tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31507972945061673892024-02-08T01:19:51.760-05:00Micronation DeitschereiDeitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-5295420036683230302022-10-24T22:46:00.004-04:002022-10-24T22:48:07.967-04:00En Neii Deitschi Faahne<div><div dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_2yk" style="padding: 4px 16px 16px;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px;"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" color="var(--primary-text)" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: block; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">EN NEII DEITSCHI FAAHNE </span></b></div><div dir="auto"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A NEW PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FLAG </span></b></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The design of the flag is included with this post, and quality versions are already available for download and for free use (with no revision or edition) on social media. The physical flags are available for purchase, and we are still sampling larger flag options. Rachel Yoder and I are holding onto the intellectual and physical rights to the flag for a period of three years, by which time the meaning and the purpose of the flag will hopefully be well enough known within our communities. After that time, we will allow the flag to go to the public domain. We have begun discussions of Pennsylvania Dutch history over on the Deitscherei Facebook group, and, since I don't want that group to compete with this one, I invite Kolby Howell to work with me on the development of Pennsylvania Dutch history awareness projects and products. Our history helps to explain why we are still a distinct ethnic group even after our culture's demise was predicted hundreds of years ago.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thank you!
Robert Lüsch-Schreiwer</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">INTRODUCTION</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This new Pennsylvania Dutch flag is the result of interactions with three focus groups, the largest being on Facebook. The Facebook focus group included a diverse cross-section of the Pennsylvania Dutch community. People of different religious identities, political affiliations, sexual orientations, and gender identities were included in this group. Additionally, it was important to include potentially dissenting perspectives, so this group, in particular, included interested parties who had expressed concern about the idea of the development of this flag. The purposes of the focus groups included the need for more inclusivity in our ethnic symbols and the desire to simplify the presentation of the symbolism on our ethnic banner. This was a grassroots effort triggered initially by an idea and creative concept expressed by Robert Lüsch-Schreiwer and put into digital artwork by Deitsch Folk Artist and designer, Rachel Yoder. Rachel did this work pro bono for the love of our Deitsch community. Of the six designs presented in Draft Round 1, the majority of all of the focus groups voted for Flag #1, which was amended based on member feedback, and the current flag (commonly referred to as the Rosette Flag) was the winner. The challenger (the Tulip Flag) is being held in reserve for future use in a different capacity.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We understand that the grassroots effort might not be recognized by everyone and that people feel an attachment to the first flag. This is understandable, and, since there is no Pennsylvania Dutch government to make binding decisions, there will be variations in the levels of acceptance of this new flag. We do, though, request that this flag be given due consideration, and we encourage those who have an allegiance to the first flag to consider keeping it present as a reminder of the labor that went into its development while accepting the new flag for the features that are described later in this statement.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Additionally, the development of this new flag has inspired ideas to advance awareness of our own history within our communities. We invite academic institutions to participate in this effort, though we also recognize that school curricula can be very rigid. Over time, many of those polled in our focus groups have recognized the need for advocacy groups that can work to create more opportunities for the advancement of our language and culture. Thanks go to all who participated in this effort. We hope that everyone will continue the efforts to reinvigorate our Pennsylvania Dutch heritage!</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaR8xqhqus4i0Q_Y7StM3EMGj19QW4GEEZeZwfLEv146mWX7XNkcstkZlKVkxUOmz1ifODIOh1wn5DhMx_raSkrUbzebeuJub_pxNV255BiGIvE2x4lM-0_htVTaarZW3CCADXbC_LxXdvujt2e1wK1QkaCKOuLMuNWooNQUkkfGfQ6P7YsLUDVOdng/s1641/Neii%20Deitschi%20Faahne%20Portrait%20Final%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1641" data-original-width="1246" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaR8xqhqus4i0Q_Y7StM3EMGj19QW4GEEZeZwfLEv146mWX7XNkcstkZlKVkxUOmz1ifODIOh1wn5DhMx_raSkrUbzebeuJub_pxNV255BiGIvE2x4lM-0_htVTaarZW3CCADXbC_LxXdvujt2e1wK1QkaCKOuLMuNWooNQUkkfGfQ6P7YsLUDVOdng/s320/Neii%20Deitschi%20Faahne%20Portrait%20Final%20(1).jpg" width="243" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">HISTORICAL INSIGHT</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of the things that can be simultaneously challenging and liberating about being a culture with no central authority is that there can be many streams of influence on cultural identity and production of cultural materials. This is the case with the Pennsylvania Dutch culture, and it might be one of the reasons that we are called a "persistent minority." Predictions of the demise of our culture and language have been proven invalid time and time again since the Early Republic era. There are more speakers of the Deitsch language today than there were in 1980, and interest in the cultural values and history has spurred many people in the current generations to explore and to embrace their heritage zealously, but events of the early 20th century led to purposeful efforts to weaken the Pennsylvania Dutch culture (see Notes at the bottom for more information about the ending date of the Great Migration and anti-German hysteria prior to World War I). Despite all of the predictions and the shifts and challenges that all Americans have experienced over the last 100 years, we are still here!