Also: Honouring the Founders of the German Canadian Heritage Plaza

In 1986, hundreds of members of our German-speaking community in BC came together — as companies, churches, clubs, schools, and individual families — to fund and build the German Canadian Heritage Plaza (Deutscher Platz) at the 29th Avenue SkyTrain station, as part of Expo ’86’s BC Parkway gardens.

Over the past several years, the bronze donor plaques and the plaza’s front sign have been stolen or vandalized. What’s left today is largely bare boards. Before this list disappears from living memory entirely, we want to publish it here — so that everyone who gave, whether $20 or a corporate sponsorship, is remembered and thanked. If your family name is on this list, or you recognize someone who should be, please share, comment, or reach out — we would love to hear your memories of the plaza’s opening in 1986.

Danke schön to every single one of you. Your generosity built something that brought our community together for decades.

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Benefactors

• Vancouver Alpen Club Deutsches Haus, Vancouver, B.C.
• German Canadian Business & Professional Association of British Columbia

Sponsors (Organizations & Businesses)

• Edelweiss Credit Union, Vancouver, B.C.
• Ebco Industries Ltd. — Helmut Eppich, Hugo Eppich, Richmond, B.C.
• Club Berlin, German Canadian Cultural Society, Vancouver, B.C.
• Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
• Heilige Familie Gemeinde, R.C. Church, Vancouver, B.C.
• Kempe West Enterprises Ltd. — Frieder Kempe
• Dr. R. & L. Eckstein, West Germany; Munich Festhaus Expo 86 – Fam. Reiss, Muenchen
• Association of German Language Schools in B.C. (North Shore School, Surrey School, Christian School Vancouver, Victoria School, Church of God Kelowna, Church of God Chilliwack)
• Family Hoing — Werner & Helga, Sonja & Markus, White Rock, B.C.
• Friends of the German-Canadian Sports Team “DSB Sportabzeichen,” Vancouver, B.C.
• German Canadian Benevolent Society of B.C.

Donors

• Prospera Credit Union (2003)

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The Parkway Committee (June 1986)

The German-Canadian Congress, as organizer of the German-Canadian Heritage Plaza, was greatly indebted to those who contributed to this project, part of the B.C. Parkway Development along the SkyTrain route. Special recognition to the members of the Parkway Committee:

Chairman H. J. Riepl · Landscape Architect G. Edel · Project Manager E. Kobilke · R. Aulinger · R. Berndt · H. Brumm · Rev. A. Gerber · W. Hoehne · A. Hoyer · E. Koch · E. & U. Neubert · A. Schoebel · H. Starck

Individual & Family Donors

Dr. R. & L. Eckstein / Munich Festhaus plaque:
H. & A. Flustet · O. & K. Klein · S. & A. Rashed · V. & G. Sandvoss · L. & W. Edel · R. & G. Linsenmeier · Dr. K. & A. Denk

Donors plaque:
H. Pelmter · H. Kessler · M. Kessler · Dr. E. & E. C. Heinrichs · C. Mueller · H. Stapelmann · A. Dreher · M. Steingraf · C. Koch · L. Werner · W. Werner · E. Rieve · L. Rieve · O. Rieve · I. Lincke · W. Lincke · V. & M. Fuchs · Consul General F. Ziegler · W. & E. Schoth · M. Schwarz · V. Miller · E. C. R. Noorgaard · G. & E. Donicht · C. Cameron · G. Stelter · L. Stelter · D. & U. Klaue

Kempe West Enterprises plaque:
H. & G. Stuhlmueller · J. Buerschgens · D. & A. & J. Koehler · H. & E. Lincke · R. & E. Rollke · H. & R. Henning · H. Steinbach · H. Winter (in memory) · G. & H. Lange · R. & I. Bruegge · P. & M. Dacher · Uwe Meyer · H. & H. Ninke · E. M. Mayer · G. Viebig · J. Weber · M. Von Niessen · I. Webb · R. Wechsler · A. Richter · A. & S. Sulzberger · E. & M. Bockersen · Maria Rapp · T. Blockberger · K. & K. Nadler · R. & C. Gelardon

Donors plaque:
O. & B. Roehlig · G. & H. Kelch · C. Kuehne K.G., Hamburg · Brinkhaus Jewellers · Matthiessen Wine & Spirits · R. Mueller · S. Kesk · E. Kesk · M. Lachmann · E. Kobilke (on behalf of Trans Canada Alliance of German Canadians, B.C. Branch) · C. H. Hamann · A. E. Jungbauer · R. Reinebeck · M. G. V. Lyra · H. & J. Rueger · G. & J. Janker · H. Krawelitzki · Ruth Berndt (in memory of) · S. Herwig · C. A. S. Sandvoss · Uwe Meyer · Grimm’s Finest Sausage · U. & B. Hoffmeister
…and numerous other donors

