By Ricky Rieckert
Part 2 of 3
Dear readers,
As we return this week with part 2, I hope everyone enjoyed the article last week and the newspaper. There were a lot of good stories and pictures throughout the paper.
Let’s start. In part 1, the Luxembourg Club, on High Street, organized in 1890, was a fraternal organized club. It was one of the many social clubs to organize in Aurora.
The Aurora Turners (a.k.a. Turnverein Frisch – Auf) was organized in 1858, and was of German descent, and are fraternal with the American Turners.
I am a life member in both the Luxembourg Club and the Aurora Turners.
In Aurora, there were other nationalities’ social clubs such as the Italian American Club, the Irish Club, The Romanian Club ( a.k.a. Casa Romana), the Aurora Kickers (now the Fox Valley Kickers), which was formed by German and Hungarian descendants.
None of the above four were fraternal organized, but were formed in the City of Lights, our great town of Aurora.
All of these social clubs were built for their nationalities to meet socially with family and friends, to stay in touch with their heritage, while being citizens of the United States of America.
Most of them were from Europe, and were U.S. soldiers drafted into the service and fought in World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
Speaking of service men and women, I can’t forget the veterans’ fraternal organizational clubs in Aurora: The V. F. W., American Legion, and AMVETS. All the men and woman who fought to protect our country, keeping us free, and from harm’s way. We thank each and everyone of you for your bravery, to protect us.
Back to the Luxembourg Club. The Luxie’s, as a fraternal, paid per capita, slang (sin tax) to The Brotherhood every year in the amount of $1, for each active member, which was used for life insurance, should a member pass away.
This insurance was overly used by the older, original members passing away. By the 1940s, my belief is, they exhausted that fund. Old age took its toll.
I then believe, without that benefit, Aurora Luxie’s felt they had no need to belong to the Brotherhood anymore, because they were self-sufficient enough with their club house.
End of part 2
A preview of next week: Luxie’s almost closes and is brought back to the club we know today.
Have a great week!