Festive Expressions of Ethnicity: National German-American Festivals in Indianapolis at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Expressions of German-American culture in Indianapolis reached a high point in the first decade of the twentieth century. Social clubs such as the Socialer Turnverein and the Maennerchor enriched the city’s cultural life through musical performances and athletic classes and provided a social outlet for their members. During this decade, these clubs played a large role in organizing two national festivals held in Indianapolis: a Turnfest (gymnastics festival) in 1905 and a Saengerfest (singing festival) in 1908. Examining the planning and implementation of the Turnfest and Saengerfest sheds light on how club leaders responded to their social and political environment at the beginning of the twentieth century, how the respective clubs’ members conceived of their ethnic and club identities, and how they represented these identities in the festivals.