Our History

On October 1, 1875, a number of men whose cradle stood in beautiful Bavaria, assembled themselves in the bar of Valentin Kiehn and resolved to found a compatriotic society.

The Society took the name: "Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein" and the goal was to be, to support members in sickness and their survivors in case of death; likewise, to help further the German language and customs and to hold social get-togethers.

Valentin Auberger was elected as temporary President and, as Secretary, John Groh, while a committee of three members was given the task to work out a Constitution.

On October 15 of the same year, a further meeting was held at which the Constitution was accepted. Sixty-eight members were present at this meeting and, with great enthusiasm, was the first Board of Officers of the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein put to the vote, which gave the following result:

President: Valentin Auberger
Vice President: Georg Meyer
Recording Secretary: John Groh
Finance Secretary: Henry Nelson
Treasurer: Georg Glueck
Trustees: Valentin Kiehn, Michel Schwartz, Martin Henz

In the following spring, the number of members had grown in such a way that the Verein's meeting hall proved to be too small; and so, on April 3, 1876, it (the Verein) went with great fanfare to Eschenbrenners Halle, where more and better room was available for the Verein.

Here was made the proposal to create a flag; and so, a committee was set up to raise the necessary money. The committee worked so successfully that by July 3, 1876, already, the Verein was able to go ahead with the flag blessing, on which occasion, the Verein, through a wonderful parade, followed by a festival, brought forth the flag's first public appearance.

The success that the Verein had achieved in the following years further mirrored itself best in the fact that in the year 1878, three years after its founding, it showed a membership number of 253. Now, however, disputs arose which here grew so bad so that in the year1881 a number of members walked out and founded the Bavarian National Society; but, in the year 1884 already, the run-away offspring came back to the mother society.

Later the headquarters was moved to the Arbeiter Halle, where the Verein, under the leadership of competent and able officers and disrupted by no more inner disputs, grew to its current size. During this prime time in its life, the Verein held its meetings and activities in the Arbeiter Halle, until on December 9, 1913, it came back to the bar at 121 W. Elder Street, in which it was founded 75 years ago, after which, through a (second-floor) renovation, there was enough room for the homecoming.

In all public activities, the Verein has always shown the most lively interest, and it was always found in the forefront of the fight for personal freedom, German language, practices and customs.

In the same way, after the outbreak of the First World War, the Bayerischer Unterstuetzungs-Verein involved itself most willingly in the aid of German soliers, their widows and orphans and to the preservation of German institutions and helped, thereby, dry many sorrows and tears.

The Bavarian Kriegs-Heldenheim in Munich was one of the first institutions that one thought about (contributed to ) and because of that the Verein was named as an honorary member of the Kriegsheldenheim.

On July 2, 1916, a picnic was held in Macke's Grove with the help of the Damen-Verein Edelweiss and the profit of $721.00 was immediately sent over to the war needy in the old homeland. On January 24, 1920, the Verein, in association with the Damen-Verein Edelweiss, organized a bazaar, and a clear profit of $833.00 was transferred to the German relief community.

Furthermore, the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein, at the end of the First World War, awarded nearly $1500.00 in agreed to installment payments to various institutions and needy in Germany.

What the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein has done at the end of the unfortunate second World War for the great need in the old homeland, was done ungrudgingly so that it is still a fresh memory to those still with us who are celebrating our 75th Anniversary.

More charitable functions were held with the collaboration of the Deutschen Mandolinen Klub of Cincinnati, whose members, for the most part, belonged to the Bayern Verein. A great success was achieved for the relief organizations with the collaboration of the Gebirgs Trachten-Verein of Detroit, Michigan.

The Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein and its members have transferred nearly $5000.00 to the German Relief Inc., the Protestant and Catholic relief agencies, and orphan homes in the old homeland for the easing of the great need. Furthermore the Verein has always invoved itself actively in the events of its brother societies.

The American Red Cross, the Cincinnati Altenheim, and those affected by the great flood (1937) always found financial help from the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein.

(taken from the 75th anniversary history) The Anniversary Committee

Luck was on the side of the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein in the 25 years after the 75th anniversary (1950-1975) in so far as we had Anton Glückstein as President and as Secretary, Karl Lederle, the originator of the Aplenveilchen, which many of our membres looked forward to with longing every month. After the sudden demise of Secretary Karl Lederle, the Verein found, in Frau Gustav Birk, a Secretary who could follow, with great success, in the footsteps of the previous Secretary.

Also the wives of the younger members supported the men and gave them a spur to hold harmonious meetings since the wives, after the meetings served sandwiches, coffee and cake in order to keep a more family atmosphere. For this we must express our thanks to Frau Albert Fullbeck and Fray Gustav Birk. The Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein, with its younger members and their wives, for many years under the chairmanship of brother Jakob Heine, took part in the Internation Folks-Festival, organized by the International Travelers Aid Society in the fall of the year in the Cincinnati Convention Center, where the event brought about great financial success (for the Verein).

