14. Februar, 2008

am 26. und 27. April, 2008

Carpathia Club, Inc.

Liebe Vorstandsmitglieder, Vereinspräsidenten und Delegierten:

    Die 2008 Jahreshaptversammlung des Verbandes der Donauschwaben in den U.S.A. findet am Samstag den 26. April und Sonntag den 27. April 2008 im

statt. Wir bitten alle Amtswalter, angeschlossene Verene und Delegierten teilzunehmen.

    Für Übernachtungen sind im Hyatt Place Detroit/Utica, 45400 Park Avenue, Utica, MI folgende Zimmer reserviet: 40 Zimmer für die Nacht von Freitag auf Samstag, den 25/26. April und 80 Zimmer für die Nacht von Samstag auf Sonntag, den 26.27. April. Die Kosten betragen $95.00 pro Nacht.

    Bitte machen Sie Ihre Zimmer Reservierungen direkt im Hyatt Place Detroit/Utica 586.803.0100. (Please advise reservations that the rooms are blocked off under Society of the Danube Swabians).

    Wir bitten alle Ortsleiter sich bei Präsident John Huth, email: john.huth@eds.com oder im Verein 586.978.2292 zu melden und die Zahl der Delegierten und Mitreisenden angeben, damit das Vereinshaus sich vorbereiten kann.

    Landesjugendleiterin Ingrid Dorr möchte jeden Jugend/Kindergruppenleiter bitten ihre Jugendlichen vom Verein mitzubringen. Ein "workshop" wird am Samstag, den 26. April um 11:00 Uhr statt finden.

    Mit herzlichem Dank an Präsident John Huth und Vizepräsident Michael Talan und alle Mitarbeiter für die Vorbereitungen. Ich hoffe auch Sie sehen dem Zusammentreffen in Detroit freudig entgegen und wünsche allen eine gute Anreise.

Mit landmannschlaftlichen Grüßen,

Elisabeth M. Miehle

Generalsekretärin

Bei fragen bitte melden.

(from the "Monitor" Trenton Roman Catholic Diocese about Palankaer Josef Schoen)

TRENTON - One couple that Father Harry Cenefeldt, a senior priest of the diocese, has the privilege of visiting and bringing Holy Communion to is Joseph and Theresa Schoen.

    But the visit he made to the couple's lovely Hamilton Township home Oct. 25 was to congratulate Joseph, who would celebrate his 100th birthday four days later on Oct. 29.

    Seated around the dining room table, Father Cenefeldt, who is a weekend assistant at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, marveled at the couple who have been married 73 years.

    In their conversation, Father Cenefeldt listened as Theresa, who at 95, is healthy and spry, and Joseph, who uses a walker, but does not take any prescription medications whatsoever, talked about their almost 200 combined years of life and life experiences between them. He smiled at the notion that this couple is still living in their own home, although a caretaker was recently hired. He was pleased to hear about the continuous love and support they receive from two nephews and their families on whom they can count at a moment's notice.

    What was most poignant about Father Cenefeldt's meeting the Schoens was listening to them recall having been born in Palanka, Austria-Hungary, and the challenges, hardships and heartache they had faced during and in the aftermath of World War II, and hearing how their Catholic faith sustained them and clearly continues to do so.

    Joseph, who was born Oct. 29, 1907, can say that he lived in four countries without ever leaving home. In 1918, Palanka belonged to Austria-Hungary; from 1918 to 1941, it belonged to Yugoslavia; from 1941 to 1944, it belonged to Hungary, and in 1944 it returned to Yugoslavia. Palanka is now a part of Serbia.

    Throughout this turbulent time Joseph served in the Hungarian Army, members of his family, including Theresa, their young son, Guenther Jakub, his mother and in-laws were sent to Jarek, a liquidation camp.

    A liquidation camp was for those inmates who were unable to work - people over age 60, the infirm, children and mothers with small children. Food was scarce and due to the insufficient hygiene and sanitary conditions, the inmates contracted diseases such as malaria, typhus, dysentery.

    Theresa, who remained in the camp from 1942 to 1945, had the heart-breaking experience of watching three-year-old Guenther Jakub die of starvation.

