From Its Founding to Today
1902
On October 25, 1902, a decision was made at J. Faber’s restaurant to found the Swakopmund Men’s Chorus. Mr. W. Kupps, a brass player who had come to Swakopmund from Windhoek, was recruited as the conductor.
Of the 23 founding members, however, only 7 were actual singers.
The first rehearsal took place on Thursday, October 30, 1902, at the Strandhotel.
The “Deutsch-südwestafrikanische Zeitung” of the same day had this to say about the founding: “…As we hear, a good start has been made. However, if the choir is to reach its full potential and effectiveness, everyone with a gift for singing must join the association so that it can soon be heard in full force at a public event.”
1903
On February 12, 1903, the SMG made its first public appearance at the mill's dedication ceremony.
The choir experienced rapid growth; by the end of February, it already had 50 members, 20 of whom were active singers.
The first singing festival took place on March 7, 1903, in the spacious hall of Heinemann’s restaurant. The musical performances were interspersed with humorous skits, such as “Flora” and “Zur blauen Birne.”
On November 8, 1903, the flag dedication ceremony took place in conjunction with the first anniversary celebration. The popularity of the SMG is evident from the fact that its membership had grown to 72.
The first joint outing on Boxing Day to Nonidas by train, led by a marching band, demonstrated a sense of unity with the residents of Swakopmund.
1904
January 12, 1904, was mobilization day in Swakopmund.
Many members of the choir were drafted and had to begin their service in the colonial forces. Despite the turmoil of the war, the SMV continued its club activities.
By the end of 1905, membership had risen to 95—a number that was never again reached!
1906
After that, however, a decline set in in 1906. Singing practice sessions were held almost never anymore. With each session, active participation dwindled, and the rest of the group turned to playing the Schieberramsch.
Then Sangesbruder o. Gaedtke took over as chairman, and things started looking up again.
Thus, on November 15, 1906, another anniversary celebration took place at the “Hotel zum kühlen Strande,” featuring choral singing, solo performances, a play, and the customary dancing. However, the performance skills of the choir members had to be significantly improved by A. Herlyn, a member of the choir who had since been appointed choir director. A review of a so-called “singers’ festival” in the “D. S. W. A. Ztg.” of June 12, 1907, states: “… The musical precision left nothing to be desired; however, the tempo could have been a bit brisker in most pieces, and the club will also need to pay a little more attention to pronunciation during rehearsals. The excessive emphasis on final syllables was often distracting.” “The association’s ‘rebirth’ did not occur until 1910, when Fr. Kramer took over as president and E. Bohn as choir director.”
1910
On January 27, 1910 (the Emperor’s birthday), a large public festival was held in Faber’s Hall with the participation of local clubs and government officials; officers and crew members of the survey ship S.M.S. Panther, which was anchored in the roadstead, also attended as guests.
During this period of general economic growth, the choral scene also flourished.
The active choir consisted of 22 members, and at the anniversary celebration on November 5, 1910, they performed: “Farewell, O Beautiful May Dream,” Uhlmann’s “My Song” with a bass solo, and “The Quiet Valley” by Schwartz. This was followed by a play and lively dancing.
1911
On May 25, 1911, the SMGV held its 9th anniversary celebration, which was enthusiastically reported as follows: “...the association’s ongoing achievements were evident in its core mission: to preserve the German folk song. After a phonetic greeting to the participants rang out through the hall, the choir sang “Weihe des Gesangs” and the “Priests’ Chorus from The Magic Flute,” thereby demonstrating the association’s aspiration toward higher things. The orchestral portion of the musical performances was entrusted to the trusted house orchestra, whose members include, among others, our fellow singers Bohn and Kriz. The discreet piano accompaniment demonstrated a true understanding of the very essence of accompaniment, and the technically superb violin playing, with its invigorating effect and lively tempo, gave the vocal pieces the right momentum and polish. The delightful evening concluded with a solemn gala ball.
On Easter Monday, the SMGV organized an outing to Nonidas using trolley buses. There were 80 (!) participants who didn’t want to miss out on this old tradition. Out in God’s great outdoors, as they walked together along the Swakop River, the old German folk tunes rang out.
In July 1911, the German Singers' Federation celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in Nuremberg. At that time, six members of the SMGV were in Germany, and so the SMGV made its first appearance in Germany at this celebration, carrying the banner that had been sent there.
1912
The 10th anniversary celebration began with a torchlight procession on the evening of November 30, 1912, starting from the “Hansa Hotel,” which had since been designated as the club’s headquarters ,” which had since been designated as the club’s venue, where the welcoming of the guests and a social gathering subsequently took place. The Windhoek Men’s Chorus, led by its capable conductor, Music Director Hans Müller, was present with a six-member delegation. With the participation of the Veterans’, Gymnastics, and Rifle Clubs, all carrying their flags, a festive parade wound its way through Swakopmund to the celebration venue, J. Faber. Flag pins were presented, and embroidered ribbons—made by the ladies—as well as an award from the German Singers’ Festival in Nuremberg contributed to the flag’s decoration. The celebration proceeded in a cheerful atmosphere, and, as usual, dancing continued until the early hours of the morning.
The next day, discussions were held regarding the establishment of a South West African Singers' Association, but no final decisions were made; instead, the matter was postponed.
1914
The year 1914 brought a change in conductors; Mr. Ulrich took over the position from Mr. Bohn.
On Ascension Day, May 21, 2014, a concert and entertainment evening took place in Faber’s Hall. The *Swakopmunder Zeitung* wrote about it: “Compared to the last choral festival in November of last year, it must be frankly admitted that the choir has improved significantly, no doubt not least due to the addition of several new, talented singers, bringing the total number to 30.”
After that, the signs of World War I began to multiply, and the tranquil life in Swakopmund and within the club came to an end.
August 6–8, 1914, marked the start of general mobilization, and by September 14, the radio tower was already under fire. As a result, an order was issued to evacuate the town; women and children were forced to leave Swakopmund, and the waterworks were soon blown up.
1915
A full year passed before the residents of Swakopmund were allowed to return to their abandoned homes, after the Schutztruppe had signed the surrender at Korab on July 9, 1915.
By the end of 1915, the Sangesbrüder were left with nothing. The large cabinet in the clubhouse had been broken into and stripped of all its fine contents. Only the banner had been spared, as it had been moved to Tsumeb by Sangesbruder Paul Eckleben.
1916
A fresh start was made on April 20, 1916, when a new board was elected at the general meeting held that day. Herlyn was elected first chairman, and the club once again became very active.
On July 16, a concert was held; admission was set at 1 mark. It was a resounding success. The proceeds totaled 300 marks, which gave the treasurer some breathing room and, above all, made it possible to pay the conductor’s salary for half a year. In the years that followed, Swakopmund saw a large influx of people from the interior. These families, whose heads were forced into idleness by circumstances, provided many capable singers, so that the number of active members rose to 42. This growth came primarily from the civil service, as well as from the Otavi Mining and Railway Company. Many of the unemployed fathers had been members of the Usako Singers and the Windhoek Men’s Chorus.
All events required approval from the city government, and it took hard work and dedication to keep the club running.
1917
1918
The year 1918 was a year of mourning, not only because of Germany’s surrender, but also because of a flu epidemic that claimed .
As a result, the choir was forced to take an extended break due to illness. In addition, the military authorities issued expulsion orders, and quite a few members of the choir had to leave Swakopmund.
The financial situation became dire, and the number of active singers dwindled to 12, so rehearsals were suspended until further notice.
1920
It was not until 1920 that the club began to show tentative signs of new life. Out of necessity, we agreed to join the German Association, provided that all clubs agreed to do so. We thus became the “Singing Section of the German Association.”
The many difficulties of the postwar period had a profound impact on the association. Among other things, the choir director, Mr. Ulrich, returned to Germany; the first chairman, Winter, had little to show for his efforts; and it was not until 1926 that the association once again experienced a
An upward trend. And so the company kicked off its 25th anniversary year with renewed enthusiasm.
1927
On June 15, 1927, the Windhoek Men’s Chorus extended an invitation to the capital, and the South West African Singers’ Federation was founded with the participation of the Swakopmund delegation.
The anniversary celebration held from November 17 to 20, 1927, to mark the foundation’s 25th anniversary was duly celebrated in a festive atmosphere, and the choral performances were presented by 26 active singers.
1928
In May 1928, a large rally was held in Vienna in honor of Franz Schubert, the “greatest German singer.” Our fellow singers Eggert, Grützner, Prinsen, and Prezbylski were also in attendance.
For the trip to Vienna, the group met in Dresden with the delegation from the Windhuk Men’s Chorus, led by Music Director Müller. The local singers had arranged for free lodging and meals, and it was an inspiring visit to the “Florence of the Elbe.” The group toured Dresden’s beautiful surroundings, and everywhere there was joy over the visit of the singers from the southwest. One report stated: “As we pulled into Pirna, an immense crowd lined the station. Flowers were presented to the singers and their ladies, and then the official welcome took place in the waiting room. After a welcome drink, a stately procession with unfurled flags set off for Copitz. After a short rest, everyone gathered at the “Erbgericht” for the welcome celebration and to sing together with the “Germania” choir and the Copitz singers…”
Here are some more links to newspaper articles about the Sängerbundfest
From the*Neue Freie Presse*of 1928:
Several pages about the parade
1930–1932
The first South West African Federal Choral Festival took place in Windhoek from April 19 to 21, 1930. Concerts were held in the afternoons and evenings at the “Großherzog” Hotel. The event concluded with an excursion to Farm Hoffnung on Monday, before participants gathered at the Equestrian Monument that afternoon and marched in a parade to the train station. At that time, the South West African Singers’ Federation comprised 10 clubs from across the country, with 375 active members.
The years 1931–1933 were marked by ups and downs and reflected the uncertain economic situation.
The annual report dated January 25, 1932, states: “We are facing a very bleak and eventful future, and that is precisely why we must strive to persevere right now…”
The 30th anniversary celebration took place on February 3, 1932, in the usual manner, enlivened by a short theatrical performance or musical comedy. An admission fee of 1.6 shillings, including tax, was charged. Also worth mentioning is an article from the Swakopmund Newspaper dated October 8, 1932, which reports as follows: “... the Hindenburg celebration ... took place this time, in keeping with the times, in a simpler but ... dignified setting. Our men’s choir played the lion’s share of the performances and the festive program, and it is a source of particular satisfaction to note that it performed in an exemplary manner, both in the selection of the songs and in their delivery...”
