In the fall of 1930 a small group of Bavarian immigrants gathered to form a new club and foster Bavarian traditions in their new homeland. This dream soon became a reality at the restaurant Steirer Seppl on 14th Street in Newark, New Jersey, with the creation of Bayern Verein Newark (BVN) and the installation of Ludwig Leitzenberger as BVN's first president.
Schuhplattler Group Forms, 1931 Interest in BVN quickly grew throughout northern New Jersey. This interest in turn led to forming a Schuhplattler group on August 28, 1931, under the direction of Vorplattlers Karl Kaiser and Karl Poschner. However, it was under the direction of George Moosbauer in 1933 that the dance group came into full swing. For it was George who introduced the Verein to many of the old dances that have been danced in Bavaria some for several hundred years such as the "Bandltanz," which is still taught to our dancers today.
On February 26, 1932, a "Zitherabteilung" was formed and brought more enjoyment to our members as well as to the community. Soon after the establishment of BVN, Liberty Hall became the first home of our growing club. It was during this time that a friendship developed with GTEV Weiß-Blau New York which soon became our Patenverein. On June 27, 1932, BVN held its first Bayern Tag at Montgomery Park. This day was especially noteworthy since the Bavarian government presented BVN with a Fahnenband to commemorate the formation of our Verein.
As the following year drew to a close, Liberty Hall became too small for BVN as its festivals became well known and eagerly anticipated in northern New Jersey. The group moved to Labor Lyceum on April 11, 1934, under George Feicht as president. That same year, Ali Richter was elected president, and during the years that followed, the club grew and prospered. Around this time, BVN formed lasting friendships with Bavarian clubs from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. These friendships still exist today.