    "I can remember that as if it happened yesterday," said Theresa, as her husband and guest intently listened. And, with tears welling in her eyes, she rose from her seat, and went retrieve an old family photo, showing the couple with their young child.

    Joseph recalled how he and Theresa arrived in the United States on Feb. 23, 1955, which happened to be Ash Wednesday. Their destination became Trenton because one of Joseph's younger brothers, Michael, who had also served in the war, had preceded him three years earlier and put down roots in New Jersey's capital.

    With time and prayer, the Schoens adapted to their new life in America. While Joseph worked at Circle K, an electrical company, Theresa worked for a cleaning service.

    Driving, however, never posed an issue for the Schoens because neither had ever learned how. They walked wherever they went - to work, for errands, to their beloved Immaculate Conception Parish. In his day, Joseph was famous for hiking several miles back and forth to work and up until a few years ago, he kept up his walking regiment "just to stay in shape."

    As Joseph reflected on his century-long life, he showed his emotions, especially as he remembered his son and his two younger brothers who died earlier this year. Michael, who became a resident of St. Joseph Skilled Nursing Care at Morris Hall, Lawrenceville, died on Jan. 14 at age 98. Another brother, Johann, died two weeks later on Jan. 29 in Germany, at age 95.

    When speaking of how he wanted to celebrate his birthday, Joseph said that "All I want is to go to church."

    And, accompanied by Theresa, his nephews and other family members and friends, Joseph was present for the 9:30 a.m. Mass Oct. 28 in Our Lady of the Angels Parish-Immaculate Conception Church, and at the end of Mass, he was recognized by his parish community and received a special birthday blessing.

    Later in the day, Joseph was the guest of honor at a birthday celebration in the German American Club, Yardville.

    Asked about his plans now that he's made it to 100, Joseph smiled and said he's looking ahead to 105.

    Anyone who attends monthly dinners at our club will notice the large number of young folks assisting with serving and/or clean up. Isn’t it super?! The eight to ten young members are the hardest working and best behaved "Jugend" any club could ask for. Believe us, any club in this region would love to have such youngsters involved in their organizations. So who are they? Well, there’s Lyla, Brittaney, Anna, Luisa, Joe, Sofi, Nick, Chrissy, Mary and Emma. Parents, Caroline Brandecker and Denese Lenyo serve in an oversight role, but really the young people do know what to do and need very little, and often no direction at all.

    The Donauschwaben has a long history of encouraging the participation of its youngest members. We have always sought to give them "ownership" of the club in a way that makes them want to come back again and again without mom or dad forcing the issue. We are very much aware that to really feel a part of the club they have to believe they are making a valuable contribution and that they are appreciated for it – and they are. All of our young people are treated with respect and dignity but with an expectation that they will do their very best for our dinner guests. While no person, young or old, is perfect, they have not disappointed us. These young members are the future of our organization. They will form the nucleus or "core" around which others will gather. It’s how it has always been at successful clubs and ours is no different. We treat their presence at our club as vitally important to our mission and as the key to all the good things yet to come.

Vielen Dank,

Junge Menschen!

by Brittaney Brandecker

Youth Dance Group, Adult Language School Student & World Traveler

    Two thousand and seven (2007) was an amazing year for me and I wish it didn’t have to end. Some people may say that they wish they had my life. And well, to tell you the truth, if I was someone else I would want my life too. Just in 2007, I had been on seven different trips and I had the time of my life on all of them.

    When we got to England, we were really tired but the only thing that kept playing over and over in my head was "I can’t believe I’m in London, England where the Queen, Prince William and Harry live" The first thing we did once we got off the bus was to get our luggage and go to our hotel room. Then got on another coach and visited Windsor Castle. Now, this is one of the Queen’s summer houses and although she was not there, the cool thing was that we stood at the altar where Prince Charles said "I Do!" to Camilla Parker Bowles. I also got to stand next to a Keeper, one of the dudes with the big furry hats that are not allowed to move, Cool! The next day we were off on the start of the actual trip. The first stop was Stonehenge. I had read about it in books and on the internet, but this was nothing compared to seeing it in person. I just couldn’t believe how and why the stones got there. Just these large stones in the middle of nowhere. What a fantastic sight. Next we went to Bath, England. There we saw the ancient Roman baths. It definitely was not somewhere I would want to take a bath, if you know what I mean.

