When the Phoenix Club was founded in 1960, a long-awaited dream came true for many German immigrants living in Southern California. As stated in the preamble of the Club’s constitution, German culture, language, and customs were to be preserved and cultivated.
After our first clubhouse was completed in 1965 (on the site of the current Anaheim Arena – Honda Center), groups of members joined together to pursue specific traditions of German culture. In 1970, with the idea of keeping Bavarian culture alive, Hans and Paula Habereder gathered a few members to preserve and cultivate Bavarian customs and traditions, specifically Schuhplatteln. The group chose the Tracht of the Miesbacher region and the name “Phoenix Schuhplattler.” With those decisions made, it became essential to find an experienced Vorplattler to lead the traditional Schuhplattler dances.
On May 17, 1971, Nick Hemm became our very first Vorplattler, and the group was officially founded. Nick was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and had learned to dance as a member of B.G.T.E.V. D’Holzhacker Buam Bavarian Dance Club (Milwaukee, WI). Eighteen Trachtler and Trachtlerinnen began practicing, dancing to recorded music. Later, Art Zang became our accordion player. He and his father had played together in Milwaukee, and Art set just the right tone for our dancing.
Eager to share our group’s newfound Schuhplattler skills with the rest of the Club, we gave our first official performance at the Phoenix Club Oktoberfest in 1971. We were welcomed with such enthusiasm that we quickly recruited several more members. Soon, we were performing annually at the Club’s Bockbierfest, Maifest, Schützenfest, and Oktoberfest. Representing the Phoenix Club, we also danced each year at the Orange Street Fair.
The Schuhplattlergruppe did more than just perform. We attended the yearly Segelflieger picnics at Lake Elsinore, which were always great fun. There were also annual camping trips. For several years, the group went down to San Felipe over Memorial Day weekend. Later, we camped in Julian and saw the beautiful lilac blooms in William Heise Park.
One spring in our early years, we were invited to attend an international festival at the newly opened Bogart Park in Beaumont. While we only danced there that first year, we returned for many years afterward to camp over the Easter weekend. Other camping trips included summers at San Onofre, which always helped bring members, young and old, closer together.
In 1984, the Schuhplattlergruppe had the distinct honor of participating in the opening ceremonies of the 23rd Olympic Games. This was one of the most exhilarating events we have ever attended. The following year, a reunion of many of the ethnic groups who participated was held at the Phoenix Club. In the years that followed, we performed with the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club at Dodger Stadium for a baseball game opening.
A definite highlight in our group’s history was the dedication of our Vereinsfahne on May 31, 1987, and our name change to “Die Gemütlichen Schuhplattler.” Our flag was handcrafted by Firma Eibl in Olching, near Munich. Betty Hemm was honored as Fahnenmutter. For the Fahnenweihe, the GTEV D’Oberlandler, Los Angeles, stood as our Patenverein. The celebration took place over two days in our Clubgarten, including an outdoor Mass presided over by a German-speaking priest. The club’s Gemischter Chor sang beautifully, making the ceremony even more special.
Other Vereine participating included the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club, the Deutsch-Amerikanischer Verband, BGTEV Almenrausch San Francisco, and TEV Edelweiss Denver. We are forever grateful to all who attended and helped make the celebration memorable.
In 1989, we danced at Oktoberfest in Hawaii at the Sheraton Waikiki. While Hawaii’s climate wasn’t ideal for Schuhplatteln, the event was great fun and one of our most cherished memories. We returned in 1990 and 1991 to again share our Bavarian heritage and culture.
The fall of 1992 brought many changes as we moved to our new clubhouse on Sanderson Avenue (later renamed Phoenix Club Drive) to make way for the new Anaheim Arena. This move was marked by the ceremonial cutting of a tree from the old clubhouse site, followed by a party and dancing around the “fallen comrade.” Though our original Clubgarten is gone, our new facilities offer an atmosphere and venue we are proud to call our own.
On June 15, 1996, we celebrated our “Silver Anniversary” at the Club. We hosted a wonderful dance in the main hall with six other Schuhplattler Vereine and over ten other clubs and organizations in attendance. Music was provided by the exceptional Chico Bavarian Band. It was quite a sight to see all the flags as they paraded through the hall. The evening included presentations, dance performances, an engagement announcement, and even a cake-cutting to mark the milestone. It added another treasured memory to our past 25 years.
In May 2000, we were invited to dance at the first annual “World Beer Festival,” Convivia 2000, in Singapore. A team of seven from our Verein, along with members from three other Vereine, traveled to perform and participate in the opening ceremonies. Our group included Thomas and Kimberly Hunsaker, Esther and Melissa Clark, and Erik Schwarze. Peggy Mueller of SVEV D’Oberlandler, Milwaukee, played her Steierische Ziehharmonika. Fred Volland from GTEV D’Oberlandler, Los Angeles, danced and played the Alphorn. Karl Rubenacker of SVV Original Enzian, New York (and formerly of our group), flew directly from New York to join us.
