Gaufeste

Our 50th Anniversary year was one of the high points in the Gemuetlichen Enzianer history. As part of the celebration, we hosted the 8. Gaufest in the Waldorf-Astoria.

The Gaufest began with the Welcome Dance on Friday evening, attended by 900 people from Vereine from North America and Germany. Gruppenpreisplattln and workshops took place on Saturday morning. Rain in the afternoon did nothing to dampen our spirits, but did result in the parade from the Waldorf to St. Patrick's Cathedral for the Gaufest Mass being cancelled. Monsignor James W. Asip, our good friend from Mission Relief, honored us by celebrating the Mass, with members doing the readings, bringing up gifts, reading petitions, and serving as altar boys. Our club flag was re-blessed during Mass, with Fahnenmutter Tillie Mietzner, Fahnen Jungfrau Marianne (Hauck) Bayer, and our first Fahnentraeger Tony Graf participating. Following the Mass, a Cocktail Reception for the Gau officers, club presidents and Vorplattlers was held, and then festivities moved into the Grand Ballroom, where 1454 guests, filling all tiers of the ballroom, joined us for the Banquet.

Busing to the picnic at Plattdütsche Park on Long Island began early Sunday morning. When the winners of the Preisplattln competition were announced, Bayern Verein Newark took first place, STV Bavaria Cleveland, second and Edelweiss Passaic, third. Due to the formation of a Gauverband panel of judges, the host club was allowed to participate in Preisplattln for the first time, and Gemuetlichen Enzianer placed fourth. We hope all participants took wonderful memories of New York back with them.

Gaufest 2001 – a Gaufest Odyssey began with the Thursday Welcome Dance in the Tennis Center of the Nevele Grande Resort, which had been transformed into a Fest Halle. Friday morning featured Frühschoppen, offering Weisswurst, pretzels, Weissbier and souvenir Weissbier glasses. The remainder of the day included workshops, Kinder Einzelplattln and a Heimatabend and Dance. Saturday began with the Gruppen Preisplattln competition in the Nevele Nightclub. A new Gauverband addition, Adult Einzelplattln, rounded out the afternoon.

At Saturday night’s Fest Abend, many clubs performed Ehrentaenze, including our Paten Kinder, Almrausch San Francisco, Bergvagabunden Schuhplattler, and HSV Bavaria; and Stamm Verein Almrausch Regensburg who joined us at the Gaufest to celebrate our 70th anniversary. Gemuetlichen Enzianer performed the Stern Polka with 28 couples. The highlight of the evening was the adult Massen Gauplattler, with every empty space in the hall filled with dancing couples. When the official events came to an end, activities moved to the smaller buildings around the resort – and “Gaufestland” was alive until the early morning hours. Gaufest participants awakened to Alphorns playing in the courtyard.

On Sunday morning the Nightclub was the site of the Mundart Messe, which included a moving trumpet solo of “Ich hat’ einen Kamaraden” as well as the Gau instrumental and choral groups and Alphorn players from Alt Washingtonia and Oberl änder Los Angeles. Following the Mass, festivities moved to the Chalet for the picnic where the many Kindergruppen present circled the floor to perform the Gauplattler. Gauverband President Walter Wieand began the presentation of awards. The Schafkopf pokal was won by Gaby Gall of Almrausch Regensburg, the Weit Preis to Enzian Seattle, and the Meist Preis to Edelweis Westchester, our Paten Verein. When the Gruppen Preisplattln winners were announced, fifth prize went to Original Enzian, fourth prize to United German Hungarians, third prize to Maple Leaf Almrausch, Ottawa, second prize to Bayern Verein Newark and first prize to Gemuetlichen Enzianer. The Gaufest scepter was passed to the United German Hungarians, hosts of the 2003 Gaufest. The Farewell Pool Party, with palm trees and dunking tank, gave everyone a chance to let their hair down and relax, and bid farewell to new and old friends, until the next Gaufest.

