2010 Winter Mag DS_German Culture

LANDESVERBAND

NEWSLETTER AND MAGAZINE

DONAUSCHWABEN/GERMAN CULTURE

02/24/13

January February March 2010 Volume 5 Number 1

VISITING AUTHOR-ARTICLE

FEBRUARY 2010

Prinz Eugen Focus at Belvedere

Forwarded by Anita Pare, Molidorf Descendant


Prince of Savoy-Carignan Francois-Eugène	Belvedere Palace, Vienna

            An exhibition on Prince of Savoy-Carignan Francois-Eugène as a statesman and an art patron will open at Vienna’s Belvedere gallery on Thursday, February 11, 2010.

            Prinz Eugen, as he is known in Austria, was a renowned lover and collector of art and the military commander left a vast collection of paintings, copper engravings, hand writings and books.

            He became one of the most influential Austrians of his time when he moved to the country after being rejected by Louis XIV for service in the French army.

            The Belvedere was Prinz Eugen’s summer residence.

            The body of Prinz Eugen, who was born in 1663 and died in 1736, is buried at a chapel named after him in Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

            The exhibition "Prinz Eugen - Feldherr, Philosoph und Kunstfreund" (Prinz Eugen – Commander, Philosopher and Friend of the Arts) will run until 6 June 2010 at the Unteres Belvedere.

            Meanwhile, the gallery’s famed permanent collection of works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and others is on display at the Oberes Belvedere.

Austrian Times

http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Panorama/2010-02-10/20503/Prinz_Eugen_focus_at_Belvedere

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

We Remember Our Ancestors

Forwarded From Trenton Donauschwaben

It’s been 30 years since the late Peter Kiss initiated services at our club’s large memorial at Our Lady of Lourdes cemetery near Trenton. That inaugural event followed a long and arduous process led by Peter to fund the purchase of a large 20’ x 10’ plot and three granite monuments engraved with text and victims’ names. It would surely please Herr Kiss to know that three decades later the memorial service remains a vital and well-attended happening on the club’s yearly calendar.

Held each All Soul’s Day, the event recalls the tragic history of the Donauschwaben in the aftermath of WWII. White crosses with names of the many concentration camps are placed around the monuments as a stark reminder of what happens when hatred, vengeance and opportunism collide. The well manicured memorial stands as a silent witness to the horrors of so many years ago. Through prayer, song and ritual, almost 40 members and friends gathered this past November 1st to insure that those who lost their lives were not forgotten. Among other things, the service featured remarks by Andy Franz as well as a poem recitation by Eva Martini, both survivors of this terrible time period.

Our youngest generation was also on hand to lead the crowd in prayers, they included Brittaney, Mary, Luisa & Christina. Luisa also read a passage from the German language bible entitled “Der Herr ist mein Hirte” and sang the Donauschwaben Volkshymne. It was all most meaningful and well received. Many then returned to the club for complimentary coffee and cake to end the afternoon in a most enjoyable manner. We’re happy to report that the event continues to enjoy excellent support from our own club as well as from members of the German American Society and from the Philly DS. In fact, the numbers have been growing over the past few years. It is also very reassuring that every age group is well represented as it bodes well for the future of this important club undertaking. We look forward to seeing you there next year.

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

United German Hungarians

COOKBOOK

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the United German Hungarian Club, we will be having a number of events, activities and celebrations. One of these will be the compilation and publishing of recipes. We are asking that you begin to collect these recipes. We are looking for recipes that have to do with our German Ancestry, e.g. from any German speaking areas of Europe. There will be more information to follow. For any questions, please call Marlene Fricker at 215-275-4991.

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

Deutsche Sprach Schule

Forwarded From Trenton Donauschwaben

ADULT SCHOOL

Guten Abend—Our adult language teacher, Andy Franz, is soliciting students for his Fall class. Classes are held each Wednesday night from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. We have a number of “adults” enrolled already. Do not be shy, drop by and try it out! Contact any officer if you are interested in attending.

