful ground breaking ceremony for the Eckert Mill and were delighted to see the huge interest by the people of Jasper in the project.

We were and are totally fascinated by the great museum.   We were also very happy to be part of the wonderful German Mass on Sunday.

We want to thank you for all the tour and program offerings. Our special thank you goes out to all our dear hosts, which gave the partnership meeting with their big hearted hospitality an even bigger note.   Very heartfelt thank you we want to express for the nice guest gifts.

We hope that the partnership will continue to grow on these harmonious commonalities and friendships, and that   we can give back at the next official counter visit at least a bit of what we were able to experience with you.

In Representation for the traveling group from the Sister City of Pfaffenweiler

Fritz Gutgsell, Bürgermeister  

Annual Fall Picnic

Date:  Saturday, September 17, 2005

Place:   Jasper Outdoor Recreation Club

Please join in celebrating the hard word done during the Strassenfest. Bring a friend.

We will be showing a collection of pictures during the Picnic from the 20th Anniversary / Strassenfest activities that was put together by Ruth Wibbels.

Members with last names beginning A - P are asked to bring a covered dish and members with last names beginning Q - Z are asked to bring a dessert to complete the meal.

This year's menu will be a selection of sausages from Kroeger & Sons Sausage at Findlay Market in Cincinnati along with some fresh Spaetzle and two types of Sauerkraut .

Frische Metts: Known as a fresh bratwurst in the United States (except for Cincinnati ).   It is a very mild sausage with predominant flavors of white pepper, nutmeg and a hint of mace and it some contains mustard seeds.

Vidalia Zwiebelwurst: This is a mildly sweet sausage with chunks of genuine Vidalia sweet onions and is finished with a touch of Parmesan cheese.

Huehnerwurst mit sonnengetrockneten Tomaten und Chili Flocken: Although still mild this one is a little tangy.   This chicken sausage has a coarse but smooth texture with bits of sun dried tomatoes and chili flakes.

Geraeucherte Bierwurst: A flavorful variation of our mild German metts, with the added flavor of a locally brewed lager beer.

Gemuesewurst: Fresh green bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, marinated in a mixture of red wine, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.   This mixture is then mixed with a finer textured sausage that has a predominant fennel flavor.

A fresh brew of Sunderman's Pilsner and Wheat beer is bottled and stored at a cool place ready to be served to you at the picnic.   Bring your own Beer Steins. A beer tastes so much better out of a real mug than a plastic cup.

Again, we have been able to have the Doppel Adler Musikanten, from Indianapolis , IN , as our main attraction.   This should be a lot of fun, and hopefully you   will have some strength left after the Strassenfest to dance some Polkas and Waltzes with the Doppel Adler Musikanten.

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

Winners of Strassenfest Events Sponsored By The Deutscher Verein

Log Sawing Contest

  Grand Champions:   The Wood Chucks with Jennifer Goeppner and Alicia Roach

Women's Division:   The Wood Chucks with Jennifer Goeppner and Alicia Roach; and second Alicia and Amber with Alicia Bies and Amber Gudorf

Men's Division:   First, Virgil's Wernerschnitzels with Luke Werner and Brad Eckerle; and second, Beavers with Kris Buechler and Eric Goeppner.

Outdoor German Home Decorating Contest

Most traditional German theme:   Allan and Bonnie Gessner

Most original German Theme:   Paul and Sue Habig

Best use of Lights:   Joe and Irene Eckerle

Sheephead Tourney

  Winners:   First, Leroy Schnaus; second, Dennis Beckman; and third, Karl Margarida

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

  Deutscher Verein Float in Strassenfest Parade

  The Deutscher Verein Float   won the Strassenfest Award in the Strassenfest Parade.   The Deutscher Verein was awarded a plaque and the plaque was sent to Pfaffenweiler via one of the guests from Pfaffenweiler to be presented to Burgermeister Gutgsell. 

  German Heritage Day Program and German Heritage Award

  The 7 th annual German American Day Program will be held on Thursday, October 6 th , at the Schnitzelbank Restaurant.   Social hour begins at 6:00 pm with the Program beginning at 6:30 pm .   The seventh annual German Heritage Award will be presented.   Cost for the German-style buffet dinner is $10.   For reservations, please call Patti Goepfrich at 482-4821 by September 30 th .

Julie Newton, JHS German Language Teacher, will give a presentation.   The winners of the Essay Contest will also present their essays.

Thank you to the German American Bank for again sponsoring an essay contest open to all seniors in the four county high schools.

Past recipients of the German Heritage Award are Mary Jo Meuser, Claude and Martina Eckert, Dave Buehler, Linus and Sally Lechner, Joe and Irene C. Eckerle, and Danny and Linda Wehr.