(taken from the 100th anniversary history) Martin Meyer

In the 1950's, under the leadership of President Glückstein, the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein said farewell to our home on Elder Street and moved to the Clifton Heights Hall at 2367 Rohs Street. In the 1960's the Verein began to see a decline in membership. At the end of 1963 when President Glückstein resigned, for example, we had 105 members; but by 1966, our membership had fallen to 89. Several reasons are responsible for this loss of members. One of the main reasons was the passage of social begislation at the state and federal levels, beginning in the 1930's -- social security, as well as unemployment and disability insurance -- whose benefits surpassed those of the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein. A second reason was that almost all of the German immigrants that settled in the Cincinnati area after the second World War opted to join other German societies, such as Germania, the Kolping Society, and the Donau Schwaben Society instead of our Verein.

One effect of the decline in membership was a lessening of social activities. Under the leadership of President Glückstein, for example, the Verein had a Winter Ball; a Herbst Ball; a Faschings Ball; a Weihnachtsfeier; a Schlachtfest; a Masken Ball; a Kirchweih Tanz, an Oktoberfest; and , above all, the Sommer Fest. Almost all of these events were held at the Hotel Alms or at Steuben Park. Cost and liquor problems at the Hotel Alms and the sale of Stueben Park began the loss of these events, even though the very popular Sommer Fest continued for a while at Lahman's Grove.

By the 1980's, the only surviving event was the Christmas Pary. When President Schneider took the leadership of the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein, he decided to have a yearly dance at the Cheviot Fielhouse. Although enjoyable, these dances drew less than 100 participants and made, on average $100.00 a dance. When enough money had been made, the Verein tried to reinstate the Sommer Fest. When only 80 people showed up for the picnic, no further dances or picnics were scheduled for this time.

In regard, to this picnic, the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein cannot thank the Donau Schwaben Society enough for their help in trying to reinvigorate our old and vunerable Verein by allowing us the use of their grounds for our picnic. Further support from the Donau Schwaben Society occurred in 1998, when they allowed the Verein to move our meetings, under the leadership of President Peter Fullbeck, from the Steuben Halle (formerly the Clifton Heights Halle) to their beautiful clubhouse.

During the 25 years after the 100th anniversary (1975-2000), the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein has continued to hold its membership level around 40 and continues to take in one or two new members a year. Early in the 1980's, the Verein, with its younger members and their wives, took part in the early years of Cincinnati Oktoberfest, selling coffee and desserts. Although this partaking in the festival brought about great financial success, so few members were able or willing to work; so by 1986, the Verein dropped out of the festival. Around the same time, participation in the International Folks-Festival, under the chairmanship of Albert and Edith Fullbeck, also came to an end when the Folks-Festival closed down.

The only major problem for the Bayerischer Untestützungs-Verein since 1975 occurred during the leadership of Presiden Schneider. The International Revenue Service of the American government challenged our right to tax exemption under the "grandfather clause" of the revised tax code. Presidents Czanik and Schneider, with the invaluable help of our great Financial Secretary Gottfried Mueller, whose name should rank with our greats -- President Glueckstein and Secretary Lederle -- discovered that previous leaderships had gotten two tax numbers: one for our German name and one for its English translation. The problem was solved by eliminating the name "Bavarian Beneficial Society" and by making "der Bayerische Unterstützungs-Verein" the one and only name of the Verein.

The Verein has paid out during its 125 year lifetime:

Sick Benefits........................................................................................ca. $120,348.00
Death Benefits......................................................................................ca. 68,472.00
Charitable Contributions and Administrative Costs................................ca. 137,800.00
Total................ca. $326,620.00

In the last 50 years, sick benefits have grown from $55,000.00 at the 75th anniversary, to about $80,000.00 at the 100th anniversary, to about $120,000.00 at the 125th anniversary. Death benefits have grown over the same period from $45,000.00, to $53000.00, to about $68,000.00. Over these years, the greatest growth has occurred in charitable and administrative costs: from $21,000.00, to $38,000.00, to $138,000.00, or an increase of nearly $100,000.00 in the last 25 years.

The Presidents who, during the 125 years of the Verein's lifetime, have so valiantly held the rudder firm are the following brothers: 1.Valentin Auberger; 2.Valentin Kiehn; 3.John Wuest; 4.C. Burkhauser; 5.Martin Henz; 6.Peter Schwan; 7.F. Friedrich; 8.Eugen Eisert; 9.Veit Reuss; 10.Ad. Sendelbach; 11.Chr. Sachs; 12.Henry Feulner; 13. John G. Polster; 14.Louis Rau; 15.Anton Glückstein; 16.Herbert Helmbrecht; 17.Gustav Birk; 18.Alex Czanik; 19.Gerhard Mueller; 20.Ronald Schneider; 21.our current President, Peter Fullbeck, who is leading the Verein with circumspection and dedication.

The Verein collects yearly dues of $20.00 from its members. Members of 50 years or more, however, no longer pay dues. To members in good standing, the Verein, in case of sickness, pays $40.00 a week for 30 weeks and after that, $20.00 a week for another 30 weeks. In case of the death of a member, the Verein pays $500.00; and in case of death of a member's wife, $100.00.

The first task of the Verein is the support of every member in case of sickness and death. For 125 years, the Verein has followed this constitutional obligation and can, therefore, look back with pride on a good job well done. Thus the Bayerischer Unterstützungs-Verein has cared for the preserved an old German heritage: to bring about mutual help and aid those in need.

(taken from the 125th anniversary history) The Anniversary Commitee