Juni 2014 ISSUE 357

P. O. Box 571, Grass Valley, CA 95945 Promoting German Culture and Stronger German-­American Ties in Northern California

www.goldcountrygermanamericanclub.org

Gold Country German-American Club

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SAVE THE DATES FOR 2014 ON YOUR CALENDARS

July 4 Friday Parade No Regular Meeting August 1 Friday Wine & Cheese Fest September 6 Saturday Yard Sale Fundraiser September 20 Saturday Oktoberfest No Regular Meeting October 5 Sunday German-­American Day No Regular Meeting November 7 Friday Sea Shepherd Presentation December 13 Saturday Christmas Party No Regular Meeting

President's Message Liebe Freunde, June being the beginning of a beautiful summer, your President and Board of Directors have been busy planning the activities of the season. Our picnic on June 7th will bring fun, games, traditional bratwurst with all the wonderful accompanying foods as well as other new and delicious dishes. German music, games and a time for catching up with our co-­members and their guests are all part of this yearly get-­to-­gether. July will see us once again accompanying our chalet float in the Parade in Nevada City. Our lovely Alpine Dancers will also be performing at various events throughout the summer, and are working hard on giving a good presentation. At our August meeting, we will be trying a new event in the hopes that our Club Members will be ready to enjoy the delights of wine tasting, merriment and music. The program is being worked on. Any suggestions or assistance is always welcome. A new and, hopefully, big fundraiser will be held early in September;; details to be presented in the near future. Keep piling up all items you can part with to make this a want-­to-­do-­again event. A Committee is being formed. Please let us know of your willingness to participate in any way. And to end the season, our traditional Oktoberfest will be held September 20th;; an event not to be missed. I look forward to sharing some wonderful times with as many of you as possible, Rebecca Claus, President

Anyone with ideas for fundraisers and fun things to do at our general meetings,

Please call Rebecca at 916-710-0033 or email at Rebecca.claus1@gmail.com

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Herzlich Glückwünsche zum Geburtstag im Juni

Dennis Naumann 6/1 Les Kun 6/4 David Moss 6/7 Amanda Apple 6/10 Susanne Bader 6/12 Skip Hatton 6/13 Fred Herrmann 6/19 Christel Denzler 6/21 Ursula Privari 6/22 Helga Ueberschaer 6/23 Eve Hamner 6/24 Kay Moss 6/25 Leonard Davis 6/30 Lynn Knoll 6/30 Tune into KNCO radio AM 830, week days at 7:50 AM and 5:50 PM, to hear your birthday greetings from GCGAC.

Conversational German Group Die Gruppe trifft sich Dienstag, Juni 10 von 18.30 bis 20.30 Uhr. Diesesmal treffen wir uns bei Elinor Barnes, 10233 Gold Drive, G.V. (530-­273-­0502) or e-­mail (elinorb34@att.net) Bitte ruft on ob ihr kommt oder nicht. Wer Inter-­esse hat der Gruppe beizutreten bitte ruft Christa an 530-­272-­6095 oder email cbenson1@suddenlink.net Es Grüßt, Christa

Beginner/Intermediat German Language Group

Class will meet on Monday, June 2 and Monday, June 16 at 6:30 pm. Meeting places to be emailed to members. Anyone interested in having more infor-­mation on this group , please call Rebecca Claus at 916-­710-­0033. Alpine Dancers Practices are 3 June and 17 June at the Moss residence in Lake Wildwood from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This is a good time for new dancers to start learning German folk dancing since we will be having practices dur-­ing the summer. There is no fee for dance instruc-­tion. Please call David Moss at 432-­2236 for direc-­tions to our home and to gain entrance to Lake Wild-­wood for the practice.

Gute Besserung Otto Schulze Hildegard Kramer Erika & Bill Nickerl Theresa Arth

Please notify either Christel Denzler or Eve Hamner when you are well or when you wish to be taken off the Gute Besserung list. Thank you.

The Board of Directors has approved advertising the club at the Nevada City Summer Nights on Wednes-­day evenings 6-­9 pm July 16, 23, and 30. They also approved advertising at the Grass Valley Street Fair on Thursday evening 21 August. Please consider staffing our booth and talking to those who ex-­press an interest in our club on these evenings for all or part of the evening. Club information flyers will be provided to hand out. A sign-­up sheet will be circulated at the June 7 Club Picnic or call David

Moss at 432-­2236 to sign-­up.