Gemuetlichen Enzianer - Gruppenpreisplattln Results

1. Gaufest, 1967 - Vereinigte Bayern, Groß New York

13^th Place

2. Gaufest, 1969 - Edelweiß, Denver, CO

11^th Place

3. Gaufest, 1971 - G.T.E.V. Edelweiß, Detroit, MI

8^th Place

4. Gaufest, 1973 - G.T.E.V. Washingtonia,Washtington, D.C.

3^rd Place

5. Gaufest, 1975 - Alpenland, Montreal, Quebec

5^th Place / Meistpreis

6. Gaufest, 1977 - D'Lustigen Wendlstoana,Milwaukee, WI

6^th Place

7. Gaufest, 1979 - G.T.E.V. D'Oberlander, Los Angeles, CA

6^th Place

8. Gaufest, 1981 - Gemütlichen Enzianer, Maspeth,NY

4^th Place

9. Gaufest, 1983 - S.T.V. Bavaria, Cleveland, OH

4^th Place

10. Gaufest, 1985 - T.E.V. Edelweiß, Denver, CO

6^th Place / Meistpreis

11. Gaufest, 1987 - S.V.E.V. D'Oberlandler, Milwaukee, WI

4^th Place

12. Gaufest, 1989 - Bayern Verein Newark & Edelweiß, Passaic, NJ

3^rd Place / Meistpreis

13. Gaufest, 1991 - Almrausch Bavarian Schuhplattler, Vancouver, B.C.

3^rd Place / Meistpreis

14. Gaufest, 1993 - S.G.V. Edelweiß,Buffalo, NY

1^st Place / Meistpreis

15. Gaufest, 1995 - D'Werdenfelser & Holzhacker Buam, WI

2^nd Place

16. Gaufest, 1997 - Enzian Volkstanzgruppe, Newark, DE

5^th Place

17. Gaufest, 1999 - S.G. Edelweiß, St. Paul, MN

2^nd Place / Meistpreis

18. Gaufest, 2001 - Gemütlichen Enzianer, Maspeth, NY

1^st Place

19. Gaufest, 2003 - United German Hungarians, Philadelphia, PA

3^rd Place / Meistpreis

20. Gaufest, 2005 - G.T.E.V. Edelweiss, Buffalo, NY

1^st Place

2006 - Preisplattln um den Bayerischen Löwen - Dießen, Germany

4^th Place

21. Gaufest, 2007 - G.T.V. Edelweiss, Reading, PA

2^nd Place / Meistpreis

22. Gaufest, 2009 – Holzhackerbuam, Toledo, OH

7^th Place

1. Gaufest, 1967 - Vereinigte Bayern, Groß New York	13^th Place
2. Gaufest, 1969 - Edelweiß, Denver, CO	11^th Place
3. Gaufest, 1971 - G.T.E.V. Edelweiß, Detroit, MI	8^th Place
4. Gaufest, 1973 - G.T.E.V. Washingtonia,Washtington, D.C.	3^rd Place
5. Gaufest, 1975 - Alpenland, Montreal, Quebec	5^th Place / Meistpreis
6. Gaufest, 1977 - D'Lustigen Wendlstoana,Milwaukee, WI	6^th Place
7. Gaufest, 1979 - G.T.E.V. D'Oberlander, Los Angeles, CA	6^th Place
8. Gaufest, 1981 - Gemütlichen Enzianer, Maspeth,NY	4^th Place
9. Gaufest, 1983 - S.T.V. Bavaria, Cleveland, OH	4^th Place
10. Gaufest, 1985 - T.E.V. Edelweiß, Denver, CO	6^th Place / Meistpreis
11. Gaufest, 1987 - S.V.E.V. D'Oberlandler, Milwaukee, WI	4^th Place
12. Gaufest, 1989 - Bayern Verein Newark & Edelweiß, Passaic, NJ	3^rd Place / Meistpreis
13. Gaufest, 1991 - Almrausch Bavarian Schuhplattler, Vancouver, B.C.	3^rd Place / Meistpreis
14. Gaufest, 1993 - S.G.V. Edelweiß,Buffalo, NY	1^st Place / Meistpreis
15. Gaufest, 1995 - D'Werdenfelser & Holzhacker Buam, WI	2^nd Place
16. Gaufest, 1997 - Enzian Volkstanzgruppe, Newark, DE	5^th Place
17. Gaufest, 1999 - S.G. Edelweiß, St. Paul, MN	2^nd Place / Meistpreis
18. Gaufest, 2001 - Gemütlichen Enzianer, Maspeth, NY	1^st Place
19. Gaufest, 2003 - United German Hungarians, Philadelphia, PA	3^rd Place / Meistpreis
20. Gaufest, 2005 - G.T.E.V. Edelweiss, Buffalo, NY	1^st Place
2006 - Preisplattln um den Bayerischen Löwen - Dießen, Germany	4^th Place
21. Gaufest, 2007 - G.T.V. Edelweiss, Reading, PA	2^nd Place / Meistpreis
22. Gaufest, 2009 – Holzhackerbuam, Toledo, OH	7^th Place