American German Club news

Frank Nechvatal

The February 23 meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. Minutes from the January meeting were read and approved followed by the Treasurer’s report that the club has a balance of $1,909.31. Membership Committee reported that we had 27 members in attendance. Ron and Sue Kaat attended as guests. The Sunshine Committee recognized Barb Valentine’s birthday and there were no February anniversaries. Van Christenson, Klaus Marik and Jo Zielke have been ill and cards have been sent. Lastly, Treve Christenson’s father passed and a sympathy card was sent. Under Old Business there was some discussion about the club’s Fasching Party. Photo of the Fasching King, Frank Nechvatal, and the Fasching Queen, Ingrid Billinger, submitted to paper for publishing. Under New Business there was discussion of the March meeting which will feature a presentation by Betty Nobling about Laura Ingles and her book Little House on the Prairie. Mention was made of the April meeting being a potluck party on the patio. The remainder of the meeting followed with presentations of family histories by Millie Kiska and Toni Greisiger.

The meeting ended with the raffle for $26 and the winner was Don Nobling. The $10 winner for name tag, shirt or hat was Don Adolph. The meeting adjourned at  7:45 p.m.

Our ongoing history ended last with the end of WW I. The Weimar Republic was established in Germany in 1919; however, the Depression that fell on the German economy created a great deal of dissent in Germany. As a result the liberal Communist Party of Germany was founded in late 1919 along with another group, the conservative National Socialist German Workers’ Party led by a young Adolf Hitler. These two parties, along with parties that supported the Republic, formed militant auxiliaries and battled with each other in violent street battles. By 1929 the economy had dipped so low that so many families were on the edge of utter collapse. The Nazis (NSDAP off shoot) with a rural and lower middle class base overthrew the Weimar Republic and took power over Germany from 1933 to 1945. The stock market crash in October 1929 caused a declining Germany economy to crash even lower. The Republic’s President, Hindenburg, attempted to push through a member of austerity, however, the Parliament was unable to build a governing majority and was dissolved. Hindenburg was reelected President in the election of 1932. The largest party to be elected to seats in the Parliament were from the conservative Nazi party. Conservatives pressured Hindenburg to appoint the Nazi party leader, Adolph Hitler, as Chancellor. This opened the door for the Nazi overthrow of the German Republic.

Next – the rise of Nazi fascism.

Auf wiedersehen