Juni Club Events 6-­7 Saturday Picnic See page 1 6-­11 Wed Board Meeting 6:30 pm Bret Harte Inn 305 West Main St., GV 6-­14 Flag Day 6-­ 6-­21 First Day of Summer

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Start collect-ing and saving all your un-wanted things for our BIG

Yard SALE FUNDRAISER this September 6th at Ponderosa Pines Mobile Home Park right off hwy. 49. More info forthcom-ing and volunteers are needed to help out.

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Juni Hikes

Hiking or walking is the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.

Carrie Latet June 5th .... MALAKOFF DIGGINS This hike is most enjoyable and very interesting with a lot of history from the Gold

short uphill hike where we have left a car. 6-­7 miles.

We meet at the Government Center at 8:30 am June 12th ..... PETROGLYPHS This week we hike along Blue Lake and then along a miners ditch to a huge area of enormous granite boulders, where different tribes of Indians etched petroglyphs into the smooth stone. We return same way. This is an easy to moderate hike 5-­6 miles long with a few tricky spots. To get to the trailhead we have to drive 2 miles on gravel road. We meet in Colfax and in Nevada City at 8:30 am We all meet at the "Discovery Trail" on Bowman Road at 9:15 am Alternate plan due to high water levels: This is an enjoyable hike partly on a logging road and partly through a heavily wooded area. This is a moderate 6 miles long hike. 2 miles on a gravel road to get to the trail-­head. We meet in Nevada City at 8:30 am We meet at the Discovery Trail at 9:15 am June 19th ..... FULLER LAKE TO DISCOVERY TRAIL It's an easy, enjoyable, mostly downhill hike. About 5 miles long. Paved road to the trailhead. We hike through a canyon following the Yuba River. The last half mile is uphill. We meet in Colfax and in Nevada City at the Government Center at 8:30 am We all meet at the "Discovery Trail" on Bowman Rd. at app. 9:15 am. June 26th ..... YUBA FALLS

The length of the hike is 5-­6 miles. We start in Colfax and Nevada City 8:30AM. We ALL meet at the Eagle Lakes Rd. off-­ramp from I-­80 (exit 164) 9:15 am

If you are not a regular hiker with the group but would like to hike with us, please call Fred 346-7392 since the schedule might change due to various reasons.

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OFFICERS: (VOTING MEMBERS only 5 votes)

President: Rebecca Claus 916-­710-­0033 Vice-­Pres: Christa Benson 272-­6095 Secretaries: Margot Schulze 477-­2205 Treasurer: Otto Schulze 477-­2205 Program: Mark Schilleman 265-­5159 DIRECTORS: (VOTING MEMBERS only 6 votes) Membership: Richard Fuller 887-­8037 Dance Director: Dave Moss 432-­2236 Happy Wanderers: Fred & Karen Herrmann 346-­7392 Newsletter Editor: Eve Hamner 265-­4732 Publicity: Karen Clark 265-­6814 German Language Directors: Conversational: Christa Benson 272-­6095 Beg/Intermediate: Rebecca Claus 916-­710-­0033 ACTIVITY LEADERS (NON-­VOTING MEMBERS) Refreshments: Committee Get Well & Sunshine: Christel Denzler 878-­0504 Anneliese Grasshof 916-­783-­5411 Kaffe & Kuchen: Jessie Emanuel 272-­2017 Betsy Wagner 432-­2797 Inter-­Club Liaison: Hank Stoffel 269-­3137 Webmaster: Anneliese Welch 292-­3571 Property: Dennis Naumann 477-­1622 Historian: Karen Herrmann 346-­7392

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Frohen Vatertag! Alles Gute zum Vatertag!

Father's Day in Germany is always celebrated on Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter. The tradition began in the Middle Ages as a religious holiday to Honor God the Father with processions on Ascension Day.

From there the celebration proceeded to a special day to Honor the pater fami-­las , the head of and bread-­winner for the family, the hard working man who protected his loved ones and put food on the table. He should be acknowl-­edged and have a much deserved day of rest. This meaning and tradition of Father's Day was typical for the 1700s.

