DANK Haus 90th Birthday Party

The DANK Haus is happily celebrating our building’s 90th anniversary. Built in 1927, we treasure the historical structure that provides a home to the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center. The 6-Floor building was designed by Architect Paul Gerhardt Sr. (1863-1951). The structure was originally built for the Three Links Association, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in 1967, it became a home for German Chicago.

Paul Gerhardt, the architect of the DANK Haus and German native, was born in the town of Dobeln in what was then the Kingdom of Saxony and today a part of Germany. He came to the United States upon the request of the German Textile Corporation to design spinning mills. Early in his career and shortly after arriving in the United States, Gerhardt also designed hotels and restaurants for German clientele, including an earlier Bismarck Hotel and the Rienzi restaurant in Chicago. He then was chosen as the Cook County Architect where he designed the Cook County Hospital and the building still remains today on Chicago’s Near West Side along W. Harrison St. He was then hired as the supervising architect for the Chicago Board of Education and designed numerous schools. In the midst of all of his accomplishments, Paul Gerhardt designed the building that we all cherish, the DANK Haus.

Come and celebrate with the DANK Haus on November 4, 2017, 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM this beautiful building’s 90th anniversary. We are combining this year’s Annual Meeting with a birthday party celebrating an impressive 90 years of enticing history of the DANK Haus.

In addition to photographic installations of the buildings’ past, there will be several keynote speakers, including Terry Tatum, who will share his knowledge about the building’s architect Paul Gerhardt and Chicago architecture and Tim Wittman who will discuss architecture from the 1920s and 1930s.. Afterwards, we will raise a glass of champagne and enjoy a scrumptious piece of birthday cake. If you love our Haus, you do not want to miss this!

Free admission, snacks and drinks available for purchase.