City of Jasper, Indiana

The city of Jasper was founded in 1818, and is now a regional center in Southwestern Indiana, noted for its heavily German Catholic ancestral roots.

The Jasper Strassenfest is a four-day event held annually during the first weekend in August. The "Fest" is a celebration between Jasper and its German sister-city Pfaffenweiler, a small village in southwest Germany. Many citizens of Pfaffenweiler travel to Jasper around this time of year. The street festival encompasses the entire city square, complete with numerous food stands, rides, and a very large Biergarten. According to vendors, over 1,300 pounds of bratwurst are consumed during the four-day event. The Strassenfest culminates in a Sunday parade and evening fireworks. The festival also incorporates a golf tournament, beauty pageant (Miss Strassenfest), box parade, fishing tournament, and a network of German "Polka Masses" at the three Roman Catholic parishes: St. Joseph's, Holy Family, and Precious Blood.

Many of the residents trace their ancestry to Paffenweiler, hence, the reason why this small town was chosen as Jasper's sister city. The city features many historic buildings and sites affiliated with its German heritage. Many German visitors come to Jasper to visit.  Exchange students from the Pfaffenweiler area come for lengthy visits at Jasper homes and learn the American ways.  In return, many Jasper residents visit Pfaffenweiler to locate ancestors and find their roots. https://jasperin.org/history/

Some German-American sites include:

Schaeffer Barn: https://visitduboiscounty.com/plan-your-visit/schaeffer-barn/