Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler

When the Phoenix Club was founded in 1960, a long-awaited dream came true for many German nationals here in California.   As stated in the preamble of the club’s constitution, German culture, language, and customs are to be preserved and cultivated.

After our clubhouse was completed in 1965, groups of members joined together to pursue specific traditions of the German culture.  In 1970, with the idea of keeping the Bavarian culture alive, Hans and Paula Habereder gathered a few members to preserve and cultivate Bavarian customs and traditions, specifically Schuhplatteln.  The group chose the Tracht of the Meisbacher region and the name “Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler”.  With those issues resolved, it was now of utmost importance to find an experienced Vorplattler to lead us in the traditional Schuhplattler dances.

On May 17, 1971, Nick Hemm became our very first Vorplattler, and the group was officially founded.  Nick was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and had learned to dance as a member of BGTEV D’Holzhacker Buam, Milwaukee.  Eighteen Trachtler and Trachtlerinnen started their practices, dancing to recorded music.  Later, Art Zang became our accordion player.  He and his father had played together in Milwaukee and Art set just the right tone for the dancing. 

Eager to share our group’s newfound Schuhplattler skills with the rest of the Club, we gave our first official performance at the Phoenix Club Oktoberfest in 1971.  We were welcomed with such enthusiasm that we were quickly able to recruit several more members.  Soon we were performing annually at the Club’s Bockbierfest, Maifest, and Schützenfest, as well as at the Oktoberfest.  Representing the Phoenix Club, we also danced each year at the Orange Street Fair.

  The Schuhplattlergruppe did many other things besides perform.  We attended the yearly Segelflieger picnics at Lake Elsinore.  These were always great fun for all.  There were annual camping trips.  For several years the group went down to San Felipe over Memorial Day weekend.  Later we went camping in Julian and saw the beautiful lilac blooms in William Heisse Park.  One spring, in our early years, we were invited to attend an international festival at the newly opened Bogart Park in Beaumont.  While we only danced there that first year, for many years thereafter we went back to camp over the Easter weekend.  Other group camping trips over the years included the summer trips to San Onofre, which always helped to bring the members, young and old, closer together.

With the Schuhplattlergruppe well established at home, we began to look farther afield.  In 1978, with the support of GTEV D’Oberlandler, Los Angeles, we became members of the Gauverband Nordamerika.  One year later we attended our first Gaufest with a large group of eager Trachtler, and even participated in the Gruppen-Preisplatteln competition.  Since then our members have attended Gaufeste in Denver (1985), Milwaukee (1987), New Jersey (1989), Vancouver (1991), Buffalo (1993), Milwaukee (1995), Delaware (1997), St. Paul (1999), New York (2001), Philadelphia (2003), and Buffalo (2005).  In 1995, at the Milwaukee Gaufest, we brought home the Weitpreis and once again participated in the Gruppen-Preisplatteln with great enthusiasm. At the Gaufest in 2005 the Gauverband Nordamerika officially implemented Einzelpreisplatteln, at which our members Kurt Hauptmann and Ilonka Barba represented Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler and the Phoenix Club.

Through the years we have always kept in touch with our fellow Schuhplattler Vereine in California.  We attend engagements by our Patenverein D’Oberlandler and the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club, where we can socialize with members and friends of both Vereine. We participate annually at Deutscher Tag and Maifest by the DAV and Austrian Day by the Austrian-American Club. On occasion we have been able to visit the Aplentänzer Schuhplattler of Sacramento for their ‘Winterfest’ and ‘Trachtenfeste’ by BGTEV Almenrausch, San Francisco.  Whenever we all get together, including our friends the ‘Vagabonds’ in Las Vegas, a fun time is sure to be had by all.

A definite highlight in our group’s history was the dedication of our Vereinsfahne on May 31, 1987.  Our flag was handcrafted for us by the Firma Eubl in Olching near Munich.  Betty Hemm was elected to the honor of Fahnenmutter.  For the Fahnenweihe the GTEV D’Oberlandler, Los Angeles, stood by as our Patenverein.

  The celebration of our Fahnenweihe was a two-day festival held in our Clubgarten.  We had an outdoor mass, presided over by a German-speaking priest.  The club’s Gemischter Chor sang beautifully, making the ceremony even more special.  Other Vereine participating were the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club, the Deutsch-Amerikanischer Verband, BGTEV Almenrausch San Francisco and TEV Edelweiss Denver.  We will always be thankful to all who attended and helped make our celebration one to remember.

In 1984 the Schuhplattlergruppe had the distinct honor of participating in the opening ceremonies of the twenty-third Olympic Games.  This was one of the most exhilarating events we ever attended.  The following year a reunion of many of the ethnic groups who were there with us was held at the Phoenix Club.  The years that followed found us in a performance with the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club at Dodger Stadium for the opening of a baseball game.

  In 1989 we were fortunate to dance at Oktoberfest in Hawaii, at the Sheraton Waikiki.  While the climate in Hawaii is not the most favorable for an activity like Schuhplatteln, great fun was had by all and it proved to be a most cherished event.  We were happy again in 1990 and 1991 to share our Bavarian Heritage and Culture with Hawaii.