THANKS TO OUR DEDICATED WORKERS

Without the dedication and cooperation of the workers in the main food booth, the pastry stand, and the souvenir booth, the Deutscher Verein could not be successful during the Strassenfest.   Thanks to all who "pitched in".

Our goal is to be able to have a financial report of our stands at the Fall Picnic.

Ed and Sarah Zoglman
General Chairpersons

Upcoming Event - Mark Your Calendars!

November Deutscher Verein Meeting -- Annual Auction for JHS Student Exchange

Date:     Thursday, November 17, 2005

Place:    VFW in Jasper

See upcoming newsletters for more details .

Deutscher Verein Scholarship

The Jasper DeutscherVerein awarded a $1000 scholarship in May to Aaron J. Ketzner, son of Joseph and Karen Ketzner of Ferdinand.  Aaron is a Forest Park High School graduate and is enrolled at the University of Evansville majoring in Engineering.   Congratulations to Aaron on this achievement!

As a reminder to all of the membership, the Jasper Deutscher Verein accepts applications each year from any graduating senior from any of the 4 Dubois County High Schools who has completed three years of German Language studies in High School while planning to continue their German Language studies at a University or College.    All applications received are then evaluated and one or more selected, as appropriate, for the scholarship award each year.

Thanks to those who served on the Scholarship Committee.

Beneath the Cherry Sapling

Legends from Franconia

Edited and Translated by Norbert Krapf

This book is in both German and English.   Copies of this interesting book will be available for sale at the Annual Fall Picnic and the German Heritage Dinner or by contacting Patti Goepfrich at 482-4821 or pmgoep@fullnet.com .

Cost is $12.

Donation to  Holy Family School

The Jasper Deutscher Verein . or Jasper German Club was founded a quarter century ago with the purpose of being a social club dedicated to promoting and preserving our local German Heritage.   We firmly believe that our German Heritage with its traits of frugality, hard work and faith in God has been the driving force in the successful development of our fine community.

The German language is certainly part of that heritage.   On Thursday, May 12th, at the monthly Holy Family School Board meeting, the Jasper Deutscher Verein recognized Holy Family School  for their German language program with a donation of $250 for use in continuing this program.   The Jasper Deutscher Verein salutes Holy Family's efforts and recognizes the importance of the Holy Family School German language program in promoting and preserving our local German heritage!

Donation to Eckert Mill at Groundbreaking

The Jasper Deutscher Verein recognized the Eckert Mill project at Groundbreaking on Saturday, August 6th, as symbolic of Jasper's German Heritage by donating $2500 (in addition to our previous $5000 donation last year) for the purpose of building the Water Wheel for this working Mill.   The Jasper German Club firmly believes that the symbolism of the Water Wheel as the driving force in the operation of the Mill is very symbolic of how our German Heritage has been the driving force in Jasper's growth and prosperity since our forefathers emigrated to this community.

Congratulations to ROJAC and to the citizens of Jasper on all of its efforts to create this fine project!  

JHS German Club Fund Raiser

The JHS German Club will be selling Advent Calendars beginning in late October.  Please contact any German Club member or Julie Newton by phone at 482-6050 or email at jnewton@gjcs.k12.in.us if you are interested.

German Festivals Around the State

Anderson Octoberfest - last Thursday of September
Huntingburg Herbstfest - 4 th week of September
Kokomo Octoberfest - 4 th weekend of September
New Harmony Kunstfest - 3 rd weekend of September
Seymour Octoberfest - last week of September, 1 st week of October
Marion Octoberfest - 1 st weekend of October
Terre Haute Octoberfest - 1 st and 2 nd week of October
Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt - 3 rd weekend of November
Fort Wayne Christkindel Market - 4 th week of November
Jasper Tannenbaum Days - 1 st weekend of December

Thanks to Ralph Ruppel of Vincennes for gathering this information.   For more information on German Heritage in Indiana , contact the Indiana German Heritage Society at 317-464-9004 or www.ighs .org.

US Congress Declares 2005 The Year Of Languages

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed resolutions declaring 2005 as the Year of Languages. Celebrations are to take place throughout the U.S. encouraging Americans to study a foreign language. The goal of The Year of Languages (YOL) celebration is to advance the concept that every American should develop proficiency not only in English, but in other languages as well. It provides an opportunity to focus attention on the academic, social and economic benefits of studying other languages and cultures from around the world.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) will join with educators throughout the U.S. to make the 2005 school year a time of renewed awareness of the academic and cultural value of language programs. Government officials, school administrations, classroom teachers and ACTFL and its affiliate organizations are to build together greater public awareness of other languages and cultures. To achieve this special community events, school programs and student activities are to build public awareness of the diverse languages and cultures that enrich the American way of life. Our friends, neighbors, colleagues and employees come from a vast array of backgrounds, and knowing more about their heritages, cultures and literature will build stronger ties and increased understanding between us.

