Friends of Steuben Update
by Mary Helen Jones

Alan Sterling, Chief of Interpretation at the Herkimer Home State Historic Site (HHSHS) near Little Falls, NY, conducted a 3-hour "Roundtable/Discussion: History and Archaeology" on Sunday afternoon Sept, 14, 2008. It was held in the AV room of the site's Visitors Center. It was open to the public, free of charge. Presenters were Dick Fitzgerald, from Stainte Marie Among the Iroquois, who compared European cultures with the Iroquois Culture, Wayne Lenig, a Mohawk Valley archaeologist who gave a PowerPoint presentation on Fort Plain and Alan Sterling, who spoke about historic markers erected in this area of the state in the 1930s and one in particular which contains information which cannot be correct for its location if you look carefully at the archaeology. Their presentations clearly focused on how you cannot look at history, without examining archaeology.

Major Ed and Mary Helen Jones of the Town of Steuben were among those who attended. Visiting the estate of Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer is always a pleasant and enlightening experience. The Joneses are members of the Friends of Herkimer Home as well as members of the Friends of Baron Steuben. Major Jones brought along materials on the plan of Major General Baron Steuben's estate development to show. Mrs. Jones expressed her interest in knowing where Steuben's dog, Azor, is buried and asked if anyone knows or finds out later to please let her know at darmaryhelenjones@hotmail.com.

Nancy Cioch, a staff member and member of the Astenrogen Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), kept busy during the afternoon making 18th Century sachets of potpourri including materials from General Herkimer's gardens. Nancy had recently laid a wreath for the Herkimer Home SHS at the rededication of the General Herkimer's March, Aug 3-6, 1777 Monument #10 in downtown Utica of which Mary Helen Jones was the project manager for the Oneida Chapter NSDAR. That monument had been moved from its 1912 location at least once and the bronze plaque was later placed in storage at the Oneida County Historical Society. Alan Sterling and Tom Kernan, HHSHS director, were the authorities Mary Helen called on to document the history and location as accurate when she applied to the NSDAR Historian General for permission to install this restored monument (one of fourteen from Herkimer's home to the Oriskany Battlefield) in a park at Genesee, Broad, and Whitesboro Streets, Utica, NY. She had also coordinated the rededication of Monument #2 at the new flag pole at the Herkimer Home SHS on June 13, 2004. Its bronze plaque had also been out of public view many years after the granite monument was broken by a snowplow. At the present time all fourteen monuments are in view for public edification and we are looking forward to the centennial celebration on Flag Day, June 14, 2012.

The Friends of Baron Steuben (FOBS) committee of the Remsen-Steuben Historical Society and the Oneida Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) have had a busy time this summer honoring Major General Baron Steuben and Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer in long-term projects coordinated by Mary Helen Jones of the Town of Steuben. When the book STEUBEN, FORT STANWIX AND ORISKANY BATTLE FIELD was published by FOBS in 1999, Mary Helen included the proposed historic marker for Steuben's adopted son, Jonathan Arnold Steuben. The book also included in the chapter 'Herkimer Home to Oriskany Battlefield - Fourteen Markers' a note that the bronze plaque from Marker #10 was "in storage at the Oneida County Historical Society until June 2001."

FOBS Committee Chairman Hobart Kraeger was Master of Ceremony and was assisted by Paul Credle. Harry Landman unveiled the marker. Town Supervisor Daniel Carpenter accepted the marker on behalf of the Town of Steuben. Afterwards, Ben Simon transported the guests to Jonathan's grave site in his hay wagon. A Veteran's Administration stone was then dedicated. It had been secured by Jean Kraeger, Vice Chairman of FOBS. She was assisted by Dolly Peterson of Girl Scout Troop 614, David John Peterson and others of Boy Scout Troop 175, and Barbara Credle, all of the Town of Steuben, and Susan (Bunny) Doolittle of Barneveld. Refreshments followed at the Steuben Memorial State Historic Site served by Kathy Peterson and Kitty Vega of Steuben. NPS Park Ranger Susan Jones welcomed visitors to the site which opened that day and has now completed Fort Stanwix's first season in charge of day-to-day operations for the state, closing out the season on Labor Day.

Mary Helen Jones is a Life member of NSDAR, a member of the Holland Patent Chapter, an associate member of the Oneida Chapter, and an area representative of the DAR Speakers Staff. Her original goal of having the General Herkimer's March Monument #10 restored in 2001 ran into several obstacles. But she prevailed because this monument had been out of public view too long and the trail was incomplete without it. She felt it was important this last remaining monument marking the route of those heroic Patriots on the most famous journey in the history of the Mohawk Valley should be back in public view. The first question was financing the repair of the original bronze plaque and replacing the granite monument. It had been sponsored by the Utica Chamber of Commerce when all fourteen monuments were dedicated in a huge day-long motorcade celebration from General Herkimer's home near Little Falls to the Oriskany Battlefield. On June 14, 1912, the brain-child of the Col. Marinus Willett Chapter in Frankfort. Bids were received on this restoration project in 2002 and the present Chamber felt it could not take on the financial responsibility. Without being deterred, she received permission from PJ Green at 100 Whitesboro Street in Utica, to have the monument installed on their property which would be near its original location. A prestigious member of the Col. Marinus Willett Chapter, NSDAR, Merry Ann T. Wright who resided in Virginia at the time, suggested to Mary Helen that this project be completed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Being an associate member of the Oneida Chapter which is in Utica, she asked them to sponsor the application for permission to proceed from the Historian General of NSDAR in Washington D. C. The staff at the Herkimer Home State Historic Site, Thomas Kernan and Alan Sterling, assisted her with the documentation required affirming the message on the bronze plaque was correct. It has a map on the top and reads:

"40 MILE ROUTE TAKEN BY GEN. HERKIMER AUG. 3-6, 1777 FOR RELIEF OF FORT STANWIX. THE BATTLE OF ORISKANY, AUG 6, BETWEEN HERKIMER'S MEN AND ST. LEGER WITH HIS INDIANS WAS THE TURNING POINT OF THE REVOLUTION' followed by this message: 'General Herkimer marched past this spot on his way to Fort Stanwix, on August 5, 1777. He was brought back wounded over this same road on the evening of the following day. Placed June 14, 1912 by The Utica Chamber of Commerce.'

Permission was granted by Cindy Segraves Phillips, Historian General, NSDAR, on March 11, 2007. On the 230th Anniversary of the march through Utica, August 5, 2007, the fund drive officially began with the DAR State Regent and other State Officers present at the Oneida County Historical Society. The damaged bronze plaque was on display and now a year later, the outstanding repair and refurbishing by Kelly Foundry in Utica was profoundly obvious and greatly appreciated.

August 6, 2008, the 231st Anniversary of the Battle of Oriskany, was chosen as the day of dedication. But just six weeks earlier, Mary Helen Jones and Jane Blando, a Director of the Oneida Chapter, were informed by Debra Day of the City of Utica Engineering Department, the chosen site was in the city right-of-way and street repairs were about to begin. Jane, Mary Helen and her husband went to the Office of the Mayor, David R. Roefaro, who graciously offered to find a suitable nearby site for the monument. It is in the small city park at Genesee, Broad, and Whitesboro Streets just east of PJ Green and will be developed with interpretive signs connecting it with the future Hike & Bike Trail that goes along the Mohawk River past the Herkimer Home and on to Albany.

