Linus Lechner grew up speaking German but
his children did not. His great-grandparents came from the German town of Baden
and his father grew up in Dubois County, where it was common then for people of
German descent to pass down the language and culture from one generation to the
next, even at school. "When my dad went to school--that was strictly German,"
Lechner says. As Linus was growing up, his family spoke only German at home. He
himself spoke no English until he began to learn it in the first grade.
However, during World War II, when the
United States was at war with Germany, the German language and culture were
taboo. "German was forbidden and they more or less got away from it," Lechner
says. "It was just that they were scared to death (to speak it). When my kids
went to school they weren't teaching it. It was just an ill feeling for a long
time--nobody wanted to take any part of it."
Now, organizations like the German Club
try to preserve the German language and culture in Jasper. And while his kids
weren't raised with German spoken in the home, Lechner's grandchildren now study
German in school. The money the German Club raises through its Strassenfest
booth supports its activities throughout the year--including German cookouts,
and biennial trips for high school students to Germany. "All the money that we
spend is for the German tradition," Lechner says.
(www.jasperstrassenfest.org/history.cfm).
This year’s turnout for the Jasper
Strassenfest is expected to be the largest in the festival’s 18-year history due
to a one-night performance by one the world’s most popular metal bands,
Rammstein. They will appear Saturday, August 7 at around 8 pm. The
German/American variety band Pros’t (www.prostband.com)
will be the opening act.
Formed in Berlin in 1994, Rammstein has
toured worldwide and has had international hits with their songs “Du Hast”,
“Links”, and “Sehnsucht”. Their 2001 album Mutter was in the top 10 on
International music charts for several weeks. The band was a perfect fit for
the Strassenfest since they sing every song in German.
How the festival was able to land such a big
act is a story in itself.
Last fall, when Jasper High School
social studies teacher and German Club member Franz Schmitt asked his students
to brainstorm ways to draw younger people to this year’s Strassenfest, several
students came up with the idea to invite Rammstein to the festival. When
Schmitt explained to students that the festival did not have the resources to
pay for such a big act, several decided to write to the band and invite them
anyway just to see if they would receive a response.
Schmitt’s class was extremely surprised when
their teacher received an envelope with a Berlin postmark several weeks later.
The letter was from the band’s agent, saying that Rammstein would be happy to
perform free of charge at the Strassenfest.
“We were all very surprised that we received
a response at all,” said Schmitt, “The band says they like that we take such
pride in our German heritage and look forward to coming to Strassenfest.”
The Strassenfest will also feature
traditional events and activities, carnival rides, 32 booths and games spread
over several locations. The festival begins on Thursday, August 5 and ends on
Sunday, August 8.
