History of the GACC

During the decade following World War I, the leadership of numerous German Societies existing in the Detroit area recognized the need to preserve the culture and traditions of their homeland. Groups such as German American Press Club, United Singers of Detroit and the Arbeiter Verein built the first Deutsches Haus in 1928, located on the corner of Mack and Maxwell. During the prohibition era, newspaper stories of the time guessed that it may have operated as a blind pig; during one state police raid, Detroit Mayor John Smith, Congressman Robert Clancy and Sheriff Edward Stein were some of those arrested. The building was lost during the Depression years, and as World War II started, active German groups became almost nonexistent.

In 1946, under the sponsorship of the Detroiter Abendpost, the Michigan Relief for Germans in Europe was formed, becoming affiliated with the American Friends Service Committee, the official organization designated by the United States Government to channel food, clothing and financial relief to the devastated German areas in Europe. One quarter of a million dollars, food and clothing was sent to the war-ravished country to alleviate the suffering of needy and homeless people. The Michigan Relief for Germans in Europe was formally dissolved in 1950.One of the profound and lasting benefits of that great war-relief effort was the impetus on the part of the leaders of the German Societies in Detroit to promote and continue their culture and traditions. In 1950, a small group organized the German American Club, the actual forerunner of our German American Cultural Center. The first organizational meeting of the German American Club was May 15, 1950. Fourteen representatives from the German Societies were present. An appeal was made through radio and Detroiter Abendpost for all Germans to join. By June 19, 1950 a total of 83 members were present. By September the organization grew to 253 members.