Chain & caravan migration stories are a part of Milwaukee's Germanic history ... just as they are today for other groups.

Mr. Peter Schmidt, together with his sister, Mrs. Dorothea Meuser, picked up his 86-year-old father from Germany, and went fishing here last night in his father's company. Twelve more members of the family from Germany will be arriving here in the next few days.

Intelligent voting for the public good, versus ignorant voting for selfish interests. (© The Inter-Racial Council)

Intelligent voting for the public good versus ignorant voting for selfish interests.

This was the quandary for US citizens in the 1920s when this was published in Milwaukee's remaining daily German language newspaper (©The Inter-Racial Council).
In 2016, non-voters and the electoral system miserably failed Democracy.
This issue remains the same for the USA in November 2020 ... and reposted for 2024 as Secular Democracy hangs in the balance caused by xtian-evangelical lunacy & desperation.

"Die Hallen der Turnvereine in Milwaukee"; a forgotten history

Turnhalle-Humboldt (Center St.), Turnhalle-Bahnfrei (North Ave.), Turnhalle-Vorwärts (Teutonia Ave.)

Bundes Turnhalle (Central Teachers School & Gymnasium, N. Broadway)

Turnhalle-Milwaukee (4th St.), Turnhalle der Südseite (National Ave.), Turnhall der Nordseite (Walnut St.),

Milwaukee's English or German language clippings? it's your choice.

Mrs. Catherine Dorothy Zach's death notice found in the Milwaukee Journal has been digitized into illegibility, but legible on library microfilm. The notice provides information about the arrangements, but only makes limited mention of the family: her daughters are identified by their husbands' names.

The German language death notice is not only more comprehensive, but progressive too. It sets the scene for us: during her long illness she was provided with the Last Rights. It includes Mrs. Zach's maiden name (Golner); provides her daughters' given names separately from their husbands' names; names her daughter-in-law; and even references Mrs. Zach's siblings. It's a research and German-American cultural gem!

This is the family's paid death notice for Mrs. Zach; there was no separate obituary article written by the newspaper.

This difference between competing papers isn't always the case but it needs be understood by the family researcher looking through Milwaukee's German, English, or Polish language newspapers.

Die Verlobung von Fräulein Nettie Lederer von hier ...

It's that time of year! Engagements and wedding announcements are just a small sample of what's found in Milwaukee's German-American press. A part of the genealogy community is obsessed with the social columns that might include engagement or wedding notices; yet they ignore wedding anniversary clippings (that requires more work!).

Spread between Milwaukee's multiple German language newspapers, reportage of nuptials is not as representative of the diverse German immigrant community as it is in smaller towns.

In 1893, while at art school in Philadelphia, Milwaukeean Nettie Lederer (daughter of Abraham and Dorett Lederer from Forchheim, Bavaria) was engaged to artist A. Stirling Calder. The couple married in 1895 in New York. Family or friends may have called in this news accounting for misspellings. Son Alexander Calder was the result of their marriage.

The art work one of at least one these now world famous Calders is found in a Milwaukee Art Museum collection, and around the world.

Hints of integration within Milwaukee's 19th c. German community ...

 

Miss Celia Kantorowitz and Mr. Samuel Shulskin were married at Tempel Beth Hamidrosh Hagodel on N. 5th Street, followed by a reception at the Deutschen Männervereins-Hall on N. 8th St. and W. State St.

Family memorials to WWI soldier Private Eugene Griepentrog, 1918-1930

Pvt. Eugene Griepentrog was a Milwaukee boy who died in the WWI conflict in France on 28 May 1918. His friend Pvt. August Beckmann, and another Milwaukeean, Herbert Schmidt also died that week. They were members of Co. K of the 28th Infantry Regiment.

The local German-American papers published articles and photos in 1918, but the Griepentrog family published a memorial on the anniversary of Eugene's death in 1919 and 1920. When his remains were brought back to Milwaukee for reburial in 1921 his parents published death notices and a public thanks, and then a memorial for him every year after that until 1930.