Page 3 - GC-Nov-Dec-2025

PERSPECTIVES WNY German Cultural Award
German Colonies from page 1 Thursday, Nov. 13

watching the dowsing and the cam-
By Martin Ederer German West Africa: This in Africa, including German Congo eraman started with it. It was getting
hen we think of colonial- was actually a collection of colonies (1884-1885), German Katanga one hit after another and they were
ism, we tend to overlook which included Kamerun (1884- (1886), the Guandu Protectorate all correct. We don’t know why it Hofbräuhaus,
WGermany’s role. There 1920), Togoland (1884-1920), (1895-1897) and the Gulmu Protec- works but it does.” Scott Street, Buffalo
are good reasons for that. Germany Kapitaï and Koba (1884-1885), and torate (1895-1897). Friends of Concordia also work
took a few colonies mainly after the Mahinland (1885). Obviously the In the Pacific: Germany estab- on researching the people interred program begin at 6:30 p.m.
1880s and then lost them after World two most significant were Kamerun lished German New Guinea as a in the cemetery and are trying to German music
War I. In reality Germany only got and Togoland. Altogether, the terri- protectorate (depending on where) secure funding to preserve the orig- from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
into the imperialism game late to tories of one-time German colonies from 1884-1919. These included inal farmhouse on the property, dat-
score some cheap resources and to lost during and after World War I in Kaiser Wilhelmsland, the Bismarck ing back to 1845. “We research “We have 13 of them from
solidify its diplomatic position back this part of Africa now are distribut- Archipelago and the German Solo- genealogies. I’ve done about 200 of Weidrich’s Battery, the famous Ger-
home in Europe. Otto von Bismarck ed among eight current countries in mon Islands Protectorate (included them. We had a caretaker in the man Americans that were all from
was not a big supporter of colonies, Africa. Bougainville, Buka, Choiseul, 1800s who recorded who he sold Erie County that were at Gettysburg.
routinely growling that they were German Southwest Africa Shortland, and Santa Isabel is- (plots) to…I think there were about They were the ones who defended
not worth the headaches. (1884-1915): Aligns with Namibia lands); also Nauru, the Northern 2,000 sales records, but the burial Cemetery Ridge and turned back the
I began to take an interest in this today. Mariana Islands, the Caroline Is- records are in the church records.” Louisiana Tigers, and that was the
story after I met a man from a one- German East Africa (1885- lands, Palau, and the Marshall Is- Each year, Friends of Concordia turning point of Gettysburg,” she
time German colony in Africa who 1920): Includes territories of Bu- lands. Some of these names should Cemetery host a family history day says. “We have a Medal of Honor
recounted one of his grandfather’s rundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda be familiar to Americans from US where volunteers like Fleischauer recipient, one of the six in Western
stories: When the locals worked for and Mozambique today. In addi- Pacific operations during World work with families to find their an- New York is buried with us. The
the Germans, the Germans worked tion, German attempts at coloniza- War II after the Japanese gained cestors. “We help with genealogies, King of Wings is buried here, John
along with them. After the French tion in East Africa also included the hold of them. German Samoa was we help with research and basically Young who was actually the one
took over after World War I, the Kionga Triangle from 1894-1916, a protectorate from 1900-1914. introduce people to the history of who started making wings. He did
French stood over them looking im- and the German Somali Coast from In China Germany leased ports the area and the impact here. Our the mambo sauce, not the hot wing
portant but did not help. 1885-1888. at Kiautschou (capital Tsingtau, most famous tombstone, the one sauce. We have Glenn (Brooks), a
To be fair, the Germans also did In addition, Germany estab- 1898-1914), Tientsin (1895-1917), that gets all the attention, is the choreographer from New York City.
their share of abusing the locals, but lished other short term protectorates Hankou (1895-1917) and Chefoo Schmand Stone. It’s the only stone He grew up in Buffalo, ended up in
many other imperialist powers did (1901-1914). in Western New York that has a New York, and was in a movie with
concede that eventually the Germans curse on it.” Fred Astaire. We also have a woman
created model colonial administra- Meat Raffle fundraiser planned Fleischauer explains: “It was a wrestler. Her story’s kind of cool;
tions that the others would have 17-year-old, Louis Schmand, who she’s in an unmarked grave.”
done well to imitate more closely. S.G.T.V. Edelweiss presents a Meat Raffle on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 at was murdered in Ohio. His mother Currently there’s a team of
the East Aurora American Legion Post 362, 1 Legion Drive, East Aurora,
So where were Germany’s colo- – we figure it’s his mother, I had around 30 volunteers who help care
nies? It bears noting that individual NY. taken the epitaph and sent it to Ger- for the cemetery and work on family
This special fundraiser is to help defray the costs for the 60th Anniver-
German states prior to unification in many to get it translated, and they records, but more people are always
1871 experimented with colonial sary of Gauverband Nordamerika Delegates Meeting May 1-3, said, based on the wording, she was needed and welcomed, Fleischauer
2026 which we are hosting in downtown Buffalo.
ventures, but the ventures were gen- angry and she placed a curse on the says.
erally small and did not last long. Gauverband Nordamerika is an umbrella organization of the Schuh- murderer of her son, on (the killer’s) WNY German Cultural Award
plattler Vereine (clubs) in Canada and United States which provides
Even in the big Age of Imperialism soul.” presentation with Elaine Timm and
of the later 19th into the early 20th guidance in music, dance, Tracht (costumes), workshops, and comeradery There are other notable people the Friends of Concordia Cemetery
not only in North America, but also with Schuhplattler Vereine in Germany.
century, the German foray into colo- interred at Concordia, including two as awardees will take place at
nialism was a short story compared Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first spin at 7 p.m. Admission is $15 per people with the same name who are Hofbräuhaus. The program will be-
person or $105 for a table of 8. Contact Heidi at sgtvplattlers@
to Spanish, French and British colo- believed to have died on the same gin at 6:30 p.m. There will be Ger-
nialism. Here’s the list: gmail.com for more information and to obtain your tickets to what will be day during the Civil War, but it’s man music from 5:30 - 8:30
a fun event.
unclear who one of the graves was p.m. The public is invited to attend.
intended for.

November - December 2025 • THE GERMAN CITIZEN • 3