$150.00 - Luxembourg American Heritage Information Center

War had not yet begun for America. But it had already been raging in Europe and its effects
could be seen in America. In February, 1941, the exiled Grand Duchess Charlotte visited
Chicago and Section 15 donated $15.00 to the Grand Lodge to aid in defraying expenses of the
royal visit. In September, 1941, a party was held at Koenig's Hall in Morton Grove to raise funds
for Luxembourg relief. Pat Seul was put in charge of Section 15's efforts.
In February, 1941, the Section exempted those in military service from having to pay dues
during the period of their military service, although they would not be entitled to receive sick
benefits for the same period. In March, 1941, Jake Kalmes was drafted, to be followed by Pat
and Rudolph Seul, Otto Deckert, Bill Biegert, Jr., William M. Dechambre, Russell Warner,
Martin A. Krier, Jr., Henry Kalisiak, and Anthony Weber. As previously noted, Section 15
remembered its members who were overseas by sending gifts to them, including cash gifts of
$5.00 per brother, in 1942.
In 1944, John "Batty" Krier, head of the local library fund committee and member of
Section 8, attended a Section meeting to inform Section 15 that the U.S. Maritime Commission
was commissioning a Liberty ship to be known as Luxembourg Victory. The purpose of his visit
was to help raise funds for a ship's library and he wanted to know whether Section 15 would
donate funds for the project. In response, the Section donated $15.00 to the cause.
The social affairs of the Section did not abate. Dances, picnics and Hasenpheffers, soon to be
Sauerbratens, continued to be held throughout the 1940's. William Meyer, proprietor of the
Meyer Funeral Home in Morton Grove, was chairman of the dance held May 24, 1941 at
Deckert's Hall. At this affair, Paul Hermes and Nick Kalmes were at the door, Adam Hohs, Bill
Hohs and Walter Hacker were bartenders, Joseph Freres, Art Truitt, Fred Kastenholtz and
Peter Virag were waiters, and Bill Biegert, Jr. and Anthony Weber manned the cloak room. This
dance generated a net profit of $211.12 for the Section. In 1942, the dance was held in June, also at
Deckert's Hall. No affairs were held in 1943, but the 4th annual dinner dance was held in
January, 1944. This was the first Sauerbraten, as rabbits, as previously noted, had become scarce.
During this period, after each Sauerbraten had concluded, it was the practice of the Section
to host a small private dinner for the ladies who had worked so tirelessly at the previous
Sauerbraten. This was the Section's way of saying thanks. In 1944, $3.00 per guest was allocated
for this purpose.
In June, 1946, the meetings were returned to the Hohs-Krier Tavern in the Sharp Corner
area, this time under the proprietorship of Dave Boyington, John Kalmes' son-in-law. This
would be the site of the Section meetings until June, 1954, when they would be held at the newly
acquired Luxembourg Gardens in Morton Grove.
At the February 27, 1944 regular meeting of Section 15, fourteen members of Section 25
(Lincolnwood) transferred en masse to Section 15. Grand President Perry Daubenfeld and his
predecessor, Fred Gilson, were in attendance.
Section 25 was organized in Tessville n/k/a Lincolnwood, Illinois, on March 12,1911, by the
following six men: Leopold Bree, William Becker, Michael Weber, Cornelius Kellen, Nick Herff
and John Origer. Their first President was Cornelius Kellen. For whatever reasons, probably
declining membership, it was decided to merge Section 25 with Section 15. These men are
denoted by an asterisk in the membership roster. See Appendix 5. By 1960, Michael Weber,
Mike Demuth, Nick Herff, Charles Schultz, Paul M. Platz, John Engstler, Peter Endre and
Frank Becker were the sole remaining former Section 25 members still active in Section 15.
As previously noted, it was not unusual for Section members to compete with one another
for elective office. In 1936, Scotty Krier was elected to his first term as Democratic committeemen
of Niles Township. His opponent was Michael Weber, who, eight years later, would join Section
15, during Scotty's tenure as President.
Mike Weber (married to Helen Carrie) was a resident of Tessville since at least 1911. He
owned greenhouses on Touhy Avenue and was active in local politics. His 1936 campaign
literature indicated that he was one of the organizers of the Niles Township Regular Democratic
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