We are the Palatinate Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR, DAR). Our chapter was founded on April 15th, 2000 in Ramstein, Germany.
Our Projects
The DAR is a women’s service organization dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, patriotism and honoring the patriots of the American Revolutionary War.
What we do:
- Support Landstuhl Regional Medical Facility at Ramstein Air Base
- Award JROTC Medals at Department of Defense Schools in Germany
- Celebrate Flag Day and share US history with our host nation
- Place Memorial Day wreaths at US military cemeteries
- Support the commemoration of sacrifice through the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Women’s Memorial
- Contribute to Fisher House and Wounded Warrior Projects
- Contribute to veterans programs
- and much more…
Our Friends:
- Zweibruecken C.A.R.
- Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft
- Lorraine American Cemetery
Our Sister Chapters:
- Tillicum Chapter, WA
- Franklin County Chapter, PA
- Joseph McDowell Chapter, NC
- Tombstone Chapter, AZ
- Prince William Resolves, VA
About the Palatinate Chapter
List of our Members’ Patriot Ancestors
Why did we choose the name “Palatinate” for our chapter?
Our chapter name originates in ancient Rome. According to legend, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were raised in the cave of a wolf on the Palatine Hill, one of Rome’s famous seven hills. Later the Palatine became home to some of Rome’s notables including the orator, Cicero, and several Emperors whose magnificent dwellings led to our present word “palace.” Eventually certain Roman officials were given the title “Palatine” when they represented the emperor in far off regions of the empire.
The Germanic emperors and kingsmedieval Europe continued to use this title. As these rulers traveled about their realms, they needed someone in charge at their castles between visits. The Count Palatine (literally “of the palace”) began representing the absent King, and received administrative and judicial powers over the local inhabitants. Some of these counts became extremely powerful in their own right, such as the Count Palatine of the Rhine (Pfalzgraf) who was one of the electors of the Holy Roman Emperor. He controlled a large territory known as the Rhenish or Lower Palatinate which included land on both sides of the Rhine River. Heidelberg was its capital for many years.
In 1329 a portion of northeastern Bavaria came under the control of the Count Palatine. This was known as the Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) and bordered the present Czech Republic. Amberg was the capital and Regensburg eventually joined the territory. Boundaries were rather fluid in those days as kings, bishops, and knights played in a grand chess game of alliances and disputes. The Rhenish Palatinate flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries and Heidelberg was an important political and cultural center during the German Renaissance and Reformation. At one time the Palatinate was one of the strongest powers in the German Empire.
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In 1610, the young Friedrich V became the Elector (Kurfürst) of the Palatinate. In 1613, he took as his bride, Elizabeth Stuart, the eldest daughter of England’s James I.
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Legend recounts that the festivities in honor of their wedding in London included a performance of “The Tempest” with William Shakespeare taking the part of Prospero. The young couple themselves would be part of a real tragedy a few years later. A Protestant assembly in Bohemia deposed their Roman Catholic king in 1618 and offered the crown to Friedrich who eagerly accepted it. Unfortunately, Hapsburg forces had other plans and without the anticipated support from England and other Protestant factions, Friedrich not only lost Bohemia but his Palatinate territories as well. This was the beginning of the 30 Years War, a largely religious war. Catholic nations fought the growing power of the Protestant states. The area which makes up modern-day Germany was the scene of many horrendous battles, and some areas, such as the Palatinate, suffered the loss of a third of its population, as marauding troops brought destruction, starvation, and the plague. Agriculture and commerce were brought practically to a standstill. Finally it became clear that all were losers in this war, and, for the first time in European history, both sides agreed to sit down to treaty negotiations.
Five years of negotiation brought about the Treaty of Westphalia, signed in 1648, which established the principle of freedom of religion, laying important groundwork for the development of democracy. The Lower Palatinate was returned to Friedrich’s son, Karl Ludwig, who repopulated the Palatinate lands by inviting Protestant refugees from Switzerland, Tyrol, the Savoy, and the Netherlands to settle there.
(By the way, Friedrich’s daughter Sophie married into the family of the Elector of Hanover and her son became George I, King of England.)
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Contacts
Membership Information: Karen Rink
Associate Membership Information: Pam Jensen
DAR Associate Renewal Form 2023:2023-24 Associates Form_Fillable
Webmaster: Emily Ryan
Palatinate Chapter Officers (2023-2024)
- Regent: Madonna Roberts
- Vice Regent: Lois Borsay
- Secretary: Barbara Gibbons
- Treasurer: Pam Jensen
- Registrar: Patricia de Bruijn
- Chaplain: Tiffin Fox
- Membership: Karen Rink
- Historian/PR: Sherrill Koken