Secret Handshakes

Secret handshakes? Not exactly. But if you’ve ever been to the Rathskeller Bar on a weeknight and noticed the smell of food coming from the adjacent dining room, you were likely there during a Hermann Sons lodge meeting, a ritual that has been occurring for more than 180 years in one form or another. Lodges are at the heart of Hermann Sons membership. In the early days, a social bond was formed when the community passed around a hat to collect money for a member in need. Nowadays a membership begins with the purchase of a life insurance policy or annuity. Along with that policy come several benefits that have endured through the decades including a summer camp for kids, affordably priced children’s dance lessons, and even a senior citizen housing facility. For many years the Rathskeller Bar was only open to members.

When you purchase a policy you are required to select a lodge. Today there are more than 120 lodges across Texas, and 8 are in San Antonio. These 8 lodges collectively own the Home Association building and meet regularly. Meetings are social and food oriented, but they also address community service plans, member celebrations and losses, and other business following rules of order established in the Ritual of the Order of the Sons of Hermann.

The oldest Texas lodge, Harmonia, is one of San Antonio’s own and has been meeting regularly since July 1861. And, we bet you didn’t know that September 19 was “Louise Schuetze Day” by proclamation of the City of San Antonio, issued in 1971 to honor that lodge’s 75th anniversary. The Louise Schuetze lodge is one of a few “sister” lodges that only allow women.

By the way, there is a secret hand sign, but if we told you we’d have to… you know.