DAR State Regent Gretta Archer and her husband Willis Archer of Randolph, NY, arrived the afternoon of August 5th to be the house guests of Mary Helen and Major Ed Jones. They immediately took them to visit the Steuben Memorial State Historic Site near their home. After breakfast on the 6th, Jean Kraeger, also a member of Holland Patent Chapter and associate member of Oneida Chapter, arrived to be the Personal Page for Mrs. Archer for this big day. They went to Fort Stanwix National Monument to meet Superintendent Debbie Conway who invited Mrs. Archer to participate in the ceremony at Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site that evening. They enjoyed the 10:00 cannon firings by the volunteers from the Oneida Indian Nation and others including longtime friend Joe Occhipinti of Rome. Lunch was at Denny's where they were joined by Chapter Regent Trudy Kennedy of Utica, and Chapter Vice Regent Nancy Riddell of Sauquoit. Then back to the Fort for a tour before driving to Utica. Delicious cookies and punch were served to the more than fifty guests as they arrived from all over the state.

The Dedication began promptly at 4 P.M. Chapter Regent Lillian 'Trudy' Kennedy gave the Welcome and was Mistress of Ceremony. The Invocation and Benediction were by State Chaplain Bonnie Whittington Ranieri of Liverpool. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States was led by Oneida Chapter sponsored Fort Schuyler Society Children of the American Revolution members Edythe Malara and Steven Malara, Jr.; and the National Anthem was led by Nancy Nixon Riddell, Chapter Vice Regent. The Keynote address: 'DAR & Historic Preservation -- The 14 Herkimer's March Monuments' was by Gretta Beck Archer, State Regent, New York Organization, NSDAR The unveiling of the monument was by Dorothy Strite Alberico, Chapter Historian and Jane Drees Blando, Chapter National Defense Chairman Chapter Regent Lillian 'Trudy' Kennedy and Chapter Chaplain Mary Anne Sheldon of Clark Mills, conducted the rededication Accepting for the City of Utica, David R. Roefaro, Mayor, who was represented by his assistant Angelo Roefaro. Wreaths were laid by Gretta Beck Archer, State Regent and Denise Doring VanBuren of Chelsea, State Vice Regent, for NYS Organization, NSDAR, and Nancy Cioch, Interpreter, for the Herkimer Home State Historic Site.

Additional speakers were Denise Doring VanBuren, State Vice Regent; Theresa Willemsen of Richfield Springs, State District V Director and representing the Descendant of the Battle of Oriskany; Brett VanBuren of Chelsea, representing the State President of the New York Society of the Children of the American Revolution; and Thomas Foley of Marcy, Sons of the American Revolution. Also speaking were Joseph A. Griffo, State Senator and Debbie Conway, Superintendent of Fort Stanwix National Monument. Brian Howard, Executive Director of the Oneida County Historical Society spoke of the beautiful restoration of the bronze plaque that he had seen only two months prior. Brian also read the Proclamation issued by Mayor David R. Roefaro of Utica declaring 'August 6, 2008 Oneida Chapter NSDAR General Herkimer's March Monument #10 Restoration Day' and presented it to Regent Kennedy. Frank Elias, President of the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce thanked Oneida Chapter for completing the project and for inviting him be a part of it.

The Oneida Chapter DAR gratefully acknowledged the City of Utica for selecting the lovely park at Genesee, Broad and Whitesboro Streets for the site. They laid the foundation for the monument and planted the lovely landscaping; Mike Mahoney and Debra Day of the Engineering Department; Pamela Jardieu of the Urban and Economic Development Department; Jerry Fitzgerald of PJ Green for cooperation since 2003; Kelly Foundry for the fantastic job repairing and refurbishing the bronze plaque; and the Mohawk Valley Monument Company for completing the 3' X 4' X 16' granite monument for the 2002 price.

Regent Kennedy concluded the program by presenting Mary Helen Jones with a corsage as a sign of appreciation for all her work and invited her to say a few words. All she could say was to thank God for the beautiful day and now she is looking forward to the completion of the Hike & Bike Trail and the Centennial Celebration of the Fourteen Monuments in 2012.

Afterwards, many of those present drove to the Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site for their 7 P.M. Remembrance Ceremony. State Regent Gretta Beck Archer took part by reading 'Prayers for the Fallen' from the Oriskany Common. Wreaths were laid by Oneida Chapter and many others a fitting close to a perfect day.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890, chartered by Congress in 1896 and reports to Congress annually. It is a not for profit charitable organization and donations are tax deductible. NSDAR MISSION: Historic Preservation, Education & Patriotism. NSDAR MOTTO: God, Home and Country. For more information about the Oneida Chapter DAR, please check the Chapter Website: http://mysite.verizon.net/floroy/dar/home.htm

STATUE OF THUSNELDA, HERMANN'S WIFE RE-DISCOVERED IN ITALY

Hermann, a Cheruscan chieftan, spearheaded the struggle to defend the Germanic tribes against the Roman Imperial Army. In the autumn of 9 AD, Hermann (known as "Arminius" to the Romans) assembled a coalition of tribes and annihilated three Roman Legions, about 20,000 men, commanded by Quinctilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. The defeat, known as "die Varusschlacht" (Varus Battle), resulted in Caesar Augustus and Rome abandoning efforts to conquer Central Europe thereafter. This established early Germanic freedom and unity, and preserved the race and culture.

Thusnelda, Hermann's wife, was betrayed by her own father, Segestes, to the Romans. She was pregnant at the time. Her Roman captor, Germanicus, displayed Thusnelda on a procession through Rome on May 26, 17 AD. She was taken away to Ravenna, Italy, where Hermann's son, Thumelicus, was born. He, too, was later led captive in a pageant in the streets of Rome. Niether Thusnelda nor Thumelicus were ever to see Hermann again.

Recently, a statue of Thusnelda was re-discovered among the thousands of items in the Uffizi Sculpture Gallery, Loggia Della Signoria, in Florence, Italy. The statue is labeled: "Roman Art, Barbarian prisoner 'Thusnelda', from the era of Trojan-Hadrian. Early II Century AD, with significant modern restorations. Marble. Discovered in Rome; in 1541 already part of the Capranica della Valle collection in Rome; from 1584 at the villa Medici, Rome; in Florence since 1787; in the Loggia since 1789."

A packet of five postcards featuring Thusnelda is now available by mail for $5.00 to cover postage and handling from: George L. Glotzbach, 907 Cottonwood Street, New Ulm, MN 56073. New Ulm is the most German city in America. The massive Hermann Monument towers over the city, is the city's signature, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The 2000th anniversary of Hermann's Battle will be commemorated September 18, 19, and 20 September 2009 in New Ulm.

Tolzmann's Stammtisch
HERMANN REMEMBERED

How many 2000th anniversaries do we celebrate? Not many, but this coming September marks one - in 9 A.D., Germanic forces under the command of Arminius, who is better known as Hermann, defeated three Roman legions led by the Roman general Varus. Why is this being celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic? For details of the Hermann celebrations in New Ulm in September, please see the attached, followed by an announcement from New Ulm resident George Glotzbach.

Many consider Hermann's victory in 9 A.D. as a turning point in European history and as the last major attempt of the Roman Empire to conquer ancient Germania, as well as the actual beginnings of German history.