Auf Wiedersehn.

YOUTH SCHOOL

The youth class continues to meet each Friday night from 6:30-7:30pm. Our students continue to perform during our monthly dinners with great success. Enrollment is still open so please contact woodworks5@AOL.com or 609-586 6109 if your child or grandchild wants to check it out. Open to all students from Kindergarten through high school.

SCHOLARSHIP DONATION

AutoKlub leader, Terry Huff, presents a check for $900 to student scholarship chair, Liz Tindall, at our 53rd Anniversary Dinner on 18 October 2009. The money was raised by a raffle held at our 2009 auto show this past summer. The donation will be used in 2010 to award scholarships to local high school students.

VISITING AUTHOR-ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

Schweine Schlachte

By Erika Scheffrahn

(An Interview with her Father)

Forwarded by American Aid Society, Chicago

My name is Adam Berger, born 1928 in Mitrowitz, Syrmien, Yugoslavia. I would like to tell you about my childhood memories of Schweine schlachten before they're forgotten or I'm gone. Most of them are my own happy memories and some are those told to me by my parents and grandparents. This event held in autumn was not a fest celebrated but rather a special family gathering for us.

I've always enjoyed remembering the story of how my grandfather Georg Berger was a wise and well-liked man.

It was during the Depression on St. Josefs Day in March that my Opa Berger went to the market. A Serb greeted him and asked him if he would want to buy a load of salt for only 100 Dinar. Opa Berger answered back, "If I spent that kind of money on salt, my wife would kill me". The Serb replied, "111 sell it to you for only 50 Dinar". Opa Berger said," but I only have 20 Dinar in my pocket". The Serb yelled, "Sold, the whole wagon is yours". That's how my Opa Berger ended up with 1000 kilos of salt, but that's not how the story ended. One purpose of the salt was to feed it to the pigs. Normally when it came time to schlachten, he would usually butcher 4 pigs. Since he had so much salt to preserve the meat, he decided to slaughter the 12 pigs he owned. Because of hard times, he couldn't sell the pigs nor could anyone unfortunately even afford to buy the smoked pork. But fortunately for Opa Berger, he could use the pork in exchange for money to pay any bills he had and to use the pork meat to barter in exchange for paying the wages to the workers who weeded the cornfields in spring.

The strongest and fondest memory of childhood was during the Schweine schlachten every year especially after we moved to Klenak, Syrmien, Yugoslavia. At age seven I started school. My sister and I had to ask the teacher for a day off in order in order to help the family. This would be repeated for almost a month, as we would take turns going to my three uncles homes to Schweine schlachten. All the relatives would gather together on different days to help each other repeat the processing of the meat. The Schwobs had the best assembly line going.

First fire had to be started to boil the water in a fifty gallon kettle. They began with straw, and then dry corn stalks, added kindling, and finally wood. The actual killing of the pigs was done by the manure pile so that when the throat was cut the blood running out would be less of a mess to clean up. Hot scalding water was poured over the entire outer pig to clean it and be able to shave all the hair off the body. The men would hang up the pig by the hind feet then slit it open to remove the internal organs. The lung, pancreas, and liver were boiled to make Blutwurst. The women would separate the intestines. Resi Basel was the best at doing her job. The kids liked to watch and join in the washing of the intestines. Luke warm water was poured into the Large and small intestines to clean them and to turn them inside out to be used for the casings. This was a fun thing to do because it looked like a snake slithering really fast.

The carcass of the pig is taken down to be further cut up into sections such as the ham then cut up further into strips like bacon. Next the meat is ground up and spiced to make liverwurst and bratwurst. The next day my father, Philipp would salt the meat. The ham would soak in the salt for about four to six weeks. The kids liked to cut the cubes to make Gramle. This reminds me of something that happened. The adults told the kids that one of them would be special enough to get a ring. Little did the kids know what kind of ring they meant. The younger children didn't understand the prank, but the older kids knew it meant putting the finger of the unexpected child into the butt of the pig which left a black ring. I had an Onkel Anton who was just two years older than I was, but I called him cousin. His nickname was smart aleck Toni. Toni chose me to be the victim. The older Onkeln pretended to go along with his trick but grabbed his finger instead of mine and put it into the pig. He was very upset because they made it twice in a row that he got the ring. The older Onkeln made the excuse that they thought they had Adam's hand. Toni had more bad luck at his house when he was supposed to guard the meat to allow the fat to run off and he didn't pay attention so the dogs started eating the pigskin and stomach.

