Hello Danube Swabian ‘Cousins’! It was the prediction of the first snow that sent me down the mountain and home from Mt. Hood’s (11,240 feet) Timberline Lodge sooner than planed, and as I know you are all eager to hear about this year’s Mt. Angel Treffen, I have been thinking all those 700 km of driving home of the best word that describes it. It’s GEMÜTLICH! However it was not only very gemütlich but educational as well. RAY BORSCHOWA introduced us to Mt. Angel’s history and also the history of our DS’ Treffen in Mt. Angel, as this year it was our 10th get together. Imagine! As JERRY JACOBS came down with whooping cough at his tender age, he promised to give us his Gasko Research presentation next year instead. We are looking forwards to it, and Jerry, please don’t come down with measles at that time! Yours truly talked about the sad tale of the Danube Swabian Lost Children and she was not the only one close to tears. Our lovely ANN MORRISON, the producer of The Forgotten Genocide documentary talked about how and why she made the film. She is leaving at the time of this writing for Germany and Banat to film interviews for her next project. We are all looking forwards to it and are making her a honorary Danube Swabian. Ann is of Polish descent. While the presentation of the Danube Swabian Lost Children made us sad, luckily GLENN SCHWARTZ made us all laugh with his Banat slides presentation, which you will also be able to see soon again. It seams the Banat travelers went from one feast to another and the only DS research-based photo Glenn presented to us was a cemetery photo! MARCIA FAY very eagerly tried to teach us the Volkshymne der Deutschen in Ungarn on both days and we hope she still has some confidence left to make us ready for Metropolitan Opera any time soon. While the rest of the crowd left that Friday for Mt. Angel’s Oktoberfest festivities and I hope they had their umbrellas with them, a chosen few headed for LEAH OTT’S enchanting farmstead and her hands on Strudel class. And did we make Strudels! Cherry, Apple, Peach, Pumpkin, Cabbage, Poppy seed, and Nuts, if I remember them all. Of course the participants had to taste and compare which one was the best, but there was still tons of Strudel left to share with everyone at Saturday’s coffee break. Leah even made poppy seed yeast Strudel especially for us –bringing it still oven warm-, which just melted in our mouths. Now there is an example of a perfect Danube Swabian gal! Does her husband know what GEM he has for a wife? Saturday’s presentations were all earnest historical information relating to all things Donauschwaben. Our incomparable storyteller HENRY FISCHER talked about Post WWI Hungary and it was an eye opener just how a handful of government officials’ decision with their greed led to WWII. Extremely well researched and excellently presented. We all will be able to hear/see the presentation again soon. After the disbanding of Tito’s death camps was JOHN MICHELS topic. John was always a GREAT supporter of Mt. Angel’s DS Treffen, helping with the funds through U of Mary in Spokane, to cover the not-so-small costs of the meeting room rentals. Who would ever think that a spend book of St. Hubert’s museum would offer so much information on Danube Swabian history? Trust it to our most inspirational DAVE DRYER to find so much interesting things in those spend books to talk about. THE FORGOTTEN GENOCIDE documentary was shown thereafter. Quite a touching eye opener. Thank you Ann Morrison! Our computer guru DAVID PRESTON did make a video of all presentations and many of you did see it live already. Trust David to give us the opportunity to see the video of the presentations again soon. Is he not wonderful? It was also wonderful of KAREN DALTON PRESTON to look after the silent auction, of JEAN FISCHER to supervise the book sales, of DIANE BORSCHOWA to bring us lunch on both days and of all those KITCHEN ANGELS who in true Danube Swabian way jumped in to give a hand without even without being asked. What a great commuinity spirit! A GREAT THANK-YOU to all participants, especially those who donated books and CD’s for the silent auction. The proceeds were used to cover the meeting rooms rentals, as well as the Saturday night room rental. You will be pleased to know that the rooms at Keizer Renascence Inn and meeting hall at the Keizer Heritage Center are reserved for next year’s Treffen already, which will be 15TH TO 18TH of September 2011. Please circle that date in your 2011 calendar and I am looking forwards to see you all there! Rosina T. Schmidt www.hrastovac.net