LANDESVERBAND
NEWSLETTER AND MAGAZINE
LITERATURE
AND POETRY
02/24/13
October November December 2008
Volume 3 Number 4
VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
DECEMBER
2008
CHRISTMAS
2008
Forwarded From Los Angeles Donauschwaben
by Karl
Seitz
Christmas
2008
Christmas would not
be Christmas had it not been for a poem written many years ago.
Interestingly, the poem wasn’t written by a poet at all but by the son of a
Revolutionary War Loyalist Episcopal Bishop who officiated at both the
inauguration of George Washington and the funeral of Alexander
Hamilton. The unlikely author was actually a New York clergyman and a
professor of Oriental and
Greek literature who considered his life’s
work editing his Hebrew lexicon; not a likely source for a Christmas poem.
Regardless, the
author read “the mere trifle” as a Christmas present to his wife and six
children the night he wrote it on Christmas Eve
1822. Had it not been for a relative who sent the poem to the New York Sentinel,
where it was published anonymously, this great poem and the traditions with
spawned may have lain in easy obscurity. It was first published on
December 23, 1823 and it was an immediate success. The author never
copyrighted his poem, and only claimed it as his own over a decade later.
Despite his personal
scholarship, it was this simple but magical poem about a mysterious Christmas
Eve visitor and his eight tiny reindeer that has kept the memory of the author
alive. Although he was embarrassed for most of his life that his scholarly works
were overshadowed by what he publicly considered a frivolous poem, the author
will forever be remembered as the person who truly gave St. Nicholas to the
world. The poet of the Christmas Eve poem lived
a long and productive life and died in Newport, Rhode Island, his summer home,
on July 10, 1863, just a few days short of his eighty-fourth birthday. Along
with members of his family, he is buried in New York’s Trinity Cemetery at the
Church of the Intercession. An annual New York
Christmas tradition since 1911 commemorates the author with a candlelight
procession the Sunday before Christmas at the Church.
This Christmas, we
invite you to gather your children, grandchildren, family, friends and loved
loves to read the author’s poem. If you’re fortunate, some of the
author’s Christmas memories may rub off on you
and those around you.
Oh, the Hebrew
Lexicon that the author labored so long on … it never really caught on.
A
Visit From Saint Nicholas
By
Clement Clarke Moore
’Twas
the night before Christmas, when all through the
house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The
stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint
Nicholas soon would be there.
The
children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced
in their heads.
And
mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains, for a long
winter’s nap.
When
out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was
the matter.
Away
to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters, and threw up the
sash.
The
moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave a luster of midday to objects
below.
When
what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny
reindeer.
With
a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a minute it must be Saint
Nick!
More
rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called
them by name.
“Now,
Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On,Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner,
and Blitzen!
To
the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, now, dash away, dash away, dash
away all!”
As
dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle,
mount to the sky.
So,
up to the housetop the coursers they flew, with a sleigh full of toys -- and
Saint Nicholas, too.
And
then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each
little hoof.
As
I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney Saint Nicholas came
with a bound.
He
was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all
tarnished with ashes and soot.
A
bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just
opening his pack.
His
eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his
nose like a cherry.
His
droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as
white as the snow.
The
stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it encircled his head
like a wreath.
He
had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook, when he laughed, like a
bowl full of jelly.
He
was chubby and plump -- a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in
spite of myself.
A
wink
of his eye, and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to
dread.
He
spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings,
then turned with a jerk.
And
laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He
sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like
the down of a thistle.
But
I heard him exclaim, ere they drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all, and
to all a good-night.”
“May
Your Days Be Merry And Bright And May All Your Christmas’ Be White”
Karl
& Lisa Seitz
VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
NOVEMBER
2008
Die Lehrerinnen für
das neue Schuljahr, 2008-2009
Forwarded from Carpathia Club,
Sterling Heights
Elke
Becker, Ingrid Wasserbaech und Irene Dietz.
