Page 8 - GC-Mar-Apr-2026

Tidbits about German/Americans, Frühlingsfest set to return

Germans in the American Revolution to Hofbrauhaus March 28

By Elaine Timm • There were about 250,000 per- • Michael Hillegas, first Trea-
here has been, and will be, a lot sons of German heritage in the Col- surer of the United States
Tof attention for the semi-quin- onies in 1776. • John Adam Treutler, Georgia’s
centennial of The American Revo- • Battalions were formed that first Governor
lution and the establishment of our were completely comprised of Ger- • David Hiester, officer in the
country this year. mans. Pennsylvania Militia and early U.S.
I recently tuned in to a webinar • Johann de Kalb and Fredrich House of Representatives from
entitled “German Americans and Wilhelm von Steuben were Europe- Pennsylvania.
the Founding of the United States,” an military officers who came over • Frederich Muhlenberg and Pe-
by Emily Sneff, PhD, an expert on to assist in the War. ter Muhlenberg, brothers, influen-
the Declaration of Independence. • Mary Hayes, aka” Molly Pitch- tial leaders in the War, and served in
She is a consultant for exhibitions at er,” maiden name Ludwig, was early political offices.
the Museum of the American Revo- known to follow her husband in the • Jacob Schallus was an assistant
lution in Philadelphia and Historic War, to assist with supplies and clerk in the Pennsylvania Assembly.
Trappe, Pennsylvania. The webinar water. She was reported to have He was the scribe of the U.S. Con- From page 1 “We’re going to decorate the
was sponsored by the Max Kade taken over loading a cannon after he stitution. When you see the larger Her favorite part of the event is inside for spring with flowers and
Institute for German Studies at the was injured. “We the People,” at the beginning, the atmosphere. “When we had it make it look nice. If we have an
University of Wisconsin-Madison. • Christoph Ludwick, a baker in that’s his writing! last year, the only way I could de- opportunity to open up the outside
Some of the tidbits I learned: Philadelphia, supplied bread to the Some topics/issues: scribe it is electric. People were and allow people to sit outside for
continental Army. • There were many German lan- dancing, they were having a great Frühlingsfest or even any time dur-
guage newspapers in the Colonies. time,” she says. “We had a lot of our ing March and April, we’ll do that
In Pennsylvania, there was the own friends and family there but because it’s really nice, after being
Stadtsbote and Lancaster Zeitung. there were so many other people cooped up, to sit outside, and we
Non-Germans were a little leery there too that we’ve never seen at have heaters on the patios and ev-
about what was being printed in one of our events before. It’s just a erything,” Arnold says.
those papers, especially leading up fun-filled, fast evening.” When asked what he likes best
to and during the War. This year’s Frühlingsfest also about the festival, Arnold says it’s
• There was a ‘rumor’ I heard will feature a Bavarian auction, the ability to have a good time while
that at some point German would which is “essentially a basket raffle” honoring culture.
have been the official language of with gifts and prizes built around a “There’s some real cultural as-
the new United States, but the pro- “Buffalo in the spring” theme, in pects of this that go beyond the par-
posal was lost by one vote. Appar- addition to a 50-50 raffle. “We’re tying and the beer drinking and all
ently NOT. Fredrich Muhlenberg looking at things you can do in Buf- that, and that’s really nice to see,”
proposed that documents, laws, and falo outside, like going to the Buffa- he says. “What cities in the United
information be printed in German lo Zoo, or maybe gift cards to one of States could you live in where you
also, so that his many constituents the nurseries so you can plant your have five or six German bands that
could read it. It wasn’t approved, flowers,” she says. The auction will could play at their restaurants? Buf-
and English became the commonly be set up inside Hofbrauhaus with falo and Chicago, maybe (some oth-
used language.. the rest of the festivities because, ers), but it seems we’re blessed with
There is more info on this at : sadly, this is still Buffalo and the that and you have to appreciate it
https://language.mki.wisc.edu/essay weather is unpredictable, especially while we still have everybody.”
s/german-as-the-official-language- in late March. Tickets are $10 per person or a
of-the-united-states/. After the long, hard and bitter table of 10 for $100 and can be
The link for the webinar is: cold winter the Buffalo region has purchased at https://theticketing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_j experienced this year, and so many co/e/edelweiss1. They are available
O_fx3C8O4 travel advisories that have kept peo- for purchase now at https://theticket
Frohe Ostern! ple home and not visiting bars and ing.co/e/edelweiss1; discount tick-
restaurants, Arnold is ready to open ets are available for children by
the doors and welcome in the crowd reaching out to Von Recklinghause
of people he anticipates will come at 716-998-1345 or SGTVPlatters
out for Frühlingsfest. @gmail.com.

8 • THE GERMAN CITIZEN • March - April 2026