Message from President George Boehm

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful spring we are having. Spring, of course, is a great time for the outdoors. I always look forward to the opening of the trout season. May is also the month were we celebrate Mother's Day. I wish all you mothers a happy Mother's Day.

Spring is also the time where we start planning our summer fest. Please mark your calendars; this year's fest is scheduled for August 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th 2018. As you know this is our biggest event of the year and what makes it so great is two things. First, of course, is the hard work of all our members who volunteer to make it a fun and successful event. Second is the great attendance, and all of the friends and family you bring with you to the event.

I hope we see you at the next meeting.
 

George Böhm

2017 New Members

• Alan Avery
• John and Jamie Barr
• Dana Cluster
• Erwin Fleps
• Carl Hainzl
• Gorden Opitz
• William Pfeiffer Sr.
• Joan and Kenneth Wallenberg
• Jason Wells

• 2018 New Members

• Carl Rockel
• Cleo Veth
• George Pawlak
• Welcome to the Schwaben Verein!
• 2018 50 Year Members
• This Year we are celebrating 6 50 year members.
• Joachim Hentschel
• Arno Modersitzki
• Klaus Schmechtig
• Martin Schuett
• Otto Weber
• Frank Winter

In loving memory

• Hilde Hofmann: a member since 2005, passed away in March at the age of 84

Our heartfelt Sympathy to their wives and families.
May they rest in Peace.
Unser herzlichstes Beileid!

Greetings and News from Members

This is your corner to share your news or to give your opinion. Nobody did it this time, but we look forward to hear from you in the future.

Contact information of the editor:
Dale Hoppenrath
455 W. Berkley
Hoffman Estates, IL 6169
PH: 847-755-0234
e-mail: [email protected]

News from elsewhere

Maifest Chicago
Maifest – the Lincoln Square spring equivalent to the German-American Fest in September, is rumored to have surpassed its parent event in popularity and income. It seems people are really hungry for some outdoor partying after the absence of beer tents during Winter and Spring. This year’s Mayfest, organized by the Mayfest committee under Joe Matuschka and Matt Lodge, and hosted by Rheinischer Verein Chicago and DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, will take place May 31st through June 3rd at Lincoln, Leland, and Western in Chicago.

Schwaben Facts

About Beer in Swabia
(From the website http://www.tourism-bw.com/Gourmet-Country/Drinking/Beer):

We love our beer in South-West Germany, from thirst-quenching Pils to refreshing wheat beer and strong export beer.

We brew using centuries-old traditional methods, with only the highest quality ingredients, as demanded by German laws on beer-making. And our beers are as varied as the landscape. About 1,000 different beers are brewed in the region and there are still countless small, family-owned breweries.

On the trail of South-West Germany’s beer heritage
When it comes to beer and brewing in Germany, South-West Germany stands second only to Bavaria, with more than 180 breweries.

Rothaus: a Taste of the Black Forest
The Rothaus brewery is the highest in Germany, 3,000 ft/1,000 m up in the Black Forest. Only the very purest water is used, sourced from seven springs. Founded in 1791, its most famous brew is a Pilsner called “Tannenzäpfle” (Little Fir Cone) that has become a cult beer in Germany.

Brauer mit Leib und Seele: brewers with heart and soul
“Brauer mit Leib und Seele” is an association of 10 family-owned and run breweries. As well as being environmentally conscious, they all guarantee to follow 10 basic rules, such as using grain from local farms, German hops and brewing the traditional way.

Enjoying beer in Oberschwaben
Oberschwaben, the region between the Alps and Lake Constance, attracts visitors for its beautiful landscapes, its culture – and its beer. In 2009, the small town of Ehingen was named “City of Beer Culture.” Its population numbers only 8,000, but Ehingen has the most breweries in South-West Germany: five breweries, brewing 40 different beers!

A museum that makes you thirsty
Learn about five centuries of beer drinking and work up a thirst at the Bierkrugmuseum (beer mug museum) in Bad Schussenried. Down in the southeast corner of the state, the museum houses the collection of Jürgen Ott, the owner of the Schussenrieder brewery. See steins in all shapes, sizes and colors – 1,000 of them. When you fancy a beer, pop into the Schussenrieder brewery next door.

Note from the Editor

Dear Friends:

In this edition of the Schaben News, the “Schwaben Facts” and the “Note from the Editor” are more closely connected than ever. Here is the story:

During the April meeting of the Schwaben board George Jr. shared with me an article in the magazine of the “American Breweriana Association” about the “City of Beer Culture” Ehingen (not too far from Ulm) in Germany. It was reported that in this little town of only 8000 there were five breweries, and one of them featured an “Uli Beer” and held an “Uli Fest” every year, and that Ulrichs, Ulis, and Ulrikes got free beer during that fest. That, of course, got my attention, and I started to search the websites of the Ehingen tourist office www.bierkulturstadt.info , as well as the one of the Berg Brauerei www.bergbier.de which was identified as the brewer of the “Ulrich Beer”. I found information about beer, the Ulrich Fest in July, and other events but there was no hint as to free beer for Ulrichs, Ulis, or Ulrikes. So I wrote to the tourist office and the Berg Brewery, and from Herrn Koch at the tourist office and from Frau Beate Zimmermann at the Berg Brauerei, I got invitations to visit and offers to help me with trip planning, but nobody took me up on my question regarding free beer. Free beer, I guess, is hard to come by, everywhere, and maybe particularly in Swabia.

Meanwhile, planning has started for our Summer Fest, the 135^th Cannstatter Volksfest, Oktoberfest in August, and that means work has begun to put the program book together. Again, I will ask you, many other individuals among our friends, and German-American clubs and businesses to support our Fest by an ad in the program book. Order forms will flow around in many places. Please help us by asking friends and business partners to put ads in the book If you need order forms, contact me, and I will be happy to get the forms to you. Thank you, in advance, for your support

See you around.