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Westwood Press, MA
June 30 2005
Residents enjoy Sommerfest
By Priscilla Yeon/ Staff Writer
Thursday, June 30, 2005
In 95-degree boiling heat, hundreds of people gathered at the
German-American club in Walpole for its annual Sommerfest, a
weekend-long German celebration at the Boylston Schul-Verein, on
Rte. 109.
Commonly referred to as the German-American club, the Boylston
Schul-Verein hosted about 1,500 guests who enjoyed German draft
beers, sausages, sauerkraut, potato pancakes and baked goods this
past weekend.
"Sommerfest is a German 'gemutlichkeit,'" said club director Jack
Achmakjian, who described the German word as a "friendly and pleasant
atmosphere."
Throughout the 10-acre property, people gathered at a large pavilion
to listen to Almdudler, a German band that played traditional music
with musicians dressed in their national costumes.
Children also had their corner of entertainment filled with games,
balloons, popcorn and a clown.
On the other side of the club's lawn, vendors were selling German
jewelry and hand-crafted artworks, like framed edelweiss flowers,
home ornaments, earrings and necklaces.
Due to the heat, the turnout for the event was below expectation,
said club manager Gustav Scheer, of Westwood. He said usually a total
of 2,000 people attend the Sommerfest weekend while their annual
Oktoberfest, which takes place on the second week of September,
brings a crowd of about 4,000.
"This is the warmest Sommerfest we've had," said Scheer.
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, people stood up to sing the German and the
American national anthems.
Although he is a German native, Scheer said the event had not only
a German aspect, but an American one as well. "This is our home,"
said Scheer, who moved to Westwood in 1966.
Currently there are about 530 members at the German-American club,
out of which two-thirds are German descendents.
Achmakjian, who is of Armenian descendent, said he joined the club
because he lived in Germany after World War II and enjoyed his
time there. "Now I consider myself more German than Armenian," said
Achmakjian, half jokingly.
For him, Sommerfest is a weekend for people to enjoy the Munich-type
festival.
Norwood's Norbert Zimmermann, a member since 1958 and a current
trustee of the club, said Sommerfest brings a lot of non-Germans to
the Walpole facility.
"They like to come for some German food and drinks," said Zimmerman.
Longtime member Max Kosin, of Dedham, said he serves beer during most
of the Sommerfest events. The German native said he came to America
in 1959 and joined the club in 1960. For him, the weekend not only
brought him back to Germany, but also made him nostalgic.
"It's part of me when I was young," said Kosin.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
June 30 2005
Residents enjoy Sommerfest
By Priscilla Yeon/ Staff Writer
Thursday, June 30, 2005
In 95-degree boiling heat, hundreds of people gathered at the
German-American club in Walpole for its annual Sommerfest, a
weekend-long German celebration at the Boylston Schul-Verein, on
Rte. 109.
Commonly referred to as the German-American club, the Boylston
Schul-Verein hosted about 1,500 guests who enjoyed German draft
beers, sausages, sauerkraut, potato pancakes and baked goods this
past weekend.
"Sommerfest is a German 'gemutlichkeit,'" said club director Jack
Achmakjian, who described the German word as a "friendly and pleasant
atmosphere."
Throughout the 10-acre property, people gathered at a large pavilion
to listen to Almdudler, a German band that played traditional music
with musicians dressed in their national costumes.
Children also had their corner of entertainment filled with games,
balloons, popcorn and a clown.
On the other side of the club's lawn, vendors were selling German
jewelry and hand-crafted artworks, like framed edelweiss flowers,
home ornaments, earrings and necklaces.
Due to the heat, the turnout for the event was below expectation,
said club manager Gustav Scheer, of Westwood. He said usually a total
of 2,000 people attend the Sommerfest weekend while their annual
Oktoberfest, which takes place on the second week of September,
brings a crowd of about 4,000.
"This is the warmest Sommerfest we've had," said Scheer.
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, people stood up to sing the German and the
American national anthems.
Although he is a German native, Scheer said the event had not only
a German aspect, but an American one as well. "This is our home,"
said Scheer, who moved to Westwood in 1966.
Currently there are about 530 members at the German-American club,
out of which two-thirds are German descendents.
Achmakjian, who is of Armenian descendent, said he joined the club
because he lived in Germany after World War II and enjoyed his
time there. "Now I consider myself more German than Armenian," said
Achmakjian, half jokingly.
For him, Sommerfest is a weekend for people to enjoy the Munich-type
festival.
Norwood's Norbert Zimmermann, a member since 1958 and a current
trustee of the club, said Sommerfest brings a lot of non-Germans to
the Walpole facility.
"They like to come for some German food and drinks," said Zimmerman.
Longtime member Max Kosin, of Dedham, said he serves beer during most
of the Sommerfest events. The German native said he came to America
in 1959 and joined the club in 1960. For him, the weekend not only
brought him back to Germany, but also made him nostalgic.
"It's part of me when I was young," said Kosin.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress