John Gloistein has been attending the annual Volksfest in Schuetzen Park for nearly half a century. The event has special meaning for him. “I met my wife here 45 years ago,” he said at this year’s celebration on Aug. 16. “The day I came back from Vietnam, the next day was the festival. I was introduced to my wife by a family friend. We actually got married on the Volksfest day four years later.”
This year marked the 141st time the annual German-American Volksfest has been held at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen. But despite the event’s long and storied history, the recent celebration may be the last.
“ ‘Volksfest’ means ‘family party or festival,’ ” explained Bill Koehler, president of the Schuetzen Park Corporation. First held in August 1874, the event once spanned six days and attracted more than 125,000 people. At that time the region held a large population of German immigrants, many from the northern flatlands, and the event was created to celebrate their culture and achievements.
The Plattduetsche Volksfest Vereen organization of New York and New Jersey (PVV) was created in 1874. “It means ‘the lowland German family festival club,” said Koehler. “That club was made up of literally hundreds of smaller clubs. And through the umbrella organization, they purchased the land.”
Schuetzen Park, the property purchased by the PVV in 1894, extended over 32 acres and grew into an amusement park containing three dancing pavilions and 10 bowling alleys, entertaining up to 50,000 attendees at a time with vaudeville performances and tournaments, parades, and fireworks.
The name was derived from the German word “schütze,” meaning “shooter” or “marksman,” and rifle ranges offered target practice into the side of the Palisades.
“To me it’s endearing. My parents used to come here. I met my husband here. And it’s a charity.” –Ellen Gloistein
____________
Emmy Alvestad from Staten Island has been attending Volksfest since the late 1960s, participating in various activities to support the event. This year she was selling cakes with the Ladies’ Auxiliary.
“We used to do it for three days and then we cut down to two days and this time it’s only one day,” she said. “Things are dwindling. The neighborhood has changed. Clubs close up because their members have either moved away or passed away.”
Officials worried that this might be the final year for the event if more people didn’t get involved.
A celebration and fundraiser
This year’s Volksfest was hardly a wake for a passing tradition, though; instead it was a joyous celebration, as always. The large banquet room was packed, and a raucous band, the Austrian Boys, got the crowd up and dancing. In addition to the delicious German cakes, food for sale included bratwurst and award-winning potato pancakes. And the German beers flowed generously.
Barbie Müller has been coming to the event since 2003. “It’s a chance to embrace my ancestral roots,” said the resident of Clifton, N.J., decked out in sashes, buttons, and even a helmet she bought on 42nd Street to honor her German heritage. “I wear this in commemoration of my ancestors who were officers in the Imperial German Army under Bismarck. It’s my Deutschland-centric regalia. I’ve never been to Germany but I would love to see the Brandenburg Gate. I’d like to see if I have some relatives living in Hamburg.”
More than a celebration, the Volksfest is a fundraiser to support numerous charities, chief among them being the Fritz-Reuter Altenheim, named for the German writer.
“‘Altenheim’ means ‘old peoples’ home,’” explained Bill Koehler, who in addition to being president of the Schuetzen Park Corporation is president of the PVV, and president of the Altenheim. Originally built in 1899, the Fritz-Reuter Altenheim was designed as a retirement home for the German-American community.
“At that time, with no Social Security or government programs, people took care of their own,” said Koehler. “It grew and grew and is no longer limited to just German club members. It’s a life care community open to the general public, catering to about 200 residents.”
The $5 admission cost to the festival was earmarked for charity, along with funds raised by the food and beer sales and other activities like a 50/50 and a raffle for a $1,500 travel voucher.
Underground secrets
Downstairs, another activity raised funds for the Altenheim. For $10 a shot, attendees could participate in the “vogelschiessen” and compete to be “Schuetzen Koenig.”
“It’s an old German tradition,” said Arfst Hansen, retired officer in the PVV and currently an honorary captain. “‘Vogelsiessen means ‘bird-shooting.’ I make the birds out of plywood. We shoot parts off and then whoever gets the last piece is the ‘straw king.’”
“It’s a well-kept secret,” said Bill Koehler about the private target shooting range in the basement of the building. Koehler, in addition to his other jobs, has been the range master for 15 years. “I wear a lot of hats,” he explained.
“The bird shoot will draw maybe 75 to 125 people,” he continued. “This was actually an outside range and the building was built around it. It’s been piecemealed together.”
Underground in Schuetzen Park is another world. Doors lead to tunnels that wind off in unknown directions. A group of friends from Brooklyn, Long Island, and New Jersey sat drinking at a lavish but deserted bar reminiscent of the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining.” In a nearby room a clown applied colorful paint to children.
Across a hallway in a beautiful room where the Young German-American Club used to meet, judges were selecting the new Little Miss Schuetzen Park from among seven contestants. The winner of the longstanding tradition would get to ride on the PVV Float in the Steuben Parade in September.
Among the judges was Ellen Gloistein, 45 years after meeting her Vietnam Vet husband at the festival.
“There are a lot of other couples that have met and married here,” she said. “I have two grown kids, a daughter and son. We come back every year and we got involved. To me it’s endearing. My parents used to come here. I met my husband here. And it’s a charity.”
Also helping out were Dana Ficke and her daughter Jamie, a former Little Miss Schuetzen Park herself, having won the crown at age 7 in 2009. “I just stuck my head through that door and found a tunnel I didn’t know was down here,” said Dana. “Where does that go?”
Jamie was determined to find out, pushing her way past the items blocking the door and disappearing down a dusty corridor. Moments later she called back, “I found a keg!”
A festival of traditions
Christine Mockert is another one-time Little Miss Schuetzen Park, first competing in 1997 at age 10. That year she was second runner-up. The next year she was first runner-up. And in 1999 she took the crown. This year, like every year, she was back. And so was her fan club.
Five guys from Bergen County have made the journey to Scheutzen Park every since 1997, when three of them first attended, a day or two before leaving for college.
“I had been here once before with my mother just for like a few hours,” said Rob Miceli, or maybe it was Mike Harrison. (It was hard to keep track of which identically-dressed, beer-drinking, fast-talking guy was which.) “So the three of us came and had the best time. And then it’s become this annual thing.”
“As we got older it was a great time to make sure we all got together, just have a great time,” said Cass Luhman, or perhaps Greg Hafner or Sean O’Connor.
“The first year I competed was when they first started coming here,” said Little Miss Mockert. “They remembered me every year. And they were like, ‘We always rooted for you and we want a picture of you.’ So as part of their tradition they take a picture.”
“We’ve taken the same photo with her 18 years in a row,” said Mike or possibly Greg. “We were like little kids the first year doing it. Now he’s bald and he’s fat and we all have kids.”
But the kids stay home. “None of their wives or girlfriends are allowed to come,” said Mockert. “This is their one ‘guy day’ that they all get together. When I finally met their wives they were like, ‘So this is the girl who always gets to go.’ I told them I was grandfathered into this. It’s a great tradition.”
Speaking of traditions, the five guys from Bergen County are trying to establish a new one. “My grandparents came here in the thirties,” said somebody. “They used to have over 100,000 come. We’re trying to get the word out. We’re trying to get a young group in here. It’s so much fun.”
“Next year hopefully we’ll have it,” said the ever-present Koehler about the Volksfest. “We’ll put some pressure on some people, tell them if they want to have it, you’ve got to step up. Maybe it will be a little different format. We’ll see.”
Meanwhile, upcoming at Schuetzen Park is Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 17. Mark your calendars.
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.