Luxembourg Brotherhood of America

Last updated
Group photo of Luxembourg Bruderbund of Chicago in 1935. Luxembourg Brotherhood of America, Chicago 1935-05-05, A-Z Nr 25.jpg
Group photo of Luxembourg Bruderbund of Chicago in 1935.
Group photo of Luxembourg Bruderbund of New York in 1935. Luxembourg Brotherhood of America, New York 1930, A-Z Nr 25.jpg
Group photo of Luxembourg Bruderbund of New York in 1935.

The Luxembourg Brotherhood of America, (L.B.A.) is the oldest Luxembourg-American organization in the United States. It was founded in 1887 as a fraternal organization on Chicago's south side. Today, it consists of four sections located in the Chicago area and is dedicated to maintaining strong ties between the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg and its American emigrants and their descendants.

Contents

The L.B.A. offers friendship, camaraderie and celebrations for those of Luxembourg heritage, family, friends, and those interested in the Luxembourg culture. The L.B.A. supports local events and works closely with the Luxembourg American Cultural Society in Belgium, Wisconsin. The Luxembourg Brotherhood of America funds cultural and educational exchanges, promotes ethnic relationships, family connections and visitation among Luxembourg, member families and government officials. The organization offers its benefits to anyone who applies for membership regardless of ethnicity or gender. [1]

History

The organization was founded on October 23, 1887, in Chicago as the “Luxemburger Bruderbund”. [2] There were 25 men present at that first meeting, all who paid $0.25 initiation fee each to join the club. The first social gatherings were a dance in January 1888 followed by a picnic in the spring. On December 8, 1888, the Luxembourg Bruderbund was incorporated by the State of Illinois as a benevolent, charitable and sociable organization, which offered death benefits to its members. By 1896 the organization had “sections” in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. [3]

At many of the early meetings Luxembourgish was the official language, until May 2, 1915, where at the 19th Convention, English was adopted as the official language for all future meetings. [4]

Events

Schobermesse in Rogers Park, Chicago, 1907 Luxemburger Schobermesse 1907 Rogers Park Chicago.jpg
Schobermesse in Rogers Park, Chicago, 1907

The Brotherhood holds the following events each year:

  1. An annual Mass celebrating Our Lady of Consolation, Patroness of Luxembourg.
  2. Sauerbraten Dinner in the Spring.
  3. The National Convention in May.
  4. The Schobermesse [5] / National Day in June [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] based on the Schueberfouer holiday started in 1340 by John the Blind in Luxembourg.

Organization

The Grand Lodge [11]

The Luxembourg Brotherhood of America is organized into classes of members called Sections. The L.B.A. is managed by and under the direction of a board of directors which is known as the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge consists of elected Grand Officers and one Grand Representative that is elected by each Section. Each Grand Officer must be a member in good standing of one of the L.B.A.’s sections.

The Supreme Assembly (Convention) is an annual meeting held by the members of all of the Sections, and is held at a place designated by the Grand Lodge on the third Thursday in May at the hour of 6:00 PM or at such other time as the Grand Lodge may appoint in writing. The meeting is known as the Supreme Assembly. Only those members who are in good standing in their Sections may attend and vote on matters before the Supreme Assembly.

Those Members attending the annual meeting shall constitute a quorum. If a quorum is present the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes represented at the meeting shall be the act of the members. Each member in attendance, regardless of section, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter to come before the Supreme Assembly. Neither proxy voting nor cumulative voting shall be permitted. Voting on all matters, except election of the Grand Officers as hereinafter provided, shall be by voice vote, unless otherwise decided by the Supreme Assembly.

The Grand Lodge meets every three quarterly to attend to the affairs of the Brotherhood. The presence of five (5) members shall constitute a quorum. Any Officer who is absent three (3) times in succession may be replaced by the Grand President with the concurrence of Grand Lodge.

The Grand Lodge Officers [11]

GRAND PRESIDENT - The Grand President is the principal executive officer of the Brotherhood and presides over all meetings of the Grand Lodge and the Supreme Assembly. In addition, the Grand President: 1) Signs all documents which require his or her signature; 2) Issues charters to new Sections; 3) With the majority approval of the Grand Lodge, orders an examination of the books of any Section; 4) With the majority approval of the Grand Lodge, suspends any Officer or member of a Committee, or an Officer of a Section, and with the majority approval of the Grand Lodge, fills the vacancy; 5) Executes any contracts, deeds, mortgages, bonds or other instruments which the Grand Lodge has authorized; 6) Appoints members to Committees. It is the duty of the Grand President to install the Officers of the Sections according to the adopted rituals, or if prevented from doing so, shall appoint a Grand Representative to perform this duty.

