A HISTORY OF G.T.E.V. D'LUSTIGEN ISARTALER OF PITTSBURGH

G.T.E.V. D'Lustigen Isartaler Bavarian Club of Pittsburgh traces its origin to St. Anthony's Church, located in the small borough of Millvale, with the choir members making up the original dance group. St. Anthony's Church was founded in 1876 as a German Catholic Church and School in the Diocese of Allegheny (Pittsburgh).  In 1907, the city of Allegheny became annexed to the city of Pittsburgh, and so the the Diocese of Allegheny City was combined into the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  When the Germans settled in Millvale, the local Catholic church was of Irish descent and the German parishioners wanted their own parish to have their school children be taught in German and their Masses and other services be conducted in the German language.  So in 1876 they petitioned the bishop and was granted permission to found their own parish in honor of St. Anthony. 

The club's founder and original dance director was James Falcioni who was then organist and choir director at St. Anthony's. When the idea of forming a musical ethnic group was presented to Father Sylvester Fusan, C.S.Sp. by the parish choir, under the leadership of Jim, and a group of several parishioners, Father Fusan was not only enthusiastic, but very supportive of this endeavor.  Jim's first efforts to form a folk dance group to represent Germany at the 1973 Folk Festival were begun in the early fall of 1972. The practices were held in the church hall and with so many of the dancers also belonging to the choir, it was not long before Jim had incorporated singing into the program. Orignial members who are still living are still active today!

Jim was the General Chairman of the 1973 Folk Festival committee and he organized the booth construction, display coordination, food preparation, and dance instruction. He was fortunate in obtaining the help of many of the dancers and others as well. It was primarily due to his determination and hard work that the German nationality once again returned to the Folk Festival stage. Since that time, the German nationality has been represented at the Pittsburgh Folk Festival by our club.

From these beginnings in 1972, the original German dance group has grown into a German heritage organization and in 1975 took the official title of Deutsche Lieder und Tanz. The group progressed from folk dancing beginners in homemade clothing to one presently outfitted in authentic Bavarian Tracht purchased from a Trachten house in Munich.

One of the most traumatic events in the history of Deutsche Lieder und Tanz occurred in the early part of 1976. A peculiar turn of events found the organization having to leave its headquarters at St. Anthony's Church. With Father Fusan's sudden death in the summer of 1975, the new administration of the parish was not as supportive.  It was time for this young, but fast growing organization to leave from under the wing of the Church and to go out on its own and seek a new facility for its dance rehearsals and affairs. Jim Mueller, the then President of the organization, led the group through this most difficult time. Through his untiring energy and spirit of determination, the group was able to weather this storm and begin a new era in the location of the upper hall of the Franz Abt Liederkranz Hall, Sedgwick Street, Millvale. This German club was built in 1865 as headquarters for a German singing Verein. The officers of the club in 1976 offered the Deutsche Lieder und Tanz the use of their hall. The organization accepted and immediately set about renovating the hall and making it ready for use. To celebrate the new home, the membership of Deutsche Lieder und Tanz voted to hold a Spring Festival in honor of the massive restoration job which had just been completed. Under the leadership of Joe Mueller, the job was completed and the festival was held as planned. Since that time, Deutsche Lieder und Tanz has held a Spring festival each year to commemorate the finding of their new home. There also has been an Oktoberfest dance each year.

In January, 1983, by unanimous vote of the membership, the name of Deutsche Lieder und Tanz Gruppe officially became G.T.V. D'Lustigen Isartaler, Inc. in keeping with standards of the Trachten movement. The name was chosen as identifica­tion with a group in Munich, Germany of the same name.

Application for membership in the Gauverband Nordamerika, Inc. was made in June, 1983. During the weekend of July 4, 1983, the 9th biannual meeting of the Gau was held in Cleveland, Ohio. It was the first Gaufest attended by approximately 30 members of G.T.V. D'Lustigen Isartaler, with 8 couples performing an Ehrentanz. In February 2002, also by a unamimous vote of the membership, the organization added the word “Erhaltungs” to the organization's name, to make it G.T.E.V. D’Lustigen Isartaler, Inc.  Erhaltungs means preservation, and it was strongly felt by the leadership that we wished to preserve and uphold the importance of Tracht, in accordance with the Trachtenbewegung (Tracht movement) in Bayern (Bavaria) and wanted our club name to bear those sentiments.

 Treu dem guten alten Brauch - True to the good old traditions!