In 1932, there was also a change in choir directors; Mr. Boß handed over the baton to Mr. Seidenstücker on May 30.
1933
Disputes with the German Association over payment for a car ride to Usakos cast a shadow over the board meetings and led to Sangesbruder Schulze stepping down as chairman in 1933 and Sangesbruder Wannemacher being elected as the new chairman.
On Sunday, April 23, 1933, the SMGV held a folk song recital. A newspaper article reported: “The large crowd that had gathered at the war memorial was treated to a real delight. Five folk songs, some of which are rarely heard, were sung: ‘Im schönsten Wiesengrunde,’ ‘Es haben zwei Bümlein geblühet,’ ‘Es scheinen die Sternlein so hell,’ ‘Mir ist ein schön’s braun Mägdelein,’ and ‘Horch, was kommt von draußen rein.’ All the songs were performed with verve and panache, once again demonstrating the singers’ excellent training. Hopefully, the success of this open-air “matinee” will encourage the Men’s Chorus to repeat such commendable events.”
A year full of activities in 1933—during which the idea of forming a mixed choir with the church choir was even discussed (but rejected)—was followed by 1934, a year marked by a gloomy mood due to severe flood damage.
As a result, participation in the national choir festival was canceled, and a trip to Spitzkopje was considered instead.
1935
On January 25, 1935, another lively evening took place, during which the SMGV shone with its vocal and acting talents. The songs “Wo gen Himmel Eichen ragen,” “Auswanderer,” “Ach, du klarblauer Himmel,” and “Herzeleid” were followed by the comic sketches “Das fidele Gefängnis” and “Gewitzter Liebhaber.” Lively applause from a gratifyingly large audience attested to the quality of the performance.
The “Rhenish Evening” on June 20, 1935, was also a great success. Faber’s Hall had been decorated in a particularly appealing festive style, and the program—with its excellent selection of the most beautiful Rhenish songs and its variety of men’s choruses—proved to be an exceptionally successful choice. The solos by the powerful heroic tenor, Brother Ohlmann, and the trumpet fanfare by Brother Prinsen deserve special mention. The comical trio performed by Brothers Lohmeier, Thelen, and Feil, as well as the first demonstration of a television set by Brother Wienberg—presented as a marvel of technology—were received with great enthusiasm. The press reported: “...those who weren’t there really missed out!”
1937
Then a difficult period began for the SMGV, and the club’s early history comes to an end with the annual meeting held on March 25, 1937. World War II brought much grief, death, displacement, and misery, even for us in the Southwest, and it was not until 1952—after a forced 15-year hiatus—that we dared to make a fresh start.
1952
June 4, 1952, can be considered the end of the club’s suspension following the turmoil caused by World War II.
In May, Mr. Schrader had come to Swakopmund and agreed to serve as conductor. This “rebirth” of the choir was due to the tireless efforts of fellow choir member Wannemacher, who left no stone unturned in his quest to create the conditions necessary for the choir’s flourishing development. The conductor’s fee was set at 1 L per evening, and rehearsals were to be held at the Hotel Bismarck until further notice.
For Swakopmund’s 60th anniversary celebration, Mr. Müller, the director of church music, stepped in for the conductor, who was ill. He managed to establish the necessary rapport with the choir—which was unfamiliar to him—so that the planned performances could take place.
1953
Little by little, the club began to get back on its feet, and by 1953, family evenings, outings, and the anniversary celebration on November 13, 1953, were once again taking place.
The year came to a close on November 28 with a trip to the large tree on the Swakop River, featuring fire dances and a performance by an orchestra. On that occasion, it was decided on the spot to bring the year to a close in this way every year at the same location. In addition to its scheduled performances, the association also provided entertainment for unexpected events.
1955
For example, at a slaughter festival on May 6, 1955—which all the singers attended with their wives—a lovely evening was enjoyed with dancing, the performance of several songs, and a quickly organized raffle.
On December 2, 1955, the SMG celebrated its 53rd anniversary. A press release stated: “...The highlight of the musical performances was ‘Der Spielmann,’ and the sustained applause called for an encore. The performances by the men’s choir were flawless, and the new choir director, Mr. Gustav Mehrens, who had been leading the choir for about two months, proved that he had the group under control. Mr. Kerr provided the lighthearted entertainment that followed, and Mr. Wilhelm Wittlich proved to be a sensational surprise—a true ‘entertainment sensation.’”
1956–1958
“…So it is no surprise that at the annual meeting on November 15, 1956, choir member Wittlich took over the position of first chair from choir member Wannemacher.”
This was followed by a period of intense club activity and many public events, until 1958, when a new president, Luhde, a fellow choir member, was elected and Mr. Schrader was persuaded to return as conductor.
1960–1970
The 1960s were marked by the club's normal activities.
In 1963, fellow choir member E. Schmidt took over as president and steered the association through calm waters.
The conductor, Mr. J. Schrader, who had to travel to Germany for a time, was replaced by Mr. Hatterschmidt, but resumed conducting the singing evenings upon his return.
In 1965, E. Wenk was elected the first president of the choir, and the group’s official performances continued to follow established patterns.
Choir festival in Windhoek, parish festival of the Evangelical Church at the Youth Center, serenades for the choir members’ birthdays and weddings, outings to the Khan River, memorial services, and singing at funerals.
The "Grüner Kranz" hotel emerged as the club's meeting place.
The chairmanship passed to younger hands; choir member S. Mater was elected to the position in 1967, but the number of singers remained stagnant at a low level, between 15 and 20.
It was during this period that the idea was first raised that, in the future, one would also need to focus on singing songs in languages other than German.
Some of the minutes were published in English, and the chairpersons included members of the choir whose names are still familiar to us today: D. Gudehuus, F. Rahn.
Mr. Gläfke served as choir director for a short time, but that apparently did not last. He was relieved of his duties, and Mr. Schrader once again took over as choir director.
1972
The celebration marking the foundation’s 70th anniversary on October 21, 1972, at the Haus der Jugend, and the closing event the following day, Sunday, in the Stadtgarten—featuring a wind orchestra and guest choirs from Otjiwarongo, Grootfontein, Windhoek, Okahandja, and Walvis Bay—were once again a dignified event befitting the association.
This success gave the club a boost, and as the number of singers grew, so did the club's activities.
In December 1972, the singing brothers Ignatz Klimas and Herbert Haller were awarded the Golden Singer’s Pin, while Otto Schnoor, Karl Wlodzka, Gerd Baas, Siegfried Mater, and Hans-Dieter Mylo were awarded the Silver Singer’s Pin.
The club's financial situation improved, and they were able to consider purchasing new music folders, a club cabinet (for the flag), and other improvements.
1973
The Annual General Meeting on November 29, 1973, provided a telling picture of our association’s upswing. The first chairman, choir member Gudehuus, said, among other things, “… I would like to express special thanks to our conductor, Mr. Schrader, and also to Ms. Dörte Witte, his deputy, who took the helm during Mr. Schrader’s eight-month absence.”
Thanks to the engaging format of the singing evenings, an average of 20 to 25 active singers attended each evening. We owe a debt of gratitude to these active singers, as their regular attendance allowed the conductor to work wholeheartedly and with joy for the benefit of our choir. .. It is particularly worth mentioning that Ms. Dörte Witte, with her youthful enthusiasm, ventured into new musical repertoire for us, which provided a pleasant change of pace for the choir.
We got a taste of this when Mr. Schrader returned from Germany on November 18, 1973, aboard the “Europa” in Walvis Bay, in the form of a serenade sung at the reception from the seamen’s songbook “Anker auf.”
The presidency changed hands once again, and Brother S. Mater resumed leadership of the association, a role that was transferred to Brother Wittlich the following year.
1974
In November 1974, the Swakopmund United Choirs performed Mozart's Requiem.
In 1974, choir member H. Kern was elected first chairperson, and the idea of participating in the choir festival in Berlin was discussed; however, this could not be realized in the end due to the high cost of airfare.
The number of active singers dropped sharply once again, and it is remarkable that the board and the choir director continued despite this.
1977
It wasn't until 1977 that things began to pick up again. The anniversary year was filled with a wide variety of activities. It began with a television recording for ZDF hosted by Peter Scholl-Latour.
In honor of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who had died 150 years earlier, a memorial service was held on May 6, 1977, which the SMGV organized and helped arrange. In his speech, the first chairman, fellow singer Dieter Gudehuus, stated: “… Men’s choral singing is often criticized for its imperfections—we readily admit that—but our goal and purpose, which is to cultivate music in a folksy way with everyone and for everyone, inherently includes amateurism, imperfection, and the limitations of our repertoire.”
Then rehearsals began for the gala concert of the South West African Singers’ Association, held under the motto “Singing Means Understanding,” to mark its 50th anniversary on June 18, 1977, which took place in Windhoek. The program featured choirs from Okahandja and Khomasdal, as well as the men’s choirs from Windhoek and Swakopmund.
At that time, the South West African Singers' Association had 13 member choirs, including even the Boland German Men's Choir in Paarl.
The celebration marking our association’s 75th anniversary on October 15, 1977, was held under the theme “Folk Music.” The program featured our choir and instrumental music performed by the Swakopmund Mixed Choir. Admission to this festive event was free, by the way, and the audience showed its appreciation by turning out in large numbers.
On November 4 of this eventful year, during an internal celebration held by the SMGV, former singer Herbert Haller was named an honorary member for life, and the long-time conductor (25 years in total, with some interruptions!), Mr. Johannes Schrader, was honored in his retirement.
As is typical after a turbulent year, a period of calm club operations has now set in.
1982
It wasn't until 1981 that the choir resumed intensive rehearsals in preparation for the 1982 anniversary year. Ms. Dörte Witte had been recruited as choir director, and the position of first chair was held by fellow choir member Herbert Schier.