German is a World Language and there are many reasons to learn it According to the Goethe Institute: German is the most commonly spoken language in the European Union. 18% of the world's books are published in German. German is the second-most commonly used scientific language. Learning German provides deeper insights into a region that plays a vital role in central Europe 's intellectual and economic life and in its cultural history.
 
This is a great opportunity for the German-American community to also highlight the heritage of the German language in the U.S. German is also an important U.S. Heritage Language. Before World War I, more than 6 percent of American schoolchildren received their primary education only in German. Today, there are still 1.4 percent German speakers in the United States . It is the fourth largest language group following Spanish, Chinese, and French. Nearly 142,000 Californians claim to speak German followed by New York and Florida with 93,000 and 90,000 respectively. There exists in the US a large body of literature, music and other writings in German, which is together wit other non-English language writings, an important part of American history and culture. If this neglected part of American history and heritage is not made available by having it translated there will never be a comprehensive and true picture of US history and culture.

The ability to learn, to converse in and comprehend another language is only the beginning. The skills taught as part of language learning make a student's performance better overall: students enrolled in language programs perform better in other subjects than those who are not, and the College Board has found that secondary students with four or more years of language instruction score higher on the SAT!  That's the kind of evidence that provides compelling reason to make language courses a part of a balanced core curriculum. Yet in Indiana Core 40, languages are not required in the basic high school diploma, they are required only for the academic-bound students. While parents often are in favor of the foreign language programs this is a money and school funding issue. PR and letters to the school board and legislator are the only course of action right now to hold on to the dwindling German programs. Please write and talk to school board and to your senators and representatives that these programs are worth keeping! You can help celebrate the year by encouraging family members and friends to study German or highlight German language learning at your local heritage festivals. At the International Festival in Indianapolis   "The Year of Languages: Deutsch is Cool!" will be the theme of our International Festival booths (Nov. 3-6). We are looking for posters by students, volunteers, especially native-speakers including German exchange students. We need help in getting the word out about YOL and suggestions on how we can help to publicize this and getting German-American organizations involved. We will focus on YOL "Deutsch is Cool", so come and visit us at our booths.  For more information the Goethe Institute and the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) have wonderful resources available. Most can be downloaded from their web sites:
http://www.goethe.de/ins/us and http://www.aatg.org.
http://www.yearoflanguages.org

For the poster contest: http://www.aatg.org/programs/hsstudentprogs/YoLPoster.htm

Potential New Club Members

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

Travel to Europe in the 1950's

In January of 2005, in the Looking Back section of The Herald , a paragraph appeared mentioning Editor A.T. Rumbach's visit to Pfaffenweiler in 1954.  

In doing some research at the Jasper Public Library, it was discovered that there are many articles written by A. T. Rumbach describing his visits to Europe in 1950 and 1954.   These articles appeared in the Hark the Herald section of The Dubois County Daily Herald in the days and weeks following his return to Jasper.

In the coming months, a portion of these articles will be featured in the Erinnerst Du Dich?.     The following is some background information on these articles.   Fred Rumbach was born in Reute , Germany on March 5, 1881 .   He arrived in Jasper with his parents when he was seven months old.   His brother, A.T., was born in Jasper in 1895.   A.T. died in 1958 and Fred died in 1969.   In August of 1950, they visited Reute.   In 1954, they visited Reute and also visited Wagshurst and Pfaffenweiler.   Virgil Gramelspacher and Alphonse Sermersheim accompanied them on their 1954 trip.   The dates that you will see in connection with the articles are the dates these articles appeared in The Dubois County Daily Herald .   One note, these articles were written prior to the establishment of Sister Cities International but read as a blueprint for Sister Cities.

Erinnerst Du Dich?

From The Dubois County Daily Herald

Tuesday, October 17, 1950

HARK THE HERALD

Why Do People Go Abroad? By A. T. Rumbach

When the Queen Mary drove within sight of the American shores, past the Statue of Liberty with its brightly burning torch held on high, and up to her pier at the foot of the Fiftieth street in New York City, early Thursday morning (October, 1950), her two thousand passengers heaved a sigh and exclaimed:   "Gee it is good to be back in the good old U.S.A.."   The same sentiment has been expressed for many years by the passengers of other ocean liners and airplanes.

