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History of
the
In January of 2003 a group of young adults, their parents,
and some close friends gathered in a friend’s basement to
celebrate the joys of Christmas and New Years Day which had
occurred only a few days prior. Usually such a holiday
celebration is used as a time to look back and reminisce
over joyous memories. However, on this evening unrest and
turmoil were amidst in the minds of many attending. The
majority of these friends had devoted the greater part of
their lives to the German-American community of southeastern
Wisconsin, yet they had become unsure of their future
involvement. Certain events prior to this day of
celebration had caused their positive thoughts about their
commitment to dwindle. Yet deep down their passion to spread
the German culture was still stronger then ever.
This group of friends realized they must continue to spread
the German culture in one way or another, a new way if so
required. On that day the group of friends decided to
establish a new German-American organization. Since the
majority of the friends and family were of German decent
from various areas along the Danube River, the new
organizations purpose would be to promote those same various
German cultures. It was on this day that the Danube
Cultural Society was born.
Little
time was wasted establishing the new Society. A week
following the gathering a committee of volunteers was set-up
to establish a preliminary set of By-Laws which would govern
the Society. An initial set of interim officers volunteered
to head the Society until its first official general meeting
and election would take place. Paperwork was then
immediately filed in order for the Society to be officially
incorporated by the state of Wisconsin. On January 23rd,
2003 the Society was officially named the Danube Cultural
Society, Inc. of Southeastern Wisconsin. Shortly after this
the Society was granted membership into the German American
Societies of Milwaukee, Inc. and German Fest Milwaukee, Inc.
The first official general meeting and election took place
in March 2003 at the Bavarian Wurst Haus in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Michael Wagner was elected President of the
Society. President Wagner’s first initial focus of the
Society was to begin reaching out to a younger generation of
German-Americans. Thus, the Danube Cultural Society
Jugendgruppe was formed for young adults between the ages of
13-25. The group’s mission would be to carry on and promote
the various German dance and singing traditions from along
the Danube River. The Jugendgruppe had its first public
performance in July 2003 at the Milwauke German Fest held on
the lakefront.
As time went by and the Society began to grow rapidly, it
was decided that another group would be added to help spread
the German culture to the younger generations. In September
2003 the Danube Cultural Society Kindergruppe was formed for
children between the ages of 5-13. This group, much like
the Jugendgruppe, would spread and promote the German
traditions from along the Danube River through dance and
song. The Kindergruppe had its first public performance at
the German Immersion School’s Foundation Dinner where they
performed for the German Ambassador to the United States,
Herr Wolfgang Ischinger.
On
October 9th, 2004 the Society held its first
annual Kirchweih Festival at the Latvian Haus in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. This was the first public event held by the
Society and it proved to be a huge success. The Society
plans to continue this great festival annually for many more
years to come.
Only two years after the first Kirchweih Festival the Danube
Cultural Society added another event to its annual calendar.
On January 28th, 2006 the Society held its first annual
Schlachtfest Dinner Dance at the Sacred Heart Croatian Hall
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The hall was packed, the food was
great, and the entertainment was fantastic. The
traditional Milwaukee area Schlachtfest had been previously
held by the Apatiner Verein of Milwaukee for the previous 34
years. When the Apatiners were no longer able to carry on
the event, they generously passed on this great
Danube-Swabian tradition onto the DCS.
All of us at the DCS were glad to see that our very young
club, in only its third year of existence, was able to gain
the confidence of such an established club like the
Apatiners.
(The 1st annual DCS Schlachtfest Dinner Dance)
To
this day the Society plays an active role in a number of
ethnic events around southeastern Wisconsin. The Society
also continues to grow in membership and continues to reach
new heights. In the upcoming years the Society hopes to
expand our horizon by adding additional secondary groups,
hosting additional events and festivals, and erecting a
clubhouse that our Society can call home. With the
continuous support and dedication of our members these
future goals look closer then anyone could have ever thought
possible.
For
the most up-to-date news about the society please
click here.
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