  The fall of 1992 brought about many changes for us as we moved to our new clubhouse on Sanderson Avenue.  This was preceded with a great fanfare such as chopping down one of the large trees at the old clubhouse and then having a party and dancing around the same tree, a fallen comrade and memory from the site where our old Clubgarten was.  The clubhouse and Clubgarten that produced so many good times and warm memories is gone now, but the new clubhouse and Clubgarten provide an atmosphere and venue that we are proud to call our own.

June 15, 1996, found us Celebrating our “Silver Anniversary” at the club.  We had a wonderful dance in the main hall at the Phoenix Club with six other Schuhplattler Vereine and over ten other clubs and organizations in attendance.  The music was provided by the exceptional 16 piece Chico Bavarian Band.  It was quite a site to see all the flags of the other groups as we paraded through the hall.  There were presentations, dance performances by the various Schuhplattlergruppen, an engagement announcement, even a cake cutting to mark the anniversary.  When the night was over, we had yet another wonderful memory of the past twenty-five years to look back on.

In May 2000, the Schuhplattlergruppe was invited to dance in the first annual “World Beer Festival”, Convivia 2000, which was held in Singapore.  A team of 7 of the Trachtler and Trachtlerinnen from our own Verein as well as 3 other Vereine.   We were  flown to Singapore not only to perform at the World Beer Festival, but to also be featured in the opening ceremonies.  Those from Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler were Thomas and Kimberly Hunsaker, Esther and Melissa Clark, and Erik Schwarze.  Peggy Mueller of SVEV D’Oberlandler, Milwaukee, flew to L.A. to make the trip with us and provide the wonderful sound of her Steierische Ziehharmonika to dance to.  Fred Volland, 1. Vorplattler of GTEV D’Oblerlandler, Los Angeles, came along and not only danced, but played the Alphorn as well.  Karl Rubenacker, 2. Vorplattler of SVV Original Enzian, New York, and former 1. Vorplattler and Gruppenleiter of our own group, made the trip direct from N.Y. to join us in Singapore.  We learned right away that the heat and humidity of the region was not only going to present a challenge for us, but for Fred and his horn, Thomas’ Goaβl, and most importantly the bellow on Peggy’s button box.  In the end we found ways to overcome these minor obstacles and had a fantastic time while spreading good cheer and displaying Bavarian culture on the other side of the world.We also celebrated our 30^th Anniversary in 2000 at the Club. Klaus Hornell coordinated a beautiful display of Trachten. A great time was had with our guest Vereine and many attending friends.

  We also celebrated our 30^th Anniversary in 2000 at the Club. Klaus Hornell coordinated a beautiful display of Trachten. A great time was had with our guest Vereine and many attending friends.

  In May 2002 we sponsored the Gaudelegatensitzung for the Gauverband Nordamerika at the Phoenix Club. On that weekend it was also Maifest at the Club where a number of the Delegaten (delegates) of the Gauverband kept on their Tracht to perform in a Massenplattler with us. However, later that month our group was struck by the tragic deaths of our members, Thomas and Kimberly Hunsaker (Gruppenleiter and 1.Vordreherin at that time).  It was a difficult time for us, but as a group we came together to continue with the purpose of our group - ‘Sitt und Tracht der Alten wollen wir erhalten’.

  In recent years we have made an attempt to become more dedicated to preserving our Bavarian heritage through “Tracht, Tanz, Sprache und Gesang”.  In 1999 at the Gaufest in St. Paul, Minnesota, three of our members (Kurt Hauptmann, Klaus Hornell and Thomas Hunsaker) performed a Dreigesang.  That same year through the efforts of Klaus Hornell, he and others began performing Goasslschnalzen. In 2000 Rudy Leschke began performing Aperschnalzen or Pfingstenduschen. Again through the efforts of Klaus Hornell, in 2001 some of our members began playing on Alphörner (alphorns).  In 2004 Ilonka Barba began practicing and performing on our bells. She has now been joined by Susan Gnesda. Several of our members now also play Löffel (spoons), accompanied by our musician. Hans Habereder, Jr. has most recently been diligently practicing and performing on the Hackbrett.  With the dedication of our Cathy Leschke, our Trachtenmutter, the group has undergone a transformation of our Tracht to be more “echt” and to better follow the Meisbacher style originally chosen by our founding members.

  Over the years we have had so many other good memories, such as hanging the Ochsen at the Street Fair of Orange and at the Club on many occasions. More recently we have also taken the opportunity to prepare a Spanferkel (roast pig) during Oktoberfest at the Club. We continue to at least annually, during the Club’s Village Fair, do a Glückshafen. Our members support the Phoenix Club’s many functions, including Karneval, which have provided so many good times. Some of our members have also been Prinz and Prinzessin for the Club’s Karnevalsgesellschaft and several are active performing members in the Prinzengarde.  At many of our get togethers, our accordionist, Alfred Hauptmann, who has for years now provided the music for us to dance to, starts playing soon to be joined by others singing and playing spoons. It all serves to help our group flourish and provide fun whenever we get together.  The many friendships we have made over the years with so many individuals in North America and Bavaria have given us so much to look back on and yet so much to look forward to.

  This year, as part of our 35^th Anniversary celebration, we would like to honor our members who have been active for five, ten, fifteen, and twenty years.  They continue to be the backbone of Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler.

For further information check out our website, http://home.socal.rr.com/schuhplattler/schuhplattler.htm or contact Hans Habereder at hhabereder@socal.rr.com.