Page 1 - GC-Oktoberfest-24

The German Citizen
The German Citizen

A NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GERMAN-AMERICANS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK
AUSTRIA • GERMANY • LIECHTENSTEIN • SWITZERLAND
Vol. 12 No. 5 September-October 2024 Issue

Uckermark, Germany Waldfest draws enthusiastic revelers,

residents to visit Wheatfield pays tribute to two major contributors

rom October 17 to 20 about 31
people will be visiting West‐ by Steve Dlugosz "The tradition of the event is the
Fern New York and taking in ecognition of tradition and basis of (Waldfest)," said Krug,
the sights. This is part of their visit German culture was never who serves on the planning com‐
to the USA which will also include Rmore evident than at the 47th mittee that is instrumental in coor‐
Boston and NYC. Annual Waldfest celebration July dinating the event. "There's a lot of
The Uckermark is a region lo‐ 21 at Spring Garden Park in Mar‐ second, third, fourth-timers or more
cated about 70 miles northeast of illa. The annual "Festival in the attending. The major purpose of
Berlin, on the border with Poland. Woods," uniquely paid tribute to Waldfest being founded was to up‐
This is the area of the ancestral vil‐ two trailblazers for the event and re‐ hold German culture in America.
lages of many of the people of Ger‐ lated culture – the late Walter Wie‐ Spring Garden was founded by Ger‐
man heritage in Niagara County. and, who served as former president man immigrants, and the park re‐
About 20 years after the first im‐ of the S.G.T.V. Edelweiss Schuh‐ sembled their homeland."
migrants arrived, many of their chil‐ plattlers - Buffalo and was the orig‐ Paying homage to Wieand, who
dren moved to the Midwest to buy inal founder of Waldfest; as well as passed away this past January, holds
farmland. Many descendants with The coat of arms of the Ucker- Frank Wailand, a 50-year-member/ extra sentiment in that it recognizes
the same surnames are still in com‐ mark region. It shows the Griffin leader of The Auslanders band, also his early grassroots efforts in found‐
munities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, serving as Buchprufer for S.G.T.V. ing Waldfest; as well as helping to
Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, South of Pommerania and the Eagle of Edelweiss Buffalo. establish Gauverband Nordamerika
Dakota, and North Dakota. Brandenburg. (Wikipedia) The Auslanders and German as part of his presidency with
Some of those descendants will American Musicians each per‐ S.G.T.V. Edelweiss Buffalo.
also be visiting, to meet up with the and Colorado] who still speak the formed at Waldfest, with a good Additionally, Wieand's daugh-
Uckermarkers. same dialect. crowd enjoying a sunny, summer Heidi VonRecklinghausen ac- ter, Heidi VonRecklinghausen,
While in the area, the Das Haus Many of the older Uckermark‐ day with the traditional German cepts a tribute to her late father serves as current president of
Museum will host a lunch, a dinner ers do not speak English (they grew music playing and revelers enjoying Walter Wieand during Waldfest. S.G.T.V. Edelweiss Buffalo. Heidi
and Plattdeutsch sessions. up in eastern Germany), nor the German-themed beverages and was presented a commemorative
Plattdeutsch is a local dialect, now Americans speak Hoch Deutsch. It food options. The Spring Garden of return customers, as well as fam‐ plaque on behalf of her late father in
fading away with the older genera‐ will be great fun listening to them! Association and SGTV Edelweiss ily-generational attendees, who had an emotional moment at Waldfest.
tion. However, there are some from ~ Elaine Timm Buffalo have co-sponsored Wald‐ come previously. Out-of-state atten‐ The tribute to Wailand recog‐
the Uckermark, Wheatfield, Illinois, fest since 1975, with the event can‐ dees compose a solid majority of re‐ nizes the half-century of musical
celed in 2020 and 2021 due to the served tables purchased well ahead performance as both the accordion‐
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. of time for the event. Many entities ist and founder of The Auslanders,
According to Keith Krug of the and individuals responded within one of the region's most well-
Spring Garden Association, the just days of the event being an‐ known German bands. The Spring
event again featured a large number nounced. Continued on page 2