STATE DATA

Abbreviation: IL

Nickname: Land of Lincoln/ The Prairie State - However “some people” also call it “The Hecker State” …

Capital: Springfield

Official language: English

State Motto: State sovereignty, national union

Admitted to Union: December 3^rd 1818 as the 21^st state

Population: about 12.801.000

German-Americans: more than 2.669.000 - about 20% - Biggest ethnic Group in Illinois!

THE STAR IN THE BANNER

REGIONAL-PARTNER

Regional German-American institutions

- American Aid Society of German Descendants, Lake Villa and Chicago

- Berliner Bären, Prospect IL

- Brandenburger Schutzen Verein of Chicago, Chicago
- Burgenländische Gemeinschaft, Evergreen Park

- DANK = Deutsch Amerikanischer Nationalkongress = German American National Congress, Chicago

- DANK Fox Valley Chapter, Batavia

- DANK Gruppe Süd, Mokena

- DANK Group West, Elmhurst

- Donauschwaben Society, Chicago

- Elgin Turners, Elgin

- German-American Children's Chorus of Chicago, Chicago

- GAPA = German American Police Association, Chicago

- German-American Central Society, Peoria

- German-American Family Club of Illinois and Iowa, East Moline

- German American Society of Rockford, Rockford

- Gruen Weiss S.C. Donauschwaben, Des Plaines

- Heimat- und Trachtenverein Edelweiss, Chicago

- Österreichischer Gemischter Chor, Chicago

- Rheinischer Verein von Chicago (mit Fanfaren Corps von Chicago), Chicago

- Rosenegger-Steirer Club, Oak Lawn

- Schwaben A.C. (Sportsclub), Kildeer

- Schwaben Verein, Wheaton

- Steuben Society of America, Chicago

- The Niedersachsen Club, Chicago

- The Hecker Camp (Civil War re-enactment), Shiloh, IL - www.heckercamp443.us

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German fests/events

- Steuben Parade, Chicago - (Steuben Day is the third Saturday in September)

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German Restaurants

- Bavaria Hof, Schaumburg

- Bayern Stube, Gibson City

- Bohemian Garden, Downers Grove

- Chef Klaus’ Bierstube, Frankfort

- Chicago Brauhaus, Chicago

- Der Rathskeller, Rockford

- Dreamland Palace German Restaurant, Waterloo

- Edelweiss German American Restaurant, Chicago

- Laschet’s Inn, Chicago

- Peoria Hofbräu, Peoria

- Roemertopf German Restaurant, Mascoutah

- Schnitzel Platz, Glendale Heights

- The Bavarian Lodge, Lisle

- The Berghoff Restaurant, Chicago

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Stores specialized on German goods

- Family Euro Deli, Lombard

- Koenemann Sausage, Volo

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Towns with German Background

- Belleville

- Hecker

- Paderborn

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Additional information

- Friedrich Hecker lived in Belleville Illinois. He founded the 24th Illinois Infantry Regiment.

- There is a “Hecker Camp”-reenactmentgroup in Shiloh, IL - www.heckercamp443.us

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Literature about Germans here

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Additional state Symbols

State bird: Northern cardinal

State Reptile: Painted turtle

State Flower: Violet

State snack food: Popcorn

State Tree: White oak

State Amphibian: Eastern tiger salamander

State Fruit: Gold rush apple

State Fish: Bluegil

State Mammal: White tailed deer