Schützenfest - Auburn Hills

The German-American Marksmanship Club is holding its 71st annual Marksmen's Festival on Sunday, July 25. Admission is $3. Check it out!

http://www.dasv.org/index.php/100/sc...-is-july-25th/

Interesting ethnic niche and look who's coming.
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Originally Posted by Lowell

Interesting ethnic niche and look who's coming.
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If I was in Detroit, and not on the other side of the Atlantic, I think I would have come. I speak German fluently [[along with English, Dutch, Frisian and a little French.)

I have a friend who has some Pope-made rifles, too bad he doesn't have net access...matter of fact, he still uses rotary-dial phone!
He also has some of those OLD German targets that were hand-painted, real artwork from 100 years ago!

I'm here. Very friendly and fun. Webisode coming.

Just a reminder that this year's [[2011) Schützenfest will be held on the 31st of July at the Schützenpark in Auburn Hills. Info: http://www.dasv.org - or - http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php...28056860556149

Sadly, as the years go by fewer and fewer German ethnic clubs remain.

I remember as a child going to the Harmonie Club [[in the Harmonie Building on Harmonie Park in the "Paradise Valley" [[rolling eyes emoticom)). Harmonie was the oldest [[founded 1849) of Detroit's many "Germanic" Choral, Sports and Gymnastic clubs.

I also remember the Sängerhalle over on Harper near Chalmers, also now gone.

And I remember the Steuben Society that had a brass band... also now gone.

The main element of metro Detroit's German clubs are now congregated in the Carpathia Hall [[Carpathia Club founded 1913)... where the remnants of the Geramn American Cultural Center now conggregate [[clubs such as GBU Saxonia, Schwäbische Männerchor, Detroit Schwaben Unterstutsungs Verein [[founded 1883).

And then of course there's also the Austrian Society and a few others located elsewhere.

Ironically.... back 80 years ago the different German clubs used to thumb their noses at each other... such as those from Germany proper, and those of Eastern European German descent.

Now many of them have to merge to survive.

With virtual zero emigration from Central Europe to the USA... there are no younger members to carry on the memberships. In many ways this is also happening to the Masons and Shriners...

Mein Leiderhosen!!! Mein Leiderhosen!! Vo bist mein Leiderhosen?????

As Gistock has mentioned, the diverse nature of the ethnic German community of Detroit -- which might have appeared as something of a monolithic entity to outsiders -- contributed directly to the declining health of its cultural institution. Deep-seated prejudices -- carried over from the Heimat -- while not as firmly seated as in the past, linger to this day, and have created a fragmented sense of community that, when coupled with the aforementioned decline in Central European immigration, does anything but assist in the preservation of the culture and traditions. Reichsdeutsche vs. Volksdeutsche, Austrians vs. Berliners -- one wonders what might have been had a unifying force stronger than the German American Cultural Center created a more unified, healthier community...

Thread-bump! This year's event is Sat, July 26. Since Germany won the World Cup this year, the event is sure to be even more fun! http://www.dasv.org/index.php/event/2014-schutzenfest/