Friends of the German-Canadian Sports Team plaque:
H. Schwang Ins. Agy. Ltd. · R. & D. Schwang · O. & E. Bolzner · S. Bolzner · J. Bolzner · A. & H. Opp · H. & L. Bayer · F. Kuehne · E. Koch · W. & M. Heussner · E. Korber · H. Volkenant · K. Maurer · U. Prade · E. Gesang · B. & U. Ernsting · M. & I. Hammerl · E. & U. Neubert · O. Neubert · Dr. W. Otto · Dr. R. J. Reichert · H. Fliessbach · J. Beissner · Dr. J. Scholtze
…and numerous other donors

Donors plaque:
H. Goedicke · V. Goedicke · M. Rose · F. Rose · H. Wiedemann · E. J. & S. Priebe · M. L. Priebe · K. H. Priebe · C. F. H. Brumm · K. & J. Siedmann · B. Baumgartel · A. & R. Berndt · E. Schult · O. Koppe · C. & G. Wagner · H. & E. Juraschek · M. Feddersen · B. W. Von Spindler · E. & F. Schweneke · B. Drescher · A. H. Urban · L. Neweling · A. Dussa · G. & E. Schneider · Pacific Ridge Ent.

Donors plaque:
A. R. Hermann · G. Wettig · E. Mayer · H. Ziesmer · W. & K. Stubbs · E. & U. Stojan · O. W. Juppe · S. Bergen · A. Riedlinger · H. Cichon · F. H. Cichon · W. Brueckel · A. Schaaf · W. Kessler · J. Wiesmeier · A. Watts · E. Wittenberg · A. Tirshman · R. Marks · H. J. Riepl · D. Neumann · W. & K. Littau · E. Simon · S. Lippelt · W. & L. Lewark · W. & M. Foth · L. Schneider (in memory)

German Canadian Benevolent Society of B.C. plaque:
K. Becker · M. Harbeck · H. Schattner · I. Cordua-Von Specht · W. Berg · F. Klein · W. Mate · E. Maurer · Aloisia Baumgartner · Club Erika · S. Oberle · W. Schneider · H. Wilke
…and numerous other donors

Donors plaque:
E. & I. Griep · E. Petzel · G. & L. Cienciala · J. & C. Timm · Aloisia Baumgartner · W. Wanka · F. Schmidt · K. Schmidt · F. & U. Kaiser · K. G. Naerrische Garde · E. Thoews · H. & E. Gehn · K. & T. Hellmich · Club Erika · P. Janzen · O. Jurock · E. Oser · K. & I. Heigold · Dr. H. & B. Harnisch · E. Szameit · G. & H. Will · G. Scheunemann · K. Scheunemann · G. Tutz · O. & E. Klein · W. & I. Degemann

The Handover Plaque (1986–2017)

When the plaza passed into the care of the Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation, a final bronze plaque was placed to mark the transition — honouring the founding patron and the volunteers who kept the plaza alive for three decades:

German Canadian Heritage Plaza — Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation Hon. Grace M. McCarthy, O.C., O.B.C. · Guenter Edel, Landscape Architect

Long Time Volunteers: Ursula & Eugen Neubert · Ursula & Bernhard Ernsting · Inge Webb · Marlies Schulz & Wolfgang Schittenhelm · Hildegard & Richard Nast · Brunhilde & Erich Brodersen · Karl Schindler & The Edelweiss Musikanten

Beatrice Schreiber, Chair, & the Board of Directors

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If you or your family are named here, or you have photos, stories, or memories of the plaza’s June 1986 opening, please comment below or send us a message. We’re working to preserve this history and would love your help.

DeutscherPlatz #GermanCanadianHeritage #Vancouver #BCParkway #Expo86

The two pictures on the outside are the “Deutscher Platz” Committee members in Christmas of 2017, enjoying a delicious meal together in the “Deutsches Haus Restaurant”. The picture in the middle is the handover ceremony, when the Vancouver Parks Board took over and everyone met at the Vancouver Alpen Club and drank champagne.

TAGS: DeutscherPlatz #GermanCanadianHeritage #Vancouver #BCParkway #Expo86 #VancouverHistory

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