Page 7 - GC-Jan-Feb-23

German veterans found support in Syracuse society

f there is one thing I love about George M. Merschroth of St. Paul's diers fighting in the Great War.
Imy local American Legion is the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Since America was still uncommit-
amazing dinners it holds every “mayor of the North Side” William ted to either side of the war, politi-
month. They usually have a pretty Mirbach, Turn President Valentine cians such as Syracuse mayor Louis
good fish fry but they have recently GREGORY Schilly, and Dr. Francis E. En- Will and former mayor Thomas Ry-
started doing a plate of German WITUL gelhardt each spoke at the event. an each contributed $100.
brats with coleslaw. While the When the city of Syracuse held As America joined the Allied
American Legion is made up of vet- its first Deutscher Tag in 1908 the Powers and the veterans began to
erans to better the lives of American veterans of the 1870 war were front push into their ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s,
veterans, similar societies existed in ety percolated at the end of the and center in the day’s parade. As the German Veterans Society effec-
the German community for their 1800s, the first official event they part of the first division, the former tively disbanded. After the war the
veterans. In Syracuse the German took part in was the golden jubilee soldiers were sixth in line riding in handful of Franco-Prussian War
Veterans Society was a social orga- picnic and parade of the Syracuse decorated carriages and only behind veterans and the German-American
nization made up of the veterans Turn Verein in July of 1904. Goettel's band, the Knights of the and Martin Birklin past away, a Civil War veterans would get to-
and for the veterans of the Franco- Once organized, the group held Cross, the Knights of Holy Trinity, leading indicator of the membership gether at Turn Hall to share stories
Prussian War. their meeting at Gang’s Hall at the the officers of the German bund, loss that would only accelerate in and spend time with others who saw
Fought from July 1870 to Janu- corner of Catawba and North Salina, and the keynote speakers. the coming years. the horrors of war firsthand. While
ary 1871 between the North German near Assumption Church. There In 1910, Jacob Buck was elected Even as their numbers were di- most of the Syracuse veterans were
Confederation and the French Em- they would celebrate their glorious captain and president, with John minishing the veterans were still gone by the 1930s, Karl Glockner
pire, the six month conflict sped up victories such as the Battle of Sedan Doll as treasurer, August Stack as very active in the greater German- would be the last German army vet-
the German unification process and where Emperor Napoleon III was colonel, and Carl V. Viola as major. American community. In 1914 the eran of the Franco-Prussian War
helped give birth to the German captured, or just get together to That same year longtime members men were able to raise $50 for the passing in 1953 at age 107.
Empire. As the veterans of the war swap war stories. William Webber, Sebastian Heckle, widows and orphans of German sol-
left Europe for America, many For larger events, the almost 100
formed societies to relive their glory members of the society and the rest
days and organize for the benefit of of the community would gather at Christkindlmarkt featured homemade goods
the members who were down on the Turn Hall for celebrations. One
their luck. The local group in Syra- of the largest was the 1904 Pio- from page 1 tion of Christmas during the four Nuremberg and Dresden markets
cuse organized around the turn of neers’ Dinner which was held for weeks of Advent. These markets draw about two million people each
the twentieth century and named the German veterans and those who "It's been a really fun experi- originated in Germany, but are now year; the Stuttgart and Frankfurt
themselves the German Veterans were in America for at least 35 ence," said Kerrie Matyjas-Buell, held in many countries. Christmas markets attract more than three mil-
Society. While inklings of the soci- years. Led by toastmaster Rev. whose business has been in opera- markets date to the Late Middle lion visitors.
tion for the past seven years, based
Ages in the German-speaking part The two most visited Christmas
on College Parkway. "We have all of Europe and in many parts of the markets in Germany are found in
kinds of pickles, and those in the
former Holy Roman Empire that Dortmund, with more than three and
community seem to like what we included many eastern regions of a half million visitors of 300 stalls
have to offer."
France. They became a popular Ad- around a gigantic Christmas tree
Brad Olmstead's Belov'd Cre- vent custom during the Reforma- that stands 148 feet tall, and in Co-
ations specializes in custom wood-
tion era. logne with 4 million people. Addi-
working and hand-made crafts,
Famous Christmas markets are tionally, the City of Berlin claims
based in Silver Creek. 2022 marked
held in the cities of Augsburg, more than 70 markets, which open
the first time Belov'd has been at the
Dresden, Erfurt, Frankfurt, Nurem- in late November and close just after
market, and Olmstead described the
berg, and Stuttgart, making them Christmas.
experience as rewarding.
popular tourist attractions during
"We've been around for just
the Christmas holiday season. The
over a year, and this kind of market
is something that really brings the
community out," said Olmstead.
Gnomes, coasters and other Buf-
falo-themed goods were said to be
top sellers for his business.
Nicole Crawford, who operates
Penelope's Treats in Lancaster, said
the event hits especially close to
home and heritage, with her family
ancestors originating from the Al-
case-Lorraine border area between
France and Germany. Crawford said
she enjoys German-themed and his-
torical events, with the 2022 Christ-
kindlmarkt being the second
consecutive year Penelope's has
been a vendor.
"We absolutely loved it last
year, and this year is more of the
same, a tremendous event," said
Crawford, whose business is unique
in that its dog treats contain no sug-
ars or preservatives and are hand-
made, using natural peanut butter
and other ingredients. "We devel-
oped our goods in a healthier way
than (traditional, current pet-food
distributors)."
Three Chord Bourbon has been
visible at various community events
over the past few years, including
the market as well as the Hamburg
Oktoberfest. Its blended, easy-to-
drink style is described as popular
with liquor connoisseurs, with the
bourbon creme flavor being a win-
ter-cold weather favorite.
For more information on the
Christkindlmarkt at Hofbrauhaus
Buffalo, visit www.hofbrau
hausbuffalo.com or call (716) 939-
2337.
A Christmas market, is said to
be also known as Christkindlmarkt
– or, Christ Child Market, but the
term "Christkind" usually refers to
an angel-like "spirit of Christmas"
rather than literally the Christ Child
and Weihnachtsmarkt – is a street
market associated with the celebra-