SGAS News Release

SOCIETY FOR GERMAN-AMERICAN STUDIES

AND PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN SOCIETY HOLD JOINT SYMPOSIUM

IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

The Society for German-American Studies held its 30^th Annual Symposium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania from 4th to 7th May 2006 at the Lancaster Host Conference Center. The symposium was hosted by the Pennsylvania German Society, and the Pennsylvania German experience was highlighted at the meeting. This year’s theme was: German contributions to American Society. Dr. David L Valuska and William Donner planned and coordinated the meeting.

Thursday evening members mingled and met at the traditional “Beisammensin” reception. Friday morning began with a continental breakfast combined with a large book display, and many a person was tempted to buy books as well as eat breakfast. At 8:30 the symposium began. Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, President of SGAS and Dr. Robert Kline, President of PGS presented their welcoming remarks, and introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Hans-Dieter Stell, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany (NYC).

Dr. Hans-Dieter Stell, Deputy Consul General of the German Federal Republic (NYC) expressed gratitude for the invitation to come to Lancaster. He spoke about the German immigrants contributions to the United States, from the glassblowers that came to Jamestown, to the scientists that worked on the rockets that landed men on the moon. He said German-Americans made contributions to every trade in the US and helped shape American society. Consul Stell said that on Wednesday evening he had been in Washington, D.C. at the 100 Year Anniversary Dinner of the American Jewish Committee to which German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Bush, and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had been invited. Chancellor Merkel gave a speech, and Consul Stell spoke with her at the dinner. He said that she was pleased to hear of his plans to give the keynote speech this morning and the relationship between Germany and America has a promising future, just as German-Americans have a promising future. This was Chancellor Merkel’s second trip to the United States; she extended an invitation to President Bush to visit Germany, and he accepted. During her previous trip in Jan. 2006, Chancellor Merkel had said, “If one day we reach a point where we do not make the time for one another, when the people who are engaging one another in dialogue today and tomorrow do not take the time for that, then things will look bad for our relationship. As long as we make time for one another, it will serve us well.” She had also said, “Even if we sometimes disagree and at other times share the exact same opinion, the fact that we are engaged in an open and honest dialogue on a range of subjects is a net gain for both of our countries.” Consul Stell noted that the Reformation and the Age of Enlightenment is important for us, and give us a set of common values. He said that, “even with all our different interpretations, we are still in the same boat in our views of freedom and social justice, economic freedom and the responsibility of the society toward the individual.” He emphasized that our differences lead to mutual enrichment. He contrasted the views of the Enlightenment with the views of Islam. “Islam means submission.” He stressed that we must avoid going back to a pre-Enlightenment view.

Following the keynote address there were four concurrent sessions of papers for attendees to choose from. “Architecture” included papers on German houses in America, 18th century Pennsylvania barns, and Pennsylvania Tombstone inscriptions. “Military” included a paper on the German Americans in the Civil War, a paper on the Verein der 48ers in New York City, and one on the Pennsylvania Germans and Fries Rebellion. The third session was “Carl Schurz and His Times” and also included a paper about George Schramm. Finally “European Connection” included a paper on the Wenger Mennonites and one presented by Helmut Schmahl, Univ. of Mainz: “German historians view Pennsylvania German history.” A presentation on the new Bremerhaven Museum, the Deutsches Auswandererhaus, which opened last August concluded this session. After lunch tours to the Landis Valley or to the Ephrata Cloister were available.

The Versammling and Awards banquet was held that evening in the Distelfink Banquet Room. The Versammling began with the singing of “Amerika” in Pennsylvania German and the Ferschprechterei (Pledge of Allegiance). Dr. Kline spoke the “Gabet.” The “Fuder Tzettle” menu was printed in Pennsylvania German, and included, for example, for desert a choice of melassichriwwel Boi, schocklaad Kuche, deitscher Ebbelboi, or Whoopie pies. A special treat was the “Fescht Reed” given in the Pennsylvania German dialect by Donald Breininger, a well-known Pennsylvania-German Versammling speaker. He told a series of stories that reflect the local way of life, and while the stories are good-naturedly humorous, he intertwined a more serious train of thought, which is a hallmark of Versammling speeches. Breininger posed now and then to his listeners the question: how one spends “dr letscht Moment.” For example, he asked, will you be washing windows, and use your last moment to remove the one little streak that remains on the pane?

For his years of research into the Swiss-American element, the SGAS Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Christoph E. Schweitzer by Vice-President, Dr. Dolores Hoyt. An SGAS Special Award for Meritorious Service was presented to Denny Warta, of New Ulm, Minn. for his work on behalf of the Hermann Monument by Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann. A Festschrift for Dr. C. Richard Beam on his 80th birthday, was not yet back from the printer, but the presentation was made to by Dr. William Keel.

Saturday morning there were four concurrent sessions: Germans in Early America, German Intellectuals, Pennsylvania German Language, and German Influence in the Midwest. Each session had three presentations. After lunch four more concurrent sessions of presentations included: Religion of the Pennsylvania Germans, The Changing Pennsylvania German Language, Pennsylvania German Material Culture, and Pennsylvania German Books.

Saturday evening a group interested in dialect literature heard a special program arranged by Manfred Zimmermann. Classic dialect poetry and prose was read by dialect speakers of five different dialects.

The Symposium concluded after breakfast on Sunday. The joint meeting of SGAS and the PGS proved to contribute to a mutual enrichment.

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/sgasin.html

Created: 6 November 2006, BAS
Updated: 17 November 2007, BAS
Comments to: IUPUI Max Kade German-American Center, mkgac@iupui.edu
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URL: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/SGAS/2006NewsRelease.html

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