    After all that drama we were off to Ireland by boat. It was actually more like a ferry and the trip was four hours long. By the time we got to Ireland it was late and we still had another hour or two drive to the next hotel after we jumped over the "puddle" and onto Waterford. After all the traveling that day we were really tired. The next day we got on the coach again and we visited the Waterford Crystal Factory. I found out that they make the ball that is dropped in Times Square, NY on New Years Eve. It was just so amazing that someone actually makes all that crystal by hand. It was nothing like we see on TV, as it is so beautiful in person. Later that day, we got on the coach and headed for Dublin. On the way there we stopped in a town called Kilkenny where we visited the castle that is in the center of the town. This is also the place where we almost got run over by a truck. Unlike here in the USA, over there they drive on the wrong side of the road, so when we were trying to cross the street we didn’t look the correct way and before we knew it, a truck was headed right for us. We also stopped and visited the Irish National Stud Farm, a famous horse farm. We saw all different kinds of horses including, miniature ones which were so cute. Later in the day we arrived at the hotel in Dublin. That night we saw "The Irish Caberret", which is a show with Irish dancing and singing.

    The second day in Ireland, we took a tour of the city and visited the University of Dublin and Trinity College. In Europe, the colleges are very different, but it was cool to see how different the college environment is there. Before we left Dublin, we just had to visit GUINNESS, their popular beer. We saw the storehouse and walked through their little museum. I must not forget that they gave us a free beer and a view of the whole city which was beautiful. In addition, we got to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, an amazing sight. Next we were off to Belfast, Northern Ireland. We weren’t in this town very long but the town was made famous for being the town were the "Titanic" was built.

    Within two hours, we were off our second ferry trip and in Stranraer, Scotland and had a long drive to our next stop in Edinburgh. We took a tour of the city, saw the home of Robert Louis Stevenson, when he was living there, and also saw Edinburgh University and the Edinburgh Castle. The next night we saw a Scottish show with bagpipes, which were awesome. They also brought out the famous food, Haggis, which was really weird.

    We were then off to York, England. On the way there, we stopped at Floors Castle where we actually got to tour sections where the people actually live in. On the day we finally got back to London, after eight days of traveling my Tante and I decided we wanted to visit some London sites. So we got a map and asked how far some of the sites were. A lady told me it was too far to walk and that we would have to take "the underground", which is like our subway. However, we didn’t want to and decided to walk. So this is another really funny story. We started walking and we walked to a park and saw Kensington Palace, which was very beautiful from the outside. We then walked a little farther and saw the Diana Memorial Fountain and with our with luck, it wasn’t on. Then we walked through another park and finally ended up at the most visited palace in England, Buckingham Palace. It happened to look a lot bigger in person (the Queen wasn’t there). I also finally got a picture of a Bobbi , a British police officer, too. This "little" walking trip took us about three hours from the time we left the hotel till when we returned. Before we left I finally got to stand in one of the phone boxes and made a phone

    Upon returning home, a couple weeks later, I was then off to the Treffen in Mansfield, OH. When we finally got to the hotel, after the long drive from home, we all put our swim suits and jumped in the pool. The next day, Anna Martini, myself and some of the adults went to the Mansfield Clubhouse for the Friday friendship night and the start of our dance weekend. We had fun that night, even if we did not know any of the youth. On Saturday we were really excited. After we got to the club and did the formal march in, I met up with some of the friends I had made at other Treffens over the years and hung out with them. Our dance group had to dance late both nights, so we were the last ones to dance. That wasn’t all bad since we got to see everyone dance before we went on. All in all, it was a really fun weekend. Hopefully when our club goes to Cleveland this year, I will be able to go. If not there is always next year.

