Written By: Joe T. Ludwig
I wrote this article a few years ago when I was the editor of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben Society’s quarterly newsletter. It details the history of the Donauschwaben people, including my Oma and Opa (Josef and Maria Ludwig) and many members of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben club. I got a lot of these details from “Success, Loss, and Rebirth: The Story of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben”, a DVD documentary that was created for the organization’s 50th anniversary in 2004. It’s an interesting read if you are into history and want to know more about the cost of war to civilians, especially children. It’s unfortunately very reminiscent of what’s happening in the world today.
The Donauschwaben House at 4290 Dry Ridge Road has represented many things over the years.
To the average Colerain resident, for example, it is synonymous with a German fest hall that hosts many events. For many brides and grooms, it is where they celebrated their first dance as a married couple together. To the original members of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben, it represents the homeland they were forced to leave behind. It represents overcoming years of hardship, pain and eventually enduring success and happiness. But, most of all, it represents something that could not be taken from them: the very essence of who they are.
Over 60 years ago, in 1954, the original members of our organization were victims of a war that they had nothing to do with. Their story is not told in history books; it isn’t taught in schools. But it is a story that survives through each and every member of the club.
Coming to America
The “Donauschwaben” or “Danube Schwabians” were a group of people who lived in the southern region of Germany, (Swabia) and sailed down the Danube River to settle the fertile swampland. They created their own towns in Austria-Hungary—present-day Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary—and made a better life for themselves and their families.
After the First World War, when the borders changed, a lot of the citizens in Central Europe were stripped of their nationality. But despite this, life went on for the small Donauschwaben towns. When World War II broke out in Europe, education for the children became secondary; air raids eventually became second nature. Near the end of the war, the Americans and the Brits attacked from the west and the Soviet Union attacked from the east. As the Red Army got closer and closer, most of the people in the Donauschwaben towns decided to leave their homes and flee to Austria and Germany.
They left with what supplies they could carry plus the clothes on their back. And just like that, they were homeless and scared. Sometimes they were shot at and a lot of them nearly starved.
In the years after the war, there were a lot of displaced people in Austria and Germany. Eventually, there were too many people and nowhere for them to go, so the government built barracks and forced them into refugee camps. When they were released from these camps, it was very difficult for them to find work because they were considered “outsiders”.
“We Don’t Have to Be Afraid Anymore”
After going through such horrific experiences, some people might give up on life and become bitter. But not the Donauschwaben immigrants.
“I was amazed by what I perceived as a lack of bitterness,” said Kevin Wilzbach, who was heavily involved with the interview process for “Success, Loss, and Rebirth: The Story of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben”, a DVD documentary that was created for the organization’s 50th anniversary in 2004. “Of course, they are still upset and frustrated their property was confiscated and that reparations have been non-existent but they never let pain or bitterness define who they are.”
At first, life in America was difficult. They did not have any money or possessions; they did not know the language or understand the customs. They would constantly get off at the wrong bus stop and get lost in the city and pick up the wrong items at the store. But they were determined to make it work because living in America meant that they were free, that they didn’t have to be afraid anymore. Before long, these “poor” immigrants all had jobs, owned a house, and eventually had very successful careers.
“Most of them [the Donauschwaben] are very proud of what they’ve accomplished in the United States,” Kevin said. “Even though they lost everything, they did not give up.”
Defining Who We Are
There were already a fair amount of German immigrants who called Cincinnati home before the original Donauschwaben arrived. In the early years, the Donauschwaben went to other club events. There were several reasons why they decided to create their own club. They didn’t feel a sense of belonging and unity between them and the old immigrants and they felt it was important to pass the Donauschwaben culture to the next generation. But ultimately, it was the youth’s desire to socialize with each other, play soccer and participate in traditional dances that led to the creation of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben Society.
Today, 60+ years later, the youth continue to play an important role in the organization. The present-day Kleine Kinder Group has members who are third-generation Donauschwaben-American. The Youth Group is over 30 members strong. They have been over to see the homeland three times in the last 15 years and they are already planning their next trip.
“We always did a good job of involving the young people in the club,” said Josef Ludwig, former president of the Donauschwaben Society and one of the original members. “They are the lifeline of our organization. As long we continue to involve them, then the Donauschwaben culture—and our story—will survive for many years, even after we are gone.”
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