
February 2026 Newsletter
When John Cooper Jr. spoke in February about his Canary Island heritage, he didn’t know he’d discover a new family member.
Carol Schlueter is director of the German-American Cultural Center and Museum in Gretna, Louisiana. She is from a family of German immigrants. Her Schlueter relatives came to Texas in 1846 from Hanover, Germany, and settled in Fredericksburg, Texas, near San Antonio. She grew up in the Houston area and came to New Orleans in 1980.
Prior to joining the GACC, Carol served as executive director of publications at Tulane University for 24 years. In her diverse career in New Orleans, Carol also worked in marketing and public relations for Hibernia National Bank and at a graphic design and advertising agency. She also had a seven-year career in journalism, working as a reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise and Journal newspaper in Beaumont, Texas, and as a business writer for the Durham Sun newspaper in Durham, North Carolina.

When John Cooper Jr. spoke in February about his Canary Island heritage, he didn’t know he’d discover a new family member.

Judge Barron Burmaster talked about his family’s West Bank heritage at the GACC’s January meeting.

Friends, don’t miss our meeting on Saturday January 17 at 6 p.m. at Salem Lutheran Church. The program will be about the history of German Burmaster family from GACC President Barron Burmaster. We hope to see you there!

Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas! Learn about German Christmas traditions and enjoy photos from our holiday party.

Stop by the GACC during the Gretna Christmas Parade on Dec. 7 for pretzels, brats and beer. Don’t forger our holiday potluck dinner Dec. 13.

Baked pretzels were a favorite at both Gretna Fest and the GACC’s Oktoberfest, but grilled brats and German beer were popular too.

It’s festival season! October 18 is the GACC Oktoberfest Beer Garden on our Sixth Street and Huey P. Long Avenue parking lot.


A highlight of the August 16 meeting was a talk by cemetery preservationist Emily Ford. On September 20: The Los Islenos community of St. Bernard.

Archeologist Sherman Horn took GACC members on a visit to an ancient Maya city at the July meeting.