$150.00 - Luxembourg American Heritage Information Center

Organization as well as the Clerk of the Fairview School District for 12 years. In the late 1960's,
Mike moved to Union, Illinois. He passed away in 1973.
Paul Michael Platz (married to Mary Linden and Isabel Nicoil) was another Section 25
member who contributed to the affairs of Section 15 after the merger.
Paul was born in Asselborn, Luxembourg in 1884. Circa 1900 he immigrated to America and
in 1911, joined Section 25. Thereafter, his business affairs took him to Morton Grove, where he
founded the Platz and Sons greenhouses at 5520 Lincoln Avenue.
Paul and his first wife, Mary, had six children. They were: Nicholas, Jeanette Happ,
Elizabeth Happ, Margaret Oakes, Paul, Jr., Robert, Lucille Raster and James. After Mary's
death, Paul married Isabel Nicoil. Paul Platz passed away on November 15,1963. Members of his
family still operate the family business under the present name of Jamaican Gardens, in
Morton Grove.
The year 1947 was a contentious one for the Section. At the February 23 meeting, the
organization of a Luxembourg Club of Skokie was discussed. All members of Section 15 would
become members of this newly formed club. Apparently nothing became of this idea for it is not
again mentioned in the minutes. At the November meeting, a motion to disband Section 15 was
made, which motion was tabled until the December meeting. At that meeting, the motion to
disband was defeated 21 to 3. A twenty-five cent penalty for failing to attend meetings was
imposed instead.
The Sauerbratens for 1948 and 1949 were held as usual, Among the 1948 Committee
members were Walter Haeker, Bill Hohs, Matt Dechambre and Stanley Thompson, chairman,
In 1949, the Grind Lodge would eonvene the Bi-Annual Convention in Remsen, Iowa, The
delegates to thii eonventlon were Hink Weber, Pat Seul and Joe Witry, §r, They travelled to
Rgffliifl by train, a§ Witty wa§ reimbursed $187,11 for "eenvsntion train tiekits'' The thrti
delegates were awarded expense money totalling $100.00.
The year 1949 saw the deaths of three valuable and longstanding members of Section 15. In
May, 1949, Adam Hohs and charter member John Kalmes were killed in a car crash. Rather then
have a party for the Sauerbraten help, the Section donated $50*00 each to John's widow Barbara
arid Adam's widow Marioni Resolutions of condolence were spread of record for each deceased
member. The Resolution for John Kalmes is restated here:
Whereas, it has pleased the almighty God in his divine wisdom to call to his eternal rest
our Brother John Kalmes. Whereas his untimely death has given deep sorrow to his many
friends and relatives and has taken from his wife and children a loving husband and father
and from Section 15 a most faithful and loyal member. Therefore be it resolved that
we the members of Section 15 deplore his untimely death and hereby tender to the
bereaved family our heartfelt sympathy and farther be it resolved that we forward a copy
of these resolutions to his family and also spread one in the minutes of our record and
publish same in the Luxembourg News and drape our charter in mourning for a Period
of thirty days.
Committee Martin Krier
Math Dechambre
William Biegert, Sr.
In September, Ivan M. Paroubek, a member since 1919, would also pass away. All three men
were generous with their time as the minutes of Section meetings reveal their unstinting service
to the Section.
With the significant exception of World War II, the affairs of Section 15 were, for the most
part, indistinguishable from those of earlier years. The Section continued to meet monthly at
Dave Boyington's tavern, with the sole exception of 1951, when the Section met quarterly.
Conventions continued to be attended, and the 1951 convention was hosted by Section 15 in
Skokie. Convention delegates from Section 15 were Mike Weber, Nick Kalmes and Bill Hohs,
postmaster of Skokie.
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