Wie heißen Sie? Wir sind die Blieds: German Catholic Heritage & Cultural Landscape

The Blied brothers, Joseph, John, and Frank, are second-generation German-Americans. While they'd seemingly integrated themselves into the American way of life, they also held strong ties to their culture. Frank was the president of Madison's Männerchor, a German male chorus and social club, often helping to host Sängerfests, which were song and culture festivals in Madison. 

The Blieds were also devout, active members of the Catholic community in Madison. Near the site of the first Catholic church in Madison lived most of the early German settlers. Franz and Matthias Blied were charter members of Madison's Holy Redeemer Parish. 

Interestingly, Frank C. Blied was awarded the medal of Benemerenti by Pope Pius XII in 1949 for his exceptional service for over half a century in the Catholic Central society.

444 W. Mifflin is noted to be built particularly to invoke a sense of "gemuetlichkeit," or warmth and belonging. This would lead us to believe that the Blieds' architectural style is influenced directly by their German roots. As the Blied buildings were erected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they would go on to shape the cultural landscape of Madison, perhaps diffusing style from Germany and perpetuating a prominent German-American culture in southern Wisconsin.