IGHS/SGAS Meeting to be held in New Harmony

The Indiana German Heritage Society will join the Society for German-American Studies (SGAS) for a joint Annual Meeting and Symposium 22-25 April 22-25 at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center in historic New Harmony, Indiana.

New Harmony was founded in 1814 by German Pietists from Württemberg, led by Father George Rapp, who had left their Pennsylvania colony of Harmony in order to move to the wilderness. The community flourished, but after ten years the Harmonists elected to return to Pennsylvania, where they founded the town of Old Economy.

They left behind a spiritual legacy that is still cultivated in New Harmony today. Many of the original Harmonist buildings remain, and docent-led tours of the town provide insight into what life was like for those German pioneers on the Indiana frontier.

Sessions are planned on a variety of topics, including German-American religious communities, Homiletics of German-American spiritual leaders, German migration to the Ohio River valley, German-American linguistic communities, teaching German-Americana at secondary and post-secondary levels, and German-American prose and poetry -- although papers on any other topic of German-American Studies are also welcome!

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Germans, Scots Meet in Indy on Wednesday

Two ethnic group members of the Nationalities Council of Indiana have their regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesday (9 December).

Jeanette Footman and Alice Matsuo will talk about "The Wonderful World of German Breads and Pastries" at the 7:30 p.m. meeting of the Indiana German Heritage Society in the Max Kade Room of the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. The meeting is preceded by an optional Stammtisch (no-host dinner) at 6:30 p.m. in the Athenaeum's Rathskeller Restaurant. For more information, contact Claudia Grossman, 317:464-9004.

Scottish toasts are the topic for the 6:30 p.m. meeting of the Scottish Society of Indianapolis. The evening begins with a pitch-in dinner at the Latvian Community Center, 1008 West 64th Street, Indianapolis.

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The Award Winners are Announced

Awards for the just-completed 2009 International Festival have been announced. First and second place awards are given to Nationalities Council of Indiana member-groups in each of five categories: theme, educational value, creativity, quality and food. In addition, the best overall culture booth received the grand prize trophy, nicknamed "The Betty".

Winners are as follows:

Creativity: 1st - Confucius Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; 2nd - India Association of Indianapolis.
Educational value: 1st - Indiana Association of Chinese Americans; 2nd - Italian Heritage Society of Indiana.
Quality: 1st - Sons of Norway; 2nd - Scottish Society of Indianapolis.
Theme: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.
Food: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - German American Klub.
Best Overall Cultural Booth Trophy: Indiana German Heritage Society (pictured).

This year's Volunteer Service award (nicknamed "The Steve") went to Dan and Sophia Anderson.

The outside judges for the awards came from IUPUI.

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German-American Day Essay Contest Winners

Julie Martin of Oldenburg (Ind.) Academy took home first prize in this year's German-American Day Essay Contest sponsored by the Indiana German Heritage Society. Other winners were Melissa Riggio, Fishers (Ind.) High School, second prize; Kristen Giesting, Amy Malin and Chris Collins, all of Batesville (Ind.) High School, runners up.

This year, Indiana high school students submitted essays researching and discussing the lives of three to five German-Americans. Each submission was to be in PowerPoint format.

Julie's entry profiled John Peter Zenger, Joseph Pulitzer, Lisel Mueller in her discussion of freedom of speech and the press.

German-American Weekend in Indy

German-American Day has turned into German-American Weekend – at least in Indianapolis. In addition to events traditionally sponsored by various local organizations on the actual holiday – 6 October – the city celebrates the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Cologne, Germany, as part of Sister Cities International, today through Monday.

A 30-member delegation from Cologne arrived in Indianapolis Tuesday, representing the German portion of the two-city partnership.

Today, after breakfast in the Columbia Club, Dr. Giles Hoyt leads the visitors on a downtown walking tour, highlighting the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. In the afternoon, there are visits to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This evening includes a dinner hosted by the Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee.

Friday morning starts with an 8:15 a.m. breakfast with Dr. Werner Hoyer, a member of the German Bundestag (FDP party), in the offices of the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. Dr. Hoyer will discuss "Global Challenges and Changes in Leadership in the United States and Europe" in a presentation sponsored by the Indianapolis Eric M. Warburg Chapter of the American Council on Germany, Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee and Independent Colleges of Indiana.

Friday also includes a visit to the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, followed by stops at other attractions in White River State Park including the Indiana State Museum and the Indianapolis Zoo. An architectural tour of Columbus is scheduled for Saturday.