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our ancestors' early arrival during the Colonial Era put them on the frontier and resulted in engagement with the Susquehannock that was starkly different from the way the English interacted with them. The same applied to interactions with the Lenape after William Penn's death in 1718. The end result was essentially the establishment of a Pennsylvania Dutch homeland after the Susquehannock fled (due in large part to the Paxton Boys incident) and the Lenape were forced out of Pennsylvania as punishment for being on the losing side of the French and Indian War (which would not have happened had the colonial government not swindled them on multiple occasions). This homeland, or Heemet is a large, non-contiguous region even today, and many parts of it are shared with our fellow Americans of many ethnic and cultural backgrounds.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In 1989, the first Pennsylvania Dutch flag was developed by Peter V. Fritsch at the behest of the Groundhog Lodges. It was a momentous development. The flag featured some of the contributions of the Pennsylvania Dutch to wider American society and also featured things that are associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch culture. I do not want to disrespect that flag because time, creativity, and love went into that effort. However, times do change, and cultures do evolve. Some of the symbols set the context of the flag in one religious context, which is admittedly an important component of life for the majority of Pennsylvania Dutch people. However, it automatically excludes those who are of a different belief system. The white background led to the flag appearing dirty very quickly when being flown outdoors, and many people polled in our focus group found the inclusion of so many features to cause the flag to be too busy. Additionally, the general feeling was that the flag was for the Heemet, and opinions from the Diaspora indeed suggested that they did not feel that the flag represented them.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As a persistent minority, we Pennsylvania Dutch share many cultural markers regardless of religion or location (communities turn up in many states and provinces as well as in Mexico and in several countries in South America). The attempts to suppress the culture impacted those in Diaspora more easily than it did those in the Heemet. The Diaspora is often left out of the discussions of the future, yet the thirst for connection to the culture is just as strong in those areas. The term "Deitscherei" was coined (full disclosure: by me) in 1986 to distinguish Pennsylvania Dutch Country from Germany. Prior to the introduction of this new term, most people were using "Deitschland" for both or they were using English to talk about our region here. The word Deitscherei has taken root and is even being used increasingly in video games that involve fictional war and mapping scenarios. This term is important to the significance of the new flag and is featured directly on it.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SLOGAN</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Mir Sinn die Deitscherei” (“We are [Pennsylvania] Dutch Country”). Where this flag is flown is Deitscherei because we carry it with us wherever we go. The Diaspora is as much of the Deitscherei as Lebanon County is, and we must recognize that our migrations and historical circumstances have led to diversity within us. There are people who are culturally Pennsylvania Dutch who might not have any ancestry from our original lands. Shared values and experiences are features of the evolution of our culture, and they have forged a bond among us. This flag is the flag of anyone who shares that bond.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have purposely omitted an English translation from the design because I believe that Deitsch must be afforded space in which it stands on its own. Part of the flag’s purpose is to provide opportunities to teach the slogan and to explain other aspects of our cultural heritage and of our living, vibrant culture.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">DOUBLE-HEADED DISTELFINK</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The double-headed Distelfink is still of one body, and the two heads can represent different things to different people. It is important to note that questions or concerns had arisen in the main focus group about whether it might have been rooted in the double-eagles of the Byzantines, Habsburgs, or Freemasons. The answer is no. This symbol was chosen because it can represent all of us; the meanings are open to interpretation by the viewer. Some examples of the interpretations of the meaning of the two heads are the following (this list is not exhaustive):</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plain and Fancy Heemet and Diaspora Christianity and Urglaawe Spiritual and Agnostic Urban and Rural Past and Future, with the Heart being the Present</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This the symbol does turn up in Plain sectarian works such as quilts. Two proposed version of the flag had the symbol surrounded by a circle. This made it appear more like a hex sign, which might result in some discomfort among the Plain members of the community, thereby impacting the symbol's ability to represent all of us in some way. Many Plain sectarians do not take on an identity with a flag or symbol, but it was important to the focus group that we took their beliefs and values into consideration so that the flag is inclusive to any who might take interest in it.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4e2bqIZbwnCus2Ep0t7lkAIEXHcnqTgmi9QkhmibN-xN_Gnzq3ltmmYHPSEc8iimwkURgToEc5vnRyX-GLhhIVle087yf5jq1RO88-6S16OiFbU7yaV4pBt3jEMSp_bK65LTY-eHaQSruOLs0Yem6i7uRTZQHRwDPGK2-1dGryFcwCvwFOqq94gPOA/s2009/Neii%20Deitschi%20Faahne%20Landscape%20Final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2009" data-original-width="1648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4e2bqIZbwnCus2Ep0t7lkAIEXHcnqTgmi9QkhmibN-xN_Gnzq3ltmmYHPSEc8iimwkURgToEc5vnRyX-GLhhIVle087yf5jq1RO88-6S16OiFbU7yaV4pBt3jEMSp_bK65LTY-eHaQSruOLs0Yem6i7uRTZQHRwDPGK2-1dGryFcwCvwFOqq94gPOA/s320/Neii%20Deitschi%20Faahne%20Landscape%20Final.jpg" width="262" /></span></a></div></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">PURPLE BACKDROP</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The use of purple in Deitsch art often calls to the sacred, the mysteries of existence, and to the totality of the self or the soul. The totality is of particular importance, I think, because we are looking to represent the totality of the Deitsch nation, which includes people of all sorts of backgrounds, religious identities, ethnicities, etc. That which brings us together is sacred. That which brings us together also ties us to those great mysteries. Purple is not a color that appears on many flags that represent a people, and, speaking personally, that is another attraction to me. Plus, the contrast make the colors in the symbol really pop.