Landesverband der Donauschwaben USA
Welcome
We are a National Association of clubs and organizations in the United States of America, united by a common heritage. Our ancestors were ethnic Germans referred to also as The Danube Swabians or (Donauschwaben). They traveled to the USA from countries that are today on the Balkan peninsula, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia and many others.
Together our memberships practice social, sports, cultural, historic and philanthropic traditions in the interest of our shared cultural heritage and community. Music, song, dancing, soccer and food characterize the individual organizations in cities across the country.
Each year we meet nationally for our Annual Meeting in April, for the National Soccer Tournament in May, and for our National Treffen or festival in September. While our traditions connect us as people, the friendships between clubs, individuals and families perpetuates the bonds of our Verband surely into the future!
Past Events
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES.
2022 Landesverband Soccer Tournament
CLEVELAND, OH – The 2022 U.S. National Donauschwaben Soccer Tournament was held May 28th and 29th and hosted by The Donauschwaben German American Cultural Center in Olmsted Township, Ohio. The events were kicked off on Friday evening with a “Bier and Brats Nights” with live music from the Deutscher Musik Verein.
Teams attending this year were Majors teams from Akron GFS, Cleveland Concordia, Detroit Carpathia, and Mansfield Liederkranz. These clubs also entered 35 and Over teams. Returning to the tournament this year were the Chicago Green & White Majors team and the St Louis Green & White 35 and Over team. It was great to have these two clubs back at the tournament.
Except for a short heavy rain late Friday afternoon that made us worry about the condition of the fields, it was a perfect weather weekend for soccer. The fields looked great but were a little soft from the rain, thankfully they held up really well considering all the games played on them this weekend.
The games in both divisions were very competitive, of the ten games played on Saturday between the two divisions eight of them were decided by one goal.
As the games were winding down on Saturday many players and fans retreated to the bar to watch the Champions League Finals on TV then went straight to the Saturday night dinner banquet. After the dinner Cleveland Concordia recognized a few fourth-generation members in honor of the club’s 65th Anniversary.
Sunday started with more close games. Then there was a break from tournament games for the first 50 and Over Legends Game. Twenty players participated in a small, sided game that included representatives from most of the clubs attending the tournament. All involved had a great time.
The 35 and Over Division came down to Cleveland Concordia needing at least a tie in its last game to secure the championship, they had to come from behind to get a 1-1 tie to edge Akron GFS by one point for the championship.
Cleveland Concordia and Detroit Carpathia played each other for the Majors Division Championship before a large crowd. Detroit held off a relentless offensive attack the last five minutes by Cleveland to hold on and win the championship 2-1.
After a good meal and the awards ceremony many teams and players stayed and celebrated the weekend with each other until late into the night. This celebration of sport, culture and comradery amongst players and clubs that have spent the weekend competing with each other is part of what makes this tournament so special.
2022 Landestrachtenfest
TRENTON, NJ – The Trenton Donauschwaben hosted the 2022 Landestreffen der Donauschwaben at the German American Society in Yardville, New Jersey on its usual weekend of Labor Day. A wonderful event was hosted by the Donauschwaben with help from the hosting club as well as Region Ost. The highlight this year along side the typical traditions was the Allgemeine Kirchweihfest. It was a first, and hopefully not a last, and brought a new layer of beauty and tradition to the Treffen.
In lieu of a longer report from the press department, I have opted instead to share with you the below speech given by Joseph Brandecker as president of the Trenton Donauschwaben. Read it and hopefully you will see why.
Michael N. Fricker,
VERBANDSPRESSE
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Schwova leit, landsleit, Gruess Gott.
Ich hof alle sin gut onkomma. Wir sein froh das ihr hier sei bei uns, in den ost sein. I would like to thank all that have traveled to get here to celebrate in Trenton. For those of you who don't know where you are at due to a plane trip or long bus ride, you are in New Jersey. A place where some of your ancestors came to the United States', either through Ellis Island or after World War 2 on the refugee ships. No, we don't know Snookie or Pauli D, or any of the Jersey Shore cast, we don't know the Sopranos or where Jimmy Hoffa is buried. We have looked!
What we do know is that we are Schwobs, and this is as close to the Heimat that you can get. We are proud to again be hosting the National Treffen, as the 1st Treffen was held here down the
road in 1957. Our forefathers have instilled in us the positive attitude that anything can be done. From cultivating the swamps of the lowlands of the Danube to surviving the camps and coming to a new
country, learning a new language and a new way of doing things. We, the small club from the East, want to show you that anything is possible.
We would like to thank or sister clubs in the Region Ost, the
Philadelphia Donauschwaben and the Verein der Deutsch Ungarn for their help in holding this event but most of all our partners for
this weekend, the German American. Society.
We would like to ask all of you to be safe, but most of all to enjoy yourselves and to go back to your clubs and say we are Schwobs, and we will carry on.
Again, thank you for coming and enjoy your weekend.
Joseph Brandecker, President
Trenton Donauschwaben