(from the "DVHH" listserve)

    My father Johann (Hans) Abt passed away 10 years ago today. He was born on September 25th, 1927 in Semelzi, Croatia; married Maria Hoffmann in Lager Haid, Austria on September 9th, 1951. Hans immigrated to the United States in August of 1955, where he settled his family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was their only child born in Austria, they had 5 more children after moving to the US; Josef, John, Maria, Stefan and Heidi. My father was a member of the Milwaukee Donauschwaben for many years. Some of the list members may have met him and remember him.

    He was a wonderful father and grandfather, and we all miss him. But he left us with many good memories; one of my favorite is of him in his white apron and cap roasting spanferkel. He loved to do this, whether it was at home, at the club, or at Germanfest. My brothers still carry on that tradition, Joe with the Cincinnati DS club, and Hansi and Stefi for family and friends
in Milwaukee. He made and smoked Hungarian bratwurst which he generously shared with everyone that asked, the recipe remains in our family and my three brothers have made sausage making an annual event.

    So if you are pouring yourself a stampfel of schnaps today (as was his custom), make a toast to my dad. My children and I certainly will when we get together later today to celebrate the life of our Tati and Ota.

Prost,

Hermi (Abt)

    Dennis Bauer & Hans Martini will give a talk on the "Donauschwaben of Mercer County, NJ! at the June meeting of the Central Jersey Genealogical Club in Hamilton. Look for a follow up article.

    The Spring AKdFF meeting on the 5th April 2008 in Sindelfingen will feature a lecture by Michael Hutfuss on "Research in the Batschka". The Fall AKdff meeting on 11 Oct 2008 in Sindelfingen will feature a lecture by Günter Junkers on "Research in in Schwaebische Türkei". In addition to the usual opening times of Tuesdays and Thursdays of the AKdFF archvies in Sindelfingen for researchers, the AKdFF Archvies/Library will also be open on the first Saturday from 11-4 of each month for AKdFF members. This is an oppertunity to exchange data with others or search the archives/library. There will also be a meeting of Banat family researchers on the 20th of September at the Banater Kultur und Dokumentationzentrum in Ulm, with the theme of creating a Banater a databank of Banat Aussiedler.— From Dave Dreyer’s post on the BanatList, 23 January 2008.

    The Donauschwaben were a deeply religious group. Most were Roman Catholic, but some were also Lutheran and Reform. Roman Catholic Donauschwaben here in Trenton, both those who came here before WWII and after, attended services at several local churches including: Sacred Heart, St. Mary’s, St. Francis, Immaculate Conception and Holy Angels. Roman Catholic Donauschwaben were buried at a variety of cemeteries, including: St. John’s, St. Mary’s, Our Lady of Lourdes, Holy Sepulchre, St. Peter & Paul’s, and St. Francis. The grave stones show but just a few of the many Donauschwaben buried at Our Lady of Lourdes and Holy Sepulchre cemeteries. Club genealogist, Dennis Bauer’s next cultural project is to photograph all the Donauschwaben tombstones in these two cemeteries with the help of Adam and Eva Martini.

Dear Friends:

    As a follow-up to the German-American Day Celebration planning meeting on January 23, we are sending you some preliminary information about the 325^th anniversary of the arrival of the first German-speaking families and their founding of Germantown, the first permanent German settlement in America, which will be celebrated beginning with the Steuben Parade on September 27 and culminating on October 6, German-American Day.

    We kindly request that you include the information found on the attached document in your organization’s newsletter and on your website to help promote the many events being planned for this celebration. Your partnership will help bring about a "win/win" for the entire community. We will continue to keep you informed of future meetings and send you more information when it becomes available.

Kindest regards,

Marlene Fricker and Marlene Stocks

Co-Chairs

German-American Day Celebration Committee

By Jacob A. Bauer

    As the club approaches its 2008 annual February Schlachtfest, it is certainly appropriate that I recall my memories of making bratwurst as a youth in Lower Bucks County, PA during the Great Depression.

    I was born in 1927 to Donauschwaben immigrants, Jacob Bauer from Backa Palanka and Theresa Helleis from Batsch. Both towns are in the southern part of the Batschka region of then AustriaHungary (now Serbia). High quality hog production in the Batschka was widely known and pigs were exported throughout Europe. My sister, Elsie Penrith (nee Bauer) was born in 1924 in Falls Township, Bucks County, PA.

