This is a blog about music, photography, history, and culture.
These are photographs from my collection that tell a story about lost time and forgotten music.

Mike Brubaker
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Music Before the Storm

13 April 2019


With a sunny smile for a sunny day
a young man's cheerful face
links with the camera lens.







His mates seem more sober
but their eyes look forward
to a relaxing beer at the Gasthof 
after their performance.
That is if their bandmaster,
who always keeps a firm hold on his sword,
will let them. 






Our affable friend is an army bandsman,
hiding his clarinet behind a very large tuba.
He belongs to one of the Kaiser's bands
and each man proudly wears the distinctive Pickelhaube,
the helmet of a soldier in the Imperial German army.






The gleaming helmet plate attached to
the front of the Pickelhaube
is called the Helmewappen,
and it indicates a soldier's regiment.
In this case the eagle and center star
are the insignia of a Garde zu Fuß regiment,
an infantry unit that descends from the Royal Prussian Army,
and hence is an elite force in the army of Kaiser Wilhelm II.







For some of the bandsmen
a concert in the park on a summer day
is more play than real soldier's work.








As the 13 musicians of this military band
pose for the photographer,
their audience sits nearby admiring their uniforms
and awaiting some hearty music.
Perhaps the program will have a few stalwart marches
interspersed with a romantic waltz or sprightly polka.
Surely the band will conclude with a patriotic song
as every loyal citizen will want to join in on the chorus.





This postcard photo of a Garde zu Fuß regiment
was sent from Berlin to the family of Fritz Müller.
I wish I could say where they lived,
but I am defeated by the writer's handwriting
and the German language too.

Was the writer one of the bandsmen?
I think it quite possible
but his name is obscure.

However one thing is very clear,
both in the message date and the postmark.

6.8.14. ~ 6 August 1914





That is one week after Germany mobilized its armed forces
and declared war on Russia.
Just 4 days after Germany invaded Luxembourg
and 3 days after it declared war with France.
Two days before, the German army rolled into Belgium
and lay siege to the city of Liege.
And tomorrow, on August 7, 1914
the 68 divisions of the
Kaiser's army will defeat
the British Expeditionary Force and France's Fifth Army
in the first major battle of the Great War 1914–1918.


The band's music was only a prelude to an acutely tragic conflict
that very soon will seem an opera without end.
Scene after scene, countless characters will take the stage,
but all will fail to be heard over the thunderous storm of war.
Here in the future we know the complicated storyline,
remember the long cast list,
and cherish the stunning themes
of this grand but frighteningly grotesque opera.
We know it well because we've seen it
performed many times since August 1914.

The ending is always too sad to bear.











  UPDATE: 

Thanks to a friend of a friend
from a comment below
we have a partial translation of the message
written on the back of the postcard. 

Liebe Schwaegerin (Dear sister-in-law)
Wie du weisst, ist jetzt der Krieg ausgebrochen und ich den letzten Tag in Berlin bin.
~

As you know, war has broken out and it is my last day in Berlin.

Wir muessen morgen Freitag fort an die franzoesische Grenze.
~
We have to leave tomorrow Friday for the French border.

Hoffentlich kommt Fritz wieder zurueck, wir wollen das beste hoffen.
~
 I hope Fritz will come back, we hope for the best.






This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where you never know what you might find on market day. 

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2019/04/sepia-saturday-465-saturday-13th-april.html


6 comments:

La Nightingail said...

WWI pitted allies against allies against allies against allies. Pure catastrophe from the beginning. And yet - we never learn. And that's the saddest part of all.

Kathy said...

I'm struck by how young and proud and innocent that stocky clarinetist looks.

Sean Bentley said...

Eloquently put. I love the way that in focusing on the particulars and then pulling further out for the context you emphasize the fact that we all have our parts to play in The Great Game that our leaders darkly amuse themselves with.

Wendy said...

Smiling faces seem to be a rarity in old photos. Reading the events of the day makes me wonder about the fate of the band members.

Molly's Canopy said...

One looks at these smiling faces differently knowing about the coming storm. Excellent context for what would otherwise be a routine band photo.

Francis Griffin said...

A friend of a friend has deciphered and translated the first part of the text written on the back. It is rather poignant:

Liebe Schwaegerin (dear sister-in-law)
Wie du weisst, ist jetzt der Krieg ausgebrochen und ich den letzten Tag in Berlin bin.
As you know, war has broken out and it is my last day in Berlin.

Wir muessen morgen Freitag fort an die franzoesische Grenze.
We have to leave tomorrow Friday for the French border.

Hoffentlich kommt Fritz wieder zurueck, wir wollen das beste hoffen.
I hope Fritz will come back, we hope for the best.

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