After all the hard work was done for the day, everyone looked forward to the big family dinner to taste the results of their labor. The children went outside stood by a window and sang a song before they would eat.

"Ich hab gehort ihr habt geschlacht.

Gibt mir oner gibt mir nicht

so kleinr gibt mir lieber zwei for oner.

Keichel hinein Keichel heraus,

oder schlag ich a Loch ins Haus."

Then the children would run back inside the house to eat their favorite food, fried liver. The entire process of slaughtering the pigs was repeated for almost a month because of going to the three uncles homes.

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

Carpathia Sprach Schule

Forwarded by Carpathia Donauschwaben

By Irene Dietz

Das neue Schujahr hat in diesem Jahr im Oktober angefangen. Unsere Wochendschule existiert schon seit Jahrzehnte. Der Grossteil der Schueler ist im Grundschul – und Kindergartenalter aber wir haben auch einige High School Schueler. Das Kindergartenalter lernt die Sprache auf spielerische Weise und mit Musik.

Wir bieten den Schuelern ein vielseitiges Programm an was auch Freude macht zum lernen. Es wird nicht nur gepaukt. Das Schulgeld ist ja bescheiden und ab und zu bekommen wir auch eine grosszuegige Lehrmittelspende. Die Schueler bekommen einen guten Einblick in unsere deutsche Kultur und deutsche Gebraeuche.

Nun moechte ich ihnen auch unsere Lehrkraefte fuer 2009-2010 vorstellen ja, wir haben eine neue Lehrerin fuer die 1. Klasse Frau Maria Pledl, „Herzlich wilkommen“. Frau Ingrid Wasserbaech unterrichtet die 2.Klasse und ich habe die 3.Klase. Mrs. Elke Becker ist unsere Aushilfslehrerin.

Bald werden die Schueler Weihnachtsgedichte und Lieder mit nach Hause bringen, da heisst es wieder tuechtig lernen. Die Weihnachtsfeier ist am 20. Dezember (2 PM) also garnicht mehr solange. Der Weihnachtsmann wird dann auch kommen und alle lieben und braven Kinder beschenken. Hiermit wuensche ich und im Namen der Lehrerinnen Ingrid Wasserbaech, Maria Pledl, und Elke Becker. Ein recht frohes Weihnachtsfest und die besten Wuensche fuer das Jahr 2010 Schule beginnt wieder am 8.Januar 2010.

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

Erntedankfest

Thanksgiving in Germany

Forwarded From German Cultural Society, St. Louis

America, again, celebrated the annual feast of Thanksgiving Day. Turkeys were the centerpieces of numerous dinner tables, and side dishes such as green bean casseroles, candied yams, and cranberries will release their savory aroma into the air. On the fourth Thursday of November, 2009 Americans commemorated the early settlers’ thanksgiving to God for their land, harvest, and continued survival, by feasting, crafting, and family togetherness.

Germans, too, celebrate a day of thanksgiving to God for a plentiful harvest. On the first Sunday of October (in most locations), visitors to German churches will find a plethora of fruits, vegetables, sheaves of grain, and also baked goods, as decorations around the altars. Visitors to market places and fairgrounds will oftentimes find Erntedankfest (literally: harvest gratitude festival) dances, displays, booths, a special Erntefeuer (harvest fire), and other festivities to celebrate this occasion. Since the Reformation the “Michaelistag” on September 29 has been considered the end of the harvest season, and Erntedankfest with a special church service is celebrated on the first Sunday of October. Beautiful displays, typically of colorful fruit and vegetables as well as grains and breads, are set up before the altar as symbols of gratitude to God. Afterwards all the produce may be donated to the needy. Especially in rural areas, the end of the harvest is cause for lively celebrations.