We became members of Gauverband Nordamerika in 1978, supported by GTEV D’Oberlandler, Los Angeles. One year later, we attended our first Gaufest with a large group of eager Trachtler and even competed in the Gruppen-Preisplatteln. Our members have attended Gaufeste in:
- Denver (1985)
- Milwaukee (1987)
- New Jersey (1989)
- Vancouver (1991)
- Buffalo (1993)
- Milwaukee (1995)
- Delaware (1997)
- St. Paul (1999)
- New York (2001)
- Philadelphia (2003)
- Buffalo (2005)
- Hershey (2007)
- Toledo (2009)
- Orlando (2011)
- Cleveland (2013)
- Milwaukee (2015)
- Buffalo (2017)
- Washington, DC (2019)
- Atlantic City (2021 – held in 2022)
- Cleveland (2023)
- Delaware (2025)
At the 1995 Milwaukee Gaufest, we proudly brought home the Weitpreis and again participated in the Gruppen-Preisplatteln. Our group participated again at the 2015 Milwaukee Gaufest. In 2005, Einzelpreisplatteln was officially implemented by the Gauverband Nordamerika, and Kurt Hauptmann and Ilonka Barba represented us. In the following years, several members competed in Einzelpreisplatteln.
In May 2002, we hosted the Gaudelegatensitzung for Gauverband Nordamerika at the Phoenix Club. That same weekend was also Maifest, and a number of delegates joined us in a Massenplattler. Tragically, later that month, we lost our members Thomas and Kimberly Hunsaker, who were then Gruppenleiter and 1. Vordreherin. It was a difficult time, but we came together with renewed commitment to our purpose: “Sitt und Tracht der Alten wollen wir erhalten.”
Over the years, we’ve become more dedicated to preserving our Bavarian heritage through “Tracht, Tanz, Sprache und Gesang.” In the late 1970s, Christine Werwee began playing bells for the group, followed later by Ilonka Barba. At the 1999 Gaufest in St. Paul, three members—Kurt Hauptmann, Klaus Hornell, and Thomas Hunsaker—performed a Dreigesang. That same year, Klaus Hornell and others began performing Goasslschnalzen. In 2000, Rudy Leschke began Aperschnalzen (Pfingstenduschen), later continued by DeeAnne Gunnemann. In 2001, members began playing Alphörner, again thanks to Klaus Hornell’s efforts. Several members also play Löffel, accompanied by our musician.
Cathy Leschke worked diligently to align our Tracht more closely with the true Miesbacher style chosen by our founding members. Our group marched in the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade with the City of Burbank’s Oktoberfest float. In 2014, we marched in the Munich Oktoberfest Trachtenzug with Adam Herrick as our Fahnenträger.
In 2010, Rob and DeeAnne Gunnemann organized a dance workshop with the Gau Vorplattler and Gau Vordreherin, inviting other California clubs for a day of training. We improved our Plattler and Drehen skills and learned new folk dances.
Thanks to a generous donation by Hanna Habereder, the Club received specially carved Krampus masks, and our annual St. Nikolaus Bauerntheater began in 2014 under the direction of playwright Lisa Hauptmann. Despite limited rehearsal time, the performances consistently delight audiences of all ages.
In 2017, Hans and Hanna Habereder invited Alt Rosenheim from Germany to assist with Goassl performances. A wonderful evening and training session followed. Many members continue to maintain relationships and visit when in Germany.
In 2018, Gauverband Nordamerika hosted the Bayerische Löwe Gaufest in Haldenwang, Germany, in coordination with D’Wageggler. Four of our members represented us: Adam Herrick and Marilee Williams brought our flag for the parade; Sue Gnesda and Erika Hoover assisted with the competition. At the Allgäuer Trachtenfest afterward, our Verein was awarded the Weitpreis—an enormous Kuhschelle.
We’ve created many fond memories over the years—hanging the Ochsen, preparing Spanferkel during Oktoberfest, supporting Phoenix Club functions like Karneval, where some members even served as Prinz and Prinzessin. At many events, Alfred Hauptmann, our accordionist, plays music that soon inspires singing and spoon-playing, helping the group flourish.
We maintain close ties with fellow Schuhplattler Vereine in California, attending events hosted by our Patenverein D’Oberlandler and the Tiroler und Bayern Zither Club. We’ve participated in Deutscher Tag and Maifest (DAV), Austrian Day (Austrian-American Club), and events with the Alpentänzer Schuhplattler of Sacramento and BGTEV Almenrausch and BHTV Golden Gate, San Francisco. We also celebrated the 50th anniversary of Enzian Schuhplattler in Leavenworth, WA.
Through these regional friendships, we formed the West Coast Bezirks in 2014 and hosted the 2nd West Coast Bezirksfest in 2015.
After decades in Anaheim—a city founded in 1857 by German immigrants as a farming community, who named the community by combining “Ana” for Santa Ana and the German word “Heim” meaning “Home”—the Phoenix Club and our group moved to Brea, California. Our former site in Anaheim was sold and demolished to make way for the new OC Vibe entertainment district.