Die
Aushilfslehrerinnen sind Kirsten Renaud, Kathi Steinerund Georgeta Lemeni.
VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
OCTOBER
2008
Dennis Bauer
Trentoner
Donauschwaben
http://www.dvhh.org/web1/contact.php?cuser=dbauer
A Collection of Genealogical Information of Palankaer-
Americans and Related Families –1899 to 2008 (includes a
history of the Donauschwaben in Palanka, Batschka,
Austria-Hungary and the Trenton, NJ Area)
This publication contains; a history of Backa Palanka, maps,
photos, Palankaer-American obituaries, immigration list,
military
list, passport list, residents in the U.S. and other Palanka
related
genealogical information. Spiral soft-bound. Over 200 pages
and
750 names with dates and supporting genealogical information.
* * * *
VISIT A SAMPLE PAGE ADDITION TO
THIS BOOK
ON THIS WEBSITE AT:
http://donauschwaben-usa.org/palankaer_american_book_sample.htm
* * * *
Return order and $ 25 (plus $3 s/h in USA) to:
Dennis J. Bauer, 49 Conifer Road, Levittown PA 19057-1718
Donauschwaben@mail.com
* * * *
Send my order for the book to (shipping date by December
2008):
NAME :______________________________________________
ADDRESS:___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
EMAIL:______________________________________________
VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
NOVEMBER
2008
Schuler der Deutschen
Sprachschule, Cleveland
Hat eine Hauptpreise
Gewonnen!
von John Gombar
John Gombar, a student in the German Language School in Cleveland, won one of
the top five prizes with his poem "Umweltschutz" at an international
writing contest.
Umweltschutz
von John Gombar
Die Umwelt geht uns alle an,
weil ohne sie Nichts leben kann.
Wir denken wir sind ganz allein,
Um die Umwelt kummert sich kein Schwein.
Kümmern muss sich jedes Kind,
weil wir sonst wie Venus sind.
Autos fahren immer mehr,
Busse und Bahnen haben es schwer.
Öl und Kohle gibts zwar noch,
vergrössern aber das Ozonloch.
Dann ist es hier wie eine Sauna,
ganz ohne alle Flora und Fauna.
Wir müssen was dagegen tun,
und nicht nur auf den Sofa ruh’n.
Bäume pflanzen könnte man,
dass man besser atmen kann.
Wind- und Sonnenenergie
brauchen wir jetzt wie noch nie.
Recyceln kann man ganz schön viel
aus Alt mach Neu es kost’t nicht viel.
Wir müssen unbedingt was machen
sonst packen wir bald unsere Sachen.
VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
OCTOBER
2008
Donauschwaben Podcast*
"A Pebble in my Shoe"
Lansing Public Library
2750 Indiana Avenue
Lansing, IL 60438
(708) 474-2447
Submitted By Katherine
Hoeger-Flotz
Author Katherine
Hoeger Flotz & her husband George Flotz gave a presentation about their
book at the Lansing Library in Lansing,
Il. last week and they made a podcast of the talk. If
interested, you can listen to it at: A
Pebble In My Shoe
Katherine wrote A Pebble
In My Shoe about growing up in Gakowa in the former Yugoslavia
in 1944.
In this recording, she talks about the experiences that
she wrote about in the book, and George talks about his experiences up until
the point they met!
Katherine and
George Flotz
(*) This podcast will be available only as long as
the above link is operational.
Das
Schiff
Das
eilende Schiff, es kommt durch die Wogen
Wie
Sturmwind geflogen.
Voll
Jubel ertönt’s vom Mast und vom Kiele:
“Wir
nahen dem Ziele.”
Der
Fährmann am Steuer spricht traurig und leise:
“Wir
segeln im Kreise.”
Marie
von Ebner-Eschenbach
(1830-1916)
Reprinted
with Permission
German
Cultural Society
3652
South Jefferson Avenue
St. Louis, MO. 63118
(314) 771-8368
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