Our Founders
Our founding president was Louis Storinger; Vorplattler, Michael Koenig; and Schatzmeister, Michael Rohacs. Their financial support made possible the first Holzhacker-Buam Ball in the old Mozart Hall.
The other founding members were August Nashan, Otto Bier, Arthur Theis, Jacob Weber, Alex Zabach, Louis Bedel, and Karl Hammer.
Our first large engagement and demonstration of representation from Chicago came in 1926 when we participated in the three-day Bavarian Folkfest in St. Louis, Mo. with our presentation of sixteen dancing couples in Miesbacher Tracht.
Chicago’s »Bayrische Himmi«
The neighborhood of Halsted and North Avenues in Chicago was known as »Bayerische Himmi« (Bavarian Heaven) and was heavily populated with German-Bavarian-speaking people.
The Holzhacker-Buam celebrated their festive occasions at the Mozart Hall in this area
Fahnenweihe, 1937
Under the longstanding leadership of President Simon Rothmueller, we celebrated our first Fahnenweihe (flag consecration) in 1937.
President Rothmueller’s wife, Frau Ema Rothmueller, handmade our flag that is now retired in honor.
D’ Holzhacker-Buam organized the only large Trachtenfest (traditional costume festival) in Chicago in which the five existing folk-dance clubs participated: Edelweiß, D’ Gamsgebirg, D’ Wildschütz’n, Rosegger Steirer, and D’ Holzhacker Buam.
The years between 1936 and 1955 were very lively and active. We produced varied, colorful entertainment programs that filled both halls of the Lincoln Turner Hall.
We celebrated annually with a Spring Dance, a Folk Dance, a Fall Dance, an Oktoberfest, and a public two-day picnic in the Riverview Park Picnic Grove.
We fostered the patronage of the German Day Society and reciprocated support with numerous German cultural clubs.
Public Picnics, 1951-1958
In 1951 we undertook our first public two-day picnic at Riverview Grove.
This was a public picnic park facility, adjacent to the immensely popular and attractive amusement park Riverview with its thrilling rides.
That it was a success can be attested to by the fact that when the beer ran out, additional barrels were brought in on the public streetcar trolley from our clubhouse four long city blocks away.
One can only imagine the situation of several of the boys in Tracht rolling barrels of beer onto public transportation, unloading it at one of the city’s busiest traffic intersections, then rolling it into the picnic grove.
It certainly attracted additional visitors and increased sales. Our annual two-day picnics lasted until 1958.
The 1940’s
The political winds of change brought about by the war years touched everyone to varying degrees.
The succession of officers became a little convoluted during the war years due to many social and political stigmatisms. There was even an instance where the FBI interrupted a meeting.
On Saturday, April 23, 1949, we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary in both halls of the Lincoln Turner Hall.
Christmas Parade
D’ Lustigen Holzhacker Buam represented Germany in the annual Christmas Parade in Chicago from 1961 until 1966.
We created quite a spectacle every year with our 40 feet high Christmas Tree, completely decorated and electrically illuminated and mounted on a float.
The tree had to be lowered and raised twice during the parade to allow the float to pass under the 14 feet high clearance of the famous Chicago Loop elevated train viaducts.
Our Schuhplattler dancers have appeared on various independent and national television networks.
In 1967 they performed in the award-winning program “Illinois Sings”, which was filmed for the Sesquicentennial celebration of the state of Illinois.
Golden Anniversary, 1974
We celebrated our fiftieth anniversary on June 7 through 16, 1974, with the Linzer Buam show band from Linz, Austria, at the Schwaben Center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Trachtenvereine from Chicago and Milwaukee and Sheboygan, Wisconsin, attended the celebration.
In 1976 we participated in the Bicentennial Pageant of Chicago in Chicago’s Soldiers Field on the front of Lake Michigan. The stadium had a capacity of one hundred thousand at that time.
In addition to entertaining at various cultural clubs, the Holzhacker Buam has danced and entertained for countless local Oktoberfest, charities, restaurants, country clubs, churches, and professional sporting events.
In the past, the Mayor’s Office of Chicago repeatedly chose our Verein to represent Germany or German culture for various private and politically sponsored public events.
2010 to the Present
Our club continues the traditions started by our founding members of dances and picnics and serving the community.
We actively participate in local Octoberfest. We walk or have a float in the annual German Day parades in Chicago.
Our dancing members can be see performing at the fests and dances of other clubs in the area.
Each year our president hosts a picnic at his home.
We have an annual Holiday party where we do a white elephant gift exchange that is always a fun time. Santa will come and visit and by tradition, each member must sit on his lap to receive their gift no matter how old, 8 months or 88 years.
Our annual dance each year is our Stifstungfest, normally held in the fall during Octoberfest time. All our members are present and help, from the gentlemen grilling bratwurst to kitchen staff serving plates of leberkase or bratwurst, homemade German potato salad and sauerkraut to our elder members running the dessert table.
Bier from the Hofbrau-Haus and traditional Bavarian pretzels enhance the festive mood created by the German band Phenix, in which our president is the accordion player.
Unfortunately, for the last couple of years the Covid-19 pandemic has caused us to cancel our dance.
We hope to be able to see everyone in person in 2023.