Municipal Band to travel to Germany for Hermann Festival

City officials also

part of delegation

(Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of articles on the 125th anniversary of the original Hermann statue in Detmold, Germany)

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- One of New Ulm's most visible landmarks is about to become more meaningful to 55 residents of New Ulm, who are traveling to Detmold, Germany for the next two weeks to participate in the Hermann Festival.

The trip's purpose is to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the original statue of Hermann the German in Detmold, a town of 67,000 people in northern Germany.

Although the Hermann Festival is an annual event in Detmold, this year's festivities are more special, because of the performance of the New Ulm Municipal Band.

"There are a total of 24 band members going, along with 12 of their guests," band spokesperson Holly Hansen said. "Not all the band members going are usual members of the band, though. Some of them were recruited just for this trip."

While in Detmold, the band will be joined by 19 other local residents, including city council members Joel Albrecht, Dennis Warta, and Ron Fleischmann; City Building Inspector Alan Gag, Police Chief Howard Zins, and Police Commander Erv Weinkauf.

"We will be performing five different concerts while we are there," Hansen said. "We will perform two concerts during the festival itself and an additional three in the Ulm area."

The band was invited to participate in the event around July of last year, but didn't get all the details of the trip finalized until about three months ago, she said.

"While there, we will be performing all American songs during our concerts," she said. "No German, because they probably play German songs better than we can. We are there to celebrate our country and our connection with Hermann."

Although those participating will enjoy some sightseeing and lots of free time, the main focus of the trip is the festival, Hansen said.

"We are going over there to build ties between our countries and with other groups," she said. "We are sharing time with other bands. They've come here for Heritagefest, so it's only fair that we go there."

Band members will stay with host families in Detmold, Ulm and Neu Ulm.

Whether members of the New Ulm delegation can speak German, or the host family can speak English, everyone will share the universal language of music, Hansen said.

The band will perform a concert at Munster Cathedral in Ulm. It will also present a concert with a band from Herbrechtingen, which is near Ulm. Other events on the itinerary include attending a wine festival in Rüdesheim, cruising on the Rhine River; and touring a castle in Nürnburg.

Weinkauf and his wife will stay with police officers whom they have hosted during an officer exchange program in the past.

The statue of Hermann in Detmold is privately owned, as most statues in Europe are, Albrecht said.

During the festival, members of the foundation that owns Hermann will offer tours of the statue.