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">COPYRIGHT AND NEXT STEPS</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The development of this flag took a significant amount of time, and the end result is something that will build recognition over time. It is not limited just to display on cloth; there are several important formats in which we would like to set the flag for wider accessibility. We need protected time for some of these, and we also want to be sure that the meaning of the flag becomes known as the flag itself becomes accessible. As such, we need to contain the right of production for profit to a few outlets until we are able to create the flag in the formats desired. At the end of three years after the date of this statement, we will relinquish all copyrights and allow the flag to be developed freely as part of our national expression. As of now, the image may be shared -- but not altered -- on social media as long as there is no use of it for profit by unauthorized parties.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next step is going to be having samples created by a few different outlets, including established flag-makers in or near the Deitscherei. We will post when the flags become available. Please note that the flag is oriented in a portrait, as opposed to a landscape setting. This was the result of the splitting of the slogan into two segments. It is serving as an assertion that we Deitsche follow our own ways, but we will also work toward creating a landscape version. Because the slogan being split was among the most-cited suggestions, we will need to do some investigation on balancing the size and quality of the symbol in a landscape setting. For now, the flag is oriented in portrait.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">NOTES</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The ending date of the Great Migration is debatable. The onset of the Napoleonic Wars in 1803 disrupted (but did not halt) the migration flow from all of the German-speaking lands. The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was dissolved in 1806, leaving behind turmoil that likely spurred even more people to want to leave. The successor, the German Confederation, was not established until 1815. Although the German Confederation was a strong alliance, it became, perhaps, as much of a political mess as was the Holy Roman Empire due to the problems in its very structure. The German Confederation experienced revolutions and changes that attempted to bring about the creation of a nation-state but fell short of that goal. It is widely accepted that the establishment of a German nation-state did not happen until 1871. This means that the Pennsylvania Dutch left before there was a German nation-state. Many of our forebears came from other lands that have never been part of Germany (Switzerland being a prime example). By 1915, we had long been a distinct ethnic group, and loyalties were to home and community, which were primarily established in the United States and Canada. From the time of the sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915), the United States had seen a rise in anti-German sentiment, and this spilled over onto the Pennsylvania Dutch. Most of our forebears had no connection to the German Empire, and the family lore of many -- if not most -- Pennsylvania Dutch clans paints a very unpleasant picture of life prior to the migration. Indeed, we were the first people to come en masse to the Colonies as refugees. Many were fleeing the decaying feudalism and religious persecutions that were hallmarks of the era. The ravages of the Thirty Years' War (which is still one of the most destructive conflicts in human history, resulting in a loss of 20% of the European population, with some areas seeing up to 60% loss). The destruction made life unbearable, so the forebears heeded William Penn's call to the make the dangerous journey to his Colony. In some cases, entire villages quit the land that they had lived on for centuries because there was no other hope left for them. Some had suffered as Redemptioners in order to find a better life. In other words, there was no basis for loyalty to the Kaiser, so (as is usually the case in these situations) the anti-German rhetoric was targeting innocent people.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The ramifications of this hysteria cannot be understated. It resulted in efforts to dismantle the culture. German could not be taught in schools (a great many educational institutions in Pennsylvania were founded by Pennsylvania Dutch people). Outright oppression often results in backlash, so the efforts undertaken were the use of the legal system and the news outlets to frame traditional practices in contexts that would be subject to Blue Laws. The messaging in schools was that the traditional ways were backward, thereby reinforcing the stereotype of the Dumb Dutchman. The generation born in the interwar period felt a pressure to abandon the language and to take on an "American" rather than a "Pennsylvania Dutch" identity (the two do not have to be mutually exclusive, but historical facts should never be allowed to interfere with a good fear campaign). Even when I was boy in the 1970's, we were told that the accent would be a hinderance to our success in life. This process began to reverse itself in the 1980's, and now the demand for Deitsch classes exceeds the number of classes available.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are prices to pay for not learning the lessons of history. Colonial history is very poorly taught in the United States. The Pennsylvania Dutch played key roles in many events during that period and through the Civil War, and we always followed our own ways. Since our history is not given proper coverage in most schools, it is up to our communities to produce resources. If you have never heard of the Germantown Anti-Slavery Protest, Cresap's War (also called the Conojocular War), or Fries's Rebellion, you might find Pennsylvania Dutch history to be far more interesting than the stories of simply getting off of a boat and immediately farming land and living happily ever after!</span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><div class="x10wlt62 x6ikm8r x9jhf4c x30kzoy x13lgxp2 x168nmei" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic" style="border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="x1jx94hy x12nagc" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px;"></div></div></div></div>Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-54253265201754996312018-08-12T15:35:00.000-04:002018-08-12T15:35:33.378-04:00Palatine Boors<div style="text-align: justify;">