The 80th anniversary celebration took place on November 5, 1982. One of the best dance bands in the Southwest, the Wikaphoniker, was hired, and it turned out to be a proper celebration. Even the mayor, Mr. Jörg Henrichsen, made a point of actively participating in the festivities by dressing up as a district official from 1903—in a tailcoat and top hat—and delivering a eulogy in the official German of that era in honor of our association. In the AZ of October 18, 1982, a tribute to the anniversary celebration concluded with the following: “… Today, after 80 years, despite all the changes and detours, the folk song remains the centerpiece of our work every Thursday evening.”
This demonstrates the singers’ desire to present the public with a colorful selection of folk songs on Sunday morning, November 7, at 10:30 a.m., in the city park, under the direction of Ms. Dörte Witte. “Bring your friends along.”
This year, as an experiment, the group rehearsed the song “Molly Marlone” for the first time, as well as other songs from various countries.
1983
Unfortunately, support from the Swakopmund community for the foundation celebration on December 2, 1983, was weak; even vacationers were hardly to be seen. That year, the choir rehearsed for a radio competition. Despite the choir’s great enthusiasm (at first) and the efforts of the newly appointed choir director, Mr. Engelbrecht, with the assistance of Ms. Witte, the recording at the Haus der Jugend turned into a major embarrassment due to the lack of discipline among some of the singers.
The choir director resigned from his position due to the irregular attendance of the choir members, their lack of punctuality, and the failure to acknowledge his efforts.
Genis, a fellow choir member, stepped in to fill the gap, but that didn't solve the problem of finding a new choir director.
1985
On February 21, 1985, the first rehearsal took place with the music teacher, Mr. Werner Kühlwetter, who had moved to Swakopmund. This marked the beginning of a fruitful 15-year tenure as conductor.
The highlight of the year was a musical morning get-together on August 4, 1985. On this occasion, choir member Herbert Haller received a certificate of honor for his 60 years of membership in the SMGV. Deputy Mayor Mr. Goetje read the city’s message of greeting. There was also a donated meat feast.
On October 5, 1985, the Kantorei hosted a choral festival in which all choirs from Swakopmund and Walvis Bay were invited to participate. The SMGV performed two new songs, “Kumbaya, My Lord” and “Vive la Compagnie.” In March, special thanks were extended to Dr. Gerhard Gellrich, a conductor from Unkel (Germany), who—based on authentic sources—had revised the song “Hart wie Kameldornholz …” (known as the “Southwest Song”) and dedicated it to the SMGV.
The number of active singers had increased again, and under the new chairman, fellow singer H. Hofmeister, the group turned its attention to new projects.
Discussions took place regarding new jackets, which were to be similar to the old ones, and there were meetings with and about the South West African Singers’ Association. In a conversation with the current chairman of the SWASB, Mr. K. Harbeck, the idea was raised to give this association a fresh start and organize a singers’ day in Swakopmund in April. However, due to a lack of participation from other choirs, this singers’ day did not take place, and the SWASB would soon cease to exist.
1986
For the anniversary celebration on October 31, 1986, at the Grüner Kranz, the SMGV had organized a song recital featuring a diverse selection of both well-known and lesser-known German folk songs. The evening was further enlivened by a raffle, the barrel organ played by fellow singer “Fips” Seyer, and a disco hosted by fellow singer Arvid Grosche, and it was a resounding success.
1987
We didn't forget about "riding the bike" either, even if it was just a trip to Spitzkopje.
In 1987–1988, the idea of making a cassette of songs from the Southwest was first proposed.
The SMGV took advantage of various opportunities to showcase its talents to the public, performing at the 80th anniversary celebration of the Maltahöhe Hotel, at the Europa Hof to welcome the “Rote Funken” from Cologne, at Farmers’ Day in Kaltenhausen, at the wine festival at the SKW in Windhoek, and at the 50th anniversary celebration of the tannery in Swakopmund.
The visit by the Schubert Choir from Rastatt on October 18, 1987, did not generate much interest among the residents of Swakopmund.
A special event was the SMGV’s trip to Werner Gossow’s farm near Donkerhoek. There was plenty of singing that weekend, and the “bokkie on a skewer” tasted delicious!
1989
In 1989, choir member Moisel was elected first chairperson, and Ms. Dörte Witte agreed to take over as choir director until Werner Kühlwetter, who had to return to Germany, came back.
There was a certain amount of unrest among the singers, and there was a great deal of discussion. There was particular dissatisfaction with the fact that long-time, experienced members of the choir were attending rehearsals very irregularly.
Nevertheless, the choir continued its activities, and the SMGV had a repertoire of about 30 songs, which were performed on a wide variety of occasions, such as the Bridge Festival on Father’s Day, May 4–5, 1989, at the bedside and grave of long-time honorary member Herbert Haller, at the Kantorei’s song recital, at the birth of our acting conductor Dörte’s child, and at the anniversary celebration.
We should also mention our participation in the Carnival parade.
1990
The trip to Blutkoppe kicked off this year’s activities, followed by the successful Father’s Day celebration at the home of our fellow singer “Shorty” Lohmeier, where—in keeping with old tradition—we raised our glasses to a refreshing drink; but the highlight of 1990 was the trip to the north.
On June 15, 1990, we first headed to Otavi, where the SMGV provided musical entertainment at the student dormitory festival; then, after touring the Meteor, we went to Rietfontein for a social evening, and finally to Tsumeb, where we had to mark the end of the trip with a morning drink at the Minenhotel.
Another highlight among this year's events is a ceremony marking the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990.
1991
From June 7 to 9, 1991, the SMGV organized a “Schnitzel Tour” to Hochfeld and Witvlei. It was a very cheerful trip that many singers—still active today—remember fondly. During this trip, we maintained and strengthened our ties with the local farmers and also promoted the club. The trip report concludes: “…The belated morning beer … was certainly the liveliest part of the tour. Even Smittie couldn’t resist taking a few photos of us for the Advertiser. But the highlight of the trip was definitely the third schnitzel that was served to us. It was by far the best. After two generous rounds of beer, which the landlord treated us to, … after a 1,300-kilometer drive to Namibia’s ‘South Pole,’ we returned to Swakopmund.”
The annual general meeting held on November 28, 1991, was reported in the press.
This year, the Mehlemer Quartet Association of 1908 was our guest, and the event in mid-February was a complete success.
Our longtime conductor, Johannes Schrader, came to visit Swakopmund, and this event received a great deal of attention.
We purchased an electronic piano, which allowed us to easily take the musical foundation of our rehearsals with us wherever we went.
1992
From April 30 to May 4, 1992, a trip north was taken to Omaruru, Grootfontein, Tsumeb, and Otjiwarongo.
The most significant event, however, was the 90th anniversary celebration on November 6, 1992, at the Haus der Jugend under the motto “Berlin bleibt Berlin.” The search for a more suitable club venue intensified after the hall at the “Grüner Kranz” became increasingly unable to meet the needs of a choir.
1993
In 1993, the Scout hall was chosen as the rehearsal space.
The highlight of this year was the trip to Lüderitz Bay from May 20 to 23, 1993. Eighteen members of the choir traveled in four vehicles to southwestern Namibia, and the 2,000 km were covered without any major problems. The thank-you letter from Mr. Schuster (Hermine Offen Heim) attests to the musical success of this strenuous, long journey.
This is the first time a tape recording of “Südwester Lieder” is mentioned.
The chairmanship is passing from Brother Moisel to Brother Rohlwink.
The Windhoek Men’s Choir had disbanded, and at the request of former choir members, the remaining items—such as the flag, music cabinets, sheet music, the conductor’s podium, and the like—were stored by the SMGV in the tower room of the Scout hall. The estate of the SWA Singers’ Association was also brought to Swakopmund and kept there by the SMGV.
1995
On January 13, 1995, the SMGV hosted a founding anniversary celebration under the theme “A Cruise in the Mediterranean.” The event featured musical pieces and songs from the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Israel. In addition, there were performances from Libya, Syria, and the Black Sea region. Even the food served was in keeping with the theme. This varied program was very well received, and the successful evening came to a close with dancing and singing to the rousing tunes performed by the Andy-Combo band, led by our fellow singer Andy Bauer.
From March 18 through March 21, we once again took a trip north, passing through Twyfelfontein, Khorixas, Bambatsi Farm, Outjo, Ngubamis Farm, Okaukuejo, Otjiwarongo, and Omaruru. We stayed at campgrounds along the way.
On May 25, 1995, Father’s Day was celebrated on the bridge, and afterward, preparations began for the next anniversary celebration, which took place on November 17, 1995, under the motto “Wine, Women, and Song.” The program included songs such as “Roses from the South,” “Vienna, Vienna, Only You,” “Julischka,” and others.
1996
From April 2 to April 4, 1996, the Husum Shanty Choir visited Swakopmund. That evening established such a strong connection with the host choir that a return visit by the SMGV was discussed.
From April 28 to May 5, 1996, the long-planned wine tour to Cape Town became a reality. That year, following a decision by the SMGV, an attempt was made to increase internal and external awareness through a newsletter and, potentially, to recruit new members in this way. The title “Die Seeschwalbe” was chosen. Depending on need, reports on the association’s events and activities are now published at irregular intervals.
1999
From March 20 to March 22, 1999, we held a rehearsal weekend at Ameib Farm so that, undisturbed by the beautiful natural surroundings at the foot of the Erongo Mountains, we could bring our songs for the CD—which had been in the works for a long time—up to recording quality. Singing in the Bullsport rock cave was a delight, and we returned to Swakopmund confident that we were perfectly prepared.
We then recorded using the equipment available at the Scout hall, where we held our singing rehearsals, but the result was disappointing. Much of what we had worked on during our long rehearsals was unusable, so we decided to try again in 2000.
We participated in major events in Swakopmund, such as the Bridge Festival, Carnival, and Oktoberfest (featuring the Hergolshäuser Musikanten), and on August 27, 1999, we held our founding celebration, which was organized in collaboration with an accordion orchestra from Baden-Württemberg and the South Tyrolean choir “Seis am Schlern.”
We also took part in the Swakopmund Carnival street parade:
2000
Last year, too, the Annual General Meeting took place without the President, who was already seriously ill at the time. Walter Schmid then succumbed to his illness earlier this year. In honor of him, and also of our supporting member, Manfred Nickel, I now ask you to stand so that we may observe a moment of silence in their memory.
