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In 1940, Pat was elected President of Section 15, succeeding Scotty Krier. In 1943, he and his
brother Rudy were inducted into the United States Army. Pat was sent to Europe and Rudy to the
Pacific. While in Europe, Pat received one overseas bar, a Good Conduct Medal, and a Service
Theatre Medal for the African and European theatres of operation. He was separated from the
service on November 16,1945 with the rank of Staff Sargeant. He rejoined the Section, resuming
the Presidency for the year 1946.
During the war, the Section kept in communication with its brothers in service and often
sent them gifts. The Expense book shows contributions to the American Red Cross, the purchase
of Defense Bonds ($53.00) in 1942 and expenditures for "the boys in service" in 1942, '43 and '45.
In response to receipt of one of these gifts, Rudolph Seul wrote to Paul Hermes on
March 12, 1943:
Dear Members
Just a few lines to let you know that I received
your letter and gift.
I sure appreciate your kind thoughts and I wish
I could thank each one personally.
I am in the best of health and hope this letter
fines (sic.) everyone the same way.
I hope this will end pretty soon so that we all
can be together again and do some bowling.
Well I got to go back on duty so I am thanking
you again and till you hear from me
I remain as ever
Rudy
Just as Pat did, Rudy would return safely from the battles of World War II.
In 1940, Pat and Bill Biegert, Sr. were having a drink at Biegert's store located at 8236 Niles
Center Road. They were discussing methods to raise money for the Section when they became
aware that John Jung and Charles La Plume, members of Section 3, were going to go rabbit hunting.
They telephoned their Section 3 brothers and told them they would pay 25 cents a rabbit
for each one they brought home. Thus, was started a yearly party known to all as the Hasenpheffer.
The first Hasenpheffer was held November 23, 1940 at Hacker's Hall then located at the
corner of Touhy Avenue and Niles Center Road, the present site of the Skokie Holiday Inn. For
$1.00 per person, each guest would be served a menu of rabbit, cole slaw, noodles, mash potatoes,
red cabbage, apple slices and all the beer one could drink. The rabbit was served as a stew,
liberally sprinkled with spices, prepared in a broth of boiling vinegar and water. The total cash
receipts for that first Hasenpheffer were $80.08. The expenses were either not paid, not incurred
or not recorded. In 1941, the Hasenpheffer was held at Deckert's Hall on November 30. The cash
receipts totalled $101.66 and $119.43 in 1942. The affair was growing. However, by 1943, rabbits
were getting scarce and the menu would change. The entree became roast beef, or Sauerbraten.
John Paroubek, the son of Ivan M., the baker, would roast the beef in his big ovens and the wives
would prepare the beef for stewing. As the affairs got larger, the setting would change to the VFW
Hall, Schramm's Tavern (located across from the Hohs Tavern) and then ultimately to the
Luxembourg Gardens in Morton Grove. The last Sauerbraten was held in April, 1966.
In 1953, Pat Seul was elected a Village Trustee and served until 1955 when he was succeeded
by Scotty Krier's son, Raymond. When the Village of Skokie converted its fire department from a
volunteer department to a paid force, Pat Seul joined. While with the fire department, he
founded the Fire Prevention Bureau and spent many hours teaching school children about fire
prevention. Pat retired from the Fire Department in 1970 with the rank of Lieutenant.
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