In time, Hermann took on legendary status as the archetypal hero defending the early Germanic peoples of the time. Plays and poems were written about him.

Paintings were done depicting the historic battle in the Teutoburg Forest in northwestern Germany. To this day, archaeologists are still recovering items and artifacts and researching the topic. In the 19th century, two monuments were built to honor Hermann: one in Detmold, Germany, and the other in New Ulm, Minnesota.

He, therefore, had importance both for Germans and German-Americans, but for different reasons. For Germans the Detmold monument symbolized the newly united Germany, but for German-Americans the New Ulm monument symbolized unity with their new homeland and their contributions to it.

Earlier in the 19th century, German-Americans founded a fraternal organization in response to the anti-immigrant spirit of the time. Not surprisingly, they called it the Sons of Hermann, and branches of it were established across the country.

After the Hermann Monument was established at Detmold, the Sons of Hermann took on the task of constructing a similar monument in New Ulm, Minnesota. It involved a national fund-raising project to get the job done, but the monument was dedicated in 1897.

Along came the First World War, and you can imagine how popular something like a Hermann Monument would be at the time. It took a long time - well into the latter half of the 20th century till public pride in German heritage fully returned, especially after the celebration of the American Bicentennial in 1976, the German-American Tricentennial in 1983, and the establishment of German-American Day in 1987, but return it did!

In 2000, the 106th U.S. Congress officially recognized the Hermann Monument as an official symbol of contributions by German-Americans to the making of America. The resolution noted "the countless contributions to American culture, arts, and industry, the American military, and American government."

It also noted that the story of Hermann "parallels that of the American Founding Fathers, because he was a freedom fighter who united ancient German tribes in order to shed the yoke of Roman tyranny and preserve the freedom for the territory of present-day Germany."

Interesting that the Hermann Monument was recognized by Congress in the year 2000, and that this year marks the 2000th anniversary of Hermann's victory in 9 A.D.

So Hermann will be feted this year in Germany and America, with celebrations focusing mainly around the monuments to him in Detmold and in New Ulm. Maybe they will contribute to learning more about Hermann and who he was historically and the fact that we have a monument in New Ulm, Minnesota that the U.S. Congress recognized as a German heritage symbol.

Maybe it will also lead to a greater awareness of what he is supposed to symbolize - German contributions to the building and making of America. That is something to celebrate!

German-Americans to Celebrate Hermann's Victory 2,000 Years Ago
by George L Glotzbach

Hermann, a Cheruscan chieftan known as "Arminius" to the Romans, spearheaded the struggle to defend Germanic tribes against the Roman imperial army. In the autumn of the year A.D. 9 Hermann assembled a coalition of tribes and annihilated three Roman Legions (about 20,000 men) commanded by Quinctilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. The defeat, known as "die Varusschlacht" (Varus Battle) established early Germanic freedom and unity. The 2000th anniversary of Hermann's triumph was commemorated jointly in Deutschland and here in America in New Ulm, Minnesota, the most German city in America, the home of the magnificent Hermann Monument.

Invited guests included the BŸrgermeisters of the German cities of Bramsche-Kalkriese nearby where the battle was fought, Haltern where Varus had his winter camp, and Detmold where the colossal statue of Hermann stands. Also included were the BŸrgermeisters of Ulm and Neu-Ulm, New Ulm's Sister Cities.

Events began with a reception on September 17, 2008 for invited dignitaries. The Grand Banquet opened the fest Friday, the 18th, at Turner Hall. Saturday's festivities included an Academic Symposium hosted by Martin Luther College, an educational presentation by New Ulm's combined public, Catholic, and Lutheran high school systems, a German Car Show, a Roman Legion encampment, a Diorama presentation of the battle, an afternoon of traditional New Ulm German food and beer and music, an evening of contemporary regional entertainment, and a huge Fireworks display over the monument at dusk. Sunday a Parade of over 100 units topped off the celebration.

Anti-immigrant sentiment

In the 1840's, German-speaking peoples from Central Europe were immigrating in droves to the United States. But in many places anti-immigration resentment resulted in street riots. In response, the new immigrants sought a symbol to unite them. They chose Hermann, a legendary folk-hero, and formed the Order of the Sons of Hermann as a rallying point throughout the United States.

The New Ulm chapter was led by Julius Berndt, the National Secretary of the Sons of Hermann. The Hermann Monument was dedicated in New Ulm in 1897. It was patterned after the massive Hermannsdenkmal in Detmold, Germany. When the local chapter of the Sons of Hermann disbanded after World War I, the city of New Ulm took over the ownership and care of the monument. In 1973, the Hermann Monument was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. And in 2000, the monument received national and international recognition: The 106th Congress of the United States designated the Hermann Monument to be an official symbol for the contributions of Americans of German heritage. The Hermann Monument is second in size only to the Statue of Liberty in America. Hermann, with sword uplifted, reveals a simple truth of democracy "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

For more information contact: Bürgermeister Joel Albrecht, P.O. Box 636, New Ulm, MN 56073, U.S.A., Phone: (507) 359-8233, Email: joel.albrecht@ci.new-ulm.mn.us Website: hermannmonument.com
Excerpted from: http://germerica.net/Hermann-New-Ulm-Glotzbach-germany-Germerica

LEARN ABOUT HERMANN

Arminius (c. 18 BC-AD 19), chief of the Cherusci, a Teutonic tribe inhabiting parts of what is now Germany. German nationalists of the 19th century celebrated him as a national hero, under the name of Hermann, for having freed Germany from Roman control. He served in the Roman army (AD 1-6), obtaining Roman citizenship and an insight into the arts of war and policy as practiced by the Romans. Returning home about AD 7, he found his people oppressed by the Roman governor Publius Quinctilius Varus. Arminius organized a rebellion of the Cherusci, annihilating three Roman legions in the Varus Battle or Battle of Teutoburg Forest in AD 9 and forcing the Romans back to the Rhine. The defeat of his legions led Varus to commit suicide.

New Ulm resident, Denis Warta, invites individuals interested in the history that led up to the Hermann Battle in A.D. 9 to attend six one-hour sessions in the New Ulm Public Library meeting room. During each session there will be a one hour viewing of a DVD course presented by Professor Kenneth W. Harl of Tu-lane University in New Orleans. Following each video there will be a period of brief discussion. These sessions will provide an introduction to that Roman history which leads to the annihilation of the three Roman Legions in AD 9 by Arminius or Hermann. The lead-in lessons will feature early Roman life, Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul, early Germanic Europe, nomads of Eastern Europe and the beginning of Roman imperialism. There is no charge for these presentations which are sponsored by Denis Warta. For more information call Denis Warta at 507-233-2423 or Larry Hlavsa at the New Ulm Public Library at 507-359-8332.

GAHF Aquires Hockemeyer Hall in Washington DC
to Establish National German-American Heritage Center of the USA

The dream of the founding members of the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA is another step closer to reality due to the acquisition of a building known as Hockemeyer Hall. It is located at 719 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC opposite the Verizon Center. The exterior renovations were completed in the fall of 2007. Interior renovations will now be completed by the GAHF. It is a historic townhouse, turned businessmen's club, built initially by German merchant John Hockemeyer in 1888.

