Overview: Our 20 Special Interest Groups (2/2)

Join now and become involved

Our twenty groups cover a wide range of activities. To register your interest in any of the activities listed below, please ring our Office on 8223 2539 or send an email.

11.

Fencing Group (Fechtgruppe)

12.

German Descendants Group (Deutsche Nachkommensgruppe)

13.

German Folkdance Circle (Deutscher Volkstanzkreis)

14.

German Folksong Choir (Deutscher Volksliederchor)

15.

Ladies Gymnastic Group (Damengymnastikgruppe)

16.

Philatelic Group (Briefmarkengruppe)

17.

Seniors Group (Seniorengruppe)

18.

Shooting Group "Falkenauge" (Schützengruppe Falkenauge)

19.

Table Tennis Group (Tischtennisgruppe)

20.

Tennis Group (Tennisgruppe)

Group leader

Mr Fred Piep

Contact

Ph. (08) 8337 5036

Vice group leader

Mr Brian Grossmann

Contact

Ph. (08) 8356 6062

Web

www.geocities.com/westdistfencing/

Practice

Thursdays at 7pm

Location

Club house, Adolph Leschen Gymnasium

The modern Olympic sport of fencing can be enjoyed by both sexes and all ages. If you want to improve your coordination, balance, flexibility, reactions and mental agility while also enjoying the challenge of combat, fencing is for you. It really is a fun way to gain both anaerobic and aerobic fitness.

Group leader

Mr Max Otto

Contact

Ph. (08) 8431 4028

Meetings

First Sunday of each month at 5.30pm

Location

Club house

From 1838 large numbers of German speaking people settled in South Australia. These pioneer settlers and their descendants have made a significant contribution to the development of South Australia. As a result of two world wars and the feelings these generated, much of this important history has been blurred. A small group of German descendants met on September 10th 1980 to establish a German Descendants' Group within the SAADV.

The objectives of the group are: to contribute to and foster the culture and traditions of our forebears who came from Germany; to be concerned with the preservation of German history and heritage in South Australia. The group therefore is active in ensuring that in Museums, histories and exhibitions the German contribution is not overlooked for the reasons mentioned above. The group also runs an Annual Historical Bus Tour to centres of German settlement throughout the state. Finally the group sees it as its task to foster and keep alive the long traditions of the German Association. We welcome anyone who has an interest in the German history of South Australia.

Group leader

Mrs Elke Supple

Contact

Ph. 04 0519 4840

Web

www.cs.adelaide.edu.au/users/josephk/SAGFD

Meetings

Sunday's 4pm—6pm

Location

1st Sunday of each month: German Club, Adolph Leschen Gymnasium. Other Sunday's: Donauschwaben Club, 29 Bower St. Woodville

What's coming up? We're an exciting group always on the move.
Here is just a highlight of some things we're up to:

The 'Deutscher Volkstanzkreis' is proud to be hosting the first Adelaide International Folk Festival in 2008. The Festival will be held in the Adelaide parklands over two days incorporating overseas and local performers – Folk dancers, Bands and more. The festival will display food and culture from several different ethnic groups, making this one of the largest international multicultural festivals. More details can be found on the Festival website hitting the net soon.

What do we offer new members?

Group leader

Dr Jane Boroky

Contact

Ph. 04 1427 2926

Practice

Wednesdays at 7.45pm

Location

Club house, Carl Linger Hall

Group leader

Mrs Christel Piep

Contact

Ph. (08) 8337 5036

Practice

Mondays at 8pm, Wednesdays at 11am

Location

Club house, Adolph Leschen Gymnasium

It all started in 1965 with a few ladies getting together to keep fit. The group became so popular that it had seventy members in the 1980s who enjoyed healthy exercise, a bit of yoga and aerobics, all to stimulating music. The first group leader was Mrs. Bihar, followed 1966 by Mrs. Ebel who acted in her position with love and dedication, and later on by Mrs. Piep. Of course we must not forget to mention the demonstrators who keep everybody "on their toes".