In this current era in which we have forces trying to tear our country apart based on race, skin color, ethnicity, etc., let us learn some lessons from the past.</div>
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Our own ancestors were discriminated against and insulted by one of the most respected Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin.</div>
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The Palatines were not white enough for Franklin. </div>
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The sad thing is that the same rhetoric that Franklin used to insult our ancestors is being used now in Alt-Right marches in DC and Charlottesville. The primary difference is that the Alt-Right has expanded the definition of "white" to include the Deitsch descendants of the Palatines as well as the Irish, the Italians, and the Slavs, all of whom have been the targets of discrimination at earlier points in our history.</div>
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I think my colleague and friend, Michelle Jones, said it best in this post on Facebook:</div>
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While there are legitimate conversations to be had about legal vs. illegal immigration and a variety of topics within the social sphere, bigotry and racism are not to be tolerated. Our ancestors were the first refugees to these shores from a non-colonial land. The Deitsch were the first to protest slavery in the Americas. The settlers lived in general peace with the Lenape, and there is lore within Braucherei of exchanges of information about plant medicine. </div>
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The Palatines - and the present-day identity of the Deitsch - have always had their own way of viewing and doing things even within the context of being leaders in the pursuit of the ideals that are spelled out in our Constitution. Our cultural expressions and practices continue to this day despite 20th century efforts to undermine them and to suppress them.</div>
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Even while celebrating what makes us unique, let us embrace the wider diversity of this country with the recognition that we are all building toward those ideals.<br />
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In that spirit, we proudly adopt the hashtag of #PalatineBoor and its Deitsch equivalent, #PelsicherRauhbautz* as recognition that we are the descendants of the people whom Franklin eschewed. May we be more generous to later arrivals than he was to our ancestors.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>* The Deitsch cognate of the English word "boor" is "Bauer" and is also cognate with the Dutch and Afrikaans word, "Boer." However, in regular Deitsch usage, the word "Bauer" has come to mean simply "farmer" without a semantic of class that would render it as "peasant." A "Rauhbautz" carries the semantic meaning of "boor" that reflects the unrefined aspect that people who would use a word like "boor" would intend. Quite literally, a "Rauhbautz" is an "unrefined (raw) bugaboo."</i></span></div>
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Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-76617735738999797742018-01-15T14:53:00.002-05:002018-01-15T15:12:09.650-05:00Hessian Soldiers, Serfdom, and Slavery<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'd recommend the <a href="http://amrevmuseum.org/">Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia</a> to anyone. Walking away from the exhibit, one realizes just how more complex the events of that era actually were, and the Pennsylvania German community was right in the middle of the tumult with its own undercurrents and complicated factors.</div>
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One of the most fascinating aspects of the museum's presentations was related to the Hessian soldiers. If we're lucky, schools still teach a bit about the role that the Hessian soldiers played on the side of the British in the Revolutionary War. Typically, they are described as "mercenaries," and that appears to have been the common perception of them during the Revolution. The British were fighting for their empire, but the Hessians would fight for anyone who would pay them. This perspective drew out vitriol toward them. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF631NyNx-qQfbX1lFReDnuv6fyLP6GuXR2do-qojwpMm8Nnp59odG0LC1Q5EsYcyEPhkikiKlCtVhRBOzL5DVZO5fdzweQeNy31l4It2btYREgy8AnRjQeqUsaOQoMJ8VpBizUIUbCxbt/s1600/IMG_0873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF631NyNx-qQfbX1lFReDnuv6fyLP6GuXR2do-qojwpMm8Nnp59odG0LC1Q5EsYcyEPhkikiKlCtVhRBOzL5DVZO5fdzweQeNy31l4It2btYREgy8AnRjQeqUsaOQoMJ8VpBizUIUbCxbt/s320/IMG_0873.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Museum of the American Revolution</td></tr>
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The mercenary angle, however, is only part of the story. While some of the Hessian soldiers were professional military, many of the others were simply serfs. Serfdom was still legal in Hesse-Kassel, so the actual mercenary was their Lord, Landgrave Frederick II, though other German princes also sent serfs to fight in the war. Thus, the Landgrave took in the money from the British and sent the serfs to fight a war in a foreign land. Although serfdom was outlawed in Britain, the military honor code still compelled the Hessian soldiers to fight once they reached the Colonies. The only way out was to desert or to be captured. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Museum of the American Revolution</td></tr>
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Many of these soldiers did not want to be involved in the war, but the nature of serfdom is a lack of choice for the individual and a deference to the Lord. Although in some areas the Colonies appear to have hated the Hessians more than the British, Hessian soldiers' diaries actually reflect some sympathy for the Colonists and a general abhorrence at the British treatment of them, particularly when harsh treatment or execution involved German colonists.</div>
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The Battle of Trenton (December 26, 1776, a result of Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River) was a disaster for the Hessians. Approximately 1,000 of them were captured and forced to through the streets of Philadelphia to the derision of the Colonists. Hessian prison camps were set up in various areas, including quite a few in Pennsylvania German areas, where they are said to have been treated well enough that they volunteered to do extra work. After the war ended, many of them opted to stay in the New Republic, and they assimilated with the Pennsylvania German population in the areas in which they had been interred.</div>
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Who can blame them? Serfdom was clearly a miserable existence that was only a step away from slavery. The major differences are that, in most areas, serfs could own land and could not be sold. However, in the case of the Hessian serfs, their services were clearly sold and they were impressed into the military, so their rights to individual sovereignty were very restricted. </div>
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The ghost of serfdom was indelible on the early Deitsch settlers. It played a role in <a href="http://www.meetinghouse.info/1688-petition-against-slavery.html">the first organized protest by against slavery in North America</a>, and it brought moral conundrums to settlers in the Diaspora in the South when they saw the living conditions of slaves.</div>
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Many (perhaps most?) of the original settlers had to take an oath of loyalty to the British Crown at arrival, and the Revolution brought to them a dilemma. If they acted upon any sympathy with the Continental Army, they were breaking their oath. Some felt as though the oath was made under duress, since they were already standing in the arriving port and had no way to return home. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many of that arriving generation sat the war out while their children fought for the Continental Army. </div>
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The memories of serfdom, though, stayed with those original settlers who came from lands where they were serfs, and the moral outrage at serfdom and slavery became a part of the Pennsylvania German culture through the Underground Railroad era and the Civil War.<br />
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Side note: There are many ghost stories throughout the Deitscherei related to Hessian soldiers. The area around Charming Forge (Berks County) is said to be haunted by the ghosts of many captured soldiers who were put to work there, and even the Headless Horseman of the <i>Legend of Sleepy Hollow</i> is a ghost of a Hessian soldier whose head was blown off by a cannonball.</div>
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<br />Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-54107272678389635312017-12-05T17:54:00.001-05:002017-12-05T17:54:41.983-05:00Der BelsnickelTonight <a href="http://urglaawe.blogspot.com/2012/12/lessons-of-der-belsnickel.html">der Belsnickel</a> visits many homes throughout the Deitscherei...<br /><br />
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Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-19659981640954575392017-11-22T20:17:00.002-05:002017-11-22T20:17:35.011-05:00PARADE OF SPIRITS! (Krampuslauf Philadelphia)This is the annual grassroots Parade of Spirits through the streets of Northern Liberties. Participants are highly encouraged to dress in appropriate "Dark Half of the Year" costumes.<br />
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This is a participatory event more than a spectator event. Interested folks are encouraged to come in costumes that reflect the Dark Half of the year, the scary characters of traditional lore of various cultures, or the shadow side of the self.<br />
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Gathering time starts at around 3:30 PM. Some folks put their costumes on in in the park; others arrive in costume. Parade kicks off at dusk.<br />
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The Heathen Contingent has a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/729157620446604/<br />
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YULETIDE SOCK DRIVE<br />
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Socks are one of the most requested items at homeless shelters, but they are also one of the least-donated items.<br />
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From December 9, 2017 (Parade of Spirits) through January 1, 2017, Distelfink Sippschaft will be collecting new, unworn socks for folks in need.<br />
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We need all sizes, from baby to adult male. Practical socks, fun socks, fuzzy socks, holiday socks, argyle socks are all needed!<br />
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Stock up stacks of socks and stockings and help to bring warmth to the feet of those in need this Yuletide!<br />
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Contact Robert L. Schreiwer (schreiwer@urglaawe.org) for collection sites.<br />
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The first location will be at Parade of Spirits/Krampuslauf in Liberty Lands Park.<br />
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Donations will be directed to homeless shelters in the Delaware Valley.Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-55228452268971221852017-09-22T21:48:00.002-04:002017-09-22T21:48:49.539-04:00Halliches Erntfescht<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>(or Erntdankfescht!)</i></div>
