The Danube Swabian Foundation of the USA, Inc. Die Donauschwaebische Stiftung der USA, Inc.
KULTURPREIS RECEIPIENTS
Susanne Tschuertz – Artist, Painter – 1994 She received the award for all the illustrations, paintings and sketches about Danube Swabian people, their feelings, experiences, rememberances of their life and their tragic fate. She contributed to many festive publications, to the Chicago “Nachrichten”, to the “Schwengelbrunnen”, and especially to the book “The Innocent Must Pay” by Maria Horwath-Tenz.
Eve Koehler – Author and Supporter – 1995
Joe Stein – Teacher, Jugendleiter – 1996
Heidi Bernhard – 1996
Karoline Lindenmeier – 1997
Franz Sayer -1998 Supporter of Danube Swabian schools. He formed the group “Geistig Schaffende” and created the “Schwengelbrunnen”.
Tim Kretschmann – 1998
1999 ?
2000 ?
2001 ?
2002 ?
2003 ?
Peter Kraemer – 2004 Poet, Artist-Painter Known for Poems, many in “Schwowisch”.
Ernst Ott – 2004 He received the award for his contribution to the translated “Genocide against the ethnic Germans in Jugoslavia 1944/1948”.
2005 ?
2006 ?
2007 ?
Hans Kopp – Author, Jugendleiter – 2008 Author of “The Last Generation”, contributer to “Der Donauschwabe”, which was printed in Germany, and to “Waechter und Anzeiger”, the Cleveland German newspaper, organizer and founder of the “Edelweis Ski Club” and avid supporter of Youth soccer in the USA.
Franz Schmidt – 2009 Author, Publisher of “Heimatbote”, Supporter
Ann Morrisson – 2010 She was a very special friend and supporter, gave lectures and documented the genocide of the Ethnic German Danube Swabians after WW2, “The Forgotten Genocide” and “Millions Cried – No One Listened”.
John Michels – 2010 Supporter of the Danube Swabian Society and the Foundation, financially and morally. Helped with printing of various books. He wrote “North Dakota Pioneers from the Banat” and translated “The Banat Schwaben” by Nikolaus Engelmann.
2011 ?
Raymond Lohne – 2012 Author Wrote “The Great Chicago Refugee Rescue” and “German Chicago, Danube Swabians and the American Aid Societies”
2013 ?
Elisabeth (Elsa) Walter – 2014 Author, Artist-Painter – “Barefoot in the Rubble” & “Kirchweihfest”. Kindergruppeleiterin of the American Aid Society of German Descendants.
Katharina Marx -2015 Secretary to the Association andthe Board of Directors, Historian and organizer of the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. John Neumann for 35 years.
Linda Byrom – 2015 Member since Kindergruppe, German High School teacher, Kindergruppeleiterin and ranslator of Adam Mueller-Guttenbrunn’s “Der Grosse Schwabenzug” into English: “The Great Swabian Migration”.
Annerose Goerge – 2016 Active member from the beginning of the Danube Swabian Society, Chicago. She belonged to the Jugendgruppe and was its co-president. Since 1955, she has been a member in the Vorstand with different responsibilities: Archivar in 1964. President of our Frauengruppe 1964 until 1969. Editor and Co-Editor of the “Festschrift” of the 25th anniversary, of the “Festschrift zum Donauschwaben Jugendtreffen von Gestern und Heute” 1984 & 1988, of the 35th, 40th and 50th of the Jugendgruppe. As contributing auther she wrote “Ferdinand J. Plaines, Painter”, 2007, “The Integration & Assimilation of the Danube Swabians into American Society”, 2007, “Freundschaft Fuers Leben” and others. Since 1990 publisher and editor of the “Nachrichten”, writing reviews. Also, the Assistant Editor of the “Eintracht”, the weekly German Chicago area newspaper. She was the General Secretary of the Landesverband (1986-1992), was a director of the Danube Swabian Foundation, was appointed to be a judge of the “Kulturpreis” award and was a member of the “Geistig Schaffenden” group, which created “Der Schwengelbrunnen – Schoepfungen aus Amerika”. Annerose and Mike Wendl from St. Louis were the driving force behind the translation of the “Genocide Against the Ethnic Germans in Jugoslavia” into English and she was a consultant to Linda Byrom when Linda translated “Der Grosse Schwabenzug”. She is a reliable source of information about Danube Swabians and is always ready to support and help out with information and and action, whenever and wherever it is needed. She also supported other clubs for many years.
Eva Martini – 2016 Member of the Vereinigung der Donauschwaben, Trenton, since 1960. When Adam Martini was president, she helped with all the secretarial duties. She was elected Frauenschaftsleiterin. She resurrected the German school program and serves as recording secretary and director. She cares for the Trenton Donauschwaben’s “Genocide Memorial and Garden”, is the curator of the club’s “Heimat Museum” and recruited “Marienmaedchen” for the pilgrimages to St John Neumann and St. Katheriene Drexel. She presents literary favorites at Totengedenkfeier, Mother’s Day festivities and St. Nikolausfeier. Eva is considered the guardian for all cultural things of the Donauschwaben heritage in Trenton.
Eddy Palffy – 2017 He is a member of the American Aid Society and the Vereinigung der Donauschwaben in Chicago. Librarian at DS Chicago. Supporter of the foundation since the beginning, was treasurer and maintains the DS Foundation website since 2004.
