Page 1 - GC-JULY-AUGUST-2026

A NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GERMAN-AMERICANS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK
AUSTRIA • GERMANY • LIECHTENSTEIN • SWITZERLAND
Vol. 14 No. 4 July - August 2026

Delegation represents Buffalo in Dortmund

By John Kleinmann
ince 1977, Buffalo, NY, and
Dortmund, Germany, have
Senjoyed a long, rich history of
cultural, educational, and religious
exchange as Sister Cities (or in Ger-
man, Partnerstädte). Each year at
the beginning of May, the city of
Dortmund holds a festival called
“Dortbunt” (“bunt” means colorful
in German). The event is a massive,
three-day affair that celebrates di-
versity, community, and tolerance.
Multiple venues throughout the city
center feature live music, family
activities, street art, and various ex-
hibitions. As part of the festivities,
Dortmund invites representatives
from all of its sister cities to come
experience all that the city has to John Kleinmann signs the Golden Book of Dortmund, under the
offer. This year, a delegation of five watchful eye of Oberbürgermeister (mayor) Alexander Kalouti and a
people from Western New York terracotta warrior from Dortmund's sister city of Xi'an China.
represented Buffalo for this occa- Photo courtesy of Buffalo Dortmund Sister City Committee
sion. The attendees included this
writer, John Kleinmann, president Dortmund (BVB) of the Ger-
Get ready for 2026 Buffalo German Fest of the Buffalo-Dortmund Sister City man Bundesliga. We had
Committee, and committee mem- great seats as we watched
42nd Annual German Fest evening. “We’ve had a record num- bers Paul Jones, Greg and Lynn their last home soccer match
celebration kicks off the start ber in attendance for the Friday
Engle, and Kate Hilliman. of the season, with 81,000 of
of Oktoberfest season at night celebration the past two years After arrival on Friday, a small our closest friends. Almost
Cheektowaga Town Park. and are excited for more of the same group toured the offices of the Aus- like being at Highmark Stadi-
re you looking for a welcom- this year” said Melanie Knowles, landsgesellschaft (“Foreign Insti- um, with a similar number of
Aing festival, where strangers spokeswoman for the Buffalo Ger- tute”), hosted by president Klaus fans! Dortmund came out on
often become friends over their man Fest. “We pride ourselves in Wegener and international ex- top, beating Frankfurt 3-2.
shared experience of Gemütlich- offering an authentic biergarten fes-
change director Norena Kunter. The On Saturday, the group
keit? Then “Hau di hera!” A friend- tival, which is family friendly and Auslandsgesellschaft is responsible was treated to a narrated bus
ly Bavarian invitation that loosely educational. It’s important to keep for fostering the sister city relation- tour around the city, seeing
translates to “pull up a chair and join the culture and ‘gemütlichkeit’ ship, and is our German counterpart various sites such as the Op-
us” at this year’s Buffalo German alive!” for our long-standing student ex- era House, Phoenix See, and The Buffalo delegation: Kate Hilliman,
Fest. What is “gemütlichkeit” you Last year the committee decided change program. the inner harbor. We had Paul Jones, John Kleinmann, Lynn Engle
ask? Well, Germans use this term to to move the date of the event to the Friday’s activities continued lunch at the Hansa Kokerei, and Greg Engle.
simply mean being in the right weekend before Labor Day week- with a welcome dinner hosted by or the former Hansa coking
place, at the right time, doing the end and were very happy with the Bettina Sauerwald and Fabian plant. In a coking plant, coal is con- each of its sister cities throughout
right things, with the right people. turnout, so they are doing it again Zeuch from the International Rela- verted into coke, which is then later the city center. The Buffalo Platz
That perfectly describes the goal of this year. “Putting our event a week- tions department of the city of Dort- used as fuel in blast furnaces for the has a small statue of a bison that was
The Federation of German-Ameri- end before Labor Day weekend last mund, where all the delegations production of steel. This sprawling given as a gift to the people of Dort-
can Societies of Buffalo & Vicinity year helped us immensely with the could get to know each other. Dort- facility is being refurbished to house mund from the people of Buffalo in