A Grand Opening is planned for spring 2009. The GAHF thanks all the members and friends who contributed so generously to permit the purchase. For the interior renovations we will need approximately $300,000 in additional capital funds.
The Center will be more than just a place to meet for all Americans of German-speaking ancestry. It will showcase our rich heritage from Jamestown to Germantown and beyond with permanent and temporary displays. There will be an exhibit on the German explorers in the discovery and scientific exploration of Alaska in the 1700/1800's.

Moreover, the Center will feature state of the art multi-media displays varying from historical documentaries to current affairs as well as presenting today's Germany to Americans of German-speaking descent and U.S. Citizens alike. To accomplish this we are partnering with two prestigious German institutions on German immigration to America: The "Auswanderhaus" in Bremerhaven and "Ballinstadt" in Hamburg.

The Center will also include an ambitious project: It will collect and preserve the rich heritage and contributions of German-speaking immigrants by collecting their personal data, their memories and family histories via an "audio-visual oral history project" which has been awarded a major grant by the Federal Republic of Germany.

Newseum Blends High-Tech
With Historical

The Newseum - a 250,000-square-foot museum of news - offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America's Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior's unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfill its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other.

The Newseum features seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services. It offers a unique environment that takes museumgoers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

"Visitors will come away with a better understanding of news and the important role it plays in all of our lives," said Newseum Executive Director and Senior Vice President Joe Urschel. "The new Newseum is educational, inspirational and a whole lot of fun."

The Berlin Wall was strong enough to stop a tank, but it couldn't stop news from getting into East Germany by word of mouth, smuggled messages or radio and television. This gallery tells the story of how news and information helped topple a closed and oppressive society. The exhibit contains the largest display of portions of the original wall outside of Germany. It features eight 12-foot-high concrete sections of wall, each weighing about three tons. A three-story East German guard tower that loomed near Checkpoint Charlie - Berlin's best-known East-West crossing - stands nearby.

For more info, visit: www.newseum.org, email: info@newseum.org, Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20001, Call: 888/NEWSEUM (888/639-7386)

BERLIN WALL CELEBRATION

Berlin marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in October 2009, but there are plenty of other cultural events going on as well. Here are a few of them:

• "Long Night of Museums," when 100 museums open their doors from 6 p.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 31 and Aug. 29. With one ticket, patrons get admission to all participating venues and events and a shuttle bus to take them around; <http://www.lange-nacht-der-museen.de/>
• The 59th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), Feb. 5-15, with up to 400 films screened, many of them European premieres; <http://www.berlinale.de/>
• Berlin Carnival Costume Parade, Feb. 22, with a million spectators and participants.
• Festival Days at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, April 4-12, for fans of classical music, with a staging of Wagner's Lohengrin opera as one of the highlights.
• Extended Opera and Theater Night, April 25, when half-hour events are offered from 7 p.m. until 10 a.m. on 60 Berlin stages. Shuttle buses will carry visitors from theater to theater on seven different routes. The starting point and meeting spot is the Bebelplatz with an open-air stage, central box office, and information stand; kulturprojekte-berlin.de
• Carnival of Cultures, May 29-June 1, with a parade of 100 groups and 4,000 performers from 80 nations; Children's Carnival May 28.
• Fete de la Musique, June 21, free concerts on over 50 (mostly open-air) stages throughout Berlin.
• Jewish Cultural Days, Aug. 29-Sept. 6, at the Rykestrasse Synagogue, Rykestrasse 53.
  
• Classic Open Air Berlin, July 2-6, at Gendarmenmarkt square, with opera, classical and contemporary music performances.
• Berlin International Beer Festival, Aug. 7-9, when Karl-Marx-Allee turns into the world's longest beer garden and bar, with 190 breweries from 72 countries offering beer along a mile-long stretch.
• Real Berlin Marathon, Sept. 19-20, a 42-kilometer run that attracts athletes from around the world.
• Festival of Lights, Oct. 13-25, with fireworks, lightseeing tours, illuminated buildings and light shows.
• JazzFest Berlin, Nov. 5-8, with big bands and American and international jazz stars.

Kleindeutschland:
New York's Little Germany
by Don Heinrich Tolzmann

Located on the Lower East Side of New York, Kleindeutschland had a sizable German-American population of more than 150,000 before World War I, making it a real center of German cultural life, as well as one of the largest German urban populations in the world.

Architectural styles of buildings in this neighborhood reflect the age known as the Victorian era. German inscriptions can still be found here and there, such as for the German Methodist Church, where German Methodists gathered to worship, and the Deutsch-Amerikanische Schuetzen-Gesellschaft, where members of the German-American marksmen society held their functions.
Such buildings reflect the pride of having "made it" in America, im Land der unbegrenzten Moeglichkeiten, or in the land of unlimited possibilities. They also reflect pride in German contributions to America, as well as pride in Germany and the goods it produced that were stamped "Made in Germany."

Aside from social and religious life, German cultural life flourished as well, especially as evidenced by the Ottendorfer Library. Founded and funded by the Ottendorfer family, which published the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, this German-American branch of the New York Public Library contains a German book collection to this day, with recent acquisitions from Germany.

This donation of the Ottendorfer Library was a way of giving back to the German-American community for supporting the Staats-Zeitung, now the oldest German-American newspaper marking its 175th anniversary.

When browsing there, you can gaze at the pictures of Oswald and Anna Ottendorfer gracing the walls of the library reading room. Actually, it was Anna Ottendorfer who was responsible for the charitable donations made by the family, which included not only the Ottendorfer Library, but the Polyclinic located directly alongside the Library.

While there, I paged through Rudolf Cronau's German-American history: Drei Jahrhunderte deutschen Lebens in Amerika (1909), and noted that it had been re-bound, demonstrating that the volume had been heavily used. German authors congregated here, read and discussed their works before, during and after World War II.

If you stroll down the streets of Kleindeutschland, you might also want to visit the Tenement Museum, which throws a realistic light on immigrant life in New York when it was teeming with thousands of recently arrived immigrants, all trying to find their luck in this new metropolis.

A real turning-point in the history of Kleindeutschland took place in 1904 with the General Slocum disaster. A German Evangelical Lutheran Church had planned its annual ship outing in the harbor, but fire on board the ship led to the loss of an estimated 1,021 lives (1,517 lost their lives on the Titanic).

This left a gaping hole in Kleindeutschland with tragic memories, causing many to move elsewhere, especially to Yorkville, another German district in New York. The Slocum disaster was followed by two world wars that adversely affected the German heritage as a result of the anti-German hysteria and sentiment that came along with them.

On the positive side of the scale several factors have contributed to an upswing in the German image in New York in the post-World War II era, especially the German-speaking immigration before and after World War II, the importance of Germany as a U.S. ally, and the organization of the German-American Steuben Parade.

When winding up a walk in Kleindeutschland you might round it off with a stop at Zum Schneider Restaurant & Biergarten, 107 Avenue C. & 7th Street. That hits the spot after a Spaziergang through the area. Afterwards, you might consider venturing out to some of the other old German parts of the city, such as Yorkville, and reflect on the German impact on New York City. If you are interested in further exploring New York's German past and present, there are two useful guides:

"German New York City" by Richard Panchyk (Arcadia Publishing, 2008) presents a fine pictorial history of New York's German heritage by an author born in Queens, who hopes his book "will both help preserve the history of German New York City as well as inspire future generations to remember and preserve their colorful German heritage."

"Germany in New York City" (www.germanyinnyc.org ) provides an array of information about things German, including links to the following: a calendar of events, music & performances, movies & TV, art, lectures, restaurants & bars, where to shop, institutes, communities, photos, videos, and personalities.