Thank you very much! Another sad event in the club’s history this year was the expulsion of a member. Due to allegations made in a letter to the board—which the board deemed harmful to the club—Siegfried Mater lost his membership. This was confirmed at an extraordinary general meeting of the entire club. The minutes of that meeting are available for review here today.
But now for the more uplifting activities:
1. The Molenfest took place as a foundation celebration, with the participation of the Beckendorf Skippers’ Club, in the large beer tent on the pier. All in all, it was a success that is definitely worth repeating. I would like to thank everyone involved, but especially Herbert Schier as the organizer.
2. Oktoberfest: Even though there were a few initial hiccups, I think I can say that this year’s festival—even without a band from out of town—continued the upward trend of the past three years. We’ve learned a lot from this experience, and there will be further improvements in the future.
3. Trip to Brandberg. Although attendance was low, it was a very successful outing for everyone who participated. The presence of a few women was particularly noted as a positive aspect.
4. As in the past, we once again took part in Carnival. A small group sang “Oh Donna Clara” at the Carnival gala, and a float themed “Centuries Pass” was put together.
5. We also performed at a number of other events:
– First, let's talk about our little Christmas party at the Strandhotel.
– At Werner Kühlwetter’s 70th birthday celebration, during which he joined our
was named an honorary member.
– At Walter Schmid's funeral service at the Evangelical Church.
– On the occasion of the Jukskei World Championships, along with a few others
Coastal Choirs at Namib Elementary School.
– In the storage shed at Walfischbucht Harbor, together with the singers
of the German naval task force “Emden”
– At Jupp and Bärbel Petsch's wedding.
– On the research vessel Meteor in the harbor at Walfischbucht – a
an interesting and memorable opportunity
– On Heroes' Remembrance Day, November 12, 2000.
There is also good news to report regarding our finances. With a few more major events, we should have built up a small financial cushion for our trip to Germany. We owe Holger Ahrens our thanks for managing our finances.
Our newsletter, *Seeschwalbe*, which is published on an irregular basis, continues to be a valuable asset to our association. Many thanks to the editorial team under Fritz’s capable leadership. Fritz Wagner welcomes suggestions regarding who else should receive a copy.
Despite two attempts, our recording of the Southwestern folk songs has unfortunately still not been satisfactorily completed. We can only hope that we will succeed next year.
The club currently has 27 active members and 5 supporting members.
1. Tenors: Holger Ahrens, Paul Forster, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Herbert Schier.
Second Tenor: Heinz Heuschneider, Herbert Lohmeier, Gotthardt Rethemeyer, Jochen Schwietering, Hans Thomas, Wolfgang von Seydlitz
1st Bass: Andreas Bauer, Hans Fritze, Arvid Grosche, Robert Hornung, Franz Irlich, Rüdiger Moisel, Fritz Wagner.
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Wolfram Fraude, Franz Klimas, Fred Müller, Kurt Müseler, Hans Roxin, Hajo Schumacher, Gerd Walter.
Unfortunately, five singers have left us over the course of the year for various reasons: Sigi Mater, Deon Pagel, Jupp Petsch, Werner Scholze, and Gerd Schwietering. On the other hand, I am pleased to welcome Robert Hornung and Fred Müller as new singers to our ranks.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my fellow choir members for the trust you have placed in me. I would also like to express my gratitude for the dedication you have shown over the past year. This gratitude goes especially to all members of the board, and in particular to those who are fully engaged in their careers.
Last but certainly not least, I would like to express my gratitude to our honorary member and conductor, who, this year as in so many before, has shown exemplary dedication to our association. Dear Werner, I believe that only time will reveal the full extent of your impact at every level here in our association.
As an expression of our gratitude and in recognition of your many years of selfless dedication to music, singing, and to us here at the Men’s Chorus in particular, the board and the chorus are today naming you Honorary Conductor of the Swakopmund Men’s Chorus.
Thank you.
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairperson
2001
On March 24, 2001, the SMGV was invited to the Kristallkellerei in Omaruru to provide the perfect setting for the wine festival. Our country’s first wine queen was crowned by Bacchus that evening, and it turned into a joyful celebration that lasted until the early morning. Recording sessions for the CD were completed in March, and production was then set in motion. A studio and a production company in Germany were selected for this purpose. This year’s anniversary celebration was themed “American Evening” and was even featured in the German Singers’ Federation’s magazine, “Chor und Lied.” The Oktoberfest, a regular annual event, took place this time on October 13, 2001, featuring the brass band “Die Eschenbachtaler,” and was a resounding success in front of a packed tent—some 1,100 visitors had turned out. As has become customary, the event concluded the following day with an afternoon excursion to the Swakop River, followed by an evening braai with the participants from Franconia.
2002
Annual Report of the First Chairman of the SMGV of 1902 for the Year 2002
Dear Conductor Wilna Liebenberg, dear Honorary Conductor Werner Kühlwetter, and dear fellow singers! A warm welcome to our Annual General Meeting in our 100th year of existence.
Please allow me to make this report a little more detailed than I usually would, because tonight marks the official end of one of the most significant years in the club's history.
Even at the risk of perhaps boring you, I would like to begin with a passage that was part of my commemorative speech on October 24, 2002, as a reminder of the values that have always been important to us in our club:
Brothers, join hands in fellowship! May this beautiful celebration lead us to the bright heights! Let us cast aside all that is earthly! May the harmonies of our friendship endure forever, strong and beautiful!
If you're heading out to the Namib—bring your empties home with you!
If only the sea were made of wine, and the mountains of ham…. Boats should be goblets from which the singers could then drink.
Our pier and the beach are well known, as are the bridge and the warm sand of the dunes. Where people sing and play bowling, yes, day in and day out—that’s my home; that’s where I feel at home.
And as we sat by the fire—probably in front of the tent at night—the world around us lay in silent reverence.
I hope that all of this will continue to form part of the foundation upon which our club is built. If so, I am convinced that in the years to come we will once again be able to look back on times as eventful and successful as those of 2002.
- One of the “major” events of the year was, of course, the choir’s tour of Germany, which has already been covered elsewhere. Here are a few brief impressions: It was a varied and exhausting experience, with wonderful hospitality from all the choirs we visited and successful performances everywhere (the Saxon *Wochenkurier* wrote: “An impressive variety that brings people together.” “Rhein-Sieg-Kreis”: “Thunderous applause for the MGV from Swakopmund”). A special thank you once again to tour organizer Fritz Wagner. The travel brochure, edited by Herbert Schier, also contributed to the success of this tour.
- The highlight of the year was undoubtedly our festival in October, which included the gala concert, the choir concert, and the foundation celebration “Around the World in 80 Minutes.” Although the program was quite demanding given our skill level (we sang 37 pieces over the three days, after all!), the choir mastered both the musical and organizational challenges with confidence and proved once again what it’s truly capable of. This was also confirmed by the overwhelming response from the Swakopmund community and the press. We received a special form of positive recognition from the NBC. Thomas Dauser from SWF put together a 50-minute radio report that portrayed the festival and the association’s work in a very favorable light.
- Swakoptoberfest: Although there were a few minor hiccups again, I think I can say that this year’s festival at the SFC—featuring the Dürnbach Musicians and their dance troupe, as well as Andy’s Combo—was quite a success. Even the fact that it took place just two weeks before the holiday season didn’t stop 800–900 visitors from attending. We’ve learned from this experience, and there will certainly be improvements in the future.
- August 10–11: Trip to Nordenburg. Rüdiger had invited everyone to celebrate his 50th birthday. A delightfully large number of our fellow singers accepted the invitation, and it was a great success for everyone involved. We should also mention the presence of many women and a few guests.
- Of course, we also performed at many other events:
– After Christmas, head to the Woermann Brock Arcade for an outdoor concert
– on January 7, together with the Unterdarching Brass Band, in the courtyard of the Woermannhaus
– In February, we held a successful pub crawl.
– On Gerd Schwietering's 75th birthday on May 7
– Before the trip to Germany on May 19, there was a farewell sing-along at the Scout hall during the Scouts’ fish dinner.
– The recap of the trip to Germany on July 21 also gave those who stayed home a glimpse into the wonderful experiences.
– The singing at the Lions Retirement Home on August 20 brought joy to the seniors.
– The performance marking the 100th anniversary of the Marie Douglas / Princess Ruprecht Home, at the invitation of fellow singer Fred Müller
– A visit to the Wupperhofer concert, followed by a braai at
Arvids Eck in the Desert, September 11–12. With 200 participants, it wasn’t just a huge success in terms of catering. A massive thank you to the entire club—as president, it was simply wonderful to see how every single member pitched in!
– The service held at the Evangelical Church on September 22 was very well received.
– In November, we helped organize a dignified memorial service for Hanne Schiersmitz.
– Arvid's 50th birthday, on the other hand, was a lot of fun.
– Together with the string quintet and “Die Himmel rühmen,” we were able to provide a solemn setting for Heroes’ Remembrance Day on November 10, 2000.
Other important events of the year include the release of our CDs, which were finally completed shortly before our tour of Germany. An additional 500 copies in a revised version have now also been completed.
The commemorative publication marking our anniversary has received much praise. My special thanks go to everyone who contributed to it. It is now up to us to sell the remaining copies as soon as possible so that we can also benefit financially from the work that went into it.
In our anniversary year, we treated ourselves to a stylish vest with African motifs—which was very well received—as well as a polo shirt featuring the club’s crest. I think that, along with our versatile choir uniform consisting of gray and black pants, we’re well-equipped for most occasions.
In 2002, three new issues of *Seeschwalbe* were published, publicizing our activities even beyond the city and state borders. Excerpts from *Seeschwalbe* were even published in the monthly journal of the German Singers’ Federation, *Lied und Chor*.
The club flag has been restored at a cost of N$ 22,500. We still need plenty of sponsors to cover this cost. We also had pins and stickers made to commemorate the anniversary, and we still have plenty available for sale.
Despite significant expenditures this year, our financial position has not deteriorated significantly. Holger Ahrens will tell us more about this in a moment.
The association currently has 33 active members and 15 supporting members.
1. Tenors: Holger Ahrens, Paul Forster, Rolf Förtsch, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Herbert Schier.
