Choirs of Fredericksburg, TX - 1935

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✧ Arion Men's Choir was founded in 1908. At the beginning its seat was at Palo Alto Creek.

Arion also had a mixed choir - its members were ladies (wives and daughters) of the Arion singers.

Clipping source: Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 51, Ed. 1 Friday, August 30, 1935, newspaper, August 30, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510164/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

✧ Hermannsons Mixed Choir (Hermannsöhne Gemischter Chor) came into being in 1934. 

In May 1935, Arion Men's Choir hosted the annual Gillespie County Sängerfest. The ladies of the Arion Mixed Choir assisted the men in organizing and preparing the celebrations.

Clipping source: Source:  Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 35, Ed. 1 Friday, May 10, 1935, newspaper, May 10, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510148/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

Clipping source: Source:  Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, February 8, 1935, newspaper, February 8, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510135/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

The Sängerfest was a success - there was a street parade (along Main Street) of all the choirs participating in the event. To commemorate the memory of the singers who had passed away, the choirs sang two songs:

Stumm schläft der Sänger (by F. Silcher) and

There were many more songs, beer, and fun.

Clipping source: Source:  Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 37, Ed. 1 Friday, May 24, 1935, newspaper, May 24, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510150/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

As you can read in the above clipping, a rather bitter taste came after the Sängerfest celebrations. Both Arion and Hermannsons Mixed choirs were rejected by the Gillespie County Choirs' Bund, and not accepted as the association members.

Many were disappointed and displeased with the County Bund's voting results.

 Clipping source: Source:  Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 37, Ed. 1 Friday, May 24, 1935, newspaper, May 24, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510150/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

 
Clipping source: Source:  Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 37, Ed. 1 Friday, May 24, 1935, newspaper, May 24, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510150/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society. 
 
Source:
- "Fredericksburg, Texas... The First Fifty Years. A Translation of Penniger's 50th Anniversary Festival Edition", 1971, Fredericksburg Publishing Co., Inc. 
- old newspapers mentioned above

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