Austrians in Cleveland

2022

Gottscheer Tanz Und Spielkreis Austrian Dancers at the 130th anniversary of St Elizabeth Hungarian Church

Gottscheer Tanz Und Spielkreis Austrian Dancers

Austrian Dancers at Cleveland Catholic Fest

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Statue of Athena in front of the Austrian Parliament building

Gottscheer Club of Cleveland

In the late nineteenth century, many people from Gottschee immigrated to North America, and many of these people settled in the Cleveland area. Of these, numerous Gottscheers found employment in labor intensive industries; and, since the were no social security benefits or labor unions back then, they were forced to aid one another. At a Gottscheer wedding at the Perz Hall on East 79th Street near Woodland Avenue, some of the Gottscheer men discussed forming a mutual aid group. The group was called The First Austrian Mutual Aid Society, or Erster Österreichischer Unterstützungs Verein.

Gottscheer Park has been the home of E.O.U.V. for more than a quarter of a century. Located in Novelty, a southeast suburb of Cleveland, Gottscheer Park is a beautiful 56 acre setting for just about all of the club's social and cultural events.

More about the Gottscheer Club of Cleveland

Tell us about the music, food, holidays, traditions, costumes, language and other qualities that make Austrians so special.

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A painting by Canaletto of Vienna during the first half of the eighteenth century

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Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I.

Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal.

Austrian Guard Company on parade - July 14th 2007
Champs Elysées, Paris

A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

(facts courtesy of CIA World Fact Book)

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