Facebook!

The Dayton Liederkranz Turner is expanding to yet another interactive web communication tool, Facebook! If you have never heard of Facebook, let me elaborate!

"Facebook is a free-access social networking website that allows users to join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Facebook began as a tool for college students to interact but has since grown and expanded beyond college students. The website's name refers to the paper facebooks depicting members of a campus community that some US colleges give to incoming students, faculty, and staff as a way to get to know other people on campus." (Thank you Wikipedia)

There are several Liederkranz members that now have profiles on Facebook and have joined the Dayton Liederkranz Group! People can post pictures or video links, start discussions, and stay in tune with DLT events. We have one event posted already - FASCHING (Feb 21st)!

The Dayton Liederkranz Group is open to the public and anyone with a Facebook account may join in the fun! Facebook is safer and more secure than other similar sites. If you would like to set up a Facebook account (it's FREE) visit the FACEBOOK website and start today!

Celebrating German-American Day!

Today, we celebrate German-American Day and recognize the countless contributions made by German Americans for generations. With this message of greetings from German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth, we invite you to celebrate German-American Day and discover America's German heritage at www.GERMANORIGINality.com!

Message of Greetings from German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth

This year marks the 21st anniversary of German-American Day. We are both pleased and proud to celebrate the long history of German immigrants and the many contributions Americans of German ancestry have made to the life, culture, and economy of this country since October 6, 1683, when 13 families from Krefeld, near the Rhine River, arrived in Philadelphia. They later were to found Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first German settlement in the 13 American colonies. Today, German-Americans are the largest ethnic group in the United States: Some 43 million Americans, almost 15 percent of the population, claim German ancestry.

But German presence on American soil can be traced back still farther. Last year, America celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement dating back to 1607. At that time, a German physician and botanist by the name of Dr. Johannes Fleischer was among the first group of English pioneers to arrive in Jamestown. More German expertise was to arrive in 1608 with a group of German glassmakers, wainscot sawyers, and metallurgists – thus planting the seeds for America to become the world’s industrial powerhouse, one could say. In April, I had the pleasure to attend the official commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. It marked not only 400 years of America but also 400 years of shared history as well as 400 years of German-American friendship.

The year 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of the implementation of the Marshall Plan and the Berlin Airlift. The Marshall Plan raised a devastated Germany up out of the ashes and reintegrated it into the community of nations following years of Nazi brutality. During the Soviet blockade in 1948, the citizens of Berlin were faced with a articular hardship. But, once again, the United States stood by its friends. In more than 270,000 flights between 1948 and 1949, the "candy bombers" brought everything – from potatoes to an entire power plant – into the besieged city in order to help more than 2 million Berliners to survive the cold and hunger. The brave airmen also made children smile as they dropped a total of 23 tons of candy over Berlin during the blockade. The Berlin Airlift brought freedom and friendship. Thus, “Friends Always” is the very fitting motto of our commemoration this year.

In 1987, the same year German-American Day was officially proclaimed in the U.S., Ronald Reagan delivered his historic speech in front of the Berlin Wall. Pointing to the wall, he urged “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” The speech proved prescient in that only two years later the Berlin Wall fell and people from East and West embraced again for the first time in 28 years. Next year, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this joyous moment. Germany will be forever grateful for America’s role in helping bring about German reunification.

We truly have reason to celebrate our lasting friendship on this German-American Day!

October 6, 2008

Klaus Scharioth
German Ambassador

Edelweiss Oktoberfest

(Englewood, OH) The Edelweiss German club hosted its Oktoberfest, August 30th and 31st. The weather was nice and warm but luckily the Edelweiss club's grounds are covered with plenty of shady spots thanks to the great trees!

I didn't have an opportunity to taste the Oktoberfest food but from what I saw, they had a pretty tasty menu. Brats, sauerkraut and potato salad of course but they also had what looked like chicken! I heard no complaints from the folks I shared a table with as they ate!

The band was Die Sorgenbrecher whom I haven't heard before. They played some lively music while people sat in the shady park area or under the Oktoberfest tent and sipped beer and ate food.

They had two beers on tap that I could see; Amber Bock and Michelob. There were a few bottled beers to choose from in the St. Pauli Girl variety.

DLT Volkstaenzers Perform!

The Dayton Liederkranz Turner Volkstaenzers performed on Sunday with a few dance favorites. This particular preformance was dedicated to long time Liederkranz Dancer and Singer Mary Jane Dunning. Mary Jane will be moving to South Carolina this summer. She will be greatly missed!

Here are a few pictures from the Liederkranz Volkstaenzers performance.

Singers Wanted at the Liederkranz

On August 24th the Dayton Liederkranz kicked into high gear with the first choir rehearsal of the fall season. With the annual Fall Concert and Dinner approaching in October and the Christmas Concert in December the Damenchor and Maennerchor have their work cut out for them.

Several research studies have concluded that singing is good for you! That should come as no surprise since in order to sing you need plenty of oxygen. Deep breathing creates oxygen rich blood that starts to circulate at a higher rate. Oxygen rich blood partying in the brain and throughout the body….well, how can that be bad?

According to an article posted on www.sixwise.com, How Singing Improves Your Health (Even if Other People Shouldn't Hear You Singing), using your voice to sing, rather than simply carry out a conversation, offers unique benefits.

"When we sing instead of speak, we have intonation, melody line, and crescendo, which gives us a broader vocabulary to express ourselves," says Suzanne Hanser, chair of the music therapy department at Berklee College of Music. "Because singing is visceral (relating to, or affecting, our bodies), it can't help but effect change."

Studies have linked singing with a lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and reduced stress, according to Patricia Preston-Roberts, a board-certified music therapist in New York City. She uses song to help patients who suffer from a variety of psychological and physiological conditions.

"Some people who have been traumatized often want to leave the physical body, and using the voice helps ground them to their bodies," Preston-Roberts says. "Singing also seems to block a lot of the neural pathways that pain travels through."

Active participation in the arts, particularly singing, can provide many benefits! Here are just a few:
• You feel better!
• Their everyday voice quality was better
• Tone of speaking voice does not seem to age as much
• Easier breathing
• Better posture
• 30 fewer doctor visits
• Fewer eyesight problems
• Less incidence of depression
• Less need for medication
• Fewer falls and other injuries

For the complete article please visit:
How Singing Improves Your Health

So the best thing you can do is get out of the house on Thursday evenings and join the Dayton Liederkranz Turner choir! We are always looking for new singers to join our super group!

Doors open on Thursday evening around 6:30pm allowing for plenty of social time. Practice starts at 7:30pm and lasts until about 9:00pm. The Liederkranz choir sings a variety of songs both in German and in English. Knowledge of the German language is NOT a requirement to join.

For more information about how to join the Men’s or Women’s choir, please email Grytha Drerup or just stop by the Liederkranz on Thursday nights!

Dayton Liederkranz Turner
1400 East Fifth Street
Dayton, OH 45402

Thanks for the great article Ernie!!

German American Festival, Toledo

(Toledo, OH) The Dayton Liederkranz visited Toledo, Ohio this weekend for the German American Festival. Everyone agreed, they had a great time!

The festival was held at Oak Shade Grove and is hosted by seven German and Swiss American clubs in the Toledo area. The park is full of shady spots under the trees. Several buildings are a permanent fixture to the park where food and drinks are served. Huge tents and other booths are located around the grounds. The overall look and feel of the festival is like walking around a Marktplazt in Germany.

There were plenty of activies to do throughout the day such as visit the Jaegermeister booth! If you'll notice in the picture, the booth has an interesting roof. Every hour or so stand by and watch the Jaeger-glockenspiel where people in costume step out on the roof and dance.

Contestants could test their strength in the Swiss Steinstossen (Stone Throwing) competition which was held on Saturday. The object is the see who can throw the 137 lb stone the farthest. The women can test their tossing abilities as well and heave a 75 lb stone.

They even have a children's Hummel contest at the GAFestival. I didn't get to see the contest but there are some really adorable photos posted on their website here: Hummel Contest

Yes but what about the Food, Beer and Music??

There was no chance of going hungry or thirsty at the GAFestival. They had plenty of the usual oktoberfest standby foods; sausage, potato salad, and sauerkraut. But here is what else they had; roast pork, ham shanks, jalapeno wurst, smoked wurst, cheddar wurst, schnitzl, leberkäs platters, cheese and meats, sandwiches, sauerkraut balls, potato pancakes, pommes frites (french fries), pretzels, pickles, landjäger, sweet corn, freshly popped popcorn, Kuchen, Strudels, cookies, Lebkuchen, cream puffs, ice cream, and funnel cakes. Whew - delicious!

Food Rating:

For the beer lovers, the GAFestival had a HUGE selection of German biers. I tried to taste them all...but was unsuccesful! Seven stamps in your Bierpassport will get you a nice commerative glass, which I was able to collect before the end of the day. They served plenty of wine and shots, too. The German Flag shot was my favorite. Check out the photo! The layers of the flag are made by using one of those special yellow funnels. I was told those funnels could only be purchased in Germany. Next time I'm in Germany - I'm buying one!

Beverage Rating:

Ahhh the music. The Music was great! They had guest band, Die Fichtler Buam from Steinach, Thuringia, Germany. The entertainment schedule was packed full of great music. Three bands played at all times at three different locations around the festival grounds.

Music Rating:

A few of our Liederkranz members happened to be talking to a reporter from the Toledo Blade Newspaper. Read the following article and look for quotes by Lois Lynch and John Koerner!

Check out this website for more info about the Toledo German American Festival.