by Herwig Wandschneider

Hans Schaadt, President of the Schwaben Club, announced his retirement from his position effective with the January 2005 General Meeting

Mr. Schaadt, 69, is originally from Bautzen, Germany. He met Susan in Leipzig and moved to Wangen, Allgäu in 1954, the last year he could cross from East to West Germany. He immigrated directly to Kitchener in 1956, returned to Wangen to marry Susan in 1959 and came back to the Kitchener area again in 1960 to settle on a livestock farm, in New Hamburg. He retired from active work only this year.

When he joined the Schwaben Club in 1971, he also joined the Youth Group committee and became their Youth Leader. During his tenure, the dance group performed all over Canada in 1976, and went to Germany in 1978 with their teacher, Guenther Haas.

Mr. Schaadt was elected Vice president in 1988 and President in 1999. What will he do during his retirement years? Says Mr. Schaadt: "I will develop a hobby in the next little while, but first I will be busy helping my son build a big house on our farmland." And then, there is always travel to visit friends in the new Bundesländer, who he has not seen in the last 40 years.

Echo Germanica wishes Mr. Schaadt all the very best for his retirement.

Effective in January, Mr. Dieter Hanke became President and Mr. Guenther Haas Vice President by acclamation.