Club Departments
We have many departments for various interests. Our departments have meetings, activities, and events that happen throughout the year. Find out more about what the Germania Verein has to offer below!
Supporting the great German choral heritage through group singing has been a major activity in the Germania Verein since its inception 150 years ago. The Germania Choir traces its roots back to the early 1900’s, beginning in the form of a men’s choir which can be seen in wonderful old group photos hanging on the upstairs rooms of Germania Hall. The choir history includes some prize-winning appearances in San Francisco in the 1910’s and 1920’s.
In our present form we have been carrying on the best of German classical and folk musical tradition since 1973, when the Germania Women’s Choir and Germania Men’s Choir combined into one choir. The Germania Mixed Choir has been enjoying an especially creative period under the direction of our directress Diana Mayper, a choral music specialist who has been with us for 10 years). With over 30 women and men singers, we have been impressing listeners all around the Bay Area.
Proceed to the Choir Page
The Kaffeeklatsch Group started on July 30, 1923.
The group meets monthly on the second Saturday of the month. Doors open at 11:30. in the downstairs Germania Hall, starting with a potluck lunch.
All Germania member and their friends are welcome 3 times prior to joining or group! Please call 24 hours before attending!
If you want to join please contact Marianne Grotheer.
Each Fall, the Germania Schützen Verein hosts a traditional dinner dance in full uniform splendor, reminiscent of an earlier time. We never miss the opportunity to enjoy food, beverage and comraderie at our monthly meetings and target shootings.
The highlight of our year is the Annual Schützenfest and presentation of our king or queen. Our royalty reigns over our annual King’s Ball, hosts social events including the Summer King’s Party, and represents our Verein at other shooting events. In addition to honoring our king or queen, we recognize our top shooters, the accomplishments of all members, and their important life events.
The Schützen remain very active in supporting the Germania Verein and its many cultural and social functions.
For an evening of conversation in German please join us at the Stammtisch. It is currently an online zoom event. To join the Online Stammtisch send a request for the meeting link and zoom password to: Ursula
This is for non native speakers, who want an opportunity to practice speaking German. Topics of conversations are based on the interest of the participant.
You do not have to be a member to attend and find out whether this is of interest and value to you.
Our Sprachlerngruppe is currently not active.
Skat has probably always been played at the Germania! Wherever there is a group of Germans, Skat cards are not far away. At the annual meeting in December 1979, our group officially became a part of the Germania Verein. We are a small, but dedicated and active group. Members have participated in tournaments from Portland to San Francisco, down to Anaheim and San Diego, as well as in Las Vegas and Braunsfeld, Texas. We have participated in World Championships in Anaheim, Las Vegas, Dortmund (Germany), Kitchener (Canada), and even Sydney (Australia). Before that, we played on a Skat Express train through Germany. One of our players even played at the top of the Zugspitze to represent the American team! There is a lot of fun and camaraderie in playing Skat.
If you want a quick tutorial visit:
This Book has been published in 2019 and is available for purchase on Amazon, or contact the board of the Germania Verein for a copy.
Proceed to the Historical Society Page.
History
After having attended many Carnival festivities in Las Vegas for several years, Frieda Sonksen and Georg Breitling started the Germania Carnival Group in 2001.
The carnival season is celebrated every year, starting on the eleventh day of the eleventh month and ending on Ash Wednesday in February. For many years, the Carnival Group used to hold a traditional Costume Ball at the Germania Halle, which was always well attended.
The Carnival Group is a member of German-American Mardi Gras Association (GAMGA), an umbrella organization for all the carnival groups within the U.S. and Canada. Every year this association holds a big carnival event in Las Vegas, which is attended by approximately 1400 carnival lovers coming from as far as Germany.
The Carnival Group also had other get-togethers with good food and dancing, enjoying each other’s company.
The Germania Verein Tanzgruppe (dance group) is always interested in people with any ancestry, not just German, Austrian, Swiss, to join us! Germania Verein is especially family-friendly. The Tanzgruppe welcomes all ages. Regardless if your interests lie with dance, costumes, language, or music, Germania Verein Tanzgruppe will surely have something of interest for you.
If you are interested in joining our club, the first step is to visit us during our monthly rehearsals at our historic clubhouse’s spacious dance floor. Neither prior dance experience nor fluency in the German language is necessary to join us. Prospective members are eligible after three visits to our clubhouse and participation in any of our activities, whether they are social, rehearsal or performances. We want to get to know you all, and for you all to get to know us!
Our dancing activities include: Country Western, Bohemian, Polish & German Polka, Waltz, Schottische, Rheinlander, and Folk Dancing. Our dance section meets monthly, generally on the last Friday of the month, from 8pm until our feet hurt, throughout the year (except July). A social no-host Stammtisch (happy hour) usually follows rehearsal at our Jägerstube (upstairs bar) or at Ludwig’s German Table, our award-winning in-house restaurant. For more information, please contact Germaniasjcboard@gmail.com. Auf geht’s!
Book Club Activities
- Book Reading events
- Buch Club
Our Book Club meets monthly to discuss contemporary German literature - Sterntaler Family Story time – podcast
Children’s stories are being read. New episodes of our podcast are released weekly: sterntaler.buzzsprout.com - Family Game Night
Throughout the evening clues will be solved together, revealing fun challenges or trivia questions for you to compete in.
Please contact Pamela Sommer director2@germaniaverein.org for Zoom invitations and more information
Carnival
Meeting days and times to be determined.
Choir
Practices on Tuesday’s 7:30 at the Germania Hall.
Dance Group
No meetings until further notice.
Historical Society of Germania
No meetings until further notice.
Kaffeeklatsch
Meets on 2nd Saturday of the month. Doors open at 11:30.
