Bukovinafest 2006
Ralph Honas, President (Ellis, KS)
15-17 September, 2006
We are pleased with the distinguished list of people who have responded to the organizing committee for the upcoming Bukovinafest on September 15th in Ellis, Kansas Among the special guests will be Professor Ayrton Gonçalves Celestino, co-founder and first president of our sister organization in Brazil, the Associação Alemã-Bucovina de Cultura–ABC. His planned journey to retrace the route taken by his forebears from their earliest-known residence in Bavaria to their early 19th century settlement in Bukovina was published in the March 2006 Newsletter. Professor Celestino will complete the trip with stops in the US to include Bukovinafest 06 where he will share his travel experiences with us. Steve Parke’s presentation is titled “An Evolving Community: The Collyer Township Bohemians, 1879-1900.” Irmgard Ellingson will give two presentations: “From Bohemia to Bukovina: The Hapsburg Homeland” and “The Bukovina Immigrants and Their Homeland.” Herman Ottschofski will report on his 2006 trip to Bukovina. Sophie Welisch will discuss Bukovina cultural traditions. In the event she is unable to travel to Kansas, another member of the Society will give her prepared report. Several social and cultural times will be set aside during the Bukovinafest. On a personal note, my wife, Julia, and I are pleased that Karl and Tina Honas from Lichtenstein, Germany will be here for the combined Bukovinafest and Oktoberfest as our guests.
The Society headquarters will open at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 15th to begin the day with a welcome coffee. There is no registration fee, with group and other meals on your own. You may register or gain further information by emailing your name and address to: info@bukovinasociety.org. On September 16-17 the annual Midwest Deutsche Oktoberfest will also include a special program entitled German Heritage Days. These presentations will be in the afternoons of the Oktoberfest with a detailed program available at the Ellis County fairgrounds entrance. Information on the Oktoberfest, accommodations and local attractions is available at: www.haysusa.net. We look forward to seeing many of you in September, especially the numerous new members who joined the Society since our celebration three years ago.