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The autumn equinox and surrounding days served as the time of the original Deitsch (and German, for that matter) Thanksgiving. We Urglaawer observe the equinox and celebrate the harvest as a community as close to the equinox as possible. The Schwenkfelders observe the thanksgiving on September 24, other localities hold it on different days, also often based on the equinox.</div>
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In Heathen times, communities pitched in to help to finish harvests, to trade different crops, and to tend to kin and neighbor so that everyone had a variety of foods to store for the winter. This is the root of the Harvest Home tradition, which continues in many churches today.</div>
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The establishment of a national Thanksgiving holiday was actually met with some resistance in Deitsch communities because we already had a thanksgiving observance that was placed at the time of the completion of the harvest. The end of November seemed to be an odd time to many people. The traditional harvests were well over by then, it was typically very cold, and, prior to the rise of modern transportation and grocery, people would be more likely conserving their food stores, outside of game, to ensure a supply to carry them through if Spring came late.</div>
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The Harvest Home church traditions nowadays take place all throughout September, but they are a legacy of the thanksgiving festival. Urglaawe groups hold thanksgiving festivals as close to the equinox as possible. All of these observances focus on spreading the wealth of the harvest around, most typically in the form of canned food donations to food shelters.</div>
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Over time, the national holiday in November has meshed well with traditional Pennsylvania Dutch foods and has become part of our lives. However, it is good to keep our cultural traditions alive, too.</div>
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Most of us who were born after World War II are so accustomed to supermarkets having everything we could want all throughout the year that it is difficult to fathom the reliance on root cellars, springhouses, and cooperative efforts among neighbors. Jump back a few generations, when most food was grown locally, and it becomes easier to see why there would be a formal expression of gratitude for a successful harvest. We can capture a bit of the experience of our forebears by appreciating events like the end of the harvest.</div>
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Besides, it never hurts to have another day where we are a little more deliberate in our gratitude for the food that nourishes us. So, sometime this week, you may want to incorporate an extra expression of gratitude in the religious or philosophical context that resonates with you to the plants and the animals that feed us, to the farmers who produce the food, and to the transportation and outlets that make it available to us.</div>
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Let's make Erntfescht/Erntdankfescht a thing again in our communities!</div>
Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-65852502990319415472017-03-15T17:35:00.001-04:002017-03-15T17:35:36.611-04:00Heesses Wasser Uffschtand<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fries' Rebellion is the last significant Deitsch uprising. It is named after John Fries, who was a hero of the Whiskey Rebellion but who was also considered a traitor as a result of the rebellion that bears his name in English. The Deitsch name, Heesses Wasser Uffschtand (Hot Water Uprising), relates to the Deitsch women who chased away the tax collectors using boiling water as a weapon.</div>
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Had Fries' Rebellion been successful, life in the Deitscherei might be very different today. This was a watershed event in Deitsch history, and a presentation at Goschenhoppen tomorrow affords us with a great opportunity to learn about the causes of the rebellion.</div>
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<a href="http://goschenhoppenevents.com/monthly-meetings/">The Fries Rebellion: Insurrection or Civil Disobedience?</a></div>
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Thursday, March 16, 2017</div>
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Goschenhoppen</div>
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Red Men's Hall</div>
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216 Gravel Pike</div>
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Green Lane, PA </div>
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Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-35455737386590214232015-01-03T10:43:00.002-05:002015-01-03T10:43:48.385-05:00From the Deitsch Girl, Displaced Blog<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="userContent">This. The genetic research project portion is of particular interest.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><a href="https://deitschgirldisplaced.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/branding-kitschy-keepsakes-or-honored-heritage/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://deitschgirldisplaced.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/branding-kitschy-keepsakes-or-honored-heritage/</a></span></div>
Deitschereihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02572821389140993632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-49460208256756425612013-05-27T03:43:00.000-04:002013-05-27T03:43:34.744-04:00Der GedechtnisdaagIt is Memorial Day in the United States. It is a time to remember all those who have fallen for the United States since the country's inception in 1776. The Deitsch have a long tradition of fallen heroes and young men who were torn from their homes in order to fight for greater causes.<div>
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War is a complex being. Whether a war is justifiable morally is a matter of perspective.</div>
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The Revolution, which caused much anxiety for many Deitsch, who had to decide between oaths taken to the British Crown and the need for Colonial independence, brought about the Great Experiment that is the United States.</div>
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The War of 1812, which serves as the end-point of the migration that gave rise to the Deitsch nation, is considered by most to be a justifiable war of defense. </div>