Saturday evening, the Cologne visitors will participate in “A Taste of Germany”. The fundraiser, which benefits both the local Sister City committee and the Indianapolis Fire Department Firefighters Local 416 “Survive Alive” Program, is 5-9 p.m. in the historic Firefighters Union Hall, 748 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis. There’ll be authentic German food, plus 16 different labels of German beer to try. Admission (over 21 only) is $50.

The annual German-American Day Celebration at the Indianapolis City Market hosted by the Indiana German Heritage Society is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. There'll be music by Die Doppel-Adler and traditional dancers performing.

German-American Day celebrations continue from 5-6:30 p.m. Monday in the Biergarten of the Athenaeum / Das Deutsche Haus, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis, with an informal party to bid auf Wiedersehen to the Cologne visitors.

The Sister City agreement was signed in 1988 by then-Mayor William H. Hudnut III, and reaffirmed in 1998 by then-Mayor Stephen Goldsmith. It will be reaffirmed this year by Mayor Greg Ballard.

Chairman of the Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee is Sven Schumacher.

German-American Day commemorates Oct. 6, 1683, when the first immigrants from Germany arrived on North American soil.

Indy Celebrates German-American Day

Come to the Indianapolis City Market from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 6 October for the annual German-American Day Celebration hosted by the Indiana German Heritage Society.

There'll be music by Die Doppel-Adler and traditional dancers performing, plus commemorative pins, handouts and books available at special prices.

Special guests will be a delegation from Cologne, Germany, as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee.

German-American Day celebrations continue from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Biergarten of the Athenaeum / Das Deutsche Haus, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis, with an informal party (cash bar) to bid auf wiedersehen to our Cologne guests. For information, contact Jim Gould, 317:655-2755 ext. 149.

Want to brush up your college German?

An intermediate course in German conversation begins 17 September in the Max Kade room at the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis.

Offered by the Indiana German Heritage Society, this course offers a chance to improve basic communicative skills in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

It will be offered from 6-7:30 p.m. 17 September through 19 November (no classes 8 October or 12 November). Cost is $90 per person or $160.00 per couple.

Instructor is Renee Gregory, associate faculty at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

For more information and to register, contact Claudia Grossmann, 317:274-3943.

Economics and the Commercialization of German Heritage

The monthly programs of the Indiana German Heritage Society are open to the public at no charge. The topic for March is a provocative one: "Economics and the Commercialization of German Heritage". Presenter is Brian Greer, a student of German and history at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, who will discuss how communities have utilized their German heritage to achieve touristic success while building community spirit.

The program begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (12 March) in the Athenaeum/Das Deutsche Haus, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. Those who'd like to participate in an informal, no-host dinner will gather for a Stammtisch in the Rathskeller Restaurant at the Athenaeum at 6:30 p.m.

For information on this meeting and/or the Indiana German Heritage Society, contact Giles Hoyt, 317:274-2330.

German-American heritage in DuBois County, Indiana, will be explored during the 24th annual meeting and symposium to be held 14-15 March in Jasper. Cooperating groups are the IGHS, Jasper Deutscher Verein, Sister Cities of Jasper, Inc., and the Jasper Partnership Commission.

Learn About German-Americans Three Ways!

Wednesday (13 February) has three stellar presentations on German ethnic heritage.

First up is "German-American Heritage Preservation in the 21st Century," a presentation by Dr. Hans Boas (right), University of Texas, Austin. He'll speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Max Kade Room, Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. He's a candidate for the newly established Hoyt-Reichmann Chair in German American Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Then, two Wabash College students will present a pair of papers during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Indiana German Heritage Society, also in the Athenaeum. Matt Vest will discuss "German Catholics in Southern Indiana", and Steve Egan will talk about "The Amish of Indiana" (with a focus on the Parke County Amish). That presentation starts at 7:30 p.m. The students' projects are part of the 'Present Indiana Program' sponsored by Lilly Endowment, which provides summer internships to spend eight weeks researching various aspects of the Hoosier state.

For more information on Dr. Boas' presentation, contact Claudia Grossman. Giles Hoyt has more on the IGHS presenters.

German Course at the Athenaeum

Traveling to Germany?
Doing business with Germans?
Want to brush up on your college German?

The Indiana German Heritage Society offers a course in basic German in a fun and relaxed atmosphere at the historic Athenaeum building in downtown Indianapolis.

"Beginning German Conversation" will be taught from 6:30-8 p.m. Mondays from 10 September through 29 October in the Max Kade Room of the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. Cost is $85 per person or $150 per couple. Instructor is Renee Gregory, an associate faculty member at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

For more information and to register contact Claudia Grossmann, 317:274-3943.