Second Tenor: Heinz Czech, Dieter Gudehus, Heinz Heuschneider, Herbert Lohmeier, Gotthardt Rethemeyer, Jochen Schwietering, Hans Thomass, Wolfgang von Seydlitz
1st Bass: Andreas Bauer, Hans Fritze, Arvid Grosche, Thorsten Herrmann, Werner Kühlwetter, Rüdiger Moisel, Werner Scholze, Fritz Wagner.
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Wolfram Fraude, Dieter Friedrich, Franz Klimas, Fred Müller, Kurt Müseler, Franz Oberprieler, Hans Roxin, Hajo Schumacher, Gerd Walter.
Unfortunately, Robert Hornung had to leave us earlier this year. On the other hand, I am pleased to welcome the following new (and returning) singers back into our ranks: Rolf Förtsch, Heinz Czech, Dieter Gudehus, Thorsten Herrmann, Werner Scholze, and Dieter Friedrich. At the same time, I’d like to thank Gerd Meyer, Deon van Vuuren, Tobias Loemke, Robert Bauch, and Rodney Sakeus, who helped us out with their voices over the course of the year, and I hope that some of them may have found their way into the club after all and will be able to participate fully next year.
Dear fellow singers! I know it’s been a challenging year for many of you. But I’d like to suggest that when you look back in a few years, you’ll remember almost exclusively the positive aspects of our anniversary—the camaraderie, the tremendous dedication of all the singers, the truly memorable musical highlights, the wonderful experiences, the commemorative booklet, the CDs, and so on.
We’ve accomplished a great deal. This wouldn’t have been possible without tremendous dedication. My thanks, therefore, go first and foremost to each and every one of you, and—without wishing to detract from the contributions of any individual singer—allow me to mention a few names on behalf of everyone. I’m thinking here of Thorsten Herrmann and Werner Scholze, who had to travel all the way from Walfischbucht and Usakos to attend rehearsals. I’m thinking of Eddi Klimas, who, along with his daughter Edith, spent many hours poring over the sheet music—only to have it carelessly jumbled up again. Franz Klimas, who worked tirelessly on the promotional materials for the commemorative publication and the anniversary photo exhibition. Werner Kühlwetter, who always steps in when help is needed—whether to provide musical accompaniment for a song or to polish a report or speech. Peter Brüggemann, who, with his constant willingness to help, produced the commemorative booklet, posters, and tickets—all computer-generated and on schedule—at all hours of the day and night. Hans Fritze, who has to be the last one standing at the Scout hall during our rehearsals when the “stragglers,” like me, can’t find their way home.
I also don't want to forget how our women are committed to our cause. Many thanks to all of them! I'd like to mention, by way of example, Teresa Grosche as Deputy Minister of Finance, Anneliese Pack as Head Chef, and Ruth Schumacher as Alternate Secretary.
Last but certainly not least, dear Wilna Liebenberg, a huge thank you to you. For your dedication, your patience, your tenacity in pushing through even when you really just wanted to go to sleep, your optimism even when our voices surely sounded terrible at times, and your acceptance of the choir’s sometimes overbearing ideas. We all appreciate this more than it sometimes seems. But I think you’ll agree that there was a lot of positive feedback from the community about how well the choir performed. I think that’s largely thanks to you. So I hope that you’ll continue to see opportunities to take on new challenges with us in the future. Thank you very much
Dear fellow singers, today I’d especially like to thank my board members. This year has been tough for all of us—and, as if that weren’t enough, most of them are also working full-time jobs! Five travel planning meetings, six Swakoptoberfest committee meetings, seven anniversary planning meetings, 20 board meetings (rarely shorter than three hours), and many other meetings, along with hours and days of work, were necessary this year to ensure that everything went smoothly. Gerhard Walter, who always does an excellent job arranging accommodations for our many visitors; Herbert Lohmeier, head ticket seller, CD manager, and more; Arvid Grosche, our booze manager and alternate secretary; Fritz Wagner, archivist, secretary, editor of the commemorative publication and *Seeschwalbe*; Holger Ahrens, Minister of Finance (annual revenue of nearly N$ 150,000!); and then Herbert Schier, source of ideas, sometimes left hand, sometimes right hand, firefighter when things get heated, and much more. Without all of you, we could not have achieved this year’s successes. On behalf of the association—and especially on behalf of future generations of singers—I’d like to offer you my heartfelt praise.
Thank you.
Rüdiger Moisel
2003
Annual Report of the First Chairman of the SMGV of 1902 for the Year 2003
Dear Wilna Liebenberg, dear Honorary Conductor Werner Kühlwetter, dear fellow singers, and dear guests!
A warm welcome to the Annual General Meeting in our 101st year of existence, which, as you know, was rescheduled to January 2004 for reasons that are well known.
Although we had actually planned to take things a bit easier last year, I'm not so sure we really managed to do that—as you can perhaps see from the list of events.
1. The guest nights held at the beginning of the year as part of our new membership drive were not without success. We should consider whether this could become an annual event, organized in a certain style and within a certain framework.
2. At the 10th anniversary celebration of the Former Scouts Guild, our performance certainly helped make the event a success.
3. The Lüderitz tour in May continued a long-standing tradition of the association: traveling throughout our own country and performing our own songs in regions that are not always blessed with a wide variety of cultural events. In addition, much of what was on the trip’s itinerary was quite new territory for many participants, such as the Tiras Farm, the Rostock Ritz guest complex, the rock carving of a sailboat in the Tiras Mountains, the “white wall” on the coast of Lüderitz Bay—as well as the “delicious food offerings” at the Nest Hotel next to the abandoned waterfront.
4. This was followed by less labor-intensive events organized by the club, such as the Hans Albers Evening and Father’s Day celebration at the Palmenhorst housing development on the Swako River near Gommi Witte.
5. Together with the Windhoek Men’s Choir, conducted by Lydia Dedekind, we had the pleasure of helping to put on an operetta evening that was very well received by the audience. It was clear that this type of music consistently finds an appreciative audience here in Swakopmund.
6. A small but dynamic delegation from the association performed at the Küska German Carnival Evening and, dressed as lost colonial soldiers, poked a little fun at the renaming of Swakopmund’s street names under the carnival theme “And that’s a good thing!”—loosely based on a quote by Berlin Mayor Wowereit. Likewise, a small quartet from the Kantorei choir performed a serenade in honor of the choir’s 50th anniversary, in which the choir’s conductors from past years were poked a little fun at.
7. Sure, last year’s Swakoptoberfest wasn’t as successful as in previous years in a number of ways, but perhaps that should simply serve as new motivation to do better in the future.
8. In contrast, the foundation’s celebration, themed “101st Night” (featuring the Paulinum High School Youth Wind Orchestra from Münster), was one of the year’s success stories. The sight of the singers entering the stage dressed as Arabs alone made the evening worth attending. The response from Swakopmund’s community was, accordingly, very positive.
9. Other activities organized by the club included helping to organize Frank Drobisch’s birthday celebration at Arvids Eck, providing musical accompaniment for Heroes’ Remembrance Day in November, and taking a group photo of the club at the pier to mark the 100th anniversary of our club flag.
10. The year came to a close with Christmas caroling at the Haus der Jugend, followed by a cozy get-together at Kückis Pub. By the way, I was told that the guys from the club did a pretty good job of rocking out to “Virgin Mary’s Baby” that evening.
We would also like to report that we now have a permanent display for club activities in a showcase at the anchorage and on a bulletin board at the Swakopmund bookstore. We would appreciate it if individual members would give further thought to the design of these displays.
The archive in the attic at Klimas Glas is growing steadily thanks to Fritz Wagner’s efforts. With the display shelves donated by Michael Rohloff, the materials can be presented in a more organized manner. It’s definitely worth stopping by to browse through them.
In 2003, two new issues of *Seeschwalben* were published, chronicling our activities. Perhaps the magazine should be published a little more regularly—some additional help with the layout would certainly be a great support to Fritz Wagner.
The association currently has 36 active members and about 15 supporting members.
First Tenors: Holger Ahrens, Ingo Berg, Paul Forster, Rolf Förtsch, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Herbert Schier.
Second Tenor: Heinz Czech, Dieter Gudehus, Heinz Heuschneider, Gotthardt Rethemeyer, Jochen Schwietering, Hans Thomass, Wolfgang von Seydlitz
First Bass: Andreas Bauer, Hans Fritze, Arvid Grosche, Thorsten Herrmann, Werner Kühlwetter, Rüdiger Moisel, Herrmann Raulfs, Werner Scholze, Fritz Wagner.
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Dieter Friedrich, Franz Klimas, Fred Müller, Kurt Müseler, Gerd Link, Falco Moisel, Oliver Boehmker, Franz Oberprieler, Hans Roxin, Hajo Schumacher, Gerd Walter.
I’m delighted to welcome the following new singers to our ranks: Herrmann Raulfs, Ingo Berg, Gerd Link, Oliver Boehmker, and Falco Moisel. It’s especially gratifying that, once again, a few younger singers have found their way to us. Thanks to them, the average age of the choir has dropped dramatically!
Herbert Lohmeier and Wolfram Fraude have taken a “break.” We hope they’ll rejoin us this year. Guests Georg Erb and Christian Traupe also joined us from time to time. Maybe this year it will turn into something more long-term.
I would like to once again thank Gerd Meyer, Christiane Ast, and especially Patrick Heinlein, who supported our choir with their voices, instruments, and other much-appreciated contributions at the foundation’s celebration and on other occasions as well.
Dear fellow singers! We’ve once again accomplished quite a bit over the past year. This simply wouldn’t be possible without a great deal of effort. My thanks go to everyone who consistently dedicates themselves to the choir. As examples of this, I’d like to mention Wolfgang von Seydlitz and Paul Forster as truly loyal fellow singers. Of course, I don’t want to forget to include our singers’ wives in this expression of gratitude—they were once again very active behind the scenes this year—and I’d like to specifically acknowledge Karin Förtsch’s work in standing in for our secretary, Fritz Wagner.
Dear Wilna Liebenberg, once again, a huge THANK YOU to you. For your patience, your tenacity in carrying on even when it sometimes seems like no one feels like singing. For your nonchalance in leading a song while skirmishes were breaking out among the singers during a choir rehearsal. But I also think—especially if one is to believe public opinion and the general public—that you’re in the process of revitalizing the Swakopmund Men’s Choir’s singing culture in your own way. Thank you so much!