as they prepare to host their biggest volunteer shortage we had been mund’s other sister cities taking part the International Garden Associa- honor of Dortmund’s 1100th anni-
fundraising event of the year on starting to experience in the last 8 to in the weekend activities included tion’s 2027 festival, which takes versary in 1982.
Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 10 years,” Ms. Knowles added. Schytomyr, Ukraine, Novi Sad, place in Dortmund and surrounding On Saturday night, everyone at-
29 at Cheektowaga Town Park. “Everyone working on the planning Serbia,Trabzon,Turkey, Zwickau, areas of the Ruhr valley from April tended a dinner hosted by Ober-
The now called “Buffalo Ger- committee, making the German po- Germany, Xi'an, China, and Kuma- 23 to Oct. 17, 2027. bürgermeister (mayor) Alexander
man Fest,” originated in Schiller tato salad, or working at the event Kalouti at Brinkhoff Brewery. Al-
si, Ghana. The afternoon continued with a though Dortmund’s population is
Park back in 1982, and moved to itself are all volunteers who do this After dinner, the group walked a walking tour of the city, where we
Cheektowaga Town Park in 1994, for the love of the culture. We are so few miles to “the most beautiful learned about Dortmund’s pathways about three times that of Buffalo, we
where it has been held ever since. grateful for the time, talents and stadium in the world,” as the Dort- to sustainability. Along the way, we learned from Mr. Kalouti’s remarks
Back then, the German clubs and energy our volunteers provide to munders like to refer to Signal Idu- stopped at Buffalo Platz. Dortmund how both cities have very similar
groups were flourishing in that area. help make the Buffalo German Fest na Park, home of Borussia has dedicated a small square for economic histories and strong sup-
Unfortunately, over the years, many a success.” Continued on page 12
of them in the WNY area have fold- The festivities continue Satur-
ed. However, the Buffalo Federa- day, Aug. 29 from noon to 9 p.m. Samuel Helm Unit enhances Medal of Honor grave in Buffalo
tion still has an active membership with music provided by The Polka
By Daniel Schwarz
roster with 11 different cultural or- Boyz from 1 to 4 p.m. and The
ganizations and continues to add German-American Musicians – service project was just completed to
Aenhance the Congressional Medal of Hon-
more groups to this day. Buffalo’s BIG German Band, from
Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday, 5 to 9 .m. There will also be Bavari- or grave of John McHugh at the 1859 Historic
Concordia Cemetery in Buffalo, NY.
Aug. 28 with the Bergholz German an dance performances provided by
Band kickstarting the opening night the SGTV Edelweiss Schuhplattler This project was funded by Wayne and Patricia
Mertz, and the work was completed by officers,
festivities from 6 to 10 p.m. that Dancers throughout the day.
Erich Reidell, Paul F. Jones, John Kleinmann,
Continued on page 3
and Daniel Schwarz of the Samuel Helm Unit
144, Buffalo, NY of The Steuben Society of
Get Ready for Attica’s Annual German Fest America.
By Wendy Wasner McHugh was interred on June 5, 1910. On
he Annual Attica German Festival is set to take place on Saturday, his grave there are two gravestones, the verti-
TAug. 29 at the Attica Memorial Park from 3:30 - 9 p.m. The popular cally one states G.A.R. John McHugh Union
summer festival features lively German music from the Genesee Valley Soldier 1861-1865. G.A.R. (Grand Army of the
Band. Toes will be tapping and hands will be clapping along to the fun Republic) is the veteran organization of Civil
musical numbers such as the “Pennsylvania Polka,” “Mack the Knife” and War Union Soldiers. The other, a flat stone
“In the Mood” as fun instruments such as tuba, bass, woodwinds, percus- states John McHugh, Medal of Honor, Sgt. Co.
sion, trumpet, and keyboard are played. A 5th US Inf. Indian Wars, AKA Michael
Delicious German cuisine features bratwurst, knockwurst, potato pan- McCue. A plaque was added during the en-
cakes and sauerkraut. Hotdogs and hamburgers are also for sale. You will hancement with a QR Code taking one to the
not want to miss the heavenly desserts like the mouth-watering black forest Concordia Cemetery site of notable residents
cake and apple dumplings as well as other pastries that will be available for interred at the cemetery with their biographical
purchase. Of course, German beer will be on the menu. stories including the interesting story of John
For more information, visit the Attica Lion’s Club Facebook page. McHugh.