The celebration of the dedication of the Goethe Statue which took place yesterday with such extraordinary success, has been the result of the gradual development of German cooperation in the history of Chicago. A great deal of cultural work has been done by our predecessors. The first settlers, at the end of the 18th century at the mouth of the Chicago River, were hunters and trappers in the service of John Jacob Astor of New York. The best support of dapper George Rogers Clark in chasing out the English was the German Pennsylvanian Captain Helm, whose son was a lieutenant of the garrison of Ft. Dearborn which had to be vacated in 1812. The list of the garrison gives a number of German names. Blue Island was one of the first German colonies and the beer industry developed there much sooner than in Chicago. Michael Brame and Bush moved their breweries later to Chicago.

The honor of being the first German Chicagoan goes to the locksmith, Matthias Meyer of Borkenheim near Frankfort. He came to Baltimore in 1825, and six years later to Chicago, where he established himself as a baker. He died a rich man in 1856 leaving six children. One of his daughters married a Mr. Friederick Mattern in Pasadena, California, a pioneer, who immigrated in 1834. Two years after Chicago was organized as a town, the German, Clemens C. Stone, a smith and carriage builder, was elected to the City Council. In 1843, Mr. Joseph Marbach, a farmer, and Karl Sauter, a shoemaker, were elected to the Council. Mr. Charles Wesenkraft was made a policeman, and Ant. Gehler, a hatmaker, was elected County Treasurer. In 1837, many Germans left their country on account of political disturbances. Now a period of agitation followed for Chicago. The Illinois and Michigan Canal had been completed. The building of railway lines had been planned and started. The population increased greatly and industrial plants and 3commercial institutions sprang up everywhere. There was plenty of work for the able German worker. The German element in Chicago became very strong and soon organized in the interest of culture. Clubs and organizations for music, song, sport, art, gymnastic were formed and brought their educational influence to the rough pioneers, and also social entertainments for the working classes. During the years 1840 to 1860, large German breweries originated. One of the first was that of Huck and Schneider. Another was the brewery of Busch and Brand, Peter Schoenhofen, A. Gottfried, Schmidt, and Glade, and Bartholoman and Roesing. The Germans of Chicago joined the army during the Civil War in great numbers. Eight of the ten army corps of Illinois were composed of German-Americans, of which two were exclusively formed by the Chicago Turners. Later we has the Illinois Volunteer Corps, which was also formed by Germans. Both regiments participated with great distinction in a number of battles, and many soldiers 4died for their adopted country. Also, in the English-American cavalry regiments were many Germans. On account of their services in the Givil War and their influence in the election of Lincoln their importance in the national political life of America grew immenely. After the finish of the war, much work had to be done. Like Hesing, Mr. Gustav Fischer was elected in 1868 as Sheriff. General Edward Salomon and later I. F. Gindele became chancellor of the Superior Court. Federal tax collector, George Schneider, who after serving the period of his office, founded the National Bank of Illinois, was succeeded by Hermann Raster and later by the German jurist, Edmund Jenssen.

Theodor Schintz, elected to the City Council in 1867 was deputy mayor in 1896. At the same time the following Germans sat on the school board: 5Julius Rosenthal, Ernst Prufung, Dr. Ernst Schmidt, J. Rosenberg, and others. Michael Brandt, Arno Voss, Lorentz Brentano, and Caspar Butz were members of the legislature. Dr. Wilhelm Wagner and Benjamin L. Cleaves acted as coroners. The latter became sheriff after Fischer's abdication. An outstanding event was the German song festival in 1868 and the Turner federation in the following year. The German theater in Chicago started very early. In the fifties it was the German men's song-chorus, who regularly gave theatrical performances. In 1856 the German House was opened and gave as their first Sunday performance, "Kabale and Liebe" by Schiller. During the Civil War interest in the theater lessened. In 1872, Louis Vindt opened a theater season in the Vorwaerts Turner Hall. During 1874-1875 Director Winster gave performances in the Aurora Turner Hall and also appeared with great success in the Chicago Turner Hall. Emil Hoechster took over the management in 1880-81. Some of the leading stars were Friedrich 6Haase, and the unforgettable Pepi Gallmeyer. During the season of 1882-83 Wurster, Georg Isenstein, and Julius Collmer cooperated in the production of German plays in Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee. In 1887 Director Selig, Richard Welb, and Warhsner were united for the same purpose. Germans have been the pioneers of music and song, and a list of prominent promoters can be quoted. The German churches have been prominent in the development of German science and culture in Chicago. German pastors have conducted and managed their affairs. German schools have been formed. The German element grew by leaps and bounds and played an important part in the public life of Chicago. Thus it came about that the Germans in Chicago, united by their various clubs and associations are glorifying their national heroes in literature, and in all other fields by dedicating to them a memorial in their new adopted country.