Many thanks to the board. Dear fellow singers, if you find yourself dozing off while singing, show up late to rehearsals, or struggle to let loose during group activities, you should take a moment to consider the work, effort, and time that others—such as the board—put in to keep the club active and engaging. As a member, all you need to do is participate enthusiastically!
Let this also serve as an introduction to my closing remarks: After 21 years in various roles with SMGV, I am no longer able to serve on the board as I have in the past, for both professional and personal reasons. Of course, I will continue to sing my heart out and will also continue to provide organizational support to the association whenever possible. I ask for your understanding regarding my stepping down and, at the same time, for the new Board to receive the same level of support that I have enjoyed. I hope the new team will also take into account the fact that the association now has more younger members.
In that spirit, and in the words of Hermann Hesse: “When the very young, with the arrogance of their strength and their ignorance, laugh at us and find our laborious gait, our few white hairs, and our sinewy necks amusing, then we remember how we, too, once—possessing the same strength and naivety—smiled in the same way, and we do not feel inferior or defeated, but rather rejoice that we have outgrown that stage of life and have become a little wiser and more tolerant,” I wish the new board all the best.
Thank you.
Rüdiger Moisel
2011
24.11.2011
SMGV 02 Annual Report by the First Chairperson for the Year 2011
Dear Dörte, honorary member and conductor; dear Linette; dear fellow singers; and dear guests!
A warm welcome to the Annual General Meeting in our 109th year of existence.
I think we can look back on a history marked by great success, but also by ups and downs.
The year got off to a very sad start for the club.
Our long-time member and honorary conductor, Werner Kühlwetter, passed away in Windhoek after a brief illness. Werner had been active in the SMGV since 1985, and it is safe to say that he shaped the association over the past quarter-century like almost no one else. His musical talents and intellect repeatedly helped the association turn its events into something special. Just a few weeks before his death, he performed as a piano accompanist at the anniversary celebration. Much of the German-language song repertoire that is part of the association today can be traced back to his initiative. But his personal demeanor, his pursuit of social harmony, and his presence in social gatherings with his beloved “Quetsche” also ensure that he will remain unforgettable as a TRUE SINGING BROTHER.
Less influential, but nonetheless a GOOD fellow singer, was Wolfgang von Seydlitz, who also had to leave us. Quiet, always friendly, reliable, and with an absolutely steady voice, he would only occasionally emerge from his quiet existence around the campfire with his accordion. I would now like to pay a brief tribute to these two truly exemplary fellow singers, who were so different in their own ways. I ask you to please stand.
Our year had many different moments, and I'll now list them in no particular order.
As it does every year, the Christmas caroling event held in December at the Haus der Jugend helped get everyone in the Christmas spirit.
The Hamburg evenings in January, featuring our young man from the Cape Town waterfront, were certainly quite successful—at least from a financial standpoint. But the audience also really enjoyed what was on offer. Thanks to everyone who stepped up and helped out during this time of year, especially Herbert as the organizer and Gerd Link as the auctioneer
The official start of the year coincided with Fritz Wagner’s 80th birthday, which we celebrated this time at the Trommel. At Fritz’s special request, we sang a beautiful German folk song that has since grown very dear to our hearts and has been with us throughout the year: *Der Wanderer*
Together with the Windhoek Men’s Choir, we organized a musical evening in Omaruru in March on the grounds of the private school and boarding house. Given the circumstances, it was certainly a modest success. But next time, we should definitely look for a better venue and hope that the organizer does a better job of promoting the event.
Thanks to a few active members of the choir, under Franz Klima’s enthusiastic direction, we were able to put together a float for the carnival parade. Many thanks to all of you who helped out. It would have been even more enjoyable if significantly more singers had manned the float during the parade!
Our performances at "Swakop Musiziert," held under the auspices of the Arts Association, were very well received—despite the relatively simple arrangements.
Throughout the year, we performed in a relaxed setting at a wide variety of events to bring joy with our songs: In addition to Fritz Wagner’s 80th birthday in January, we celebrated the milestone birthdays of Harald Knobloch (70), Franz Klimas (70), Linette Potgieter (50), and Christian Stiebahl (30). A core group of singers also performed a serenade at Rüdiger’s class reunion to mark the 40th anniversary of his graduation, earning a tidy sum for their trip to Germany in the process. We also made sure to celebrate the reopening of the Princess Rupprecht Home.
The 109th Foundation Festival, titled “In Our Westerns on the Dance Floor—WE Aren’t Dumb as a Bumblebee,” featuring the Windhoek Men’s Choir, can be considered a great success, fitting seamlessly into a series of similar events held in recent years. Thank you all!
A major milestone for the club was the move to a new practice facility. After extensive preparations, the move finally took place in early September. With the Swakopmund Club, we hope to have a venue in the future where we’ll feel at home both musically and socially, where we’ll have a say through our club membership, and that will truly become our HOME.
Of course, this year was also marked by the anniversary tour to Germany in May 2012. For example, the current program was designed to include, for the most part, the songs for that tour. Special rehearsal weekends were organized, which many members found particularly helpful and which Dörte also found to be a positive experience.
The association has 29 active members and about 12 supporting members.
First Tenors: Holger Ahrens, Willie Davel, Jens Dettmold, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Herbert Schier.
Second Tenor: Heinz Czech, Uli Harms, Karl-Ernst Otto, Bernd Schlag, Hans Thomass, Wuedo van Wijk
First Bass: Andreas Bauer, Raini Becker, Arvid Grosche, Thorsten Herrmann, Jochen Schwietering, (Fritz Wagner) (Helmar Runge).
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Rolf Förtsch, Hagen Klein, Franz Klimas, Gerd Link, (Siegfried Mater), Rüdiger Moisel, Herbert Schulz, Christian Stiebahl
Joel Nambuli has been singing as a guest first tenor since September.
Finally, I’d like to thank all my fellow singers for their dedication—both big and small—even if it was just showing up to rehearsals on time and regularly.
Thanks to my board, which has truly supported me in an exemplary manner—despite the occasional mishap and situations that weren’t always pleasant…. Allow me to extend special thanks here to two members of the board—on behalf of everyone, so to speak, and without detracting from the contributions of any other member: Our active retiree, Franz Klimas. He is an absolute role model for young and old alike. As treasurer, he is reliable and diligent; as a singer, he is loyal and always has the best interests of the choir and his fellow singers at heart. Then there’s Peter Brüggemann, who is fully committed to his career and certainly often has to cope with increased pressure there. As the co-opted secretary, he has more than held his own, often working late into the night to handle a lot of paperwork for the board. I know exactly how much time was invested here. THANK YOU SO MUCH
Last but certainly not least, our “musical direction” team: Dörte and Linette. Thank you very much. I know it must sometimes be very frustrating to stand in front of half a group and repeat the SAME THING over and over again. But I do think we can look back on a productive time together, and that is thanks in no small part to the two of you.
In closing, I’d also like to express my own personal gratitude to all of you—for the future….After a year in which there were certainly more disagreements and controversies than in some other years, I, as the president—for whom this choir is very dear to my heart—would like to ask ALL of you—since we are, after all, a choir, and one that relies heavily on this—to put HARMONY first. We shouldn’t let anyone take away the harmony in our music and in our relationships with one another. It’s simply far too valuable. In comparison, how important is it whether we sing one more English or Damara song and one less German one? How important is it that we don’t all speak the same language? How important is it that our skin contains different amounts of melanin? How important is it where we ultimately rehearse or drink our beer together?
HARMONY is so much more important to me! I hope that it will shape not “just” our music, but our entire club life.
Thank you all.
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairman
2012
SMGV 02 Annual Report by the First Chairperson for the Year 2012
Dear Dörte, honorary member and conductor; dear Linette; dear fellow singers; dear guests!
A warm welcome to the Annual General Meeting in our 110th year of existence.
I'm delighted that so many of you have come here today; I take this as a sign of how important this club is to you.
We look back on a year in which the highlight was the 2012 anniversary tour. We can certainly say with pride that this trip through Germany was a great success. Our fellow travelers gained many new and wonderful impressions and experiences. Our hosts and audiences almost always enjoyed our performances very much. We can certainly say that we were worthy representatives and ambassadors of Namibia. Two aspects of this JT2012 gave me particular pleasure.
The camaraderie and tolerance that developed among our fellow travelers—which we have certainly brought back to the club to some extent and will hopefully continue to do so.
The fact that the club, through various measures, made it possible even for members with limited financial means to take part in this trip. All in all, a two-week trip to Germany for less than N$ 12,000—including airfare—was quite a bargain…..
One very positive outcome of JT2012 was, of course, Dörte Witte’s decision to continue serving as our conductor. However, she has set very clear conditions, and I hope for the sake of our continued fruitful collaboration that the association will adhere to them. Every SINGLE member should be aware of this at all times and act accordingly.
Naturally, the major tour had a significant impact on the schedule for the rest of the year.
Here are the few priorities the association was able to set.
Musically, the year was framed by two Christmas concerts: one in December 2011 and one in November 2012, and we certainly performed the more challenging program better yesterday than we did last year.
The 2011 holiday season also included a lovely end-of-year dinner at the Hansa Hotel, to which Franz and Doris had added a special touch.
As in previous years, we were once again able to visit the research vessel, the Merian, and a very small group gathered at Nordenburg on Walpurgis Night, April 30. From there, we set off almost immediately and headed straight for Germany.
In addition to singing birthday songs and paying birthday visits to Kurt Müseler (88), Hans Thomas (80), Jens Detmold (40), and Joel Nambuli (21), we performed with Aldo Berens at the Boutique Hotel, which was well received by the audience.
Then we made sure to bring our JT2012 program out to our countryside—"up in the trees." With a pre-dinner drink at the Tree House in Usakos, we were able to treat a few guests to a special evening.
In August, however, we had one more performance, during which we could barely escape the screeching fans and endless crowds. Slightly carried away by the wind, our voices echoed through the vast expanse of the Swakopmund Sports Stadium. Our city leaders called this somewhat desolate event “120 Years of Swakopmund.”
