Page 6 - GC-Nov-Dec-23

German Leckerbissen – glass. Sometimes over the summer trict B on Main Street at the corner
the ornament hook hanger fairy of Tupper Street which was close to
stole the hook from some of the the location of Helm’s house. Since
by Daniel Schwarz
One of the closest words to tidbit ornaments, and a new hook was the unit’s founding, monthly meet-
needed. It was always a puzzle be- ings have been consistently held
in German is Leckerbissen. Literally
rd
Leckerbissen means tasty morsels or cause the ornaments were put in the year-round on the 3 Wednesday of
box with the hangers on! Now, after
bits. The following may include the month, meeting in German res-
some tidbits of German culture, putting on the tree topper, came the taurants, except when they were
delicate work of placing the Lamet-
foods/drinks, traditions, history, mandated closed due to the pandem-
language, and current events. ta (tinsel). There was a time before ic. Meetings have always been very
plastic tinsel, when it was made of
Christkindlmarkt Glühwein informal, structured as Stammtisch
Mugs – When visiting Germany very thin shinny tin. Because of the type gatherings, with friendship,
war, and lack of available metals,
during the Christmas season, a fun fun, and good German foods and
experience is to go to a Christkindl- tinsel was very precious and was drinks as the main agenda. Member-
saved from year to year. To save it,
markt (literally means Christ Child ship is open to any interested Ger-
market but is commonly known as a the Lametta was carefully taken off man-American that enjoys honoring
the tree and was placed and wrapped
Christmas market). These markets give you a token so that they know that represent the US, the Republic and learning more of their German
in newspaper to be stored until the
are throughout Germany in all the that they held your deposit. If you of Germany, and German American heritage and culture. For unit infor-
next year. Also, it was put on the
large cities, towns, and even in want more Glühwein, just pay for a organizations pay tribute on this day mation, contact Lou1Dan2@
tree, one strand at a time. Wow, how
many of the smaller villages. They refill of your mug. However, if you to the German prisoners of war bur- aol.com
times have changed. But what has
open in mid-November and are open want, you can also return the empty ied on US soil. There are approxi- Did U Know? – That all youths
not changed, nor will ever change is
daily until about a day or so before mug for a refund, or just keep the mately 40 such sites in the US, with living in Germany and born in 2005,
that those that celebrate Christmas,
Christmas. mug as a great souvenir of the mar- one of these POW cemeteries locat- that are now 18 years old, are eligi-
celebrate the birth of the Christ
As you walk through any one of ket. The deposit covers the cost of ed at Fort Drum in NY. It is sad that ble to attend cultural events across
child, and the beautiful decorated
these Christmas markets, besides the mug. this holiday exists, but it does, just the country for FREE. The German
seeing and smelling the sausages As you can see in the photo of as Memorial Day exists in the U.S. tree reminds us of this special time Culture Minister initiated this pro-
of faith and family.
cooking, and other foods, and ad- the varies Glühwein mugs, they As U.S. General Douglas McArthur gram of a KulturPass. This Kultur-
November 9th Charter – A
miring the many sweets, pretzels, vary from market to market, and once said, “Only the dead have seen Pass is a voucher program that can
milestone has been reached this year
and crafts, you will always see one always have the name of the town or the end of war”. Sad statement, but be used to purchase entry tickets to
2023 when The Samuel Helm Unit
or more huts serving Glühwein place on the mug. The mugs shown true! concerts, museums, cinema, opera,
144 of Buffalo celebrated its 10th
(mulled warm wine). It is pro- starting on the top left going clock- Lametta – As a child growing up theatre, memorial sites, and can also
anniversary year of receiving its
nounced Glee-Wine with your lips wise, came from Christmas markets after WW2, I remember Christmas be used to purchase books, music,
charter as a new member unit of The
ready for a kiss. Each vendor serves in: Vienna, Austria; Nürnberg, Ger- tree decorating and the process. and even buy a musical instrument.
Steuben Society of America. The
their own homemade version of many; Passauer, Germany; Biber- First getting the tree to stand straight After registering for the program, a
date November 9 also corresponded
spices that flavor the wine. Most ach an der Riss, Germany; Ulm, in the tree stand was the first chal- KulturPass is issued worth 200 Eu-
with the day in 1989 when the Ber-
often they use red wine, but white Germany; Buffalo, NY (yes, at the lenge, then deciding which was the ros, redeemable online with partici-
lin Wall fell and German reunifica-
and rose Glühwein are sometimes Hofbraühaus Buffalo, NY); Chica- best side to face out, and getting the pating venues and businesses
tion began, highlighting a new
available. There are even those go, USA; Vienna, Austria; and Buf- box of string of lights, ornaments, throughout Germany, and valid for
beginning for all Germans. The
warm drinks without alcohol called falo again. and of course tinsel out of storage. one year. Part of the reason for this
Kinderpunch. In Germany age 14 Volkstrauertag – Is the German The lights were always first tested to unit’s namesake Samuel Helm was youth program is to stimulate inter-
selected for one of the earliest Ger-
may drink beer and wine in the pres- National Day of Mourning held in see if they still worked. If not, then est in cultural activities after the
mans to own property in 1809 in
ence of their legal guardian, and at November that commemorates both mom took over the task of checking horrible Covid-19 pandemic shut-
Buffalo when it was still called the
age 16 without supervision, but spir- military and civilian casualties, as each light by replacing it with a new downs.
