SGAS News Release

SOCIETY FOR GERMAN-AMERICAN STUDIES SYMPOSIUM

HELD IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

The Society for German-American Studies held its 29^th annual symposium in Grand Rapids, Michigan on the beautiful Grand Rapids Campus of Grand Valley State University. It was a return visit for the Society, which previously met in Grand Rapids in 2001.

The members gathered on Thursday evening, May 5^th at the Days-Inn-Downtown for the customary Geselliges Beisammensein on the evening before the symposium. The next morning after a hearty German breakfast the symposium began. Don Heinrich Tolmann, SGAS President welcomed the group and introduced British Army Major Tony Clunn, retired, who was the keynote speaker for the symposium. Tony Clunn has just published The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions : Discovering the Varus Battlefield. Clunn, who now lives in Osnabrück became interested in the battle which occurred in 9 A.D. and changed the history of Europe by ending the Roman incursion into German lands. In 1987 he began searching for the site of the battle as many others before him had done. Using his army experience he analyzed what the Romans under the command of Varus and Germans under Hermann the Cherusker might have done by considering the lay of the land. The battlefield has now been found along with many artifacts. Hermann, who became the symbol of freedom from foreign rule, has been celebrated also by German-Americans. The statue of Hermann in New Ulm, Minnesota was just rededicated this year.

Three concurrent sessions on Friday morning included presentations on the German-American Image, Music, and Religion: Don Heinrich Tolzmann spoke on the “Hun image of Germans during World War I” and Kevin Grace on caricature in Cincinnati during the same time period. In the session on music LaVern J. Rippley spoke on “The Concertina, a Cultural Import : from Chemnitz to Chicago to Minnesota.,“ and William D. Keel presented a paper on the Schnitzelbank song.

The next session focused on German-American Houses in Grand Rapids, and this was presented by Thomas H. Logan. Before lunch there was time set aside to view book exhibits and meet authors, and after lunch the SGAS group went on tours of the Heritage Hill area of Grand Rapids and toured both the Amberg and Voigt houses. In the evening Provost Gayle R. Davis hosted a cocktail reception in the Meijer Regency Room of the DeVos Center. This was followed by the SGAS Awards banquet. Leo Schelbert received the Society for German-American Studies 2005 Outstanding Achievement Award in German-American Studies. From the award presentation: “Prof. Schelbert has been a major contributor to the Swiss American Historical Society. He served many years as editor of the Swiss American Historical Society Review; was President of this Society for five years; and was editor of SAHS Books from 1988-2002. He has also had a lengthy involvement with the Society for German-Americans Studies, serving on the Editorial Board of the Yearbook since 1981! In this capacity he reviews 3 to 4 manuscripts per year. … In addition, Leo Schelbert was the special editor of and contributor to a special issue of the Yearbook devoted to Swiss-American studies in 1990.” Wilhelm and Mary A. Seeger were presented with a special award for their many years of service to SGAS.

There were three concurrent sessions Saturday morning and three more that began mid-morning after a coffee break. The categories of the presentations were: Cincinnati Germans, Music, German-American Image, Michigan German Views from the Civil War, Pennsylvania Germans, and the Colonial Period. Examples of presentations include, “Dietrich Gerstein of ‘Hinterwald’ Michigan,” presented by Walter D. Kamphoefner; “The Civil War letters of Grand Rapids German Joseph Herkner” presented by Mary Seeger; “Francis Lieber’s A Brief and Practical German Grammar …” presented by Achim Kopp.

Lunch was taken at the Schnitzelbank Restaurant. Singers from the Edelweiss Club entertained the diners with German songs. Over dessert William Keel, Giles Hoyt and Eberhard Reichmann led everyone in a rousing rendition of the Schnitzelbank song. After lunch the annual business meeting was held. Elisabeth von Hagenow updated members on the opening of the German Immigration Center Museum in Bremerhaven, Germany in August, and invited members to attend. Presentations by members of SGAS continued after the business meeting. Categories included presentations on Language, Midwest German-Americans, The Arts, Michigan Germans, and a session on “Fact or Fiction.” The latter presentation included sessions on Buffalo Bill, by William Roba and 1942 War news by Ann Davis. Members of the Society for Contemporary American Literature in German (SCLAG) read their poetry and prose works.

In 2006 the Society for German-American Studies will meet in Reading, Pennsylvania (May 4-7). The call for papers for the 30^th Annual Symposium has gone out. Contact person for information on submitting papers for the 2006 conference, or attending the conference are: William Donner, Kutztown University, Kutztown, Penn., phone: (610) 683-4249, or David L. Valuska, Kutztown, Penn., phone: (610) 683-8944. Their emails are: valuska@kutztown.edu or donner@kutztown.edu.

for further information:

Franziska Ott Allen

(513) 556-2964 or 451-9233

allenfo@uc.edu

Publicity Director

Society for German-American Studies

SGAS Web address: http://www.ulib.iupui/kade/SGAS/sgasin.html