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The Civil War brought an end to the horror and moral outrage that was slavery. However, it also began the whittling away of states' rights and started the centralizing and bloating of the federal government.</div>
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Also, the 1860's were a difficult time for the Deitsch in the Confederated States of America. Most Deitsch were rabidly anti-slavery (which was seen in the <a href="http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-F8">first abolitionist protest in Philadelphia in 1688</a>. However, the cause of states' rights and the defense of one's home caused many schisms in Deitsch families, particularly those with Northern and Southern branches.</div>
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Some of the subsequent wars can be seen as wars of American colonialism. From the Spanish-American War (1898), the US gained the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico from this war. Ironically, it is that act of colonialism that has resulted in a later reverse colonialism of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and a noticeable demographic change to the largest Deitsch cities. In addition to all that, a telephone tax that was levied to help pay for that war was finally cut off in 2006 -- 108 years after that war. Ridiculous.</div>
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World War I was really not the first war considered to be global in the Deitsch folk consciousness (the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was the major trigger for later migration to the Americas). The build-up to World War I included, as a result of deteriorating relations with the German Empire, deliberate attempts to destroy the Deitsch culture. The Suppression, which was really an effort to make the Deitsch culture appear backwards so the next generation would assimilate, began in 1911 and continued well into the 1970's. Echoes of it remain even today. Many Deitsch soldiers perished in that war in American units despite having their culture and language ridiculed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Go figure.</div>
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World War II witnessed a new kind of horror in the evil of the Nazi regime. Hitler's odious actions were rivaled and exceeded only in the Japanese actions in Nanking and in Soviet Union against anti-communist dissidents. The soldiers who gave their lives for the causes of liberty and freedom in this war helped to prevent further loss of millions of lives. Ironically, the stain of Nazi Germany somehow tarred many Deitsch soldiers, even though they were not "German" and had no connection to Nazism except for fighting against it!</div>
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Subsequent wars are not always morally clear. In many cases, the soldiers gave their lives for noble causes that were not matched in the actions of the politicians in Washington. Many of the principles for which our ancestors fought have been diminished or destroyed by the overreach of the state and (especially) federal governments. Political expediency always seems to trump virtue. However, Washington's slimy actions must not re-define the hearts and minds of the soldiers who gave their all and their everything.</div>
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So today, please take a moment to think about the liberties that we have and the liberties we have lost. Recognize that many men (and now women) have given their lives -- all they were and all that they could have been -- for these liberties. The best way to honor the fallen is to take their principles into our hearts and to be the best and most vigilant citizens we can be.</div>
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Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-61472032410618056562013-03-16T21:19:00.000-04:002013-03-16T21:19:14.980-04:00Heathen Marriage CeremoniesIt is amazing how much malarky and propaganda we're bombarded with all the time.<br />
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For example, we're told that we have "liberty" and "religious freedom," yet the various states make it as difficult as possible for Heathen (among others) religious leaders to perform ceremonies that result in a legal state of marriage.<br />
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Pennsylvania is among the more schizophrenic states. It has a great constitution but an incredibly corrupt legislature. The religious freedom remarks are in the constitution, but legal wrangling has resulted in the members of many faiths (including Urglaawe, Wicca, Asatru, and many others) being treated like second-class citizens, even if their own organizations have provided ordination. They have to "prove" the legitimacy of their religions on pretty much a county-by-county basis, while certain other religious groups can do whatever they want (and often benefit from their relationship to those in the legislature).<br />
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This is a sorry state of affairs and does little to instill any faith in a system that is slowly collapsing due to this sort of corruption and turpitude. Everything that our ancestors fought and died for is being spoiled, derided, and destroyed by the ignorance of the historical significance and the real meaning of the words that are written in the various constitutions.<br />
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<br />Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-84330307187638968272012-09-26T16:21:00.001-04:002012-09-26T16:21:04.402-04:00Wilkum: Why not say that here?<br />
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YO, FERWAS ISS SELL DO NET GSAAT??</div>
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By JACK BRUBAKER, The Scribbler (New Era)</div>
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Several years ago, a group of Pennsylvania Dutch enthusiasts suggested that towns and townships in the Cocalico Valley begin posting bilingual signs on roads and at other places.</div>
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One of those signs might designate Hans Jakob's Orchard also as Hansyaricks Baamgaard, the Pennsylvania German equivalent.</div>
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Hans Jakob's Orchard is on Texter Mountain, not far from Lancaster County's high point in the nearby meadow featured in the Sept. 21 Scribbler column.</div>
