Our club was founded on October 5, 1923 by a small group of immigrants from Bavaria and the Tyrolean region of Austria. Most of these members loved to sing, yodel and play the zither. Thus, at its inception the club was named the "Tirolean Zither And Jodelklub". Word spread rapidly throughout the Los Angeles area about this active group of Germans, and as a result, it was not long before we had a sizable membership. Equipped now with a strong contingent of singers and dancers, both the club and its popularity prospered.
On January 9, 1931 the club was renamed and incorporated in the State of California as the "TIROLER UND BAYERN ZITHER CLUB, INC." Since that time forward it has conducted business and is well known by its official name, although it is more commonly known affectionately as the "BAYERN CLUB".
During World War II all club activities were forbidden and a loyalty oath was required of our members. Like other German clubs, our club suffered extreme hardship and the loss of much of its membership. After the war in the late 1940's, the remaining members have shown that their spirit had not suffered and with fresh enthusiasm they went to work to bring back and uphold the traditions and customs of their motherland. Picnics and dances were held at Hindenburg Park and the Rodger Young Auditorium.
In 1955 we were finally able to buy a lot in Los Angeles. A Surplus movie sound studio was purchased from Paramount Studios and moved to our lot at 5701 Western Ave. The members pitched in and reassembled the studio, replaced the roof, added alpine fixtures and paintings, and transformed the building into a beautiful Bavarian Clubhouse. The grand opening of our new "Bavarian Haus" was celebrated on Sunday, September 23rd, 1956.
On Halloween evening, October 31, 1958, a fire swept through our beloved Bavarian Haus, destroying it and all our personal property including the club flag. But the spirit was still alive in the hearts of our members. They began immediately rebuilding the clubhouse and on March 8, 1959, four months and one week after the fire, the first business meeting was held in the newly rebuilt hall.
Due to slow deterioration of the neighborhood, in 1959 the clubhouse was sold with hopes of establishing a new Bavarian Haus that would be larger and more modern. For slightly over seven years, we were without a hall we could call our own. However the members were not idle during that time. A Waldfest or picnic was always held in Saxonia Park and a Bockbierfest and an Octoberfest at the Machinist Hall in Burbank. The picnics at Saxonia Park usually drew a crowd in excess of two thousand people. During this period, when we were without a clubhouse, our Schuhplattlers performed for a number of organizations, e.g. Elks Clubs, schools, church picnics, Lufthansa gatherings, a DEMAG convention, at Disneyland in Anaheim, at Bush Gardens in Van Nuys, and for film studios in Universal City.
After the sale of our clubhouse in Los Angeles, the members immediately began to look for a hall to rent or buy. In February 1974 a lot on Burton Street in North Hollywood was purchased. In April 1975 work on the shell of our new clubhouse began. The foundation was completed in October and the shell in early 1976. On April 1978 struggles and sacrifices of long, hard hours of work by the members paid off. The doors to our new home, the new Bavarian House, were finally opened for our first public dance. A party at the new clubhouse in North Hollywood was held on April 3, 1982 to celebrate the burning of the mortgage with the German General Counsel present.
"Getreu dem alten Brauch" or "Faithful to the Old Customs" - This motto was placed on the club's flag at the time of its founding in October 1923 and is also on our current flag. We're very proud that our club has always followed this motto and continues to do so to the present day.
