$150.00 - Luxembourg American Heritage Information Center

efugees in Europe. The Grand Duchess Relief Fund consisted of the following officers:
President
Secretary
Vice Chairman
Treasurer
Director
Director
Director
Fred A. Gilson
Leo Eschette
Harry Trausch
N. J. Molitor
Michael M. Leider
Melchior Weides
Mrs. Anna Geden
The American Committee for Luxembourg Relief, Inc., in Chicago, collected $17,000.00
over a two and a half year period.
Two other events in which the L.B.A. participated were the Pageant of Nations, a war-bond
drive in Chicago that was sponsored by the U.S. Treasury Department, and the Freedom Fair.
Luxembourg, with 1/40 of total population represented in the combined drives, nonetheless sold
over 1/16 of all the bonds - nearly $150,000.00.
The "Freedom Fair" was a relief drive for the Allied Nations held in Chicago. The L.B.A.
collected $1,300.00 for the drive.
The end of World War II was joyful for all. The Luxembourg Government in exile returned
home to a grateful nation and the L.B.A. settled into a new era.
In 1943, Fred Gilson retired as Grand President and
was succeeded by Perry Daubenfeld. Unfortunately,
Perry was stricken with a heart attack in January, 1945
and died. He was succeeded by Harry Trausch, the last
of the L.B.A. Grand Presidents to have emigrated from
Luxembourg. In 1949, at the convention held in Remsen,
Iowa, Harry chose not to succeed himself as Grand
President and was succeeded by Leo Eschette of Section
3. In addition, Nicholas Nilles retired from the post of
Grand Secretary, to which post he had been first elected
in 1899.
During Leo's reign as Grand President, which
lasted until 1965, several significant events occurred.
Otto Deckert, a member of Section 15, owned
Deckert's Hall, located at 6211 Lincoln Avenue, Morton
Grove, Illinois. Circa 1953, Otto died and his family
placed the restaurant and grounds for sale. The Grand
Lodge began negotiations in early 1953 and on January
1,1954 the Grand Lodge took possession of the premises.
Perry Daubenfeld
llth Grand President
After extensive renovations, in which the individual
Sections donated money and specific items of furniture
and equipment, the "Luxembourg Gardens" was opened
on May 19, 1954.
In order to operate the Gardens, a corporation was formed and stock would be sold to the
sections and individuals of the L.B.A. This was accomplished, and the first meeting place owned
and operated for the benefit of the Luxembourg community of greater Chicago was opened.
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