The Dayton Liederkranz-Turner Club
is a local German organization that is located on 5th Street in
Dayton, near St. Anne’s Hill. The clubs began as two separate organizations,
with the Liederkranz Club forming October 28, 1890 and the Turner Club beginning
in 1853. Both clubs were meeting places for Germans, many of those who were new
to the states. The German revolutions in the 1840’s drove many to immigrate to
America. These clubs offered a sense of comradery and heritage for many new
Germans.
The
Liederkranz Club was formed as a German singing and “Gemutlichkeit”
(friendship) club that would travel throughout the region preforming at
different events. They would meet yearly at a district and national competitions
that would bring other German singing clubs together. They held weekly meeting
and events to entertain their members.
The Dayton Turner
Club was founded on the basis of gymnastics, fitness, music and education; the balance
of the whole person. They were part of the American Gymnastic Union and went to
national and international events, like the Olympics. They offered fitness
classes to groups of all ages and brought in fitness teachers from around the
nation. A famous member of the organization was Fred Olt, owner of the Olt Brewery.
He led the Turner organization for many years.
The groups
merged into one organization in 1953 due to the new highway cutting through Dayton.
Both of their meeting locations were in the path of highway and were torn down.
Needing a new place the groups decided to join and become Dayton
Liederkranz-Turner. Today they still perform at singing events around their
district and the country, holding yearly concerts with their men’s, women’s and
youth choruses. Every year they sponsor Oktoberfest at Carillon Park and travel
MS-480 Dayton Liederkranz-Turner
Collection¸ Wright State University Special Collections and Archives
http://www.daytongermanclub.org/?q=about-us
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