<em>Sioux City Volksfreund</em>: Choir Festival Postponed
Anti-German Sentiment during WWI; postponement of the Choir Festival of the Northeast Singers' Union
<p><strong>POSTPONED <br />The Choral Festival of the Northeastern Sängerbund <br />by a Vote of Members </strong></p>
<p>Philadelphia, PA. 5 October. The 25th National Choral Festival of the Northeastern <em>Sängerbund</em> (Singers' Federation) of America, which was planned for next year in Baltimore, MD, has been postponed based on a ballot vote by members. Baltimore had been chosen as the next festival location in a session of the organization's federal delegates, which took place on the occasion of the 24th National Choral Festival in Brooklyn.</p>
<p>Following the outbreak of war between the United States and Germany, however, the Baltimore Singers' Union approached the national directorship of the Singers' Federation and requested a postponement of the festival, since it was now impossible for them to reserve one of the local armory halls for Choral Festival concerts, and because prevalent sentiments in Baltimore made holding the festival seem inadvisable.</p>
<p>The federal directorship, in accordance with the organization's bylaws, ordered a ballot vote among members. The 159 choral societies that make up the Northeastern Singers' Federation were then given a four-week deadline to decide whether the National Choral Festival should be postponed or not. The responses along with the final outcome of the vote were to be sent by September 29th to the corresponding secretary of the Federation, Mr. F. W. Haussmann in Philadelphia. By that date, 124 member societies had sent in their results. All told, 3896 singers voted in favor of and 144 against postponing the festival.</p>
<p>Determining a new date for the 25th Choral Festival naturally depends on ending the World War and on subsequent peace accords. Secretary Haussmann, who announced the result of the ballot vote today, vigorously encouraged all choral member societies and their singers to preserve the traditional <em>Treue</em> (faithfulness) of German choir members, to remain loyal to the <em>Sängerbund</em>, to maintain the German song repertoire during a time of war, and to hold high the banner of the German men's choir tradition, so that, when peace has returned, the great National Choral Festivals of the Northeastern <em>Sängerbund</em> of America may arise again in their former splendor.</p>
Sioux City Volksfreund
Oscar A. Hoffmann
11 October 1917
State Historical Society of Iowa
jpg
German
newspaper article
microfilm newspaper collections, State Historical Society of Iowa
Sioux City; Woodbury County; Baltimore; Philadelphia; Brooklyn
<em>Sioux City Volksfreund</em>: St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Anti-German Sentiment during WWI; switch from German to English during sermons
<p>St. Paul's German Evangelical-Lutheran Church, in accordance with the proclamation of Governor W.L. Harding, which forbids the use of all foreign languages in public assemblies, has completely done away with the German language in church, as Pastor G. A. Matthaides announced on Sunday. Worship services for the several elderly members of the congregation who cannot understand English will be held periodically in their homes, as was decided by the parish administrative council. The church was organized on the 8th of September 1878 and has 800 members.</p>
Oscar A. Hoffmann
Sioux City Volksfreund
6 June 1918
State Historical Society of Iowa
jpg
German
newspaper article
microfilm newspaper collections, State Historical Society of Iowa
Sioux City; Woodbury County
<em>Waverly Phoenix</em>: Unpatriotic and Disloyal
Anti-German Sentiment during WWI; Council of Defense measures against flag kissing or painting property yellow to denote "slackers"
<p><strong>Unpatriotic and Disloyal</strong></p>
<p>There is a provision by means of which one can call to account so-called unpatriotic or disloyal citizens. All reports of such wrongdoings should be made immediately to the county Council of Defense. This body absolutely condemns mob actions designed to hold someone accountable. We also disapprove of painting private or public buildings yellow or forced kissing of the flag, etc. Any such infractions will continue to be strictly dealt with by the county Council of Defense agency.</p>
<p>Signed</p>
<p>John Köberle, Chairman <br />J.Q. Lauer, Secretary</p>
Bremer County Council of Defense
Waverly Phoenix
22 May 1918
State Historical Society of Iowa
jpg
German
newspaper announcement
microfilm newspaper collections, State Historical Society of Iowa
Waverly; Bremer County
<em>Waverly Phoenix</em>: To Our Valued Readers
Anti-German Sentiment during WWI; newspaper censorship;
<p><strong>To Our Valued Readers</strong></p>
<p>As most readers already know, foreign language newspapers are forbidden to publish articles about the war, the federal government, or anything concerning other countries at war, for as long as the war lasts, unless a notarized translation is submitted to the local postmaster before publication. These restrictions are based on a law that came into effect at midnight on October 16th [correct date: October 6th]. Newspapers with a special permit may be exempted from this censorship. We have applied for such a permit with the federal government and consider it most advisable to abstain from all news and commentary concerning the war until we receive it. We ask our valued readership to bear with us and will continue to make our paper as interesting as possible in the hope that our readers remain true to us in these hard times.</p>
<p>The Editors</p>
Waverly Phoenix
7 November 1917
State Historical Society of Iowa
jpg
German
newspaper article; editorial commentary
microfilm newspaper collections, State Historical Society of Iowa
Waverly; Bremer County
Calhoun Parochial Schools
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Enforcement; Parochial Schools
Chairman of Republican County Central Committee writes regarding enforcing Babel in German-language parochial schools.
L. D. Hews
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
6/16/1918
Letter
English
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1917-06-16; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County;
Response to Hews
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Enforcement; Parochial Schools
Council responds to Hews, saying not actually legal mechanisms to shut down German-language schools
Unknown
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
1/18/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-01-18; Rockwell City, Iowa; Calhoun County
Close German-Language Institutions
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Enforcement; Parochial Schools; Lutheranism
Place requests closing local German-language institutions, such as the parochial school.
R. W. Place
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
2/16/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-02-16; Farnhamville, Iowa; Calhoun County
Anti-German Methodism
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Enforcement; Methodism; Episcopalianism;
Methodist minister writes forceful letter in support of Babel, in which deep-seated anti-Germanism plays no small role.
Earl Hoon
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
2/28/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-02-28; Manson, Iowa; Calhoun County
Pomeroy Babel Defiance
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Religion; Babel Defiance; Telephones; Informants
Wattonville informs on German-language use over telephone and in religious services.
Edwin Wattonville
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
5/30/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-05-30; Pomeroy, Iowa; Calhoun County
Swedish American Babel Defiance
World War I; Babel Proclamation; Council of Defense; German Language; Anti-Germanism; Pro-Germanism; Swedish Americans; Babel Defiance; Informants; Red Cross
Neighbor informs on Swedish Americans--just as pro-German, apparently, as any German American--flagrantly resisting Babel in church services.
Glenn R. Buchanan
N/A
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
6/11/1918
N/A
N/A
N/A
Letter
English
TEXT
Box #14, Council of Defense, Governor's Office: Harding, Research Group #43, S61/07/05
1918-06-31; Pomeroy, Iowa; Calhoun County