Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-20
FRET. FRlsCH, STARK, TREU.
A Brief history of the Order of Turner'S
Eleventh Annual Festival.

|
day and Tuesday. This evening there viii
be a grand reception of the visiting socie'
ties, with torchlight procession from the
depot, under the escort of the military, fire
department, civic societies and citizens OF
| Sacramento. The line of march will be as
| follows Through Second street, from the
depot 10 K, to Ninth, to J, to SECOND coun-
termarch to Tenth, to K, to Turner Hall
During the procession there will be grand
| display offireworks along the line OF march.
| At Turner Hall, the visiting members
will receive an official greeting from Louis
| Mohr. on behalf of the local society, and
! from Mayor Brown. on behalf of the city
of Sacramento. Already those living and
| doing business along the line Of march
| have commenced decorating, and by to-
night those streets viii presents handsome
and holiday appearance. The decorations
at Turner Hall are very elaborate. Below
| is given a brief sketch of the origin, growth
and present status of the society:
THE Turner's" is the name Of Union,
whose aim is the protection of human
rights, the advancement of personal and re-
ligious liberty and the education of the
youth: to strengthen the body by gym
nastic exercises and athletic sports and TO
cultivate the mind in the light of freedom
and progress. In all contests against OPP
| preston and; intolerance, in Europe as
well as in America, the Turner's stood in
front ranks, and in former years their or
ganization was greatly disliked and perse-
cuted by the priesthood and all despotic
powers.
The founder of the organization was
Friedrich Ludwig jain, generally known
as Turnyater jain. He was born on Au-
gust IL. 177S, in the town of LAM, Ger
many. He received thorough education.
and studied theology and philosophy at
the universities of Hane, Goettingen and
| Griefswald, from 1896 to 1902. To COM
plete his studies he travelled extensively
through Germany until 1906, when his
patriotic inspirations prompted him to join
the Prussian army in the contest against
France under Napoleon l., but he did not
reach the army until after the disastrous
battle and defeat at jena and reTeated
with the shattered army to the city of Lu-
beck, on the Baltic.
In the latter part of 1909 he went to Ber-
lin, where. in 1910, he received situation
as assistant teacher at the gymnasium of
the Gray Monastry: and in the following
year. 1911, he opened the first institution
for gymnastic exercises at the Hasenhaide,
near Berlin.
Disappointed at the shameful humilia-
ton Prussia had sustained through the
French, jain made it the aim of his life to
inspire the hearts Of the German people
with patriotism. To accomplish this OBJ
ject he instituted the gymnasiums for the
physical and moral training of the youth,
and at the same time wrote several popular
books.
At the call of King Frederick William
III. in 1913, jain went to Breslau and
Joined the corps Of LutzOw's Volunteers
known as the wild hunters of 1879 He
fought in different battles of the campaign
against Napoleon l.. in 1S13-14 and in 1915
he entered Paris with the victorious allied
armies. After returning to Berlin he con-
tinued his efforts to awaken the patriotism
of the German people, and in 1917 he was
appointed turn-leader by the Prussian Gov
eminent.
By his continued agitation and his frank
manner of expression against the reac-
tionary element he was regarded as dem
agogue, and on the 14th of July, 1919, he
was arrested as such. After being impris-
oned in the Fortresses of Spandeau, Ku-
strin and kOlberg, he was at last liberated
in 1925, but was constantly kept under re-
striction until 1910, when finally he was
decorated with the order of the Iron Cross.
In 1S4S he was elected member of the
German Parliament. but on account of his
great age would not take an active part
He died October Is, 1852, at Freiburg, on
the Unstrut, where a monument was
erected to his memory. Another monu-
ment, of larger dimension, was erected in
1872 at the Hasenhaide Berlin, forming a
mound of stone blocks, contributed by the
different Turn-Eereins of Germany and
other countries. including America and
Australia. The mound is crowned by his
bust in bronze.
When the suspicion was aroused of
Father jain being a demagogue, the differ
ent Turn-E ereins were suppressed by the
Government. but during the revolutionary
periods of 1882 and 1913 they sprung up
again in all parts of Germany
The Turner'S formed companies and
fought bravely for the Liberation of Ger
many from the clutches of tyrants Many
of them lost their lives in this terrible and
unfortunate combat, and many prominent
leaders were compelled to 90 into exile.
Most of them found their way to the
United States, where they expected to find
new homes and enjoy the blessings Of lib
erty. Their hopes were partially realized
but when the Native American or Know
Nothing party sprang into existence, the
rights OF foreign-bOrn citizens were endan-
gered, and there was another field for the
work of the Turner'S. The exiled patriots
organized the Turn-E erein at Boston. Mass,
and Philadelphia, Pa, in the year 1S49,
and in a very short time societies were
formed in all the principal cities Of the
Union. The North American Turner's
Union was formed, and the first festival of
the Union was held in the year 1854, in the
city of Philadelphia.
While the festival was in progress at
Lemon Hill NOV part OF Paramount
Park the Turner's were attacked by a mob
of roughs under the leadership of excited
fanatics but they defended themselves
bravely, and many persons were wounded
on both sides. The municipal Government
OF Philadelphia was then in the hands of
the Know Nothing party, and the authori-
ties. instead OF protecting the attacked
party the Tumers-they made common
cause with the rutfiaus. Only Turner'S
were arrested, and only with difficulty the
necessary bail was secured Tor their liberia
ton Many prominent and intelligent
American born citizens Of Philadelphia as
sisted in obtaining the exceedingly heavy
balls imposed
During the late war the Turner's were
amongst the first TO join the Union army.
Some of the larger cities sent fall regiments
of Turner'S to the front. General Sigel, the
hero of Pea Ridge and Carthage in Mis-
souri, General Blenker, Carl Schurz, vii
Itch. Stahel and many others who distin-
guished themselves during the war, were
prominent Turner'S.
AT present the North American Turner'S
Union is in fourishing condition, and is
divided into different Bezirks, of which the
Pacific Turn-Bezirk IS oneof the strongest
in proportion to population. 1t consists of
twelve societies with the annexed number
of members: San Francisco Turn Verein,
$50; Vorwaerts tSan Francisco), 123; Elm
tracht Turn-Section San Francisco), Sc;
Mission Turn-Verein tSan Francisco, 10;
Oakland Turn-Verein, %; Sacramento
Turn-Verein, l43; San Jose Turn-Verein.
So; Stockton Turn-Verein, 90 Germania
T.os Angeles Turn-Verein, 1861 Marys-
vile Turn-Verein, Is; Napa City Turn
Verein, 40 Petaluma Turn-Y erein, 40.
Total. !, 500 members. The present Vorort
Grand Council) has its seat at Los An
eeles. while the Vorort OF the North Amer
lean Turner'S Union has its seat in st.
Louis, Mo
Its emblems are in conformity with their
aim The owl designates everlasting
-. a. r,I,,oss. tho t4SxCpri crossing the