Who We Are & Why We Honor Our German Heritage
Adapted from the original piece 80 Years: United Singers Federation of Pennsylvania
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From time to time brief histories of the United Singers have appeared in program publications of the host societies of annual Saengerfests. For the most part they are abstracts that seem to be drawn from an article "Deutsche Maennergesang- Deutsche Saengervereinigung in Pennsylvanien" that was prepared for the "Festbuch" for the sixteenth Saengerfest held in Reading, PA in 1940 and authored by "R.A." Those initials are those of Rudolph G. Anke, who served as Publicity and Program Book chairman for that event. In an effort to expand on those accounts, the following is a more detailed description of the people and events of the past eighty years [in 1982].
All the accounts pay homage to the founds, John Graeflin, Allentown, and Henry Siegrist, Sr., Easton, PA but here is how the minutes of the first meeting were recorded by Philip Klingemann, Reading: July 1902 By invitation of Mr. Graeflin of the Lehigh Saengerbund of Allentown and Mr. Siegrist of the R & H Quartett Club in Easton, a meeting took place at the above time. After Mr. Graeflin welcomed those present, he addressed himself to the purpose of the meeting and election of officers took place. Mr. Graeflin was elected president pro tem and Ph. Klingemann was elected secretary pro tem. The following societies were represented by their delegates: Lehighton Saengerbund.........................................................................Tobias Bush, Paul Neuhoff Mauch Chunk Maennerchor................................................................Goehring, Maehe Hazelton Concordia................................................................................Gustav Fischer, Solingen Hazelton Maennerchor..........................................................................Egli, Marker Bethlehem Beethoven Maennerchor...............................................Steter, Flammer, Chas, Eckhard Bethlehem R. & H. Simon Quartette Club.......................................Wieandt, Siegrist Easton Concorida.....................................................................................Rohlen, Poehler, Saussig, Vogler Reading Liederkranz...............................................................................Gustav Ripka, Philip Klingemann Allentown Lehigh Saengerbund.........................................................J. Graeflin, G. Sacker, H.E. Turchess It was decided to form a Singing Society. A recess of five minutes was called to give a committee, named by the president, time to draft a constitution. After the meeting resume, the committee reported through the secretaty as follows: 1. The name shall be German Saengervereinigung von Pennsylvania. 2. The purpose is as stated in the invitation, to bring together in friendship the German Singing Societies in the area, to practice and uphold together the preservation of the German language and to promote the acceptance of song and singer in general and to practice friendly competition among German Singers regardless of position or status. 3. A head tax of twenty-five cents per year is payable by every active singer. 4. The officers shall be drawn from as many different cities as possible, and there shall be a president, vice president, and a secretary-treasurer. 5. Each society is entitled to two delegates. It shall be the hosting societies perrogative to issue invitations to the festivities. Signed- Ph. Klingemann
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Looking Forward
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The history of any organization involves the lives of many people. It was the purpose here to acquaint you with some of our eighty years of heritage [as of 1982] through those who have served and highlights of those years events as portrayed though the records of the minutes of the delegates meetings. Space would not permit the inclusion of those who have given hours, no years of devotion serving on committees, as Saengerfest chairman, music directors, and the most important-singers.
The future of the United Singers Federation of Pennsylvania now rests with the singers of those five communities where our heritage is still held in high esteem. Each has presented a brief statement of its association with the federation. |