In contrast, at the Protestant church’s community festival, we were met by a truly appreciative audience and, together with the Hammanix Singers, were able to create a great atmosphere.
This year’s foundation celebration, titled “Mach mal Urlaub” after the well-known pop song, followed seamlessly in the footsteps of similar successes from the past. In particular, the changing stage set—from an initially stiff men’s choir scene, through a fun beach outing (during which most of the choir members went to great lengths to wear outlandish outfits—including a “striptease” on stage ) to a laid-back singing rehearsal in the little pub on our street—where mistakes were actually allowed for once—was particularly well-received by the entire audience.
With our visit to the Friends of Shanty Singing on the Lower Rhine—the last event of the year—we broke new ground. As the organizers of the Wüstenbraai, we wanted to be compensated a little better for the effort involved with the “guests” who often weren’t invited. Perhaps this could serve as a model for the future.
The choir currently has (27) active singers (some more, some less). I’ve put the “Wandervögel” in parentheses, but this says nothing about their commitment to the choir or their enthusiasm for singing.
1st Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Willie Davel, Jens Dettmold, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Herbert Schier, (Bernd Schlag), Wüdo van Wijk.
2nd Tenor: Heinz Czech, Uli Harms, Karl-Ernst Otto, Hans Thomass,
1st Bass: Andreas Bauer, Raini Becker, Arvid Grosche, Helmar Runge, Jochen Schwietering, (Fritz Wagner).
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Franz Klimas, (Gerd Link), Siegfried Mater, Rüdiger Moisel, (Herbert Schulz), Christian Stiebahl
The association has 11 supporting members.
Horst Gantz, Dieter Gudehus, Herbert Lohmeier, Hans Lorenz, Norbert Olbrich, Herrmann Raulfs, Luise Schmid, Giessbert Sornig, Lothar Wiedmann, Gisela Wittlich, Konrad Woermann
When we look at the annual list of active choir members, our thoughts almost automatically turn to all those who are no longer with us. Last year, too, we had to say goodbye to four former singers: Rolf Förtsch, Hans Fritze, Klaus Hornung, and Hajo Schumacher. We will honor their memory in silence as we now stand for a moment.
Thank you all!
In closing, I’d also like to express my gratitude to everyone who supports our club. To the quiet helpers behind the scenes… who aren’t even members of the association… to all the members—at rehearsals, performances, and other events—to the board members—at meetings and with all the organizational tasks that usually end up falling on just a few people and are almost always handled to the best of their ability—and, of course, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, to our musical duo: Dörte and Linette
Rüdiger Moisel
President
2014
CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 27, 2014
The new year, 2014, kicked off with the “Strandbraai” on Südstrand, which has now become a tradition. Our Sanges brothers and their wives brought along a big bag of good cheer, making it a wonderful evening for everyone involved. The large supply of firewood, donated by Sanges brother Franz, made for a hearty campfire.
We'll welcome the new year, 2015, in this way once again.
Our first rehearsal of the new year took place on January 23, 2014. That evening, our conductor sent out a written invitation to participate in the choir’s 60th anniversary celebration. Unfortunately, only Widu, Hans, Heinz, and yours truly attended the choir rehearsals, but I can report that the rehearsals were a lot of fun.
In our choir, we rehearsed new songs for this year’s anniversary celebration, some of which were arranged electronically by Andy. ♫ ♫ These songs were selected by the music committee, consisting of choir director Dörte, Andy, Herbert, and Linett. We’d also like to take this opportunity to mention once again that the sheet music and score for the song “Lass die Sonne in Dein Herz…” were donated to us by the publishing house. ☺ ☼ ☺
In February, several members of the choir attended the annual naval memorial service in a private capacity.
We rehearsed together with the WHK Men’s Choir in preparation for the gathering in Omaruru in March. We held a day of rehearsals in the Wronsky Haus hall, followed by an evening performance. We’d like to thank Peter (Brüggemann) and Ulli (Harms) for designing the poster.
On Sunday morning, we attended the local church service and listened to Linette's sermon before heading back home.
The visit to Omaruru went well. However, several brothers in the choir expressed dissatisfaction regarding the expenses they were left to cover. In the future, these issues must be clarified in detail beforehand.
In March, our choir member Jochen Schwietering invited us to breakfast at “Schalom” to celebrate his 60th birthday. Thank you again.
Another celebration was held to mark the 40th anniversary of our fellow singer Herbert Schier’s membership in the choir. He invited us to his home for a “Bavarian snack” on his balcony and treated us to a delicious meal. Thank you again, Herbert.
For Father’s Day on May 29, 2014, a luncheon had been arranged at Sofia Dale’s for a morning get-together. During a visit by Ulli to Ms. Brell’s 11 a.m. show on NBC’s German Service, he heavily promoted the event. Unfortunately, however, no one showed up. The committee is planning to possibly move next year’s Father’s Day celebration to the S.F.C. in order to attract new members.
On May 22, we received a letter from the “Swakop Club” terminating our activities as the SMGV. This led to numerous meetings between our committee and the “Club” committee. We ultimately reached a provisional solution. Our membership will henceforth be on an annual basis (September 1 through August 30 of the following year), with a three-month notice period for both parties. In this context, I would like to emphasize that, going forward, members must under no circumstances discuss internal club matters or disagreements in public. In particular, these are NOT PU Bar conversations. Ultimately, this is what caused the problem in the first place. Furthermore, such behavior causes harm to the club. We are always recruiting new members, and such behavior ultimately shoots us in the foot. Should a member have any kind of problem with the club or an individual, I ask, on behalf of the SMGV, that they contact only the club committee to discuss the issues and find solutions. Under no circumstances should negative comments about the SMGV be made outside the club.
Our fellow singer Herbert was a guest of the Berlin Liedertafel in Berlin on July 3 during his visit to Germany. In August, we received an email from the Berlin Liedertafel announcing a private group trip to Namibia, consisting mainly of Liedertafel members. During their trip, from March 15 to March 26, 2015, they will spend two days in Swakopmund and stay at the Hansa Hotel. They have asked to spend an evening with us. The date will be announced at a later time.
We performed two songs at the annual musical evening “Swakop Musiziert” in September and received positive feedback. Thank you to our conductor for her excellent direction.
We then continued to rehearse diligently during the following singing evenings, working on the songs for the foundation celebration on October 18, 2014, which took place under the theme “Evergreens from 112 Years.” The program was well-received by the audience, and positive feedback is being heard around town. It seems we’re on the right track by presenting lighter, more relaxed material. The food, however, drew some criticism, which has been relayed to the caterer. Our fellow singer Peter (Brüggemann) once again designed a beautifully appealing poster for the festival. Even though he wasn’t present, many thanks for his effort.
While I’m on the subject of saying THANK YOU, I’d also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Edith Klimas for her loving dedication and creative ideas for the table decorations at all our celebrations over the past few years.
I would also like to thank everyone else for their preparation and work over the past year in connection with our anniversary celebration. At the same time, however, I would ask that the club demonstrate better cooperation in the future; it is unacceptable that the same people are always the ones doing the work while others take it easy.
On November 15 and 16, 2014, a few members of the Sangesbrüder went on a weekend trip to UIS. On the way back, they picked up a lot of old tires, scraps of rubber, and bottles along the road and disposed of them at the landfill in Swakopmund. However, there are still a lot of other tires and other trash along the road. So we should repeat this trip next year as a weekend outing.
Peter has recently resumed keeping our website up to date.
The "Seeschwalbe" is being worked on by Franz from the choir, with help from Ulli and Peter.
We would like to once again ask everyone for their support in providing information, etc.
As we plan for the coming year, things will start off at a slightly slower pace, since our dear conductor, Dörte, has asked for some time off. She’d like to take it a little easier for a while. We wish her a restful break.
To conclude my annual report, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the committee members for their cooperation over the past year, and I wish the new board all the best for 2015.
☼ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
HOLGER AHRENS
2015
SMGV 02 Annual Report by the First Chairperson for the Year 2015
Dear Honorary Member and Conductor, Dörte; dear Linette; dear fellow singers; and dear guests!
A warm welcome to the Annual General Meeting in our 113th year of existence.
I'm happy to see everyone here. By being here, you're showing just how much you care about the well-being of our club.
The year 2015, which brought with it a number of challenges, really flew by. Since then, the new board—consisting of Franz Klimas, Karl-Ernst Otto, Andy Bauer, Herbert Schier, Wüdo van Wijk, as well as Peter Brüggeman and Rüdiger Moisel, who replaced the departing Holger Ahrens and Ulli Harms—has tackled its new responsibilities with enthusiasm.
One of the main focuses of these tasks was to revitalize our social activities in particular, and we had decided that the club would meet at least once a month outside of rehearsals and performances.
So, even before the end of 2014, we were able to celebrate the 80th birthday of our former choir member, Werner Scholze—much to his delight and joy—at the Tree House in Usakos in a very convivial atmosphere.
The New Year's braai at the Swakop estuary—with my wife, Franz-Holz, and Rüdiger's pack of dogs—has now become almost a tradition.
Two sheep on a spit for the Swakopmund Club as part of a morning get-together—excellently organized by Wüdo in February—set a positive tone for the coming year among all the other club members.
In March, we had the pleasure of welcoming members of the Berlin Liedertafel to the club for a delicious potjie. It was a gathering that brought back old memories.
The SMGV stew served at the prize bowling event has also significantly improved our standing among club members and the club board.
Walpurgis Night in Nordenburg was celebrated in style with a huge bonfire and the Walpurgis Potjie.
Walpurgis Night 2015 at Nordenburg
In June, we dressed up as real mafiosi for the carnival parade. It must have looked very authentic and turned out well, because our float won first prize.
The gathering to drink coffee by the Swakop River in July—under the big tree, despite the notorious southwester—was attended by quite a few singers and their respective partners.
An internal club bowling tournament took place after the practice weekend in September. Wilfried Henseler—the club’s top bowler—taught us the finer points of bowling with eccentric balls. We crowned Robin Otto and Gisela Moisel as the overall bowling champions.
