SR0501 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0501 LRB093 21650 HSS 49212 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Ernst-August Kranz of Germany on December 26, 2003; and

WHEREAS, Ernst-August Kranz was born on August 6, 1919 in Krainhagen, Germany, where he grew up; he married Lieselotte on September 16, 1950; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kranz served as mayor of Krainhagen for 44 years from 1952 to 1996; he was a member of the district assembly of Schaumburg County for 32 years from 1964 to 1996 and was Landrat for 18 years from 1973 to 1991; he served as a member of the parliament of of Lower Saxony from 1970 to 1974; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kranz was the founder of the Schaumburg German-American Society, which he initiated on February 18, 1983; he served 17 years as chairman of the Society and 3 years as honorary chairman; it was the people of his part of Schaumburg County in Lower Saxony who settled Schaumburg Township, Illinois in the mid-1800s; he partnered for 20 years with Schaumburg Sister Cities; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kranz was the initiator of the student exchange between Schaumburg High School and high schools in Schaumburg, Germany, and of the health exchange, and he helped to bring the Gothic to Schaumburg Sculpture Garden; and

WHEREAS, In 1973, Mr. Kranz was awarded the German National Cross from the Federal Republic of Germany for his military service during World War II; in 1996, he received the same award from the State of Lower Saxony; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Ernst-August Kranz, and we extend our deepest sympathy to his widow, Lieselotte, his family, his friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ernst-August Kranz and to the Schaumburg German-American Society as an expression of our sincere condolences.