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WHEREAS, individuals of German descent began emigrating to Pennsylvania in 1683, and many settled on the Northside of Pittsburgh-in Deutschtown-where the influence of German culture and the legacy of these immigrants and their descendants remains strong; and,
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WHEREAS, in recognition of these immigrants and their descendants, the Alliance of Germanic Societies of Pittsburgh (German, Austrian and Swiss), founded by Hans Rauer and others, will host its annual German Heritage Recognition Luncheon in the Historic Teutonia Männerchor at noon on the 16th of September 2023; and,
WHEREAS, the Alliance of Germanic Societies is a nonprofit organization that seeks to recognize and promote knowledge of German culture; and,
WHEREAS, the Alliance does this important work by sponsoring two folk dance groups, three ethnic societies, two clubhouses, two historic districts, six singing groups, three nationality rooms at the University of Pittsburgh, and one soccer club; and,
WHEREAS, the Luncheon will include dignitaries from various German, Austrian, and Swiss organizations, as well as German folk dance groups and singing societies; and,
WHEREAS, at this Luncheon, Kay Schachner and Ed Helgerman, two influential individuals who played a significant role in boosting our awareness of German culture here in the City of Pittsburgh, will be duly honored; and,
WHEREAS, the recently passed honoree Katharina (Kay) Schachner emigrated to this country as a young girl after World War II, following a harrowing escape on foot with her mother and brother from their small German village in Yugoslavia, which had been taken over by a Soviet Army intent on the ethnic cleansing of Germans, and arrived via Austria through sponsorship by a Pittsburgh family in Pittsburgh, where she built her life around the Teutonia Männerchor, its chorus, her church, and her beloved family; and,
WHEREAS, honoree Edward (Ed) G. Helgerman received his B.A. in Music from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984 and has dedicated himself to choral singing with an emphasis on German language courses, has sung or directed Bloomfield Liedertafel, East Pittsburgh Sängerbund, and the Schweizer Männerchor Helvetia of Allegheny City, has served as the Musical Director at Teutonia Männerchor and Damenchor for 31 years, has served in Sängerfests at the local, regional, and national levels, was recently elected as the President of the Nord Amerikanischer Sängerbund, and is a lifetime member at Liedertafel and Teutonia clubs and works as a craftsman in the pipe organ business.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize and honor Kay Schachner and Ed Helgerman and the extraordinary Germanic communities they built, and commends all of this year’s sponsors and participants in the annual German Heritage Recognition Luncheon; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby declares Saturday, September 16, 2023, to be Deutschtown Day here in the City of Pittsburgh.