(From the Monthly Progress in 2004)
In 1910, a singing society named the Banater Maennerchor was formed. A hall was rented at 8th Street and Columbia Avenue. During this time enough money was accumulated and a down payment was made for the Columbia Hall at Second and Norris Streets. The Columbia Hall was now named the Banater Hall and the building consisted of three floors.
The basement had a bar, two bowling alleys, two pool tables and a number of card tables. The second floor had a gym, a library and a large kitchen. The main ballroom was on the third floor along with a stage at one end and a balcony at the other end. Adjoining the hall was a bar that served only beer, wine, whiskey and soda.
Many activities took place at the Banater Hall. The singer’s rehearsals took place in part of the hall on the second floor and their sheet music was stored in the library where Joseph Rack served as the librarian. Singers sang from 1910 to 1938 when interest waned.
The second floor of the Banater Hall at Second and Norris Streets had a gym with Pommel Horses, flying rings and mats for the Wrestling Group.
Also on the second floor was a large kitchen where the Anniversary Dinners and Coffee Klatsches were prepared. The Anniversary Dinners were held in the Banquet Room on the third floor and prepared food was sent from the second floor kitchen by way of a dumb waiter, which went from the basement to the third floor.
The Banater Club became ne of the most important social gathering places for the “GERMAN HUNGARIANS” or “SCHWOBS” as these people from the Banat area of Austria Hungary called themselves.
F.P.W.
(to be continued)
EDITOR’S NOTE: this was written and originally published in Monthly Progress, Volume 59, No.9– September 2004 and No. 10-October 2004. It has been re-published here in 2026 with minor edits. Misspellings of names, capitalization and punctuation have been preserved as originally published.