Still the rush for reservations for overseas voyages continues from year to year; and when future travelers shall have completed their trip and returned to home base, they will all echo the same sentiment.   And when they finally approach their own home, whether it is a hovel in the forest of Maine or a mansion in California , or a modest home in Indiana , the words of John Payne's famous old song "Home, Sweet Home," will rise from their hearts to their lips:   "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."

Why, then do people spend time, money and energy on travel abroad?   The answer is contained in another stock phrase invariably uttered by returning wanderers "I am glad it is over.   I would not care to go through it all again, but I would not take a million for what I saw and learned."

People usually refer to Europe as the Old Country.   It is exactly that. When one reflects that the earliest signs of civilization in Europe date back to the Roman Caesars, a century before the birth of Christ, where as our civilization is scarcely two hundred years old, and in most places the celebration of a centennial is a momentous occasion.   Even that owes its origin to one or another of the countries of Europe .

Touring Europe is, therefore, really a treat for an American, but the only practical way of doing so, is through a travel bureau, an organization which plans and systematizes the trip, arranging the itinerary, making hotel reservations far in advance, providing baggage handling facilities and providing guides to explain the history and traditions of the places on the schedule.   There are three classes of people who should never attempt to journey abroad, the lazy, the impatient and the intolerant.   The first will find the long rides, the hikes up endless stairways and hilly districts and the punctual schedules unbearable.   The second will "blow their tops" at the endless routine of official passport, visa customs and other formalities.   The third, while failing to broaden their own concept of life in the rest of the world, will antagonize their hosts, sowing the seeds of ill-will rather than those of good-will between nations.

Americans, who go in for foreign travel, should be ambassadors of good-will for their country to the nation which they visit.   For upon their conduct and deportment abroad depends largely the judgment the host countries will form of America .

There are in every group of travelers a few "super-patriots"   who spend their time in making comparisons between the Good Old U.S.A. and the country in which they happen to be sojourning - comparisons which are invariably unfavorable to the latter.   They persist in making "wise cracks," harmless in themselves, and fundamentally true, but still remarks which are knife-stabs into the sentimental hearts of their hosts.   Such remarks as:   I would not give a dime a dozen for all the ancient ruins or the long-haired music, or the so-called dishes for gourmets in this God-forsaken country.   Or-why they are fifty or a hundred years behind the times, etc., such remarks are certainly not conducive to the strengthening of international relationship.

One should always bear in mind that to the people who live there, it is "Home, Sweet Home!" - the land which gave them birth - the land where they spent their happy childhood - the land where they learned from their mothers' lips and their fathers' example their traditions of patriotism, religion.   Whether their country or religion, their customs or traits appeal to one or not, the traveler owes it to his hosts to respect their way of life, and to see the better side of what the scene offers.

Having just returned from such a journey, the writer feels that he should share his good fortune with those who for one reason or another, cannot, or who are wise enough that they choose not to leave the leisure and convenience of their happy homes to go on a long tiresome trip abroad.   We shall try to avoid the tedious recitation of our itinerary and the obvious sights to be seen there, giving rather, our impressions of the conditions prevailing abroad and an interpretation of the habits, customs and way of life existing in the countries visited .

(Found in The Dubois County Daily Herald and written by A.T. Rumbach.)

Bavarian Beer Soup

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Wash the lemon and vigorously rub the sugar cubes on the rind.   Put the beer, spices and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and add the bread crumbs, flour and water while stirring constantly.   Turn up the heat again and continue stirring until it has thickened.   Add a dash of lemon juice.

Take the saucepan off the heat and sieve the soup.   Mix in the egg yolk and serve.  

(taken from Cooking and Healing with Beer - Secrets from Germany's Famous Andechs Monastery )

Bob Sunderman's Beer Bottles

One of the German guests found the bottle to be so interesting; he took it back to Germany with him!!!

Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment

Recent Gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment

  Jim and Pat Fritch in memory of Frances Kunkel

  A gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment of the Dubois County Community Foundation is a wonderful way to remember that special someone.   A gift in honor of someone or in memory of someone may be given.   The Dubois County Community Foundation will send a letter of acknowledgment to the individual being honored or to the family of someone being remembered.   Send your gift along with the information below to the Dubois County Community Foundation, P. O. Box 269 , Jasper , IN   47547-0269 .   Appropriate envelopes are also available at the greeting table at each club meeting.  

Enclosed is my gift of $___________.   Please direct my gift to the Jasper Deutscher Verein (German Club) German Heritage Endowment.  

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

City/State/Zip: _________________________________

I want my gift to be in memory of/in honor of:

_____________________________________________

Please acknowledge gift:

Name: _______________________________________

Address:______________________________________

City/State/Zip:__________________________________

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