In the early 1950's, there were many German families who settled in the Brampton and Mississauga communities who collectively decided to form a Carnival group.  After many meetings, discussions and indeed a few heated arguments, the carnival group was finally founded in 1963.  With no official name or permanent home, the work had just begun.

During the Carnival season 1963-1964, this newly formed group had their first masquerade dance in the St. Mary's Hall in Brampton.  In the 1965-1966 season, the group moved to the Junior Farmers' Hall where they held their carnival masquerade dance.  With more freedom to decorate this hall suitable to the mission of the group, that year they invited other Carnival groups to their dance such as the Girls Dancing Group of the Koelner Husaren, Toronto, as well as the Ulster Harmonica Band and their Majorettes Group.  Additionally, the Carnival Prince from the Torontoer Prinzengard Blau Weiss group (Toronto's Prince Guard Troop Blue White) also participated.

This orphaned Carnival group was still without a permanent home.  Early in the spring of 1966, members of the German Canadian Club Hansa, themselves a young organization, approached the Carnival Group and invited them to join and become an undergroup of the Hansa Club.  They graciously accepted, and alas the Erste Karneval Gesellschaft Hansa (The First Mardi Gras Society Hansa) was founded and home at last.  The third of April 1966 marks that incredible day and we are proud to celebrate each subsequent anniversary with pride.

Respectfully, we are proud to list the founding fathers of the
 Karnival Gesellschaft Hansa (K.G. Hansa)

G. Bartol
M. Handt
G. Knuth
W. Kronen
W. Langenbeck
E. Ninn
R. Pabrislo
T. Ratzki
K. Rueker
C. Schakiel
E. Schilcher,
D. Schlomm
L.B. Schroeder
O. Vogel

The first members of the First Executive of the K.G. Hansa were:
T. Ratzki, President
G. Bartol, Vice-President
M. Handt, Elfrerat President
W. Langenbeck, Treasurer
K. Rucker, Secretary

In the 1967-1968 season on the 11-11-11 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, being the official opening of the Carnival season) the Brampton City Hall was taken over by members of the K.G. Hansa.  (no arrests necessary, its custom!).  The Mayor, was goodheartedly kidnapped as were City Counselors and then paraded through the City of Brampton and taken to Junior Farmers Hall and given the new rules on how the City was to be run during the Carnival season!  This was directed by the Carnival Prince, Prince Werner 1st  from Witzenhausen and Princess Ruth from Saxonia.  All in good fun, well received by all and reminiscent of German tradition!

During the season of 1968-1969, the K.G. Hansa had a Carnival opening dance and also took over the City of Brampton for the last time.  The Mayor, Councillors, German dignitaries, and their families all reveled in the celebration.

In the year 1974 the K.G. Hansa had their first dance in the newly built hall of the German Canadian Club Hansa.  Since then, the Hansa Haus and its Carnival have been an incredible source of celebration of tradition and family, and we vow to continue our yearly costume dances as have been done now for some forty years.

All the members of the K.G. Hansa would like to thank the founding fathers of our group, and their successors who have sustained its original mission and integrity for some 40+ years.  We, in 2006, remember those who are no longer with us and bid them a sincere, yet humble..Thank you!

The K.G. Hansa Executive for 2005-2006

Guy LaPlante
President

Albert Kaltz
Vice-President

Manfred Berg
Elferat President

Angelika Kaltz

Secretary

Guy LaPlante

Treasurer

Contact the K.G. Hansa
guy@hansahaus.ca