William Milleker – 2018 Exceptionally active life-long member of the Vereinigung der Donauschwaben: Youth group and adult dance group, served as 2nd Vice President, served in many capacities on the Board of Directors and is currently President of the Danube Swabian Fund. He has organized many events. For over 25 years he helped in building, coordinating and running the bar and food tents at the German Day celebrations. His work in the “Heimatstube” and library of the Vereinigung contribute to the preservation and continuance of the Danube Swabian culture and traditions. He was instrumental in creating the websites for the Verein and the German School, and maintaining them. Tireless he pursued with the authorities and achieved “Real Estate Tax Free Status” for the Vereinigung. He serves as German Day Association delegate. He sings with two German choirs. Lately he is keeping the German community informed about events and news with the German Day website.
Elisabeth Gebavi – 2018 Avtive member of the American Aid Society: Jugendgruppe (folk dance group and choir), secretary for 20 years. She is an inspiration for the organization. She suggested to open our Donauschwaben Museum in Lake Villa, took charge of organizing all and is the curator of the museum. She gives tours through the museum for school groups, historical societies and families. For 60 years she publisized the history of the Danube Swabians, the Ethnic Cleansing of our people and the purpose of the existence of the American Aid Society of German Descendants which was organized after WW2 to help our displaced people.
Anni and Nick Wiegert – 2020 They are pillars of the Chicago Donauschwaben and a boundless resource in everything having to do with our German language, culture and traditions. With witty and humorous skits, which Anni writes, they have entertained audiences at various events innumerous times. She thrives on telling original stories, poems and humorous jokes, and loves to make presentations about Donauschwaben history and traditions to the school children and youth, and Nick is part of her plays and creates the props for her. Anni’s dirndles and costumes for dolls are popular. She helps with displaying the collections in the museum and sews costumes for Christmas and Mothersday programs, repairs the Jugengruppe Trachten and Nick creates the sets for the plays. He built runways for fashion shows and he uses his many talents to fix maintenance problems. He erects tents for the outdoor events and kitchen and bar for the yearly German Day events. He built the beautiful, sturdy stage and incorporated ingenious storage space underneath it.
Betty Leipold – 2021 Familienverein Akron Betty is a board member. For 40 years she was an Auxiliary Ladies member, 30 years treasurer of the Auxiliary Ladies Kitchen and also Kinder group leader. She initiated and still is involved in organizing the children/parents outing which helps parents and children to get to know each other and the functions and purpose of our club. As organizer and helper of the Christmas bazar, the Christmas celebrations, the Santa gift distribution to children and the soccer game concession stand, Betty is always promoting our organization and our Danube Swabian culture, and always helping in any way possible.
Maria Mattes – 2021 Philadelphia Donauschwaben Maria Mattes has been an active member of the Philadelphia Donauschwaben since its inception in the 1960s. She is a seamstress and made Trachts and Leibl for most everybody. For the annual Wallfahrt she made the traditional dresses for the Muttergottesmaedchen. At fundraisers, Maria helped manage them and collected prizes. She baked cookies for the Kindergruppe Christmas bake sale. As the main cook for many years, she was responsible for maintaining Donauschwaebische meals and deserts. Maria did all these things for over 50 years, and often declared “Ich mach was ich kann fuer den Verein”.
Paul Hoenisch – 2022 Philadelphia Donauschwaben Paul has been an exceptionally dedicated member of the Philadelphia Donauschwaben for 60 years. Currently he is a Director of the Association and actively involved in all its functions. He participated in the construction of the club house, spent many weekends volunteering his time and craft and now helps with its upkeep. As the “Schlacht Meister,” he brought that old world knowledge, which he learned from his father, of mixing the various spices for Bratwurst and Leberwurst and preparing Speck und Grammeln, to our “Schlachtfest.” He teaches our young “Schlachters” for our future traditional events. He spoke at local schools about his internment in the concentration camp in Gakova and he wrote his biography. He attends and helps at the annual “Wallfahrt.” He is an exceptionally supportive Donauschwab.
Eva Lehner – 2022 German Family Society, Akron Eva is a life-time member, over 60 years!!! She is one of the founders of the Lady’s Auxilliary and held many different positions on its Board of Directors and also on the Society’s Board of Directors. Eva helps out wherever help is needed, ticket sales, reservations committee, festivities, kitchen and as judge at Landesverband competitions. She sang with the “Harmony Singers” choir. She was the leader of the Kindergarten children and was the youth group leader for four years. As youth group leader she initiated the parents/children trips, which she still organizes. These help the parents and children to get to know each other better. She assists with the selection of music for songs and dances which the groups use at perfomances. She started the “Edelweis” seniors dance group.
Elisabeth Burmeister – 2023 Los Angeles/Suedkalifornien
Anna Koenig – 2023 German Family Society, Akron She is a helper whenever, wherever needed, long-time board member, member of the ladies auxiliary for over 50 years and its president for 12 years, member of the Edelweiss Dance group and the Harmony singers. As Kultur Ref., for 10 years, she taught German songs and poems to the various groups for Mother’s Day, Kirchweih and Christmas performances. She hosted “Cooking with Oma” cooking classes, teaching how to cook traditional Danube Swabian foods and created our cook book. She helped with and organized various fundraisers and is always promoting our German Family Society and Donauschwaben affairs.
Mike Wendl – 2024 Saint Louis – Ehrenpresident of the Stiftung
Rose Hauer – 2024 Chicago Donau – Landesverband Secretary
Note to all viewers:
I would like to expand information about all recepients of the “Kulturpreis”.
Any information to add to and improve this page is welcome and appreciated.