HELP THIS STORY: We are still looking for photos of the beer garden or any photos taken after 1970. We are also still researching the sale date to Warren Township and the final teardown date. Contact us if you know so we can complete the post.
Our retrospective begins just after prohibition, when a chicken ranch was converted to Warren’s Schwaebische Alb restaurant, which opened in 1935 on 142 Washington Valley Road in Warren Township, New Jersey. This retrospective takes you back to the Schwaebische Alb’s beginnings and is a look back at one of the best-remembered German-style hangouts in New Jersey.
As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn additional facts and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to expand this piece as information becomes available. If you have any stories to share, please post in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Mr. Local History Project
Germany’s Schwaebland / Schwabische Alb Region
The name Schwaebische Alb refers to the Swabian Jura, or the Schwaebische Alb, a mountain range in Germany’s southern Baden-Württemberg, also known as the area between the Black Forest and the Franconian Alps.
Warren and Germans
Not until 1806 was Warren Township created from portions of Bridgewater and Bernards. Named in honor of Joseph Warren, the Battle of Bunker Hill hero, Warren grew slowly. In the 1830s, Germans settled in the Washington Valley, soon followed by French and Swiss and later by Italians, all of whom turned their industrious hands to whatever work there was to do.
Restaurant History
Local records indicated that a farm had been on the Washington Valley Road site since Prohibition. Three men came to Warren Township with their wives during the German depression of the late 1920s and settled in the fertile land of the Raritan Valley along with other Germans. Herman Mauser, William Schwarz, and Herman Fry created a chicken farm (see our other story about Warren’s EggOmat). Still, in 1935, the poultry business was failing, so they entered the hospitality business, opening the Schwaebische Alb. For almost a century, the Schwaebische Alb would serve Warren and New Jersey well!
Our researchers even found that the restaurant in 1939 had a men’s softball team in the Passaic Township softball league led by then manager Carl Kottke and captain Joseph Good.
Mauser and Schwarz finally sold the restaurant in 1950 to Fred Kramer, who owned it for about 12 years.
Richard Bauchert purchased the restaurant from Fred Kramer in 1962. He and his wife Elizabeth came from Frankfurt, Germany, in 1951. After working at several restaurants, he purchased the Schwaebische Alb. Further research uncovered that the Schwaebische Alb, Warrenville, N.J., was formally incorporated and copyrighted in 1963 as a corporate entity.
Bauchert hired chef Hans Frank from Hamburg, his chef who specialized in authentic German dishes. Frank’s specialty dishes included sauerbraten, a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany. Other dishes included kartoffelkloess (German potato dumplings), rolaadan (meat rolls filled with bacon, onions and pickles.) and Kassler Rippchen ( bone-in pork chops cured in a salt brine).
Spätzle noodles were also a staple. Swabian Cream Cake is a thin yeast flatbread spread with sour cream and topped with onion or leek and bacon, very similar to the Flammkuchen from Alsace. It almost looks like a German pizza. Pretzels are a given.
Many ask what happened at the Schwabische(n) Alb during WWII. Our research didn’t find much other than that the owners refused any association with Germany during the war and never held any pro-Germany events. They also began offering more American-type foods on the menu. The restaurant survived the war and shifted back to the “Old German feel that the customers came for.”
Famed German Entertainment
The Schwaebische Alb was one of the most authentic places outside of Germany to experience real Schwaben culture. In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Warren was known for its German-American entertainment: the Schwabische(n) Alb was a popular destination for epic weekend celebrations. Just up the street, The Chanticler Chateau (now the Stone House) and later the nearby Forest Lodge held popular Oktoberfests for many years. But the Schwaebishe Alb, as it was renamed in 1963, became one of the most famous German destinations in New Jersey.
Our local outing was held at the Schwaebische Alb in Warren Township .
1966 – New Jersey State Dental Association and 100s of other companies and organizations held their events at the Schwaebische Alb. Did you have one? Post in the comments section below.
The Octoberfest Feeling at Schwaebische Alb Beer Garden
Built in a country-like setting with spacious grounds, for those who remember gathering out back behind the Schwaebische Alb beer garden on a warm October weekend, there was nothing better than the waitresses delivering fists full of great German beer to your table while the band played German drinking songs. It was a special place.
Up to 1,100 customers would show up on weekends for music, including Oom-pah bands, dancing, and, of course, excellent German beer and food. Bavarian bell teams would often show up on Saturdays. Offering pitchers of German light and dark beers was a common occurrence. Long before red solo cups, guests would get the pitchers and pour them into German-style glass steins.
Then on Dec 14, 1982, New Jersey raised it’s drinking age to 21 from 18. I had just made the cut but some of my younger high school friends didn’t make it….. I kept coming! “Later youngins.”
Schwaebische Alb fan
Local 52 of the IBEW held its annual outing at the Schwaebische Alb picnic grounds in Warren, NJ.
IBEW loved the Schwaebische Alb – July 29, 1995
Closing
In 1996, the Bachert brothers, Peter and Robert, took over the day-to-day operations of the Schwaebische Alb. They had been involved in the business for over 30 years since their parents purchased the restaurant. When they took over, the restaurant was only open on weekends. For a period, they closed the restaurant to focus solely on catering and large gatherings. They did open for Octoberfest celebrations every October. But German fare was on the way out as people shifted to alternatives. Almost 50% of family businesses fail, and the Schwaebische Alb was no different. It ultimately fell victim and closed the business. The land was sold off to Warren Township and developers. Nothing remains on the property today.
Where Now for German Oktoberfests?
After the Schwaebischen Alb closed, up the road, the Chanticler Chateau and the nearby Forest Lodge remained until the Chanticler Chateau closed, now serving as the Stone House. Other famous German spots closed, including Farchers Grove, the Spaeder Club, and the Hoffbrau House (all fun spots of my youth).
So the only remaining Octoberfest celebration in Warren is the Forest Lodge. The Forest Lodge is a great venue, but the Octoberfest event is typically only one day in October, unlike the times when every day was Octoberfest at Warren’s Schwaebischen Alb. A venue that is often mentioned as “the place to be in Warren, New Jersey.”
While it’s not the S, it’s one of the best New Jersey Octoberfests you can attend – Learn More
Final Memories
Please take a look back to 1967 when the Schwaebische Alb was at its peak! Based on the Central Jersey Home News story published July 9, 1967 – Our favorite published story!!!!
More Mr. Local History Posts
Perhaps now that you have several stories referencing Warren Township, such as this story about Schwaebische-Alb and the Eggomat, you might include a menu for easy access?
https://www.mrlocalhistory.org/category/towns/
Agreed. Will do! What else would you like to see?
My parents used to take us there on occasion as we had some Swiss and German in our family. They loved the atmosphere and the food and I was sad to see it close. We also used to go to the Oktoberfest at Farcher’s Grove and I believe that moved or was somehow incorporated into the Deutscher Club in Clark where you can also attend some wonderful public biergartens and Oktoberfests. There were always rumors that there were Bund meetings held at Scwaebische Alb before WWII but that might have simply been anti-German grumblings at the time.
All great stomping grounds. Deutsche Club in Clark leads the Octoberfest forward as the sole survivor. All great memories. Thanks for sharing!
Can anyone please tell me WHO used to own the slaughterhouse that was located on Washington Valley Rd in Warren? My father knew the man, and for the life of me, I cannot remember his name. I think it might have been Mundy????
It was on Mountainview Road and his name was
George Dealman.
We held my wedding reception at the Schwaebische Alb in 1984. My Mom’s parents immigrated from Germany prior to WWII, and they enjoyed delicious German fare at this lively restaurant in the 1980s.