its must wait until age 18. well as all victims of violence and bulb until the string of lights Village of Buffalo. The Steuben unit What a Date! – This December
number 144 was chosen as his prop-
Since the Glühwein is warm, it is tyranny, and those that are left to worked. These ornery string lights 2023 there is a date that will never
erty lot number as purchased from
served in a ceramic mug. Each year mourn, from Germany and other were the series type, where if one be seen again but is not noticed in
the Holland Land Co.
and in each Christmas market a new countries as a result of armed con- light was faulty or burned out it Germany. It is not noticed because
At the 5th anniversary celebra-
mug design is used and is available flicts. It was originally founded in would stop the whole string from dates in Germany are written as
tion of the unit, a pole mounted
at all the Glühwein vendors at that 1919 to commemorate those who lighting! Once the lights were on the Day/Month/Year. In the U.S. it is
marker honoring Samuel helm and
market. When purchasing the first died in WW1. However, since the tree, ornaments were then placed Month/Day/Year, so in December
his homestead was unveiled in front
mug full of Glühwein, they charge a early 1950’s it has evolved to this carefully since many of them were we will have 12-31-23! Yes, that’s
of the Buffalo Police Station Dis-
deposit (pfand, pronounced “font”) national holiday that is celebrated in 123123.
of several Euros on top of the wine Germany two Sundays before Ad-
cost. When there are several ven- vent. Even in the US, dignitaries Germans and Teddy Bears
dors at the market, they also may
by Martin Ederer geist. She worked in her sisters’ the president, they had hounded out
s we approach the Advent and tailor shop and started to give zither a bear, chased it to exhaustion,
AChristmas seasons, it is per- lessons. With the money she clubbed it and tethered it so that
haps appropriate to look at what has earned, she bought a sewing ma- Roosevelt could shoot it. He could
been an enduring child’s Christmas chine. not do so, finding the whole set of
present now for many generations. In 1877, Steiff opened her own circumstances distasteful and un-
A few initial observa- felt store and became a sporting – although he did ask that
tions are in order here. subcontractor for a large the bear be killed just the same to be
First, well before the ex- Stuttgart firm. In the put out of its misery.
plosion of a massive toy meantime, her own The Washington Post ran a po-
industry and the over- business grew as she litical cartoon on the incident show-
commercialization of took on employees of ing an adorable bear down on his
the Christmas holidays, her own. Inspired by the luck, and the Teddy Bear concept
stuffed bears and rag- design of a felt elephant was born. From here the story gets
dolls were some of the she saw in a fashion somewhat unclear. Morris Mich-
basic toys for children magazine in 1880, Steiff tom, a Russian Jewish immigrant
of all socioeconomic started to make her who ran a candy store in Brooklyn,
groups. Second, somehow bears got Elefäntle, which she designed to be created a plush bear that he called
really excellent press and a reputa- a pincushion. What she discovered “Teddy’s Bear.” He displayed it in
tion as being fun and cuddly. Need- was that her customers’ children his window, and sales took off.
less to say, the realities of nature are loved to play with the pincushions. Because of Steiff’s PB 55 expo-
very different, which may well be a A new concept (and business) was sure to world markets about the
multigenerational disservice to our born: stuffed animal toys. In 1893 same time, orders began to pour in
youth. Third, Germans, who have a Steiff, Filzspielwarenfabrik from the United States. Steiff’s PB
strong history with forests, are a big Giengen/Brenz was officially regis- 55 thus became a hot commodity for
part of the teddy bear’s popularity. tered. More animal designs fol- the U.S. market almost
The story starts with a Swabian lowed, many designed by her overnight…and the rest is history.
seamstress, Margarete Steiff. Born talented nephew, Richard Steiff, In 1904 Margarete’s nephew Franz
in Giengen at the edge of the Swabi- who joined the firm in 1897. Steiff pioneered the ear button for
an Alb in 1847, Steiff contracted Margarete Steiff was fortunate Steiff animals to prevent the manu-
Polio as a baby, which made her to have a supportive family: her facture of cheap knockoffs.
unable to walk, and left her with parents, her sisters, and now her From that point on, Margarete
pain in one arm. Unwilling to con- nephews. Richard Steiff, who had Steiff GmbH grew into a huge busi-
sign Margarete to a life of disability, studied art and design in England, ness. Margarete Steiff died in 1909.
her parents insisted that her siblings was responsible for developing PB Her company, however, continued
wheel her to school. 55, the first plush bear with move- to grow – even through the difficult
While children her own age of- able parts, in 1902. times that lay ahead – into the larg-
ten ignored her for more fun pur- Although initial sales were rath- est manufacturer of plush toys in the
suits, Margarete quickly became a er slow, an incident during U.S. world by the 1960s. By that time
hit among the younger children, President Teddy Roosevelt’s late Steiff toys had gone well beyond
whom she entertained with games 1902 hunting trip in Mississippi being just kid stuff. Steiff products
and stories. Despite her disabilities, changed everything. While most of managed to gain a cult following of
she trained to be a seamstress and Roosevelt’s buddies had managed collectors who value Steiff designs
learned how to play the zither. It was to bag something, the president had and quality.
clear that she had Unternehmungs- been less lucky. In order to placate