Music has always been a traditional way to greet guests.
In ancient times a European city would employ
musicians to welcome visitors from afar with a hearty fanfare.
And to make the best impression it was played outdoorsloud and brassy by a wind band.
In ancient times a European city would employ
musicians to welcome visitors from afar with a hearty fanfare.
And to make the best impression it was played outdoorsloud and brassy by a wind band.
No doubt this big man's jovial smile and trumpet salute
was part of his city's famous hospitality.
was part of his city's famous hospitality.
He is Dicke Fritz ~ Fat Fritz.
Der „Dicke Fritz mit Capelle“
Gruss aus der Messe Frankurt a. M.
~
Gruss aus der Messe Frankurt a. M.
~
The Fat Fritz and Band
Greetings from the Fair Frankfurt on Main
Greetings from the Fair Frankfurt on Main
What make's this postcard special is that it is one of the oldest in my collection with a postmark of 12/14 April 1898. It was sent from Frankfurt am Main, Germany to someone in Druten, Holland, a town in the Netherlands, east of Rotterdam.
The Messe is a celebrated trade fair of Frankfurt am Main that had been a feature of this city since medieval times. Now considered the world's largest event center, the Frankfurt Messe is owned by the City of Frankfurt and the German State of Hesse. It has 367,000 m² of exhibition hall area and more than 96,000 m² of free space and annually brings in about €661 million in business sales.
But in 1898 the center of the Messe was still held in Frankfurt's old city hall, the Römer, located in the Altstade. This three-story building complex offered 10,000 m² of exhibition space in nine connected houses that encircle six courtyards. I think Dicke Fritz and his band are standing at the Römer's main entrance.
* * *
Six years later Dicke Fritz and his band
were still welcoming visitors to Frankfurt.
He seems to have lost some weight
as his uniform hangs a bit looser.
were still welcoming visitors to Frankfurt.
He seems to have lost some weight
as his uniform hangs a bit looser.
Zur Feier der hundertsten Messe vom dicken Fritz
~
To celebrate the hundredth fair
from the fat Fritz
~
To celebrate the hundredth fair
from the fat Fritz
I'm not entirely sure if the caption means
Fritz is celebrating his 100th fair
or that he is celebrating the fair's 100th anniversary,
which seems strange as the fair had been around
since the 11th century.
In any case his postcard was postmarked
on 27/28 March 1904 to someone in Bern, Switzerland.
Fritz is celebrating his 100th fair
or that he is celebrating the fair's 100th anniversary,
which seems strange as the fair had been around
since the 11th century.
In any case his postcard was postmarked
on 27/28 March 1904 to someone in Bern, Switzerland.
This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where sometimes life is a balancing act.
where sometimes life is a balancing act.
5 comments:
Oh my, you matched the Fat Fritz to this bicyclist in the meme this week! He looks to have a good attitude, aka the oft attributed "fat people are jolly people." Which I've heard doesn't please anyone who is overweight, actually.
The Fat Fritz - what a moniker! and a great match to the prompt. Have you been wondering when you might use the oldest postcard in your collection?
Always fun to see how you're going to match the week's prompt and you never disappoint! :) I can't help but wonder, however, even though he was well known and successful because of it, how Fat Fritz felt about the name bestowed upon him?
Fat Fritz is a perfect match for the prompt! Amazing that you had a second postcard depicting him several years later. Seems odd that he would play a small horn relative to his robust size while the slimmer members of the band hefted larger instruments. I got interested in the fact that this is the oldest postcard in your collection and did a bit of online research into postcard history. Found this interesting document, which you may have seen -- but passing it on anyway just in case https://www.co.seneca.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Postcards-History-ADA.pdf
I loved the way you matched the prompt photograph with the large figure of Fat Fritz - as ever you have given us a fascinating insight into an aspect of both postcard and musical history.
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