Author: delta

Happy Karneval!

Written by delta on 23. February 2017. Posted in News.

The GAHF wishes you and your family a happy Karneval!

Karneval is a celebration in Germany that dates back centuries. Rooted in Catholic tradition, Karneval honors the final days of freedom before the solemn 40-day observance of Lent begins. Modern-day festivities begin on Weiberfastnacht and culminate on Ash Wednesday and consist of thousands of people flooding the streets in costume. Although its exact origins are unknown, the word Karneval is rumored to have developed from the Latin words “carne levare,” meaning “away with meat”. Popular in the Rhineland, this tradition is also celebrated in southern Germany as Fasching or Fastnacht. Unlike the Karneval parades that originated to mock Prussian pomp and circumstance, the Fasching parades of southern Germany stem from pagan traditions of chasing away winter.

Happy Presidents Day

Written by delta on 20. February 2017. Posted in News.

The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® wishes you a Happy Presidents Day. Originally established in 1879 by Congress to celebrate George Washington’s birthday on February 22nd, this holiday now often includes all presidents.

Herbert Hoover, elected in 1928, was the country’s first German-American president. Since then, numerous presidents have had German ancestry.

Herbert Hoover had German-speaking ancestry on his paternal side and was the descendant of Andreas Huber, who immigrated to America from the Palatinate in the 18^th century. He was also of Swiss-German ancestry.

Introducing our Newest Staff Member

Written by delta on 15. February 2017. Posted in Press Releases.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® is pleased to announce its recent hire of Michael Heinen, who joins the Foundation team as its Director of Operations. Within this role, Michael will focus on the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and Museum, membership relations, community outreach as well as event planning.

Unter Unser Leit: Finding Kansas’s Volga-Germans

Written by delta on 4. January 2017. Posted in News.

Unter unser Leit provides the visitor the unique opportunity to learn about a somewhat unfamiliar yet fascinating cultural group: the Volga-Germans. The exhibit provides an exploratory, ethnographic account of an American immigrant group following their journey from German lands to the banks of the Volga River in 18th-century Russia, and then to the Kansas prairie a hundred years later. The conscientious visitor will draw parallels between the Volga-Germans’ fascinating history and the stories of other American immigrant groups. This exhibit was researched by Rose Guardino and researched and curated by Tyler Grasee.

This exhibit will open Friday, January 20th.

The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® and the German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™ are currently looking for interns for 2017.

Written by delta on 3. January 2017. Posted in News.

Interns will work on event planning, research, and cross-cultural planning. Internship responsibilities include: – assistance in fundraising and member management – management and operations of a museum – communications, web and social media

We ask that interns be able to dedicate three days a week for three months. Please send résumé, cover letter, and three-page writing sample (in English or German) to [email protected].

Standing with Germany and Freedom

Written by delta on 28. December 2016. Posted in News.

I’m sure many of you are horrified at the latest attack by terrorists on our civilization, this time in Berlin. At the beginning of this month, my wife Marie and I visited that very Christmas market several times, as it was just down the block from our hotel where we were staying on business.

For Marie and I, this was our third brush with terrorism.