Sites are ever present, such as the Carl Schurz Monument in Morningside Park. Much like urban areas elsewhere, the German heritage is there - you just have to be aware of its subtle presence as an integral part of the cityscape.

Excerpted from http://www.germerica.net/node

Annual Valentine's Dinner Dance Gala sponsored by
the Steuben Society Schmitt-Vogler Unit 998 of Huntington, NY
by Barbara Yager, Chairlady of Unit 998

The Schmitt-Vogler Unit 998 based in Huntington, NY is holding its Annual Valentine's Dinner Dance Gala this year on February 8, 2009 at the wonderful Watermill located in Smithtown, NY. It was well attended last year with an attendance close to 200 people. We have wonderful straw raffle prizes and grand raffle prize drawing for first prize, a Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS navigation system and accessories, for 2nd prize, a large basket of cheer and for 3rd prize, a large basket of assorted wines.

Many of our members and local businesses have made donations for our straw raffle prizes. This is our annual fundraiser which supports local scholarships to deserving high school students studying German. The purpose of this dance is also to support the good will of our Steuben Society in the community and to promote good citizenship in the German-American community, and to educate the public as to the positive role of German/Americans in American Society.

Over 35 years ago, during the chairmanship of Steven Hoffenmuller, our Unit's Valentine's dance started out as a Fasching dance celebration. At the Fasching dance, members would wear costumes and dance to music played from records or a single musician. There would be a contest for the best costume and it was usually held before Ash Wednesday. It was held at where they held the monthly meetings in Huntington. In 1985, the Fasching dance became a popular event and more room was needed so it was held at the Nathan Hall Post VFW in Huntington, NY. Around 1990, under Chairman Ed Sperzel, the dance became known as a Valentines dance and was held at the American Legion Hall in Halesite, Huntington Village, NY.

For the next 6 years, it was held at the VFW and American Legion Hall in Huntington, NY holding up to 80-100 people. Once again, because of the dances popularity, we had to find more room. It was then in 1997, under Chairman Walter Henning, that the dance became known as a Valentines Dance Gala and was held at the scenic Bavarian Inn in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY. At one point over 350 people attended and there was a waiting list to get it to this popular Valentine's Dance Gala!

Then under Chairwoman, Barbara Yager the Valentine's Dance Gala was moved to a wonderful new venue at the Watermill. This year will be our third Valentines' Dance at this beautiful location. Our Valentine's Dance Gala at the Watermill promises to be a lot of fun for all those who attend; with great music by Bud Gramer with Linda and his band providing music for our dancing pleasure, fantastic food, and many wonderful raffle prizes. All are welcome to attend. You can be single or married and this event is not just for couples only. Please get your friends, family, children, grandchildren, neighbors, and coworkers to come and share in the fun.

Save the date: Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the Watermill Caterers, 711 Smithtown Bypass, Smithtown, NY from 1pm to 5pm. Valet parking is provided. Donation of $65 per person provides a champagne toast, a wonderful assortment of hot hors d'oeuvres, Vegetable cruditŽs, Cheese display, Rigatoni alla Vodka as appetizer, Caesar salad, a delicious sit down dinner includes a choice of Chateaubriand; Chicken Marsala, or grilled Norwegian Salmon. Includes unlimited Heineken beer and domestic beer, wine, and soda. Lavazza coffee, tea, and black forest cake for dessert. Contact Barbara Yager at 631-981-7794 by February 1, 2009 for reservations. Make checks payable to "Steuben Society Schmitt-Vogler Unit 998" and mail to Barbara Yager, 1952 Feuereisen Ave, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779. Sorry, No Refunds and no tickets will be sold at the door.

National Chairman's Message:

Dear Steuben Brothers and Sisters,

I am proud to report that your National Council has embarked upon an exciting new era. In our 90th year of existence steps have been taken to make the operation of our Executive Office more cost effective and efficient. Key to this transition is the relocation of the office from Ridgewood, New York to Patchogue, New York.

As of January 31st our lease for the Ridgewood Office expires and all operations will then be run from the Patchogue Office. Please note that the new mailing address will be: Steuben Society of America, 1 South Ocean Avenue, Suite 217, Patchogue, NY 11772. We will continue to keep our e-mail address which is: steubensociety@aol.com. Our new phone number is: 631-730-5111.

It is not easy to empty out an office that has accumulated decades of records and memorabilia. A special note of thanks is owed to our National Secretary, Sr Ilse Hoffmann, and to her son, Br Peter Hoffmann, for taking on the daunting task of cataloging all the artwork and artifacts prior to the move. Although the work is hard it is not without its rewards.

Part of the fun of emptying out the file cabinets is coming across forgotten gems from the Steuben Society's past. For example, I found a cache of membership pins for the Junior League (for German-American children not yet of voting age) and for the Prospective Citizens League (for German immigrants who are undergoing the naturalization process). These pins look essentially the same as the Society's basic membership pins with one distinction. Rather than having a black center, the pin for the Junior League has a white center with a gold "J" in the middle. Similarly, the pin for the Prospective Citizens League has a white center with a gold "P" in the middle. I have asked a photographer friend of mine to take pictures of these pins. Once the pictures are available I will run them in Steuben News. Unfortunately, my personal camera is not up to the task of getting a clear shot of these small shiny objects.

In upcoming issues of Steuben News, we will publish some pictures of vintage Steuben Medals that at one time were given out in connection with our scholarships. Finding these treasures of our Society's past at this time is especially rewarding because now they can be incorporated into the official history that is currently being put together by our Education Committee Co-Chairs Br Don Heinrich Tolzmann and Sr Ilse Hoffmann. Specialthanks go out to all who have helped with teh moving process especially to: Past National Chairman Hans Ratje, Sr. Priscilla Ratje, Sr. Heidemarie Ratje, Sr. Marilyn Blevins, Br. Tom Cornell, Br. Hellmuth Freund, Br. Kurt Pahlitsch, Br. Ray Yager, Br. Bob Land, Mr. Richard Brace, Mr. Rufino Maya, Mr. John Pederson, and Mr. Tod Wyles.

Although right now I am focusing much of my efforts on moving the Executive Office, rest assured that your National Chairman is still reaching out to the units. I recently had the pleasure to preside over the installation of new members for the Hugo Muensterberg Unit of Lynbrook and the installation of officers for the Senator Robert F. Wagner Unit of Islip. I have also accepted invitations to meet with the members of the John Peter Zenger Unit of Hicksville and the Schmitt-Vogler Unit of Huntington. Later this Spring, I also plan to travel to New Ulm, MN in furtherance of my efforts to form a unit there. I will keep you posted.

Fraternally yours,
Randall J. Ratje
National Chairman

Dr. Johannes Fleischer, First German Medical Doctor at Jamestown, VA
by Brother Gary Carl Grassl

NOTE: My article "Johannes Fleischer, Jr., M.D.: The First Scientist at Jamestown, Virginia" appeared in The Yearbook of German-American Studies for the year 2000. Why another article on Dr. Fleischer? The present article is an attempt to update and correct this earlier one. Recent research shows that Dr. Fleischer arrived in Virginia not in April 1608 as reported but in May 1607. As a matter of fact, he arrived with the very first British settlers and was the only Continental among them. The present article describes two recently discovered letters by Dr. Fleischer, one of which he wrote from Jamestown in 1607, proving that he was present at such an early date. In this article, I also compare Fleischer's academic credentials with those of the English settlers.

