New Braunfels in Comal County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie
Photographed by James Hulse, November 9, 2022
1. New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie Marker
Inscription.
New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie. . German immigrants to Texas embraced their traditional culture of music, art, societies and clubs. On March 2, 1850, the singing society "Germania" was organized in New Braunfels under direction of Gottfried Joseph Petmecky (1809-1871). The group sponsored their first singing event at that year's Fourth of July celebration on the banks of the Comal River. Many cities and towns in Texas with large German populations formed similar groups, and in 1853, the first statewide Sδngerfest was held in New Braunfels, on Friedrich Hermann Seele's farm on the Guadalupe River. By 1876, other singing societies formed in Comal County included the New Braunfelser, Maennerchor, Echo Society, Smithson Valley Echo Society, Anhalt Singing Society, Honey Creek Singing Society, and Walhalla Singing Society at Sattler. Early societies were only for men, but by 1895, mixed-voice societies included the Concordia Gemischter Chor., On November 13, 1937, Gilbert A. Becker (1906-1985) organized the New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie. Becker was a farmer, singer and music director whose father, Heinrich Becker (1860-1925), was a charter member of the Clear Spring Frohsinn Singing society. The group numbered 46 members by 1938 and was recognized as one of the best mixed-voice singing societies in the region. New members were selected competitively, voted on anonymously by the membership using a system of black and white balls. By the 1990s, the group was the only remaining German singing society in New Braunfels. Initially focused on Sδngerfests, the group expanded to holidays, community festivals and other special events. Many members have joined the society to improve their German language proficiency. Though it was the last local German singing society formed after nearly a century of tradition, the group continues to preserve and promote this important aspect of cultural heritage.
German immigrants to Texas embraced their traditional culture of music, art, societies and clubs. On March 2, 1850, the singing society "Germania" was organized in New Braunfels under direction of Gottfried Joseph Petmecky (1809-1871). The group sponsored their first singing event at that year's Fourth of July celebration on the banks of the Comal River. Many cities and towns in Texas with large German populations formed similar groups, and in 1853, the first statewide Sδngerfest was held in New Braunfels, on Friedrich Hermann Seele's farm on the Guadalupe River. By 1876, other singing societies formed in Comal County included the New Braunfelser, Maennerchor, Echo Society, Smithson Valley Echo Society, Anhalt Singing Society, Honey Creek Singing Society, and Walhalla Singing Society at Sattler. Early societies were only for men, but by 1895, mixed-voice societies included the Concordia Gemischter Chor.
On November 13, 1937, Gilbert A. Becker (1906-1985) organized the New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie. Becker was a farmer, singer and music director whose father, Heinrich Becker (1860-1925), was a charter member of the Clear Spring Frohsinn Singing society. The group numbered 46 members by 1938 and was recognized as one of the best mixed-voice singing societies in the region. New members were selected competitively, voted
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on anonymously by the membership using a system of black and white balls. By the 1990s, the group was the only remaining German singing society in New Braunfels. Initially focused on Sδngerfests, the group expanded to holidays, community festivals and other special events. Many members have joined the society to improve their German language proficiency. Though it was the last local German singing society formed after nearly a century of tradition, the group continues to preserve and promote this important aspect of cultural heritage.
Erected 2020 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22737.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Immigration. A significant historical date for this entry is March 2, 1850.
Location. 29° 42.72′ N, 98° 8.17′ W. Marker is in New Braunfels, Texas, in Comal County. It can be reached from the intersection of Landa Park Drive and Monument Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located northwest section of Landa Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 Landa Park Drive, New Braunfels TX 78130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Hill Country and in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
The Texas State Sδngerbund is an association of German singing societies. After a successful Fourth of July celebration in 1853, the New Braunfels Germania male singing society invited similar organizations from Austin, San Antonio, and Sisterdale to a state Saengerfest (singers' festival), held in New Braunfels on October 15 and 16, 1853. Each group sang a cappella separately and joined together for works by Felix Mendelssohn and Heinrich Marschner.
(Submitted on November 13, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 375 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 13, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
