The German Society of Maryland Vereinsnachrichten Founded in 1783 and Incorporated by Act of the General Assembly of Maryland Chapter 100, February 3, 1818 Issue 112 January 2019 President’s Message-Anton Smoot Liebe Mitglieder – Dear Mem- the future. Visit the website Inside this issue: bers, and get out amongst your fellow Germans! President’s Message 1 I hope this message Society Honors Tom 2 finds all of our members well Christmas Village at the Werner and safe. The cold weather Baltimore Harbor McDaniel’s ‘German Day’ 3 seems to have arrived early and This year we had a in a hurry but maybe we will permanent table inside the GSM at Friendship 4 get some of those warmer De- Garden main tent for the entire dura- cember days Maryland is fa- tion of this event. It provided Meet Director Mary Upman 5 mous for! us an opportunity to not only Gunther 100th Anniversary 6 This past November promote our society but all the another director of our socie- Commemoration we honored Mr. Thomas Wer- German groups in the Balti- ty visit your class, please email me and we will be hap- Baltimore’s Christmas 9 ner for all of his wonderful more area. Without the cooper- Village work for not only The German ation of many of the other py to make the time and come see you and your stu- New Members Society of Maryland but for the clubs this would have never greater good of all the German happened and I personally like dents. Germany to Spend 5.5 organizations. Many thanks to to thank all of you for your [email protected] Billion on Daycare help. This was the first year we everyone that attended our an- These are just a few ideas on were able to accomplish this Getting to Know You 10 nual banquet to be part of this how we are looking to the feat and we are looking to ex- truly amazing event. It is be- future to promote our great Christmas Memories 11 pand on this in 2019. cause of individuals like Tom society and I am always look- Senior Members that our society has been in Facebook ing for your input. I strongly existence now for 235 years We have a dedicated staff that encourage all of you to visit and counting. I encourage all of the websites mentioned to get our members to visit our web- is continuously adding infor- The purpose of the mation and promoting our so- updates on all the happenings German Society of site to view the pictures and ciety thru this social media in the German Community. Maryland is to also discover the wonderful venue. I encourage all of you preserve and events that are happening on a As the holidays ap- promote the German regular basis. to go to our page and “Like” proach, many of you will be heritage and us. traveling to visit family and www.germansociety-md.com traditions through Just enter The German Society friends. I wish you safe trav- educational, social Additionally, a com- of Maryland in the search area! els and many happy memo- and benevolent plete listing of all the scheduled School Visits ries. Best wishes and a programs; and to events for all the German Or- speedy recovery to all of our develop the unity ganizations in Maryland can be This ongoing program sick and shut in members. and continuity of the found at www.md-germans.org. is something we would like to German American Mit freundlichen Grüssen, All these organizations are expand and we are looking for community in the working very hard to provide additional schools to partici- Anton G. Smoot State of Maryland pate. If you are a teacher and not only traditional events but President also encompass new ideas for would like to have myself or Pa ge 2 Vereinsnachrichten Issue 112 January 2019 Publication Dates: Unser Kalender January-March: Deadline 12/15 January 23 GSM Board Meeting 7:30 PM April-June: Deadline 3/15 March 3 Newsletter Deadline July-September: Deadline 6/15 April 12 Annual Membership Meeting 6:00 PM October-December: Deadline 9/15 Links: German Society Website: Glückliche Winterzeit www.germansociety-md.com Deutschamerikanischer Bürgerverein: www.md-germans.org German Marylanders: The Society Honors Thomas A. Werner www.germanmarylanders.org German American Radio: Both the current and past President of the germanamericanradio.com German Club at McDaniel College., Lyndsay Batson and Daniel Smith, spoke and congratulated Tom. The students were two tables strong. The President of the Bürgerverein, Dottie Kirchner, the President of A.G.A.S. (Association of German American Socie- ties of Greater Washington, D.C.), Ger- hard Meinzer, and the President of the On November 3, 2018 at the historic St. George’s Society, Harry Aycock Zion Church Adlersaal, the German were also in attendance. As was, of Society of Maryland, at their 235th course, our President, Anton Smoot. to help with