The Donauschwaben is made up of a conglomeration of people in and around Austria, Germany, and other Germanic countries. Some of these people came here to America to find new lives and to carry out dreams forming a Donauschwaben community in America. Before this article truly begins, I feel like I need to explain myself further in light of recent events.
The aspects of the Germanic culture that we want to keep alive are the ones that carry out our culture such as dancing, the food, stories of what it was like, and songs passed down through generations. But what had happened in the past where a whole entire group of people were condemned and other aspects of hate that have wiggled its way into the culture should be forgotten and discarded. The ways that I will mention could also apply to other cultures as well. Talking to your elders in any culture is a great way to get insight into what the culture is all about.
My grandparents have taught me a lot about what it is to be part of the Donauschwaben culture and what it is to be German in general. They have faced many hardships but they have persevered.
In order to keep what they cherished and what they have fought for alive we need to spend time with the older members of the clubs that we attend and really listen to what they have to say. It could be as simple as sitting down and listening to the stories that they have from when they lived in area of Europe as well as the hardship, challenges and successes they had when they immigrated to the USA and/or Canada. It can also be carried forward when we are learning how to cook our grandparents’ and older club members’ favorite dishes. If we sit down and really, truly immerse ourselves in what they have to say, we will then be able to carry on the traditions in the best way possible.
The youth of the clubs and the Donauschwaben people are the most important people because they are the ones who are going to carry on these traditions. We need to continue to incorporate the youth into the daily functions of the clubs and make sure that they feel welcome and safe in the place that they are growing up. As the youth grow into their young adult and adult stages, they may end up leaving the Youth Groups and sometimes they leave for good.
Showing the adults and young adults the ropes of the clubs and making them feel like they belong in the clubs is a great way to ensure that they stay to carry on the future of the Donauschwaben and Donauschaben Vereins. A couple ways to welcome them is inviting them to club functions, listening to what their ideas are for the future of the club and the functions in the club, and teaching them about their heritage and where they come from. Some ways that I am personally getting involved is through writing about my experiences and dancing in both the Youth Group and Kultur Group of my club.
The clubs in and around the US and Canada are still thriving three generations later and every year at the Landestreffen, people can see more and more people show up. Each year we celebrate our culture the best we can by dancing traditional and untraditional dances, singing, and enjoying each other’s company by drinking and eating food from recipes passed down through the generations. With this much celebration and joy, it looks like the future of the Donauschwaben is bright. More and more people are joining each year and bringing fresh new ideas and open minds. If we continue to carry on traditions and listen to each other we will be able to ensure the future of the Donauschwaben and the future is looking pretty bright.
