Glencoe couple enjoys fest

Original Schwabenmusikanten

entertain

good-sized crowd

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Retired rural Glencoe hog farmer Melvin Dose and his wife Marlys have been coming to New Ulm for polka festivities longer than Heritagefest has been in existence.

The Doses came to New Ulm for Polka Days 40 years ago but admit they enjoy festing at the fairgrounds more than did standing and dancing with huge crowds in downtown New Ulm decades ago.

"We danced in the streets with polka bands at every corner," Dose said while listening to the sounds of the German band Original Schwabenmusikanten Friday afternoon on the Bayerwald Tent Stage.

"This (Heritagefest) is better than Polka Days because we can sit and listen to the music and there is more variety," Dose said.

A former purebred hog raiser that still owns five beef cows and raises cash crops, Dose and his wife visited Germany three times after hosting some of the top hog farmers in Germany that wanted to learn how Americans raise hogs.

"We brought the Germans to New Ulm and showed them Hermann," Dose said. "They told us the story about how he saved Germany from foreign invaders. The Germans visited my farm and others me."

Dose had fond memories of his visits to Germany.

"It seems they always find a reason to have a festival over there. They even have festivals for trapshooting and boy do they dress up for them," Dose said. "The German beer was good too. It seemed I never got a hangover from it."

He talked about enjoying Schell's Bock beer, German beer at room temperature, sauerkraut, brats and German Potato Salad. His wife raved about pork sandwiches and Schmierkuchen.

The Doses often visit the Stiftungfest polka festival in Young America, which is very close to where they live. Years ago, they attended a polka festival in Frankenmuth, Mich.

Meanwhile, the nine-man Original Schwabenmusikanten used a clarinet, alto saxophone, drums, saxophone, trumpet, guitar and other instruments to entertain a good-sized crowd.

Band director Robert Neiszer said the band flew from Stuttgart to Atlanta and missed its first plane from Atlanta to Minneapolis due to heavy airport traffic. The band will perform in Milwaukee and Chicago after leaving New Ulm next week.

"We're enjoying the hospitality of our hosts Sharon and Dick Seeboth," Neiszer said. "They are caring well for us all the time. We hope big crowds will come out to the festival."

Neiszer was appreciative of being able to perform in the air conditioned Fest Halle (New Ulm Civic Center).

"It's very good to play in an air conditioned building," Neiszer said. "It can get warm playing an accordion outside."