GRAND VICE-PRESIDENT - The Grand Vice-President assists the Grand President, and performs all the duties of the Grand President in the absence of the Grand President and such other duties as may be assigned to him or to her by either the Grand President or Grand Lodge. In the event of the death, disability or resignation of the Grand President, the Grand Vice-President shall automatically succeed to the office of the Grand President to serve the balance of his or her predecessor’s term and shall thereafter appoint, with the majority approval of the Grand Lodge, a Grand Vice-President to serve the balance of his or her predecessor’s term.

GRAND SECRETARY - The Grand Secretary: 1) Keeps a true record of all the meetings of the Supreme Assembly and Grand Lodge; 2) Acts as custodian of all books, documents, seal and any other property which may come into his or her possession during the term of his or her office, and delivers same to his or her successor after his or her installation; 3) Issues the call for the meetings of the Grand Lodge and Supreme Assembly and informs the Sections of any other official acts of the Grand Lodge; 4) Issues the charters and membership certificates, keeps a record of all the members and shall report to the Supreme Assembly about the initiation of new members, rejected candidates, suspended or expelled members; 5) Keeps a correct list of all charters issued to the Sections, the telephone numbers and addresses of all Section members and of the Officers of the Sections; 6) Reports to the Supreme Assembly about the conduct of his or her office during the preceding year; 7) Keeps a record of the individual bonds of the Officers and maintains said bonds in his or her custody; 8) Performs any other duties which may be entrusted to him or her by the Grand Lodge or the Supreme Assembly in accordance with these By-Laws.

GRAND TREASURER - The Grand Treasurer is the principal accounting and financial Officer of the Brotherhood and: 1) Receives all money derived from all sources; 2) Keeps a separate account of all income and expenses; 3) Gives a report to the Supreme Assembly and delivers the books and records in his or her possession to the Grand Trustees for audit and revision.

TRUSTEES - The Trustees: 1) Supervise all the assets of the Brotherhood; 2) Invest the funds as ordered by the Supreme Assembly or the Grand Lodge; 3) Conduct an annual audit of the books of the Grand Secretary and Treasurer, Committees and Officers which may receive or disburse any money of and for the Brotherhood prior to the meeting of the Supreme Assembly; 4) Be the custodian of all assets of the Brotherhood.

GRAND HISTORIAN - In order to maintain the historical records and photos of the Brotherhood, there is hereby established the office of the Grand Historian. The Grand President appoints the Grand Historian at the Supreme Assembly and the Grand Historian is the custodian of all of the records of the Brotherhood which is not be needed for current operations and maintains them so as to be preserved for future reference. The Grand Historian selects, with the consent of the Grand Lodge, a local historical society to be the depository of the historical records of the Brotherhood upon such terms as may be negotiated.

SERGEANT—AT-ARMS - The Sergeant-at-Arms is appointed by the Grand President prior to the convening of the Supreme Assembly and performs all such duties which may be requested by the Grand President.

The GRAND REPRESENTATIVES - The Grand Representatives are elected to the Grand Lodge by their respective Sections at the Section meeting immediately prior to the meeting of the Supreme Assembly for a term of one year and have one vote on all matters to come before the Grand Lodge. Among their additional duties they: 1) Establish a harmonious feeling between the Sections and Grand Lodge; 2) Report on Section activities to the Supreme Assembly or Grand Lodge; 3) Consider ways and means of increasing the numbers of new members; 4) Advise the Sections on matters for the good and welfare of the Brotherhood. The Grand President may order one or all of the Grand Representatives to visit one or all of the Sections as he may select. A Grand Representative may not hold any other Grand Lodge office while serving as Grand Representative.

Sections [12]

There are currently four existing Active Sections in the Luxembourg Brotherhood of America. Sections 3, 7, 8 & 15. All four Sections celebrate Luxembourg heritage, remaining closely aligned with the Luxembourg American Cultural Society in Belgium, WI.

