JOHN G. “HANS” ZOERB (1903-1995). OKTOBERFEST COLLECTION, 1961-1994.  3.4 cubic ft. (one archives box and three record center cartons)

Abstract

John G. “Hans” Zoerb (1903-1995) was a La Crosse, Wis., resident. He was involved with Oktoberfest, a La Crosse annual festival and served as Festmaster in 1969.

This collection of Zoerb contains photographs, newspaper clippings, and other documents relating to Oktoberfest in a collection of 24 scrapbooks. The collection also includes group photos of Festmasters from 1961 – 1994 and other miscellaneous photographs, which are separate from the scrapbooks.

Acc. No. 2005-44
Donated Donated by the La Crosse County Historical Society, May 2005; previously donated to the LCHS through a bequest of the John G. “Hans” Zoerb estate, 1997
Processed by Katie Adams, June 2005

Biography

John G. “Hans” Zoerb was born in 1903 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. When he was three years old, his parents returned to Giessen, Germany, where his father managed the family business. Hans lived there for six years, which is where he completed his first three years of school. After graduating from the University of Illinois, Hans married Isabella Berck on November 7, 1926. Hans was president of La Crosse Floral from 1949 – 1971.

He started collecting Oktoberfest memorabilia when he was Festmaster in 1969. His collection includes photographs, buttons, and steins. Scrapbooks for each year, created by Zoerb, include pictures, newspaper clippings, and other print documents. Zoerb was very active in the community. He attended many parades and activities associated with Oktoberfest well into his 90’s. One of his favorite activities was speaking to groups, especially children, about Oktoberfest’s origins and the celebration that takes place in La Crosse every year.

Scope and Content

Two types of material dominate this collection; namely, photographs and scrapbooks, each group is arranged alphabetically and then by year.

Group photographs of festmasters are divided into folders by year starting with 1961. A clipping file and a miscellaneous photograph folder are also included in the collection.

Scrapbooks contain photographs, newspaper clippings, and other print documents which are separated mainly into one festival year per book. The scrapbooks are divided into three boxes arranged by year starting with 1961.