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.

Joseph Schlitz' farewell: a poignant moment in the brewer's story.

Farewell. A heartfelt farewell to my friends and acquaintances whom I did not have the opportunity to see before my trip to Germany.
Jos. Schlitz

When Joseph Schlitz notified the community that he was traveling to Germany in spring 1875, he didn't know it would be his last trip. These public announcements were an occasional practice in Milwaukee's German papers, and indexed in this project.

His Lebewohl (literally, Live Well!) is one of the more poignant items I've indexed; even more so than the tributes that followed from his, and other Milwaukeeans', tragic loss during their return voyage, 7 May 1875.