Group leader

Mr Werner Pohl

Contact

Ph. (08) 8260 2251

Meetings

Second and fourth Monday of each month at 7.45pm

Location

Club house, Wolf Blass Weinkeller

Are you interested in stamp collecting and would like to meet others who share your interest? Are you a beginner and would like some ideas on how to get started in this interesting hobby? If so, you might like to come along and join us. You will have the opportunity to make new friends with similar interests, exchange information and ideas, trade stamps with other collectors throughout Australia via our Circuit Books, which provide an opportunity for collectors across the country to buy and sell stamps and associated items with ease and security, and – last but not least – bid for stamps etc. to add to your own collection at our in-house auctions.

Founded in 1965, Werner Pohl was its first group leader and is leading the group again now. There have been other group leaders in the meantime and they all have faithfully carried out the original programme of the foundation committee. There are collectors specialising in German material but other countries, in particular Australia, are collected, too. A highlight every year is the Christmas Party for members, their families and friends which traditionally is not only a time of meeting and talking but also continuing the more serious tradition of Christmas. For the 100-year celebration of the SA German Association the group organised a tremendous exhibition, auction and sale of philatelic items of interest.

Group leader

Mrs Herta Trivanovic

Contact

Ph. (08) 8337 3137

Meetings

Tuesdays at 1pm:
first and third Tuesday of each month "Teppich-Kegeln",
second and fourth Tuesday of each month "Bingo and games",
on a fifth Tuesday of each month "Specialties"

Location

Club house, Carl Linger Hall

This group was the first ever for older members in any of the German Clubs in Australia. It was started in 1970 by Mrs. Brunnthaler and Mr. Lange. The group brings a lot of fun to its members and there are so many willing helpers that it is hard to count them all. With 150 members in the 1980s it was the largest group within the SA German Association. Although many members have passed on, others are joining all the time and keeping up the tradition.

Group leader

Mr Trevor Dennert

Contact

Ph. (08) 8395 5378

Practice

Tuesdays at 7.30pm

Location

Club house, Adolph Leschen Gymnasium

Shooting is one of the few sports that has been represented at every modern Olympic Games. Air Rifle shooting had an enormous response at the first World Air Weapons Championships in Seoul, South Korea. Ten thousand spectators watched this event in the mid 1970s, and this has ensured that a separate Air Weapons competition is now a regular feature of the International Shooting Calendar. The Brisbane Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles Olympics have established Air Rifle as a major World Sport.

Shooting clubs were established in Europe soon after the development of guns in the 14th Century. This long tradition was curtailed after World War II when the Allies prohibited the use of firearms in Germany.

Many Germans turned to air weapons in order to continue their centuries-old 'King Shoot' and hunting traditions, and this new form of shooting was quickly developed and taken up world-wide.

The first Air Rifle club was established in Australia in Adelaide in 1964 by German and Austrian immigrants. By 1969 there were at least eight German Clubs with groups of Air Rifle enthusiasts. The first Australian Air Rifle Championship was conducted in 1970, with about 70 shooters representing seven clubs.

From a general meeting, the first Committee was elected and the Air Rifle Association of Australia (ARAA) was born.

There are currently 29 clubs affiliated with the ARAA. Although many of these have connections with German or Austrian Clubs, membership is open to all and comprises more than half non-German shooters.

Fees vary from club to club, and most groups charge an annual fee for ammunition, targets etc. Club rifles are usually available for members' use. ARAA membership and insurance is around AU$ 20. Basic membership and club equipment usage will cost less than AU$ 100 a year. As proficiency and interest increase, personal gear such as boots, gloves, jackets and rifles can usually be bought second-hand.

Group leader

Mr Sef v. d. Nieuwelaar

Contact

Ph. (08) 8356 1436

Meetings

Mondays 6.30pm—9.30pm

Location

Club house, Adolph Leschen Gymnasium

Our Table tennis group has been part of the SAADV since 1960. We have approximately 20 loyal members, ranging from teenagers through to veterans and from beginners through to members ranked in Australia's top 100. We practise in the Adolph Leschen Gymnasium on four tables, generally followed by a few drinks in the bar down stairs. Our group is associated with Table Tennis SA and a number of our members compete in their winter pennant competitions. We also organise quite a few social activities with our annual BBQ, exchanges with other clubs and our Christmas dinners being the highlights of the year. All Table tennis enthusiasts, whether beginner or "pro", are invited to come and see us for a trial.