File 1 - Scrapbook : 2003-2005

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Scrapbook : 2003-2005

General material designation

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

Level of description

File

Reference code

SCA141-GA299-1

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

Physical description area

Physical description

72 cm of textual records

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1930-)

Administrative history

The Concordia Club originated as the Concordia Male Choir in October, 1873 when Berlin (now Kitchener) had a population of approximately 3,000 people, the majority of whom were of German origin.

The choir quickly became famous for its excellent performances and played a central role in organizing the grand "Sangerfests" which were very popular in this region from the 1870's until the outbreak of WWI.

With the onset of World War I, the activities of Concordia had to be discontinued. However, in 1924 with the impetus provided by a large number of German immigrants to Kitchener, the club was reorganized, and on Feb. 10, 1925 officially incorporated as the "German Club, Kitchener, Ont." The club grew rapidly and branched out to embrace a much wider remit of activities and goals.

On Dec. 15, 1930 a charter in the name of "Concordia Club" was obtained. WWII interrupted operations again but the club was reestablished by its members in 1948, and grew quickly as a result of renewed high levels of German immigration. The club offered an ever increasing range of cultural activities through its growing number of sub-groups.

In 1954 the club purchased premises for the first time at Matlock Gardens at 429 Ottawa St. South in Kitchener, and in 1965 the Concordia Farm was purchased at Baden with a view to providing leisure and recreational facilities for club members. On the night of Nov. 17, 1971 a major fire destroyed most of the club premises. Plans to rebuild were quickly put in place. The new club premises were officially opened by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in the same location on Oct. 6, 1972. In 1973 the club celebrated its 100th birthday, and marked this occasion by a week-long itinerary of events including two gala dinner-dances.

Today the Concordia Club is the largest of the German-Canadian Clubs in Kitchener. It strives to preserve German language, customs, and traditions, and serves as a place where old and new Canadians of German descent can meet. Choral music still forms a very important part of Concordia's year-round activities, but the club also offers its members a wide range of other cultural as well as sporting and social activities through its many other subgroups.

The Concordia Club has played a valuable role in promoting the preservation of the German language through its founding of the German Language School Concordia in 1970, and its continued support of the school after it was integrated into the Waterloo County public school system in 1973. The German literary competition introduced by Concordia in 1979, and its donation of scholarships to students of German language in local universities have also played an important role here.

The club also places priority on caring for its aged members, and the club was behind the decision to secure land for a seniors residence for the German-Canadian community in 1983. As a result of the efforts of Concordia the Senioren Haus Concordia Inc. was founded as a separate non-profit corporation with a board of directors comprising representatives from all German clubs in Kitchener. In 1984 the Senioren Haus Concordia was officially opened, and in 1990 the building of a second seniors' residence, Villa Concordia, was completed.

The Concordia Club can also be given credit for introducing a new Oktoberfest concept to the Kitchener-Waterloo area in 1967 when the club proposed that Oktoberfest take the form of a public celebration to be held over several days. Oktoberfest has been celebrated in this fashion ever since. Significantly the Concordia Club has always made donations to charitable organizations from Oktoberfest profits.

Custodial history

Scope and content

File consists of one scrapbook documenting the history of the Concordia Club through the years 2003-2005.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

General note

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Control area

Description record identifier

Institution identifier

Rules or conventions

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language of description

Script of description

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places

Related genres