SECTION 3 is the oldest of the four remaining sections from the Luxembourg Brunderbund, established at an organizational meeting held on October 23, 1887, on the South Side of Chicago. The section was formed in April 1897 by John Glessner, a member of Section 1, who was then living in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. On May 9, 1897, Grand Lodge President John Hankes initiated 33 men into the L.B.A. and christened them as Section 3.  They were from the Rogers Park and High Ridge neighborhoods, men devoted to their greenhouse businesses and their parish, St. Henry’s on the southwest corner of Ridge Avenue and Devon Avenue in Chicago. Section 3 is now based in Glenview, IL and meets at Hackney’s on Lake St.

SECTION 7 was formed in Aurora, IL, and was admitted into the L.B.A. on Oct. 7, 1900 with Peter Weiland as their first president. They hosted the 26th LBA Convention from their Family Center in 1927. During the 90’s, when the Grand Lodge discontinued insurance benefits to all members, and partially due to distance, some sections, including 7 lost their connection with the L.B.A., however, the Aurora Brotherhood maintained their connections within the community, hosting dinners, picnics, and many other activities. In April 2013, L.B.A. Section 7 was officially re-instated into the Luxembourg Brotherhood of America.

SECTION 8 was formed in Evanston, Illinois, on February 23, 1902.  Now based in Morton Grove, IL, Section 8 meets the 2nd Tuesday of every March, May, September, and November at the Morton Grove American Legion Civic Center.

SECTION 15 is based in the North and Northwest suburbs of Chicago, and is led by dedicated descendants of Luxembourg’s immigrants. Section 15 are part of the Grand Lodge which offers membership to all persons both those of Luxembourg heritage and those interested in all things Luxembourgish. Section 15's annual installation of officers dinner is held in January, and they meet quarterly on the third Wednesday of April, July and October. In the spring, there is the famous Sauerbraten Dinner with raffles, door prizes, the Wheel of Sausage and dancing.

Section Membership [11]

To be entitled to the benefits of the L.B.A., one must be a member in good standing of a Section and may hold membership in more than one Section of the Brotherhood. However, a member of two or more Sections may not hold office in more than one Section simultaneously. All Luxembourgers, male and female, their descendants and associates, may at the discretion of the Section membership become a member, providing they are not less than sixteen (16) years of age, and there are no objections as to their character. Children under the age of 16 may become auxiliary members of a Section, and there will be no charge for this distinction. Any person who wishes to join a Section may submit an application to the Section on a form approved by the Grand Lodge. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the members.

Section Meetings [11]

A general meeting, to which every member can expect an invitation issued by the Financial Secretary, is held quarterly. Each Officer makes a report to the meeting, dealing with the specific duties of his or her office or the welfare of the Section. Five (5) members present constitute a quorum when the meeting is called to order by the President or the presiding Officer in the absence of the President. The last meeting in the calendar year shall be held for the purpose of electing Officers for the next year. No later than its April meeting, the President shall poll his or her members and determine which of them plans to attend the Supreme Assembly. All Section Officers should make every reasonable effort to attend the Supreme Assembly.

The Meeting's order of business includes: 1) Call to order; 2) Opening Ceremonies; 3) Roll Call of Officers / Introduction of Guests; 4) Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting; 5) Unfinished Business; 6) New Business; 7) Announcements; 8) Programs for the welfare of the Brotherhood; 9) Action Items; 10) Adjournment.

Section Officers [11]

The Officers of the Sections are the President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Sergeant-at-Arms, and a Representative to the Grand Lodge who shall be known as the Grand Representative. The position(s) of Trustee(s) shall be optional with each Section and no Section shall have more than three (3) Trustees. Trustees shall be considered Officers of the Section. The Officers shall be elected for a period of one (1) year.

DUTIES OF SECTION OFFICERS:

PRESIDENT - The President presides over the regular and special meetings. If five (5) members make a written request, he or she shall call a special meeting. The President: 1) Is responsible for the orderly conduct of the business; 2) Have a vote on all matters; 3) Appoints Officers for any office left vacant by resignation or otherwise for the balance of the period of such offices. In case of the death of a member he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to attend to all such customary duties as are required.

VICE-PRESIDENT - The Vice-President performs all the duties of the President in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall automatically succeed to the office of the President upon the death or resignation of the President.