Johannes Fleischer the Younger was born in Breslau, Germany, on October 11, 1582. He earned a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Basel in 1606. He also studied botany and contributed to Casper Bauhin's main work, _INA_ [Pinax] Theatri Botanici. In May 1607, Fleischer landed with the first English settlers at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America. He was the first university-trained physician and botanist in English America. Although there were a number of Oxford and Cambridge graduates among the English during the first century of the colony's existence (1607-c. 1700), he and another German were the only ones on record to hold doctor's degrees. He was also the first Continental European at the settlement that is know as "the birthplace of the United States of America."

The father of this Jamestown pioneer, Johannes Fleischer Senior, was born in 1539 in Breslau, a Lutheran city. He enrolled at the University of Wittenberg, where he heard lectures by Philipp Melanchthon (Schwarzerdt), Luther's colleague. In 1589, the University awarded him a doctorate of theology. In the same year, Fleischer Senior became the chief minister of St. Elisabeth's, the main Lutheran church of Breslau. Simultaneously he became the inspector of the churches and schools of that city (Gubernator Ministerii Ecclesiastici Vratislavi¾). He died in 1593 in Breslau, at age of 54.

THE EDUCATION OF JOHANNES FLEISCHER THE YOUNGER

After losing his mother when he was only 5, Fleischer Junior lost his father when he was 11. He was fortunate, however, growing up in a scholarly environment in Silesia, which enjoyed an intellectual flowering during the period of Late Humanism. His interest in botany and medicine was no doubt stimulated by the Breslau physician Lorenz Scholz, who designed a grand botanical garden. Here grew almost 400 kinds of medicinal plants, native and foreign.

Around 1600, Johannes Fleischer Jr. began to study at Universitas Viadrina in Frankfurt on the Oder. There he published his master's thesis on cataracts in 1603. Then he began to study botany and medicine at the University of Basel, the oldest in Switzerland.6

Under his Latin name Joannes Fleisserus of Breslau, he received a doctorate of medicine from the University of Basel on February 3, 1606. His thesis advisor was Johannes Nicolaus Stupanus, a physician and surgeon. Stupanus taught theoretical medicine at the University from 1580 to 1620. Fleischer's doctoral dissertation, "Disputatio chirurgica de hysterotomia" (incision in the uterus as in cesarean section), was published in Basel.

At this university, Fleischer studied also under the physician, anatomist and botanist Casper Bauhin, who was dean of the faculty of medicine and sometime rector.

Bauhin for the first time developed, in a tentative way, many botanical concepts still held as valid. Because of the many new plants being introduced from Asia, Africa and America, Bauhin designated each plant by a generic and a specific name (genus and species). This binominal system was very similar to modern nomenclature.

Botanists north of the Alps had tried to shoehorn their plants into a schema, Materia Medica, developed by a Roman physician living in the Mediterranean region. Bauhin, however, realized that the northerly plants differed fundamentally from those to the south. He knew that he had to start afresh. In 1623, he published in Basel a study of 6,000 species called "INA [Pinax] Theatri Botanici (Illustrated exposition of plants)." In this encyclopedia, Bauhin named Fleisserus a contributor who had shared information about plants from eastern Germany and the Alps.

JOURNEY TO VIRGINIA

After receiving his doctorate, Fleischer decided to travel to Virginia to provide Bauhin information on plants along the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America. As a physician, he was, of course, especially interested in medicinal plants. Dr. Fleischer was probably inspired by Thomas Hariot's catalogue of the flora and fauna of North America entitled A Briefe and True Report of the NewFound Land of Virginia. It was compiled during the first English settlement attempt in 1585-86 in what is today North Carolina. The booklet was published in 1590 in English, German, French and Latin at Frankfurt am Main. Hariot reported that he had found, among other things, Sweet gums of divers kinds and many other apothecary drugs of which we will make special mention when we shall receive it from such men of skill in that kind that in taking reasonable pains shall discover them more particularly than we had done....

Dr. Fleischer apparently took this as a challenge, and he decided to investigate the healing plants Hariot had hinted at.

The Virginia Company of London was occupied in "the summer and autumn" of 1606 with "the projection of the first colony of the company in forming an expedition...."

On Dec. 15, 1606, Dr. Fleischer sent a letter from London to his teacher Casper Bauhin in Basel. (See Appendix D.) He informed his mentor that he had obtained a berth on one of the ships leaving for Jamestown.

The ships left England on December 19. On April 26, 1607, about four a clock in the morning, we descried the Land of Virginia: the same day we entered into the Bay of Chesupioc... (Discourse by Percy, later governor of Jamestown).

After being at sea for about 5 months cramped into a tiny vessel, Dr. Fleischer finally reached his much sought for field of activity on May 13. The first German to land at the first successful English settlement arrived more than 13 years before the much-heralded Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Now he found himself more than 3,500 miles from his hometown of Breslau. He had come farther than any of the British settlers. However, the conditions he now faced would make it extremely difficult for him to pursue his search for medicinal plants.

On May 26, 200 Indians attacked Jamestown, killing one and wounding eleven. On June 15, reported Percy, "we had built and finished our Fort, which was triangle wise, having three Bulwarks, at every corner, like a half Moon, and four or five pieces of Artillery mounted in them. We had made our selves sufficiently strong for these Savages..."

On June 22, the ships began their return voyage to England. According to Alexander Brown:
Captain Newport sailed up the Thames on or about August 18; he brought with him the first documents written by Anglo-Saxons on the banks of the James River in America; he made a favorable report of the country to the King's Council of Virginia...."

However, among the letters Newport carried to London, one was not written by an Anglo-Saxon nor was it in the English language. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that Dr. Fleischer had sent a letter dated 1607 from Jamestown to London:
Jamestown wird als erste dauerhafte Siedlung der EnglŠnder auf dem amerikanischen Kontinent bezeichnet. Aber unter den frŸhen Siedlern waren auch andere EuropŠer_unter anderem Deutsche. Neuere Forschungen haben ergeben, dass sogar schon unter den ersten Kolonisten, die am 13. Mai 1607 Jamestown grŸndeten, ein Deutscher gewesen ist: der Botaniker und Mediziner Johannes Fleischer. Darauf lasse ein in Latein verfasster Brief schlie§en, den Fleischer an einen der Investoren der ãVirginia Company" geschrieben habe, sagt Beverly Straube, die Verantwortliche für die archŠologische Sammlung von Jamestown.13

This letter confirms that Fleischer landed at Jamestown already in 1607 and not as previously assumed in 1608. While not yet published, this letter is substantiated by independent English sources:
"Master Porie tells me," stated Dudley Carleton, "of a name given by a Duchman who wrote to him in latin from the newe towne in Verginia, Jacobopolis..." (Letter by Carleton, a Member of Parliament, to John Chamberlain from London on 18 August 1607).

John Pory, the recipient of the letter, resided in London in 1607 as a Member of Parliament. He had collaborated with Rev. Hakluyt, the promoter of English colonization. Pory was a member of the London Company that organized the Virginia Colony. He would spend the years 1619-21 and 1623-24 in Virginia and serve as the first Speaker of the Virginia Assembly. Carleton, an English diplomat, was First Viscount Dorchester. He employed Pory, a pioneer of the news-letter genre, as a supplier of information.