    My grandfather, Christian Bauer came to the USA and settled in Trenton, NJ in 1901 with his wife, Elisabeth Bohnert and their sons, Charles and Jacob (my father), then an infant. The Bauers became tenant farmers in Falls Township from 1904 until 1917, when they bought their own farm on Tyburn Road in Falls Township, Bucks County, PA. My Bauer grandparents grew; asparagus, string beans, tomatoes and peppers on their farm and had one horse for farming duties. However, "Blackie", the horse, was finally replaced by a tractor but remained a family "pet" until he died. Their two sons and two daughters helped on the farm until they got married. Christian finally sold the farm in 1946 and moved in with his daughter Elisabeth Meszaros and husband in Fallsington Heights (now Fairless Hills). He died there in 1950.

    My grandfather, Lorenz Helleis, wife, Barbara Blank and children, Barbara, Lorenz, Jr, Theresa ( then 11 years old, my mother) and Frank came to the USA and settled in Trenton in 1913. The Helleis children, Maria and Adam remained in Batsch. The Helleis family moved to a rental farm, owned by the Balderstons, across the road from the Bauers around 1924. They grew cabbage, corn, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes and water melons on a farm somewhat larger in acreage than the Bauers. They had two horses which were used for farm duties and a cow. Son, Frank and daughter-in-law, Kate lived on the farm also and did most of the farming work until Lorenz died in 1938. The other children married and lived elsewhere. My grandmother Helleis, then moved in with us in Fallsington Heights. Both were "truck farmers" selling their produce at the Trenton Farmer’s Market near the Delaware River, on Rt. 29 near the present day Trenton minor league baseball park on Cass Street.

    My uncle Frank Helleis and his wife Katie Helleis later joined the Trenton Donauschwaben, followed by my son, Dennis Bauer and his family (their children and their grandchildren), my wife, Carol and I and then my nephew Dan Penrith and his family. Uncle Frank and Aunt Kate Helleis were also members and Kate was active in our club kitchen for many years, including Schlachtfest time.

    As in the "old country", Fall was the time to butcher pigs and make bratwurst and other pork-based meats for family use during the Winter and Spring. Extra pork products were often sold at the farmer’s market by my grandparents. Making sausage was a special family event, including yourg and old. My sausage making memories go back to the mid-1930’s in Falls Township.

    The pigs were killed using a 22 caliber rifle and then bled into a "Trog" or trough. They were then dehaired using hot water, hung up, beheaded and split in half. My job as a youth was to prepare the intestines for the sausage casings. This was a nasty job which I still vividly remember some 70 years later. I had to turn the pig intestines inside out, scrap and then clean them while my elders butchered the pigs, removed the meat for grinding and mixing with ingredients (garlic juice, salt, white and black pepper, paprika and special spices). My grandfathers used handmade metal tubes and wood plungers (Wurstspritz) to inject the casings with the tasty finished sausage mix. In addition to bratwurst (Brootworscht), we also made liver wurst (Lewerworscht) and blood wurst (Blutworscht). Two feet sections of stuffed casings were then cut and tied off for sausage links. Some were used for fresh sausage and some were hung and cured in grandpop’s (Grossvater) smoking shed out back behind the farmhouse. He used hickory chips to smoke the sausage and hams. My grandfathers would insert cloves of garlic in the hams centers prior to curing them in the smoking shed. After the preparation, sometimes over several days, the family sampled their product at a meal of fresh bratwurst and Gulaschsuppe over noodles.

    In addition, we used other parts of the pig for bacon, spare ribs, pork roast (Schweinebr aten), head cheese ( S c hwa r t e l ma g a ) , p i g s f e e t (Schweinshachse), brain and lard for cooking. Our family efforts certainly paid off and supplied us with meat throughout the Winter and Spring during the Depression years. We would also make weekly fishing trips to the New Jersey shore in preparation for our weekly Friday dinner meal, being good Catholics.