RECORDING SECRETARY - The Recording Secretary: 1) Records the minutes of each meeting; 2) Is the custodian of all of the non-business records of the Section; 3) Maintains a roster of the members and their individual records; 4) Attends to the business correspondence of the Section; 5) Notifies the Grand Secretary of new, expelled or deceased members, or transfer of such.

TREASURER - The Treasurer: 1) Receives all the money from every source of the Section and deposits said funds in the depository chosen by the Section; 2) Pays all bills authorized by the President; 3) Issues written financial reports quarterly to Section members with copies submitted to the Grand Treasurer. At the termination of his or her office he or she turns over all the money and books to his or her successor. The duties of this office may be combined with that of the Financial Secretary and one person may hold both offices.

FINANCIAL SECRETARY - The Financial Secretary is responsible for collection and recording dues, sending out dues and meeting notices, and such other duties as the President may assign. The duties of this office may be combined with that of the Treasurer and one person may hold both offices.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS - The Sergeant-at-Arms, or assistant, are at all times at the disposition of the President. They shall maintain order at the meetings.

TRUSTEES - The Trustees are the custodians of the property of the Section and give account for it to the Officers and members of the Section.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of South Carolina</span> Head of state and of government of the U.S. state of South Carolina

The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the South Carolina General Assembly, submitting an executive budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association is a fraternal organization founded on July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, Georgia. AHEPA was founded with a focus on Civil rights, particularly to counteract the Ku Klux Klan. It is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Order of the Rainbow for Girls</span> Masonic youth service organization

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a Masonic youth service organization that teaches leadership training through community service. Young women learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand service projects. Historically, the order welcomed girls from age eleven to twenty years old who have a family connection Freemasonry. The organization is now open to all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Railway Union</span> Former trade union of the United States

The American Railway Union (ARU) was briefly among the largest labor unions of its time and one of the first industrial unions in the United States. Launched at a meeting held in Chicago in February 1893, the ARU won an early victory in a strike on the Great Northern Railroad in the summer of 1894. This successful strike was followed by the bitter 1894 Pullman Strike in which government troops and the power of the judiciary were enlisted against the ARU, ending with the jailing of the union's leadership for six months in 1895 and effectively crushing the organization. The group's blacklisted and dispirited remnants finally disbanded the organization via amalgamation into the Social Democracy of America (SDA) at its founding convention in June 1897.

The International Council of Community Churches (ICCC) is a Christian religious association of ecumenically co-operating Protestants and Independent Catholics. Based in Longmout, CO, in the United States, it is the main organization of the Community Church movement. The ICCC is a member of Churches Uniting in Christ, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and the World Council of Churches. In 2010, the ICCC had 148 congregations with 68,300 members. Membership is concentrated primarily in the Midwest. However, there are several congregations in California, New York, and Florida. According to the World Council of Churches, the council has 108,806 members worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen</span> American labor organization

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen was a North American railroad fraternal benefit society and trade union in the 19th and 20th centuries. The organization began in 1873 as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, a mutual benefit society for workers employed as firemen for steam locomotives, before expanding its name in 1907 in acknowledgement that many of its members had been promoted to the job of railroad engineer. Gradually taking on the functions of a trade union over time, in 1969 the B of LF&E merged with three other railway labor organizations to form the United Transportation Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers</span> Trade union for boilermakers and related occupations in the United States of America and Canada

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB) is a trade union in the United States and Canada. It is for boilermakers and related occupations, and is affiliated with both the AFL–CIO and CLC.

The Order of the Amaranth is a Masonic-affiliated organization for Master Masons and their Ladies founded in 1873. As in the Order of the Eastern Star, members of the Order must be age 18 and older; men must be Master Masons; and women must be related to Masons as wives, mothers, daughters, widows, sisters, nieces, aunts, et cetera, or have been active members of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls or Job's Daughters International for more than three years and be recommended by a Master Mason.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Michigan</span> Principles, institutions and law of political governance in the U.S. state of Michigan

The Constitution of the State of Michigan is the governing document of the U.S. state of Michigan. It describes the structure and function of the state's government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lane Hall</span> Building in Maine, U.S.

Lane Hall is a later 20th-century neoclassical building serving as the principal workplace and headquarters of the central administration of Bates College, located at 2 Andrews Road in Lewiston, Maine. It has been the principle administrative headquarters of every Bates president since Thomas Hedley Reynolds in 1964. Lane Hall was named after George Lane Jr., who served as treasurer of the college and secretary of the corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Oklahoma</span> Government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The government of the U.S. State of Oklahoma, established by the Oklahoma Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the federal government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. Through a system of separation of powers or "checks and balances," each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches.

In Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known as Blue Lodge Freemasonry, every Masonic lodge elects or appoints Masonic lodge officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodge's life and work. The precise list of such offices may vary between the jurisdictions of different Grand Lodges, although certain factors are common to all, and others are usual in most.

The Allied Masonic Degrees (AMD) are a series of Masonic degrees conferred by Councils of the Allied Masonic Degrees. The Allied Masonic Degrees form an appendant order of Freemasonry that exists in some Masonic jurisdictions; its degrees are conferred only by invitation. Councils of the Allied Masonic Degrees exist in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, France, Australia, India, Benin and Congo, and their members also educate one another by presenting research papers on Freemasonry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Indiana</span> State government of the United States

The government of Indiana is established and regulated by the Constitution of Indiana. The state-level government consists of three branches: the judicial branch, the legislative branch, and the executive branch. The three branches share power and jointly govern the state of Indiana. County and local governments are also constitutional bodies with limited authority to levy taxes, pass legislation, and create and maintain local public infrastructure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Nevada</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) is the affiliate of the Libertarian Party in the state of Nevada. It is headed by State Chair Charles Melchin.

The Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester Rancheria, formerly named the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester-Point Arena Rancheria, is a federally recognized tribe of Pomo Indians in California. The tribe is a community of Pomo Native Americans who are native to Northern California. The Bokeya society are enrolled in the Manchester Band of Pomo with the approval of their constitution and by-laws in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia</span> American collegiate music fraternity

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (ΦΜΑ) is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "who, through a love for music, can assist in the fulfillment of [its] object and ideals either by adopting music as a profession or by working to advance the cause of music in America." Phi Mu Alpha has initiated more than 260,000 members, known as Sinfonians, and the fraternity currently has over 7,000 active collegiate members in 249 collegiate chapters throughout the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Order of the Dragon</span>

The Military Order of the Dragon was an exclusive fraternal order founded in 1900 by members of the China Relief Expedition, a U.S. military force that participated in the Boxer Rebellion in Imperial China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Barbados</span> Supreme law of Barbados

The Constitution of Barbados is the supreme law under which Barbados is governed. The Constitution provides a legal establishment of the Government of Barbados, as well as legal rights and responsibilities of the public and various other government officers. The Constitution which came into force in 1966 was amended in 1974, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The 1966 document succeeds several other documents concerning administration of Barbados. One of them, the Barbados Charter, is discussed in the present Constitution's Preamble. Prior statutes were created for the administration of Barbados as a colony. As a former English and later British colony, the Constitution is similar to those of other former Commonwealth realms, yet distinctly different in the spirit of the Statute of Westminster.

The Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The mission of the Louisiana State Bar Association is to assist and serve its members in the practice of law, assure access to and aid in the administration of justice, assist the Supreme Court in the regulation of the practice of law, uphold the honor of the courts and the profession, promote the professional competence of attorneys, increase public understanding of and respect for the law, and encourage collegiality among its members.

References

  1. ↑ "Luxembourg Brotherhood of America – Luxembourg Brotherhood of America". www.luxbrotherhood.org. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  2. ↑ "Luxembourgers". www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  3. ↑ "Luxembourg's history: Luxembourgish immigration to Chicago". www.rtl.lu (in Luxembourgish). Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  4. ↑ Yumpu.com. "$150.00 - Luxembourg American Heritage Information Center". yumpu.com. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  5. ↑ "About Schobermesse – Luxembourg Brotherhood of America". www.luxbrotherhood.org. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  6. ↑ "Luxemburger Volksfest – Beten & Bofferding - So lief die "Fouer" in Chicago". L'essentiel (in German). 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  7. ↑ "1948 - Schobermesse". Chicago Tribune. 1948-09-03. p. 27. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  8. ↑ "Zender Rogers Park Ebert's Grove Luxembourg - Newspapers.com". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  9. ↑ Yumpu.com. "Luxemburger Schobermesse - Luxembourg American Heritage ..." yumpu.com. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  10. ↑ "1941 - Schobermesse article - Newspapers.com". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "LBA By-Laws" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Section Pages – Luxembourg Brotherhood of America". www.luxbrotherhood.org. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.