INDIANAPOLIS — In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Cologne, Germany and Indianapolis, a special exhibition highlighting German culture and the German-American contributions to Indianapolis is on display through Oct. 31 at Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair Street.
A centerpiece of the exhibition is a portrait of Clemens Vonnegut, Sr., which was painted circa 1890 by famed artist T.C. Steele. Steele. Clemens Vonnegut, Sr. immigrated to the U.S. from Germany after the failed 1848 Revolution and became a respected member of the German-American community in Indianapolis. He was a founding member of several local organizations and started the Vonnegut Hardware store. He is the great-grandfather of author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
The exhibition also features displays of Cologne architecture, sports and culture; items representing such German traditions as toys and art; information on the German immigrant story; examples of German-American contributions to the development of Indianapolis; a section on the Vonnegut family’s connections to Indianapolis; and works of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