The U.S. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. It commemorates the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving to the Almighty for the land and for a plentiful harvest. They celebrated it with the Indians and thus it is a celebration of brotherhood, where different kinds of people are breaking bread together. It is a national holiday and coincides with the opening of the winter holiday season. President Franklin Roosevelt discerned Christmas’ economic potential as a counter-cyclical celebration and attempted to move Thanksgiving from the last Thursday to the third Thursday in November in order to get Christmas shopping humming sooner.

Harvest celebrations were held in the Old World long before the days of our pilgrim forefathers. “Erntefests” are thanksgiving celebrations for the harvest of locally grown produce, ranging from grapes to grain. They are great community affairs and many have their origin in pagan rituals. They are traditionally celebrated in early October, on the Sunday after the full moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox. In America that moon is known as “Harvest Moon.” Through the centuries, villages all over Germany have marked the end of this period of backbreaking work with mirthful festivals that include dances, parades, games, banquets and pageants. They vary from region to region - also by name - depending on the time and type of harvest.

In the wine growing areas the “Winzerfest” is celebrated with cider, new and old wine, food, and dancing, when the last grapes have been picked. In the Alpine regions grain is brought into barns on big wagons, pulled by decorated oxen. On top of the wagons may be sheaves of grain, bound in the form of a figure, animal or human. The last sheaves are left on the fields so that the next harvest may be plentiful and for animals to glean. In some places these traditions still survive even though modern machinery has hastened the process of bringing in the crops. A harvest is reason to celebrate in (rainproof) festival tents, with music and dancing, food and drink and merrymaking.

In Germany the “Erntedanktag” (literally “Harvest-Thanksgiving- Day”) is an official holiday. Harvest Festivals (Erntefeste) are celebrated in churches and market places, in homes and dance halls. While the German-speaking countries also observe the principle of separation of church and state “politically”, public displays of religious holiday traditions are a part of the local culture, and are as accepted as they are expected and enjoyed by the whole community.

There is no exact equivalent of Thanksgiving in the German-speaking countries. They didn’t have any Pilgrims, of course. Since before the time of Christ, though, there have been celebrations of the fall harvest. Officially, Protestants in Germany celebrate toward the end of September and Catholics in the first few days of October, depending on dates. Different regions of the country celebrate differently. In some, children make straw puppets. In others, public feasts and dancing are the norm. In still others, there are tractor-led parades with farm children driving sheep, pigs, etc. Everywhere, though, people are thankful for the harvest and the food in front of them. This celebration has not historically been limited to German-speaking countries. The celebration is more of a regional one in the German-speaking countries, not a national day off. It is also a bit more religious in nature than our Thanksgiving. Regardless, there does seem to be a very old, common practice of giving thanks for the product of months of hard work.

By Helga Thalheimer

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2010

UGH German American Day at Christmas Village

Forwarded From UGH

Photo by Kim Walter

Our dance groups performed at the Christmas Village at Dilworth Plaza in front of Philadelphia City Hall on December 12th for their German American Day. The group performed about eight folk dances including Schuhplattlers, and other dances the group is known for e.g. the Kreutz Koenig (some of us call it the flying dance), the Miners Dance, and children’s folk dances that our club has performed for over 40 years, and all performed the Stern Polka.

Marlene Fricker served as our MC and did a fine job introducing our various groups and gave an interesting description of each dance.

Most parents, some members and friends attended as well as the many visitors to the Christmas Village which consisted of 60 wooden booths which formed a medieval village selling European food, sweets and drinks as well as high quality arts and crafts.

It was so cold that day!!! Our president treated all to a hot mulled wine or a hot chocolate drink.

Many took advantage of the many sites of Philadelphia during this Christmas season. It was a fun day for all the dancers.