| HISTORY OF THE BOERNE VILLAGE BAND
The Boerne Village Band was organized in 1860 by Dr. Karl Dienger,
who had migrated from Germany in 1855. At the same time he organized the
Boerne Gesang Verein. Until 1885 he was in charge of both groups and he
combined singing fests with the German band music all over the Texas Hill
Country.
In 1840 Ottmar von Behr came to Sisterdale where he became a
part of the Sisterdale Vocal Quartet. Two of his children, Jennie and Ottmar,
were active in the band during the early years. Jennie's husband, Fritz
Fischer, taught his nephews, Ottmar, Jr., Arthur and Oscar to play musical
instruments. In time, both Oscar and Ottmar Behr became directors of the band.
Oscar's daughter, Roma, married Alvin Herbst. Their son, Kenneth Herbst, first
played trumpet with the band when he was just 11 years old. Kenneth, a Boerne
veterinarian, has been the band's director since 1980. Continuing the family
tradition to the fourth generation were Kenneth's sons, Kenneth, Jr. and
Clinton. They both played in the band during their school years growing up in
Kendall County.
Another original member of the band was Alexander
Kaiser. His music took him into the Civil War as a ten year old "drummer boy"
after his parents were killed by Indians near Boerne. In 1879 he built the
center room of his house as a place for the band to practice, with him playing
the drums.
The Henry Schrader family migrated from Germany in 1869.
Henry, Sr. played the cornet, or pick horn, in the band for over fifty years.
He began playing when he was fifteen years old. His son, Henry, Jr. learned to
play from his father also played in the band for over fifty years. |
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The
band members came from all of the communities in the area and played for
Sangerfests and dancing in all of them, namely, Bergheim, Kendalia, Welfare,
Waring, Comfort and Boerne.
During the two World Wars the band was not
very active but did not disband. It was after World War II that the band
re-assembled stronger than ever. This re-assembled group included Henry
Schrader, Jr., Eugene Ebell, Erhard Ebner and the Grosser brothers. They also
began at this time to develop the band in the Boerne High School.
No
longer just a backup for an old time Sangerfest, the band is prominently known
in its own right. In 1986 the group obtained authentic uniforms with the help
of Otto Schicht from Bavaria. These uniforms were worn for the first time
during the 1986 Sesquicentennial performances.
The band plays not only
for Boerne Bergesfest but all over Texas: At the San Antonio Fiesta and Folk
Life Festival- At the New Braunfels Wurstfest-in Helotes - in
Fredericksburg-at the "Indianola Pilgrimage" honoring the immigration of
Germans to Texas-at the grand opening of the restored General Land Office in
Austin. The Texas House of Representatives honored the band in 1991 "for
providing the people of the State of Texas with the finest in German music and
for keeping alive German music as part of Our Heritage." In 1995 an official
Texas Historical marker was dedicated on the Main Plaza in Boerne to
commemorate "Early German Music in Boerne, Texas" and its significance to the
community heritage. The band played concerts in Germany for Germans In 1988,
Kenneth Herbst was honored by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany
with the Friendship Award for the Preservation and Continuation of German
Music in the State of Texas. He was also presented a Tenor Horn from the
Government of Germany.
This band fills the summer air with music every
other Tuesday night in June and July. The Abendkonzerte (Evening Concert) is
held on the Main Plaza in Boerne from 7:30-9:00. The City of Boerne Cultural
Event is free. The audience brings folding chairs or blankets to lounge around
the gazebo, listening to the nostalgic waltzes and polkas.
Source: Files in the Boerne Public Library |
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