In the 19th century and in particular in Berlin, today again German's capital, things changed dra-­matically. Vatertag became a day of initiation for young men into the circle of the grown ups. This went with the tradition of the Herrenpartie, including heavy drinking. Early in the morning of Himmelfahrtstag, young and old men used to make up parties, dress in suits and the famous Kreissaege, board a Landauer or Leiter-­wagen and set off to their Herrenpartie ins Gruene. The trip involved frequent stops at pubs and heavy con-­sumption of beer and Schnaps. The members of the party didn't necessarily have to be fathers at all;; being male was excuse enough to participate in the drunken spree.

Things have changed in recent years. Although, particularly in rural areas, men still go on Herrenpartien. Vatertag, much like Muttertag, has become a family day out. Par-­ents and children often go on bicycle tours. As the date coincides with the better and warmer weather in cool Germany, Himmelfahrt often also marks the beginning of the outdoor grill season.

Vater werden ist nicht

schwer

Vater sein dagegen sehr!

Becoming a father is easy,

being a father on the

other hand is very diffi-

cult.

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Evamaria Copsey, Dennis Naumann, Kristina Wetherbee, Larry White, Nancy Naumann, David and Kay Moss

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Nancy Naumann, Anneliese Grasshof & Georg Krause Christa Benson , David Moss Nancy Naumann, Cecil Caballero Ben & Patsy Hannebrink, Margot Schulze, Christel Denzler, Christel Hermansen & Lilly Sackl

DIRNDLE MAKES COMEBACK Dirndl, a dress of the past, is making a comeback in Bavaria. Designers and ethnologists say Dirndls are more than just a costume for the beer tents. Simone Egger, an assistant professor of European ethnology at the University of Munich, sees the revived popularity of the Dirndl among young people as a reflection of the confidence of a new generation of Ger-­mans who are turning to tradition to define themselves in the face of the encroachments of globalization.

There are no associations that track numbers in the industry, but one of the largest makers of traditional Ba-­varian clothing, Angermaier, said it sold about 16,000 Dirndls last year, (2012), a 750% jump from 2002. An important fact about Lederhosen and Dirndls that is often forgotten -­ They are not German national dress: they are Bavarian dress. And although Bavaria once was a country (and is still proudly independent), for that reason, they are not a national dress, but regional costumes. A Dirndl is a folk costume worn for formal occasions or celebrations in southern Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. The Dirndl costume usually consists of a bodice, blouse, full skirt, and apron. The word "Dirndl" originates from southern Germany, where in the regional dialect it originally meant a young woman or girl. The Dirndl Dirndlgewand," which the word "Dirndl" comes from, means "maid's dress." Today, Dirndl can refer to either a young wom-­an or the dress she wears. The Dirndl was also traditionally worn as a work outfit by the female peasant class. Farm girls and farmers' wives, dairymaids, and housewives wore the Dirndl to do their chores. Each village typically had its own style or crest to identify where the wearer was from. Dirndls, Lanhausmode, Le-­derhosen, and other traditional costumes are found all over the internet and display some of the colors, crests, and embroideries from different groups and geographical regions. Dirndl styles can vary from knee-­length or low-­calf length, high-­or low-­necked, and can be plain or have elaborate patterns or embroidery. In many regions, ladies wear a shawl or scarf as an accessory to their Dirndls. Winter Dirndls are usually long-­sleeved, made of heavier materials such as wool, and feature rich, dark colors. Summer Dirndls are lightweight, often made of cotton, and have shorter sleeves and brighter colors. During the summer months, women wearing Dirndls often went barefoot.

