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A look back at the Salzburgers 200th anniversary
08.21 Echoes
A large crowd gathers at Jerusalem Lutheran Church on Labor Day, 1934, for the 200th anniversary of the Salzburgers’ arrival in Georgia. The crowd was huge because the Synod of the Southeastern Lutheran Churches was also holding a convention in Savannah during this celebration, and the guests attending that event were driven up to Ebenezer to take part in this celebration. The Savannah Morning News articles of that time period asked for volunteers of cars and drivers to transport the guests up from Savannah to Ebenezer. - photo by Photo courtesy of the Georgia Salzburger Society

As the Georgia Salzburger Society prepares to celebrate the 275th anniversary of the landing of the Salzburgers at Ebenezer on Sept. 7, this column will recall the 200th anniversary in 1934 and the pageant depicting the story of the Salzburgers over the next few weeks. You are cordially invited to attend the celebration and events planned for Sept. 7.  

From the Springfield Herald, Aug. 31, 1934:
200th Anniversary Celebration at Ebenezer
“The people of Effingham County are arranging to do themselves proud by staging one of the largest anniversary celebrations in its history on Labor Day. It has been the custom for the past several years for the descendants of the Salzburgers to meet at Ebenezer Church on Labor Day for an annual celebration. This being the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Effingham County, their descendants are planning to celebrate the event this year in a big way.  

The morning session, which will begin at 11 o’clock in the morning, will be taken up with the devotional exercises, an address by the Rev. Marvin Pittman, President of South Georgia Teachers College and after adjournment an old fashioned basket dinner to be served under the ancient moss oaks on the church ground.

The entire afternoon will be given over to a pageant in costume, written especially for this occasion by Rev. C. A. Lynn, PhD, of Savannah in which the episodes portraying the early history of the colony will be given on a large stage erected for that purpose, with about one hundred and fifty people taking part. The pageant will have the assistance of the Fireman’s Band in rendering the program, which promises to be one of the most gorgeous spectacles ever undertaken here. Everyone is cordially invited to attend the celebration. A large number of out of County visitors are expected and all who possibly can are asked to bring well filled baskets to aid in entertaining the guests.”

From the Springfield Herald, Sept. 7, 1934:
Salzburger Celebration a Big Success
“The two hundredth anniversary of the Salzburgers at Ebenezer September 3rd exceeded any gathering Effingham County has ever had. The cars were counted and over 800 cars and buses were present. Estimated that there was an average of 5 passengers to the car, would make the number present approximately 4000. The pageant was perfect and fully represented the Salzburgers’ toils as well as their iron wills. Everything was a success.”

To be continued next week...
Photos provided by the Georgia Salzburger Society.  This article was compiled by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society.  If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or email: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org