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The bilingual sign idea never moved forward here (except in West Earl Township, which already had marked several roads with bilingual signs before the German-Pennsylvanian Society suggested a more general application).</div>
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But now comes news that Kutztown, Berks County, has leapt in front of Lancaster by erecting the first "Wilkum" signs in Pennsylvania at entrances to that town.</div>
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The "Wilkum Zu Kutzeschtettel" signs are part of larger signposts "welcoming" visitors in English.</div>
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Kutzeschtettel added its Pennsylvania Dutch designation after much lobbying by several members of the German-Pennsylvanian Society, including Frank Kessler, of Brussels, Belgium.</div>
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"We hope that other townships in Pennsylvania will soon follow this encouraging example," Frank writes to this column.</div>
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Well, why not?</div>
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For decades, visitors to the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau on Greenfield Road passed a sign held up by two giant fiberglass Amish figures.</div>
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"Wilkum," the sign said.</div>
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Let's bring it back.</div>
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Bilingual road signs may be too controversial or too expensive, or whatever, but why not place "Wilkum" signs at major entrances to the county?</div>
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Everyone understands what "Wilkum" means.</div>
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It means Lancastrians are friendly.</div>
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It also means that Lancaster County's heritage is different from the heritage of Hanover, N.H., or Danville, Va.</div>
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It means that some bilingual people who live here speak both English and Pennsylvania Dutch, just as some speak both English and Spanish or both English and Vietnamese.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">But the "Dutch" were here first and that tradition deserves recognition.</span></div>
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If Kutzeschtettel can do it, why can't we?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Read more: <a href="http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/743215_Wilkum--Why-not-say-that-here-.html#ixzz27bogE8V0" style="color: #003399; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/743215_Wilkum--Why-not-say-that-here-.html#ixzz27bogE8V0</a></span></span>Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-52698162110811645852012-06-03T13:12:00.002-04:002012-06-03T13:12:50.671-04:00What of the German voter bloc?All we hear about in the elections discussion these days is the Hispanic vote. What about all of the other ethnic groups in this country? Do we not matter? Are our votes not important?<br />
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Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Germans in America, whether Pennsylvania German or German-American, are not quite as polarized as some other communities are. The Amish vote in Ohio did make a difference in the 2004 elections. There are many other ethnicities in the US that must not be ignored. It is time for the rest of us to demand the same attention that the Hispanics are constantly getting from politicians and the news media.<br />
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Otherwise, why should we continue to buy into what is left of the US as a nation?Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-88303745906731654172012-02-12T20:44:00.004-05:002012-02-12T20:48:09.043-05:00Deitsch District in Lancaster County<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">There are already some areas in South Ephrata and in Berks, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties with street signs in Deitsch. Lancaster County is the tourist epicenter, but the strength of the Deitscherei is scattered among many counties, each with different characteristics and some variations in cultural markers. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Berks, Schuylkill, and Carbon are seeing a rejuvenation in cultural identity. These places should not be left out of future plans for expansion of this cause and the revitalization of the non-sectarian Deitsch culture. The tourist centers should not be the sole areas of focus, but they are a good place to start.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Support the cause!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://widgets.causes.com/causes/631858-support-the-creation-of-a-historic-pennsylvania-german-district-in-lancaster-county/about">http://widgets.causes.com/causes/631858-support-the-creation-of-a-historic-pennsylvania-german-district-in-lancaster-county/about</a></span></div>Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3150797294506167389.post-4342471578674452012-01-24T16:45:00.001-05:002012-01-24T16:45:05.451-05:00Declaration of Independence - German<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Let us not forget that the first time newspaper to announce the adoption of the Declaration of Independence was Heinrich Miller's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i>Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">on July 5, 1776.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is important. The Deitsch settlers, though split by their oaths of loyalty to the English King and their desire to be free, ended up being a part of this country's history from the Colonies right through the Revolution.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This means that our ancestors fought for the principles that are now being rendered asunder by the insanity and unconstitutional actions being taken both by Washington and by Harrisburg.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Deitscherei deserves better. We need to return to the true values of the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.</span>Abner Stoltzfushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08362975314529143316noreply@blogger.com