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Traditionally, the placement of the knot on the apron indicates a woman's marital status. A knot tied to the right of the apron means a woman is married, engaged, or "spoken for";; a knot tied on the left means she is single and available, the knot front and center is for young girls, and a knot on the back indicates she is widowed. The apron, now a fun accessory, was historically a practical garment used for all sorts of activities, such as gathering berries or storing scissors and other supplies. By the end of the 1800s, Bavarians were worried that their traditions were dying out dur-­ or traditional dress clubs were founded, to preserve and promote the history and culture of "Trachten", (type of clothing and look that historically identified people of different social statuses, occupa-­ tions, and cultural groups), as an important part of the larger culture and history of Ger man-­speaking people. These clubs were of course more interested in the special, ornate versions of the dress worn for religious high-­days and important events such as marriag Trachtenvereine wealth of details that make true Bavarian dress so fascinating. The Miesbacher Tracht, (see picture at left), for example, is known for its complexities which allow the men espe-­ cially to display their social standing through things like the number metals or charms on Eventually, when the German Kaiser at the time decided Dirndls and other folk clothing were fashionable, Austrian upper-­class women began wearing the Dirndl, or "G'wand," on their summer va-­cations. The simple peasant uniform was adopted as high fashion by the ladies of society. It didn't hurt that the traditional Dirndl is designed to flatter women, with a tight waist and bodice to emphasize the figure and a full skirt designed to conceal real (or imagined) flaws. Today, the Dirndl, similar to the kilt, displays the wearer's national pride. Women wear their Dirndls for traditional cultural events or weddings and other formal occasions. They are commonly worn by workers in the tourism industry and today are probably most known by their appearance at Oktoberfest, the huge festival celebrating southern German culture that attracts people from around the world. If you come from a culture of German-­speakers, it would be great to add a Dirndl to your collection of other historic and modern pieces. It's wearable art that looks great and flatters every woman, from shorter to taller, from thin frames to larger ones. The word Dirndl also describes a young woman in many regional dialects of Austria. So a Dirndl could be wearing a Dirndl :) The best place to see the varying contrasts in styles among Dirndls would be at the Munich Oktoberfest, where young and old, traditional and modern, all converge to participate in what is most likely the largest gathering of folklore in southern Bavaria. Here is a list of events serious Dirndl-­spotting: Traditional Festivals Maibaum Fest The raising of the Maypole is accompanied by many folkloristic traditions and dances. When: May 1, 2014 Where: several locations in Salzburg, including Aigen, the Stiegl brewery, the Open Air Museum in Grossgmain Ausseer Kirtag Many Viennese flock to this popular summer fair in rural Altaussee, where people come to meet friends, en-­joy local music, dancing, and to show off their newest Dirndl. When: Beginning of September, 2014 Where: Altaussee Narzissenfest

beautiful parade with floats made up entirely of white daffodils. Of course, people wear their best Dirndl for the occasion. When: May 29 -­ June 1, 2014 Where: Bad Aussee;; Grundlsee

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Remember to all of our advertisers and mention the GCGAC when you do.

Traditional Balls Almdudler Trachtenpärchen Ball Sponsored by the iconic Austrian soft drink producer Almdudler. Dress Code: Dirndl and Lederhosen the more extravagant, the better. When: September 19, 2014 Where: Vienna City Hall

This is one of the most beloved balls in Vienna during carnival season. The charity event is more formal than the Almdudler Ball, and guests wear festive Dirndl and tra-­ditional suits. When: January 27, 2014 Where: Imperial Palace, Vienna Fun Events Dirndlspringen These fun happenings, organized by Goessl, are scheduled all over the country. The concept is similar to that of the Red Bull Flugtag only that here, people jump into the water in their Dirndl and the best overall performance wins. Started five years ago, these events have already acquired cult-­status. When: Throughout summer Where: Vienna, Salzburg Lake District

Two videos on Dirndls: http://www.kare11.com/video/2732621170001/1/Traditional-­Austrian-­Dresses-­Make-­a-­Comeback http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/world/europe/dirndl-­dress-­of-­past-­makes-­a-­comeback-­in-­bavaria.html Sources: Richard Fuller submitted link www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/world/europe/dirndl-­dress-­of-­past-­makes-­a-­comeback-­in-­bavaria.html?_r=0;; http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bobbie_Floerchinger;; http://heidiscloset.com;; http://www.oktoberfest-­dirndl-­blog.co.uk;; http://www.austria.info;; https://en.wikipedia.org;; http://www.dirndl-­dress.com

Gold Country German-­American Club P.O. Box 571 Grass Valley, CA 95945

Juni 2014 Issue 357 First Class Mail

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Ph: 866-­868-­8422 (toll free) email: info@gahmusa.org web: www.gahmusa.org