On Saturday, November 9 the Vereinigung Erzgebirge (VE) held a ceremony commemorating the 35th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Members of our club who attended included the Deely family (Chris, Nichole, & Christopher) as well as the Wagner’s (Michael & Betty). Honorary President John M. Blank was also in attendance.
The day opened outside in the gardens near the section of the Berlin Wall. The Franklinville Schwarzwald Männerchor gave moving renditions of the National Anthem of Germany and the Star Spangled Banner . Anyone who has heard these arrangements will know how fitting an opening this was.
Vice-President of the VE Steve Feuchter who also organized the ceremony spoke first welcoming all those in attendance. Many members of the Erzgebirge, other local German-American organizations as well as members of the public attended. Feuchter’s speech included a letter which he read in both German and English about the connections in culture and soccer the Erzgebirge still maintains with organizations in the former East Germany. It also noted the contributions of the United States in bringing down the Berlin Wall and rebuilding of a unified Germany.
Past president of the Erzgebirge, Willi Aust spoke very nicely about the background of what living in East Germany was like before the wall fell. Aust noted that while it was called a “Democratic Republic” it was neither neither democratic or a republic and it was a in fact a communist police state. Willi who was a a longtime teacher had visited the Eastern side on a few occasions with groups working to teach English and help those in need.
The Erzgebirge is the name of a region in the eastern part of Germany where the founders of the club came from. When the wall came down, pieces of the wall were sent all over the world as memorials of what happened. Philadelphia was earmarked at the time to receive a section and a meeting was held of various German-American groups and organizations where it was decided the section would fit best at the Vereinigung Erzgebirge.
Two representatives from Warminster Township were attendance and they spoke congratulating the Vereinigung Erzgebirge on their contributions to the local community, in sports, events, and festivals as well as the history they hold on their grounds.
The outdoor part of the ceremony closed with two more songs by the Franklinville before everyone was welcomed inside for a reception in the smaller dining room off the main hall. Beverages, including beer tapped from a ceremonial keg, and a full lunch was provided as well as desserts. It was an enjoyable affair from all reports. The history did not stop outside however as an informative video was on display about East Germany, the Berlin Wall and the cold war.
The members of the German Hungarians who attended have reported that the entire days events were very nice, informative and also a reminder of the freedoms we have here in the United States and the great history our culture as German-Americans has seen.
Thank you to the Vereinigung Erzgebirge, & Steve Feuchter for inviting us, and including the German Hungarians on this historic day.
Thank you to Nichole Deely for reporting on this event and providing the featured photographs.