    These memories are brought to mind each November and February when I participate in the leberwurst and bratwurst making duties here at the club under the watchful eye of our "Papa J" Jakober. For those in the club that have not participated in the event, you are truly missing a lot "Gemütlichkeit" not to mention a truly cultural fun filled day introducing you to an ancestral tradition. Membership is always open to join the Bratwurst Boys (and girls) at the club the Friday and Saturday before our feast on Sunday, February 17th.

Mahlzeit!!

by Adam Martini

    The expression "you only live once" is one that always seems to cause great deal of reflection. These particular reminiscences are from my time in "Upper Austria" in an area known as "Innviertel". Our regional capital was "Braunau" and I lived in a hamlet known as "Pfaffing" that was part of a place called "Haigermoos". Haigermoos was a sleepy little community in 1947 when we arrived as refugees, with just a few hamlets surrounded by farmland. The whole scene seemed more like something more out of the Middle Ages more than from the present. 

    The farming families here had worked the land for many generations and were proud of their heritage and traditions. To insure the farms stayed completely intact, the oldest sons were sole heirs who took the job of passing down the whole farm to their oldest sons quite seriously. This tradition still goes on today to varying degrees. 

    I found this all most interesting. While we refugees weren’t exactly greeted with open arms by the locals, one had to hand it to these good and straightforward folks: They gave us shelter and food, educated our children and welcomed us in their churches where we would join them for mass on Sundays. 

    Every farm had a small house in addition to the main house where everything seemed to happen. The main house was always one of four that formed a square with a yard in the middle. The farmer, his wife and children lived there as did any farm hands and caretakers. The small house stood usually next to the main house. Here the retired farmer and his wife (the parents of the current farmer/owner) lived when they could no longer work the farm. This is the way it was for generation upon generation. 

    So, into this carefully choreographed culture, so rich in tradition, marched refugees like myself. We were moved right into the small houses by the government and the oldtimers had to move back into the main houses with their son’s family. We took up residence anywhere an empty room could be found. Naturally there was quite a bit of resentment on their part, but who can really blame them? 

    On the other hand, we Donauschwaben provided a cheap and very effective workforce. Indeed, it caused an economic upturn in the area that was plain for all to see. Since there was no industry, there was little for our people to do but work the farms. So undeveloped was the area that the only paved road was only as long as the tiny hamlet itself. 

    And so it was that in the fall of 1947 my family came to this place called Haigermoos. It was here that my mom, grandmother, sister and I found a place to stay and a place to put the few things that comprised our worldly possessions. I was a "thin as a bean stalk" ten year old and my sister, Maria, was just four. We were happy to have escaped with our lives from Tito’s death camps and wanted very much to put that unpleasant memory behind us. My mother, always the strongest of our family, knew how to get along and was able to always make the best of things. My grandmother, on the other hand, was as stubborn as they come, with strong views that she was quick to share no matter what the circumstance. It fell to me to try and keep her as quiet and as inoffensive to others as possible. Alas, the very first comment she made was within earshot of the locals, saying in a heavy Donauschwaben dialect "how come these folks don’t speak proper German?" Our new life in Haigermoos was off to a roaring start! 

    These days it’s different, of course. Those small houses I mentioned above have now become something like villas. All the roads and even the walkways are nicely paved. The nearby pond called "Hoellerer See" (which no one but the locals knew about back then) has now become something of a tourist destination. Farmers have changed too. They manage to do almost all of the work by themselves, it seems. Modern equipment has revolutionized the farming industry and no longer are horses, oxen and throngs of farmhands necessary. Milking machines take care of the cows whose output is optimized by highly trained veterinarians for heaven’s sake! 

    Over the years, many of the Donauschwaben moved away from the area. Some went to the larger towns in search of work while others sought their fortune across the Atlantic Ocean. Still others got married to native Austrians and became citizens of that country. A few would even stay and build their own homes in Haigermoos. 

    This is just a taste of what the situation was like for us refugees in Austria after the war. Hopefully, you have some sense of the area and the folks we encountered. I’ve surely forgotten many of the details over all these years, but my impressions of that beautiful land and its people will stay with me forever.

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