the planning and implementa- Awards Banquet, honored Thomas tion of many different projects. ‘Tom’ Werner. Dinner and the program was followed by music and dancing. The entertainment Tom shared the evening with his family and Guests were welcomed by President by the Greg Adams Trio was exceptional his long time partner and member, Kay Anton Smoot. The evening’s Em- and especially to Tom’s liking, being an Schneck. Cee, Bernard Penner kept the pro- avid fan of Jazz music. gram running smoothly. After sing- For his success in all of these areas of ing the national anthems of both the Our 2018 honoree, Tom, was chosen due achievement, the German Society of Mary- U.S. and Germany and prayers of to his many contributions to the German land is pleased to honor Thomas Alfred Wer- ner with our 2018 Distinguished Service thanks offered by Rev. H.J. Sieg- Maryland community, including his ser- fried Otto, guests were treated to the vice as President of the German Society Award. marvelous culinary creations of Chef of Maryland, Club Fidelitas, the Mary- The GSM would like to thank the Banquet Raimund Hofmeister and the stu- land Oktoberfest, the Baltimore Kickers committee, Shelley Arnold, Dr. Mohamed dents from the Culinary Arts School. Board of Trustees and the Deutschameri- Esa, Brigitte Fessenden, Dr. Maureen Helin- A taste of what was served included kanischer Buergerverein von Maryland. ski, Barbel Otto, Dr. James Schaub, Anton Hungarian Style Paprika Chicken, Tom has and continues to be an active Smoot and Dr. Mary Upman. Braised Beef Rouladen a’la Esther member in several of the German clubs. Hazy. Oven Roasted Porkloin with He is a lifetime director of the German Bier & Onion Sauce and Baked Society and currently serves as their In- Flounder in Caper Sauce. This of vestment Chairman. Tom is currently the course, does not include the fantastic Treasurer of the recently formed GAV side dishes and desserts. Trust me (German American Verein). when I say no one left hungry. Tom's acceptance of each of these lead- ership roles has given him opportunities Vereinsnachrichten Issue 112 January 2019 Pa ge 3 German Students Attend German Day at McDaniel College Swarms of stu- the 2018 event. Nine- dents con- teen schools partici- verged on pated. They were McDaniel Col- treated to a wonderful lege campus day consisting of sem- on October inars and presenta- 16th. They tions on everything were there to take part in McDan- from German Music, iel’s German Day. A great event Genealogy, German and perfectly timed, October being Cinema, German American Mili- grams including Marc Fisher and the official German-Maryland Her- tary Relations to the always well Christmas in Germany, Shelley Ar- itage month. Welcoming remarks attended, ‘How I survived the Hol- nold and German Marylanders and from Professor Mohamed Esa, ocaust’. Together they enjoyed a their contributions to our culture, German Society President, Anton luncheon of German treats such as Debra Hofmann and ‘The Quest to Smoot and Minister Holger Mah- Bratwursts, potato pancakes, Find Your Ancestry’ and Mary Up- nicke of the German Embassy, en- Schnitzel and more. The day con- man and the Art of Cheese Making. ergized the group for the day to cluded with entertainment by the Congratulations to Professor Mo- come. We were also treated to Spotsylvania Alpentänzer from hamed Esa, also a German Society 'Sanctus' by Franz Schubert, ar- Courtland High School, Spotsylva- of Maryland Board member on an- ranged by David L. Weck and sung nia, Virginia and with traditional other successful year. Mark your by the Northern Middle School Bavarian music by the Edelweiss calendar now for next year’s event. Chamber Choir. They were excel- Band. 2019 will mark the 25th Anniversary lent. Several members of the German of the event and I am certain Pro- In fact, there were over 800 middle Society presented various pro- fessor Esa will make it spectacular. and high school students present at Maryland’s Oldest Dies at 111-Agnes F. Reisenweber Ms. Reisenweber passed pilot. Together they had two children. a fall. away in April of this year. Agnes remarried years after the Cap- She remained sharp and tain’s death. She married Henry Rei- engaged until her death. She loved to Agnes was the daughter of senweber, a commercial artist. She read. Robert Richardson and Sadie Hubsch- too was an artist and worked primarily The name Reisenweber, mann. Her mother was a German in water colors and oils. from the German ‘reisen’ to travel immigrant. She was born October 29, She came from a long-lived and ‘Weber’ German for weaver, 1906 and grew up in the Roland Park family, her mother living until her late implies that there was a heritage of area of Baltimore city.