Waterbury German American
​History, Ethnicity, Culture, Resources,
Faith, Opportunities, Leadership,
​Contributions, and Influence

German Mayors for the Day

There are no known German-American Mayors for the Day in Waterbury.

German Cultural Influence

Despite being one of the lowest populous ethnic groups in Waterbury, a few local businesses have managed to attract a large number of German-Americans to venture from their nearby foreign towns, most notably Woodbury, to the Brass City.  Perhaps the most prominent example of that is Drescher's Restaurant.

The first-known cultural mention of German-Americans in Waterbury dates back to 1888, when a play was performed - in the German language, with primarily German-American actors.  The play was "The Pearl of Savoy", and the actors included people of surnames: Drescher, Fisher, Kelser, Kleiners, Hardener, Miller, Schmidt, and others.

German-American
​Owned Businesses in Waterbury

Drescher's Restaurant is a great example of a German-American establishment, and it has been a destination since before 1946.  The restaurant was located at 16-18 Harrison Avenue, or 14 Harrison Avenue (although the restaurant did not oscillate from on address to the other, the advertised address did). 

Although the restaurant didn't move, the address changed to 25 Leavenworth Street.  The restaurant closed for business on October 29th, 2021.

Drescher's Restaurant is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places.

German-American Clubs, Associations, and Other Organizations

• German League
  • ​President - Frank Kerner, 1934​​
• ​Concordia Singing Society (thought to be a German-American organization)
  • ​Management, 1888
    • ​President - Daniel Keifer
    • First Vice-President - John Kunkel
    • Second Vice-President - Henry Ahl
    • Corresponding Secretary - Louis Horn
    • Recording Secretary - Otto Kelmart
    • Financial Secretary - Alfred Drescher
    • Treasurer, O. Houser.
• The Waterbury Turn Verein
  • President - William Hubers
  • Vice-President - A. Hollman
  • Corresponding Secretary - FredSchliff
  • Recording Secretary - Philip Densel
  • Financial Secretary - Emil Florlng
  • First Turnwart - O. Buck
  • Second Turnwart - J. Hahn
  • First Steward - Charles Loefner
  • Second Steward - A. King.
• ​There are currently no German-American cultural clubs nor associations in Waterbury.

Famous German-Americans Who Were Born in Waterbury

There is not available information on this topic at this time.

German-American Neighborhoods

• Waterville
  
  • ​since around the 1880s
    
• Currently, there are no neighborhoods in Waterbury which are reputed to have a high German-American population nor culture.

Resources for Waterbury's German Americans

More information is needed on this topic.​

German-American
​Faith and Religion

• The First Lutheran Church, founded circa 1890
  
  • ​88 Cooke Street (originally)
    
  • became Zion Lutheran Church, 2015
    
• The First Lutheran Church Sanctuary, founded in 1951
  
• No additional information is currently available on this topic.

Calendars​ and Events

• Cabaret and Dance, December 27th, 1934

Waterbury's German-American Community, Civic, and Cultural Leaders and Influencers

In 1944, Alfred Drescher, a play actor, was described as being a "restaurant tycoon".

Waterbury's German-American News Archive

There are no items for the German-American news archive at this time.  Note: this archive is solely for the purpose of housing past news of the German-American culture and influence of and in Waterbury.  This archive is not, for instance, a place for German news.

All of the greatest architectural and ambiance features of Drescher's Restaurant, shown here on Harrison Avenue, are still prominent today, after 90 years of welcoming greater Waterbury's German-Americans and those who wish to enjoy a glimpse of the German culinary dishes.  [Harrison Avenue was later changed to Leavenworth Street.

Waterbury's German-American Population and Demography

• 2.9% of the residents of Waterbury indicate Germany as their place of ancestry.
• Fewer than 0.1% of the residents of Waterbury indicate that they speak, primarily, German.