Why did the "Duchman" direct his letter to Pory? Having a master's degree from the University of Cambridge, Pory could be expected to know Latin. But the intended final recipient was not Pory but Casper Bauhin, the plant expert at the University of Basel. Being well traveled on the Continent and being a proto journalist, Pory was the ideal person to convey this message.

We may assume that in his letter to Bauhin Fleischer described plants he had found on his journey. When the colonists landed in Virginia, they were delighted by the red strawberries; they were "four times bigger and better than ours in England." Bauhin mentioned these American strawberries in his Pinax Theatri Botanici along with several other North American plants. These Virginia strawberries were introduced into Europe in the 1600's. The commercial strawberries in the United States today are descended from these Virginia strawberries, after having been crossed with a Chilean variety.

DR. FLEISCHER AT JAMESTOWN

While Dr. Fleischer was a freshly minted M.D., he had considerable field experience searching for plants and seeds to complete Bauhin's pioneer encyclopedia. At 25, he was the same age as Thomas Harriot when he had accompanied the first English colonizing attempt in 1585-86 as Sir Walter Raleigh's science advisor.

The National Institute of American History & Democracy described the doctor as follows:
Johannes Fleischer was a German botanist who was at the fort in 1607. He recorded exotic plants found in the region in hopes of finding new medicines; many of the apothecary jars that have been discovered no doubt belonged to him.

The Chemical Heritage Foundation counted Fleischer among the Paracelsians:
It is clear that Jamestown's medical practices stemmed from Paracelsians, who advocated chemical drugs. One such physician, Johannes Fleischer, was German, and he earned a medical degree at the University of Basel the year the Jamestown colonists departed England.

No doubt, Fleischer faced language difficulties, although he had just completed a 5-month English-immersion course. Luckily, he could communicate in Latin with the Anglican priest, Rev. Robert Hunt, who had arrived at the same time. The vicar of Jamestown was no doubt pleased to converse with an educated man who professed a similar religion as his own. Hunt and Fleischer had other things in common: Hunt held a master's degree in theology from Oxford University. Fleischer's father had held a doctorate in theology from Wittenberg University. Dr. Fleischer and Master Hunt, no doubt, held lively conversations, and suddenly Latin was no longer a dead language. Unfortunately, Master Hunt died in the spring of 1608 after his library was consumed in a fire early in the year.

DEATH STALKS JAMESTOWN

The settlers had built a fort on Jamestown Island in the James River for protection, but the location of the island proved unhealthy. "The swamps were close and bred mosquitoes in abundance and, with contamination so easy, drinking water was a problem."

In the first 17 years of the colony, "six died for every one that lived. A cemetery with unmarked graves would be their only memorial." Of Dr. Fleischer's original 104 companions, only 38 were still alive by the spring of 1608. By midsummer, Fleischer had been at Jamestown for about 15 months; he was one of the veterans of the colony. His survival in the midst of so much death may perhaps be ascribed to his excellent physical conditioning; we remember that he had climbed the Alps and other mountains in Central Europe searching for plants.

However, with the summer, the heat returned and with it sickness: Most of the deaths occurred at this time. Dysentery, along with typhoid and salt poisoning, are believed to have been the primary causes of death in the first few years of the colony." The settlers had not yet dug a well and still relied on the salty and murky water of the James River for drinking and cooking. By July 1608, "all the hitherto healthy new arrivals from the Phoenix were now sick, and so were many who had been there longer."

Why did so many of the Jamestown settlers perish? The bacteria for typhoid and dysentery were prevalent among the settlers particularly because they had been crammed together like sardines for 5 months in three tiny ships.

According to Carville V. Earle: The Jamestown carriers passed millions of disease organisms in their feces and also their urine in the case of typhoid. The diseases were transmitted, in all probability, through a contaminated water supply; The colonists drank river water. In spring, the water was safe. With river discharge at a maximum, the fresh running water swirled around Jamestown Island and flushed these organisms downstream. But the water supply became contaminated as summer set in. The water level fell some 10 to 15 feet. Pools of standing water and stagnant marshes rimming the mainland side of the island created a wetland environment ideal for the retention of Salmonella Typhosa and Edamoeba histalytica. Even more deadly was the summer contamination of the river water with salt, sediment and fecal material. As fresh water discharge fell, saltwater invaded some thirty miles up the James estuary from Hog Point in the spring to Jamestown by mid-summer." The extreme draught that prevailed in the early years of Jamestown lowered the water level even more than normal.

THE FATE OF DR. FLEISCHER

With the many sick at the settlement, the services of Dr. Fleischer were no doubt in great demand. He was the only physician at Jamestown now, because Captain Smith had taken the English doctor, Walter R. Russell, away with him on his explorations from June 2 to July 20, 1608. When Smith returned from a second trip on September 7, "Many of the settlers were reported dead, and others sick, and supplies housed in the store had been spoiled by rain." Dr. Fleischer must have been desperate trying to save the dying colonists. When his anguish reached unbearable depths, he became sick himself. The following insert appeared in a handwritten Silesian chronicle for the year 1613:
N. B. Anno 1608 ohngefehr mitten in der Sommerzeit in America Septentrionali in einer Stadt des Landes Virgine¾, Engellandtschenn gebittes, in Beysein Christlicher Personen nach au gestand. Leibes-Kranckheit gestorben u. begraben, Joh. Fleischer, Med. D., Johannes Fleischers Th. d. et Elisab. Pastoris Vrat. nachgel. Eltester Sohn anno. aet. 26.

Translation: In the year 1608, approximately in the middle of summer time in North America, in a town of the country Virginia, English territory, in the presence of Christian persons, after suffering bodily sickness, died and was buried Johannes Fleischer, Doctor of Medicine, eldest son of the deceased Johannes Fleischer, Doctor of Theology and Pastor of St. Elisabeth's in Breslau, at the age of 26.

With the summer in North America lasting from around June 21 to around September 22, Dr. Fleischer must have died somewhere around August 7, 1608, after having spent about 15 months in Jamestown.

His friend Bauhin reported Fleischer's death in Virginia in his botanical encyclopedia published in 1620 in Frankfurt am Main. This was the first printed notice of his death. Dr. Manfred P. Fleischer sums up the life of Fleischer the Younger as follows:
Er studierte in Frankfurt an der Oder, erwarb sich 1606 seinen medizinischen Doktorgrad in Basel und starb auf einer pflanzenkundlichen Forschungsreise in Virginien, ehe er ein wissenschaftliches Werk vollenden konnte. Mit den schlesischen €rzten Friedrich Monau und Laurentius Scholz sowie den Scholzschen Gartendichter und Botaniker James Cargill aus Schottland erschien aber "Joan. Fleisserus Uratsl. Medicus" unter den Nomina eorum qui plantas vel semina communicurant in Caspar Bauhin's INA Theatri Botanici (Basel, 1623). Cunrad bedachte den FrŸh- und Fernverschiedenen mit dem Sinnspruch:

Teutone qu¾ tellus profert generamina vidit; India qu¾ profert vidit & [etiam], & [et] periit.
He saw what plants the German soil brings forth; What grows in India [America] he saw too and died.
Where is the grave of Johannes Fleischer? Although an effort was made to bury the dead in wooden coffins, by midsummer of 1608 so many were dying that no one may have had the energy for such formalities. Stones that might have been shaped into grave markers were unavailable in loamy Tidewater Virginia. The first German to mingle his ashes with American soil lies in an unknown grave. He lives on in our memory, however, as the first healer and researcher at "the Birthplace of America." As the man who risked his life so others might live.

