History of the Donauschwäbische Jugendgruppe Leaders
Elisabeth Reitenbach
Peter Rein
Erwin Awender
Franz Kopping und Maria Graef
Hilde Hornung
Adam Hetzel
Peter Sartschev
Suzi Tischler
Hilde Radke und Anneliese Julian
Elisabeth Filippi und Anneliese Julian
Margot Maurer und Anneliese
Julian
History of the Cleveland Donauschwaben Jugendgruppe
The Jugendgruppe was founded on May 15, 1958 by Mrs. Katharina Ritzmann. She was the group’s leader until 1962 when Mrs. Elisabeth Reitenbach took over the responsibilities of leader, and for singing, was assisted by Nikolaus and Sidonie Franzen. Peter Rein held the post of leader from 1966 until 1969. Erwin Awender took over the role for one year from 1969 until 1970. Maria Graef and Franz Kopping held the position of leader from 1970 until 1980, taking the group on many trips to various cities across the United States. From 1980 until 1983, Hilde Hornung and Adam Hetzel took on the leadership role. Together, they took the group to Milwaukee in 1981 where the Jugendgruppe won the Dr. Jakob Awender Wander Kulturpreis for the first time. Furthermore, they took the group to Germany for the first time in 1982. In 1983, the leadership role passed to Peter Sartschev.
Hildegard Radke and Anneliese Julian were Kindergruppe leaders since 1987. In 1991, they re-founded the Jugendgruppe from the oldest children in the Kindergruppe. Under their leadership, the Jugendgruppe along with some members of the Tanzgruppe, led by Peter Sartschev, were able to win the Jakob Awender Wander Kulturpreis a second time in Detroit in 1993. In 1995, Hildegard Radke gave up her role as Kindergruppe leader to work solely with the Jugendgruppe in preparation for their 1996 European tour. Following the successful tour, the group returned to participate in the competition in Chicago to take second place in the Jakob Awender Wander Kulturpreis competition.
In 1997, the role of leadership passed to Elisabeth Filippi with Anneliese Julian. Margot Maurer took on the responsibilities of dance instructor and moved into the leadership role in 1998. Under the direction of Anneliese and Margot, the group traveled to Los Angeles for the first time in 1999, to take second place in the Jakob Awender Wander Kulturpreis competition. In 2002, the group traveled to Milwaukee for the same competition, and won first place in the Jakob Awender Wander Kulturpreis for the third time. The Jugendgruppe will hold this title until the summer of 2005. Furthermore, the Jugendgruppe will travel to Germany, Austria, and Hungary in the summer of 2004 to perform a program featuring the music, songs, poems of our heritage.