Organizations / Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein (UUV)
The Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein (UUV) was founded in 1913 as an immigrant benefit club that provided social, credit and death benefits to its members with Sokolivka roots.
Overview
The Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein (UUV) was founded in 1913 as an immigrant (landsmann) benefit club that provided social, credit and death benefits to its members with Sokolivka roots. Many Jewish landsmann groups existed on the East Side of Buffalo at the turn of the twentieth century, including the Roumbespod Unterstützung Verein, the Hungarian Social and Benevolent Association, and the Minsker Verein. Each formed in the early 1900s at a period of intense organization building and expansion of the Jewish community which continued through the 1930s.
Like other landsmannschaftn of the time period, the Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein had two divisions separated along gender lines. The Ladies Auxiliary maintained its own divisional records including minute books and held its own social events. The men’s division provided an array of subcommittees that allowed members to maintain active roles in the organization in meaningful ways.
The staying power of the Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein over other landsmann groups was in part because of the size and strength of the Sokolivka community and the UUV’s interconnection to other organizations including Holy Order of the Living and Anshe Sokolivka. The UUV also had a strong calendar of social events including an annual banquet. Another advantage was the overlapping links between members and cousin clubs. These maintained links of the UUV for a decade longer than similar organizations. Explore the photograph gallery below to view more of the cultural life of this twentieth century immigrant organization.
Sokolivka Reunions
with thanks to Richard Newberg
Gallery
UUV Banquet, January 26, 1930, FMRC
Ustingrader Patrol and Drum Corp, 1938
Ladies Auxiliary Offices and Social Committee of the Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein, 1938
Ustingrader Verein Mens Aux 50th 1963
Ustingrader Verein Ladies Aux 50th 1963
Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein Receipt Book, 1950s
Ustingrader Verein, Banquet, 1940s
Ustingrader Unterstitzung Verein Band Corp, Buffalo, 1934
Ustingrader 50th, 1963
Ustingrader 25th, 1938
Sokolifke, Ustingrad Reunion 1991
Discover More
University at Buffalo, University Archives
- Ms 200.33 Individual and Community Memorabilia Collection
- Ms 200.07 Jewish Genealogical Society of Buffalo Records
Collection at the Benjamin and Dr. Edgar R. Cofeld Judaic Museum
- Ferne Mittleman Research Papers
Acknowledgements and Thanks
Our thanks to Charlie Shuman for sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Sokolivka and his permission to digitize the UUV women’s auxiliary Yiddish language minute book. Many thanks to Eric and Sue Recoon for locating an original photograph of the UUV Drum Corp. Our thanks to Richard Newberg for his video clip featuring a Sokolivka Reunion that included members of the UUV. A posthumous thanks to Ferne Mittelman (z”l) who created a research collection of Buffalo materials with a strong concentration on Sokolivka that included UUV anniversary booklets.
Contribute to this page
Although the UUV played a critical role in the Sokolivka community, there are very limited numbers of images. We are seeking photographs, film, mementos and written recollections to digitize or copy. If you have materials you’d like to make available for this purpose, please contact us. Thank you for your help in widening our collective access to the varied histories of Jewish Buffalo.