Thanks to Professor Manfred Fleischer for making this letter available both as a transcription of the Latin manuscript and as a translation into German. This work was performed by Professors W. W. Ehlers and F. Feigentreu of the Free University of Berlin. Dr. Fleischer received this transcription and translation from Library Director GŸnther Dittrich of Munich, who commissioned this work. I also wish to thank Prof. Miroslaw Syniawa for making a copy of the original manuscript available.

If Only The Steuben Society Had
Come To Texas
by Ron Evans and Richie Odorfer

When the United States declared war against the German Empire in 1917, many of the tens of millions of Americans of German ancestry were persecuted for the crime of just being ethnic German.
Forgotten by ungrateful and ignorant neighbors was the long history of monumental achievements the immigrant Germans and their descendants had generously bestowed on their adopted country. Contributions that had shaped 1917 America into the great and prosperous land of the free. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson ensured that all Americans supported his war effort by making it known to the nation that anyone publicly talking peace, or even praying that the war with Germany ends soon, other than the Reich's surrender, is a traitor. "Woe be the man or group of men," Wilson threatened, "that stand in our way" in this war.

During Christmas time 1917, Richie Odorfer's Aunt Cecilia was attending Mass in a church in Queens, N.Y. only a few blocks from where the future Steuben Society would have its national headquarters. In the course of delivering the sermon, the pastor asked the congregation to pray for peace.

No less than fifty people jumped from their seats and attacked the elderly priest. Then a like number of brave parishioners restrained the troublemakers, and protected their beloved pastor. Cecilia related to me first hand that within an hour, there were several hundred in front of the church protesting prayers for peace, shouting anti-German slogans and threatening the pastor. It took a squad of mounted police to break up that evil mob. All across America war hysteria erupted into a frenzy of hatred for anything German, be it the German language, street signs, or music. Even German breeds of dogs were not safe.

President Woodrow WIllson prohibited anti-war protests to WWI fueling much of the anti-German sentiment popular during that time.

"The new enemy was routinely called the 'Hun' and WWI war bond posters depicted German faces in monstrous ways, similar to today's hate-group caricatures of Arab faces. The German was perceived to have an anti-democratic, anti-Western world view, and to speak a 'gutteral' language." Being an native American born ethnic German did not remove you from the danger of bodily harm or harassment.

A few blocks from the Steuben headquarters, Hamburg Ave. was changed in 1917 to Wilson Ave., and such anglicizing of German street names spread furiously across America like a tenement block fire. Sauerkraut was re-named victory cabbage, hamburgers became Salisbury steak, and frankfurters were christened Hot Dogs. Throughout America, German language newspapers were closed, high schools were ordered to stop teaching the German language, and music written by Germans, including the masters, were banned. A wild mob enforced that ban in NYC by chasing the conductor and musicians from the pit of the Metropolitan Opera House for playing Wagner's Die Meistersinger.

The U.S. Armed Forces fighting Germany in Europe included a large percentage of ethnic Germans, including a soldier named Eisenhower, and was led by a German-American, General John Pershing, but that meant nothing to the Wilson government as it violated the US Constitution in its persecution of ethnic Germans.

In Columbus, Ohio mobs invaded private homes and stole hundreds of Dachshunds, German Shepherds and other German breeds of dogs from families. After killing the dogs, they buried them in Schiller Park, and changed its name to Freedom Park.

In cities and small towns all across the U.S.A. many German-Americans were humiliated, horse-whipped, and flogged by vigilantes for just having a German surname. In some towns, US Mail was denied ethnic Germans. Speaking German in public was forbidden, as was singing German songs such as Stille Nacht (Silent Night.)

The Steuben Society of America to the Rescue

When WWI ended in 1918, most of the anti-German violence gradually decreased in most parts of America. This was especially the case in the East and Midwest. Education played a great part in turning the page of America's brief history of German-hating. The Steuben Society of America, formed in 1919, can take credit for becoming the first organization to undertake the worthy cause of educating its fellow citizens about German-American patriotism and the German contribution to American life. Steuben units spread to many northern and mid-western cities, and were guided by the national headquarters in New York.

Out of the Steuben experience, other German-American organizations appeared, and German newspapers resumed honest reporting. Most of the American public finally heard the truth about German-American patriotism, and all that ethnic Germans contributed to America.

Texas 1917-1918
While the persecutions committed upon German-Americans from the east to the west coast were mostly perpetrated without official government sanction, in Texas, House Bill 15 "made it a felony punishable by jail terms of two to five years for making all criticism, even a remark made in casual conversation, of America's entry into the war and its continuation in the war."

"In 1918, anti-German hysteria was sweeping across Texas." Hate crimes committed upon German Texans ranked in brutality equally in harshness as was the pattern across America at that time.
Isolationism and hatred of most things German lived on in many parts of Texas in the wake of WWI. There was no Steuben Society or similar group to support the ethnic Germans from persecution, or to educate those ignorant people who still believed the hateful propaganda spewed out during the war years.

Texas towns populated with a sizeable German population such as New Braunfels, Fredericksburg and Waco didn't suffer like those with a small German community, such as Brenham:
"The town doctor was upset that German men in Brenham who were patients of his were getting beaten up, and he publicly spoke up about it." Shortly afterwards, someone fired a shot at him. A German printer in Brenham was ordered to quit publishing by the KKK. "The printer responded by throwing one Klansman through a plate-glass window. The Klan rode that night and torched the newspaper office."

To end the violence against them in Brenham, in the mid 1920s, German businessmen, clergy, and teachers in town were forced to stop publicly speaking, praying or teaching in the German language.
Thanks to the Steuben Society and similar groups, there was little anti-German activity among Americans during WW II. Around the late-1950s, thousands of Texans had returned home after completing their military obligation with the U.S. Army in Germany. The young soldiers had became aware of how the Germans always seemed to have a warm spot for Texans, and that feeling became mutual among the GIs who seen first hand how friendly, clean and hard working the average German was - not to mention the good beer and pretty girls.

So it wasn't surprising when country singer Bobby Helm's big hit titled "Fraulein" became the state song of Texas in the hearts of most of those GIs.

Sources: Rise to Power by Robert Caro; Brenham in the 20s by Shannon Lowiy; "Cleansing" German American Culture by William B. Fischer

German Split Pea Soup (Erbsensuppe)
From www.saveur.com

This recipe is based on one that appears in German Home Cooking by Dr. August Oetker (Bielefeld, 1963). The addition of a little flour gives the soup a smooth texture, while celery root adds an earthy note.

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small celery root, peeled and finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp. flour
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 lb. green split peas, rinsed and drained
2 large smoked ham hocks (about 2 lbs. total)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place oil and bacon in a 6-qt. pot and cook over medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add onions, celery, carrots, and celery root, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour; cook for 3 minutes.

2. Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine; add to pot with peas, ham hocks, and 7 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until peas are very tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat. Discard herbs. Transfer hocks to a plate to let cool; pull off and chop the meat; discard fat, skin, and bones. Stir meat into soup, season with salt and pepper, and ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

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