Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-08
GERMANS CELEBRATE SEDAN
-Four Thousand Attend Exercises in
Commemoration Of Victory.
MERTENs Is NEW PRESIDENT
Reunion 90 ne Held I'm Columbus Next
Year, the Present Celebration
Coming Go a Close
Tonight.

Four thousand native born Germans, most
OF whom served In the German army and
many on the field of battle, gathered at
the German nome on South Thirteenth
street Sunday to celebrate the victory at
the battle of Sedan Of September :, 1870, in
which the French we're worsted and the
Germans added TO their possessions by the
acquisition Of the province of Alsace annd
Lorraine.
From early in the morning until late at
night the new home, costing $4,000 and not
yet completed, was thronged with the
happy dermans, and during the heat Of the
day picnic parties were given under the
trees which thickly cover the nine acres
belonging to the society and surrounding
the home. The park, in the center Of
which the home stands, Is a beautiful place,
entirely unimproved and just as nature
made It. Through the center runs a small
stream, fed by springs, and the undulating
Mills and valleys, with countless trees,
many OF them twisted and gnarled, present
a picturesque appearance.
Religious Services First.
Sunday was the second day of the re-
union, the exercises opening with religious
services In the morning at 10 O'Clock, which
wers conducted in the open air by Rev.
Mr.. Arend Of Bennington, formerly a chap
lain in the German regular army. The
Henry Lutz orchestra furnished music and
the Omaha Mannerchor sang.
At IL O'Clock a business session was held
and the following officers elected:
President-A. f. Mertens, South Omaha.
Vice President-P. Hinrtchs, Jensen.
Secretary-E. Koenig, South Omaha
Financial Secretary - Henry Greve'
Treasurer-Hans C. Wiese, Bennington.
Trustees-Hetman Boiling, Fort Crook
j. C., Clause, West Point; 4. II. Harthun'
Denison, la,
Columbus was selected as the place for
the next reunion, which will begin on
September s, 1908.
Following the business session dinner
was served in the home and in the aftef-
noon the sports began. A balloon ascen-
sion came first, and then the veterans
enjoyed themselves In shooting at tar
gets, throwing eggs at a "nigger baby
for cigars, dancing in the pavilion, rid
ing on the merry-go-round and in a num-
Der of other ways. Music was furnished
throughout the afternoon by George
Green's band, Henry Lutz's band and the
~Steinhouser band.
Fifteen Heroes Live Here.
Among the 500 veterans attending the
reunion, about fifty were in the battle
OF Sedan, IN Wnlcn Napoleon III Was
taken captive. OF these fifteen live In
Omaha. These are: Charles schakow, +
M Steinhouser, Michael Bellgardt, Theo'
dore Grapp, Charles Epplen, Jacob Hauk
Frederick Zotzmann, Wilhelm Schnell
Daniel Juckiness, Charles Kaufman
Frederick Sick, Theodore Kauntsen, Fred.
erick Nitsche, Jacob Niemeyer and Antor
Reicks. Two of these veterans were dec
GRATED with the iron cross.
Charles Scharkow and II. NJ. Stein
houser are the two proud veterans whC
year the decoration of the iron cross
which was bestowed on them by Prince
Frederick Karl for signal service and gal
lantry on the field of battle, though no
in the battle of Sedan. Mr.. Scharkov
received his decoration at the battle o
Mars la Tour on August 16, 1870, in whicl
the Germans defeated the French unde
Field Marshal Became. This was tn,
bloodiest conflict of the war. Mr.. Stein
houser received his decoration two day
later in the battle of LeBauff, where tn
Germans were victorious over the French
who were commanded by Field Marsha
Gravelotte. Mr.. Steinhouser was in tn,
Bavarian army. Mr.. Scharkow and MI
, Steinhouser are the only two men livini
in Nebraska who nave been decorated witt
the German iron cross, In emblem whicl
inspires untold respect in the heart o
every native of the Fatherland.
The German reunion will close today
The veterans took part in the Labo
day parade in the morning and in the art
t ernoon there were the usual sports at tn
= homo