Our musical performances this year, on the other hand, were on a smaller scale, though no less well executed. In January, for example, we sang at the wedding of Arvid’s niece. We celebrated Eddi Klima’s 70th birthday in early April. We performed several well-executed songs at the Hotel zum Kaiser for Fritz Wagner’s diamond wedding anniversary in April. Our performances with other choirs and music groups at the conclusion of the Singwochen festival in August and at the Christmas caroling event in November were always very well received by the audience. Even at less joyful events—Reini Mathei’s funeral service in August and Andy Bauer’s memorial service in October—we were able to set a fitting tone with our songs, appropriate to the occasion.
This year, we’ve tried to make faster progress in learning our repertoire by holding more intensive rehearsals—that is, rehearsal weekends. This has certainly made a difference. However, if we want to continue presenting our songs to our audience with conviction and joy, it would be very helpful if each member would also continue practicing the lyrics—and perhaps the music as well—at home.
Unfortunately, for various organizational reasons—some of which were beyond our control—we were unable to hold the foundation’s celebration this year. I hope that it will be all the more successful when it finally takes place in January.
It is also very important for the musical continuity of the association that Franz Klima has moved copies of all the association’s sheet music to a safe location, in case the sheet music currently stored at Klimas Glas should ever be damaged.
Thanks to Franz Klimas, our SEESCHWALBE was able to take flight again this year. It’s great to see that more contributors have participated by submitting a few short articles.
It’s also worth noting that almost all the singers have now purchased the new choir shirt, and almost none of them took advantage of the association’s promised subsidy for the purchase. With black pants and the new light blue shirt, the association has given itself a fresh new look. Here’s hoping that even the last singer will now get outfitted this way! Adding to the fresh look are the new name tags, which are color-coded according to each singer’s length of membership.
Our choir currently has 24 singers, some of whom have attended rehearsals and other activities more often—and some much less often.
1. Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Marcel Noble, Bernd Schlag, Wüdo van Wijk.
Second Tenor: Heinz Czech, Uli Harms, Karl-Ernst Otto, Herbert Schier, Hans Thomass,
1st Bass: Raini Becker, Andreas Keding, Ricky Krüger, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering.
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Erwin Körner, Rüdiger Moisel, Christian Stiebahl.
We currently also have the following supporting members:
Kurt Bellwinkel, Achim Bingel, Gerd Brüggemann, Herrmann Deetlefs, Heiner Diekmann, Thomas Ehbrecht, Dieter Göthje, Silke Hornung, Edith Klimas, Gerd Link, Herbert Lohmeier, Hans Lorenz, Luise Schmid, Herbert Schulze, Lothar Wiedmann, Konrad Woermann
When looking at the annual roster of active choir members, one’s thoughts inevitably turn to those who are no longer with us. In recent months, we said goodbye to our former choir member and Swakopmund physician, Reini Matheis. We were particularly devastated by the sudden and completely unexpected loss of our very loyal choir member and our “musical powerhouse,” Andy Bauer. We honor your memory in silence as we now stand for a moment.
Thank you all!
In closing, I’d also like to express my gratitude to all those who consistently support our club… the quiet helpers behind the scenes… those who aren’t even members of the club… all the members… especially the HARD CORE… – during rehearsals, performances, and other events – the board members – at meetings and with all the organizational tasks that usually end up falling on just a few people but are still always handled to the best of their ability, and of course – most especially – our musical duo: Dörte and Linette
Rüdiger Moisel
President
2016
SMGV 02 Annual Report by the First Chairperson for the Year 2016
Dear Fellow Singers
A warm welcome to this year's Annual General Meeting.
The current board, consisting of Karl-Ernst Otto, Herbert Schier, Ricky Kruger, Wüdo van Wijk, Ulli Harms, Peter Brüggeman, and Rüdiger Moisel, faced a number of challenges. Two board members (Ricky—due to work commitments, Ulli—due to illness) stepped down during the year, which certainly made things more difficult for the board. Fortunately, Franz Klimas stepped in again as treasurer to replace Ulli Harms until the end of the year. THANK YOU SO MUCH, FRANZ! WE ALL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
Unfortunately, the anniversary concert titled “Who’s Going to Pay for This?”, which had been postponed from October 2015, had to be removed from the program. There were various reasons for this: Our conductor was not satisfied with the level of performance achieved. Many singers struggled with some of the planned pieces. Some members attended rehearsals too infrequently, so that material we had already practiced had to be reworked from the beginning time and again. There was a reluctance to sing the unison songs from memory. Furthermore, the absence of our fellow singer Andy Bauer, who had passed away shortly before, had a very negative impact on the planned structure of the performance. As a result, we had to acknowledge that a full-length program was not possible. In light of the new program we needed to rehearse for the Kaptour, following a discussion among the board and consultation with Dörte Witte, we had to cancel the foundation celebration. This is, of course, a real low point for our association, and I believe EVERY singer is called upon to help prevent something like this from happening again in the future.
Another unpleasant incident early in the year was the tendency of many singers to stand out for the wrong reasons during rehearsals. The situation reached a low point that prompted Dörte to address the issue, and the choir’s future rehearsal activities were put at risk. Fortunately, the choir then came to its senses. A code of conduct was drawn up and is posted in the rehearsal room. I hope that ALL singers will CONTINUE to adhere to it and read through it every now and then so that it doesn’t fall by the wayside.
This year, we also had to say goodbye to three people who were closely connected to the association. Herbert Lohmeier and Hans Rohlwink were both former singers, and Hans himself served as the association’s president for two years. Along with them, Gerlinde—the wife of our supporting member, Gerd Link—has also left us forever. Let us now take a moment to remember them in silence.
The highlight of last year was undoubtedly our tour of the wine regions at the Cape of Good Hope. It was a short but intense tour with 12 singers, our conductor Dörte Witte, and Linette Potgieter on piano. We spent 8 days exploring the Cape and made a name for ourselves with 4 performances. Details can still be found on our website or on the DVD produced by Peter Brüggemann. I believe everyone who was there fully savored this experience. We grew much closer to one another during this trip. New singers in particular—such as Alex and Marcell—experienced firsthand what it means to be a member of SANGESBRUDER! This experience will resonate for a long time in our choir’s history!!!! I hope that these shared experiences will inspire us to tackle new challenges within the choir with renewed enthusiasm in the future.
Other activities from the past year (since the last annual general meeting) are listed in the following informal summary:
Just before the end of the year, we held an Advent sing-along at the Antoniusresidenz. Almost all the singers were there, which surely had something to do with the photo session that followed on Erwin Körner’s classic car at the lighthouse.
The end-of-year party at the Europa Hof was really cozy, and Eddi Klima was announced as “Singing Brother of the Year” during the event.
Events that have since become annual traditions—such as the opening braai at the Swakop estuary, Walpurgis Night at Nordenburg, and Father’s Day on the beach near the pier (not to mention right under the noses of the beach hotel’s security officers)—were social gatherings that drew varying numbers of attendees.
The cold winter months of July and August were significantly warmed up by Christian Stiebahl’s “Chilli Concane” in celebration of Franz Klima’s 75th birthday and a trip by the tough crew to Omaruru.
This year, as in the past, we once again welcomed visitors from overseas. In October, the Mundelfingen Choir from the southern Black Forest joined us for a rehearsal at the Swakopmund Club, after which we continued the festivities with more singing and merriment. Our musical activities this year concluded with a joint performance at the Haus der Jugend with the accordion orchestra DIE FRöHLICHEN EICHSFELDER. The audience responded very positively to the evening. The subsequent desert tour with an evening braai went well, as always. Unfortunately, in this case, the financial returns were quite low in relation to the effort expended. The next board will likely have to address this issue to avoid a similar situation in the future.
The association’s rather informal anniversary/birthday celebration on October 27, in its new format, can certainly be considered a success. The simple meal and the hearty singing along to the playback of the group’s own songs provided a lovely backdrop for a simple celebration.
Unfortunately, after many years of loyal and competent leadership, our conductor, Dörte Witte, has resigned for various personal reasons. The same is now true for Linette Potgieter, her—and our—loyal accompanist (on the piano!!), which has created a significant disruption in our rehearsal schedule. Linette and Dörte were given a fitting send-off in October during an internal gathering. However, both assured us that they remain connected to the association and will be available should the need arise.
We were fortunate to find a replacement in Maria Walles-Davel at the end of October. We are still getting to know each other. We hope that we will work well together with her in the future.
Our choir currently has 21 singers, though unfortunately not all of them were able to attend every rehearsal and choir event.
1. Tenors: Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Marcell Noble, Bernd Schlag, Wüdo van Wijk.
Second Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Karl-Ernst Otto, Herbert Schier, Hans Thomass,
1st Bass: Raini Becker, Uli Harms, Andreas Keding, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, Marinus Steyn.
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Rüdiger Moisel,
In closing, I would like to thank all those who worked for the good of the club over the past year—whether you contributed a lot or a little, from near and far, young and old, with enthusiasm or sometimes just grudgingly—to all of you… I extend my thanks as the club’s president.
Thank you!
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairperson
2017
SMGV 02 ANNUAL REPORT by the First Chairperson for the Year 2017
Dear fellow singers!
A warm welcome to this year's Annual General Meeting.
We look back on a year of mixed results.
The new/old board quickly got down to business, and the positions were already assigned on November 28. Except that Franz Klimas replaced the outgoing treasurer, Ulli Harms, and Marinus Steyn became a board member, everything remained the same.
We started the new year in high spirits with our new conductor—Maria Wallis—and our very first performance, held during the Sandsturm Kairo troupe’s visit to the “Singing Stones” on the Swako River, was a success. As a result, we—as an association—were “once again” designated as members of the SANDSTURM KAIRO Association.
This year’s end-of-year party took place at the old marble quarry as part of a braaivlei and was only moderately attended. This was soon followed by the New Year’s celebration at the Swakop River estuary. Afterward, we gathered at the Deutsches Haus at Hans Thomas’s generous invitation to celebrate his 85th birthday, and with beautiful singing, it turned into a joyful celebration.
In the meantime, intensive preparations were underway for the wine festival on March 4, 2017 (the first festival to replace the annual foundation festival in March). With the help of our new conductor, Maria Davel, as well as Dörte Witte and Linette Potgieter, we were able to present an impressive program that was well received by the audience. The financial success of the festival also left little to be desired—especially since it was likely one of the most profitable events the association has ever organized.
We also took part in the Swakopmund Club’s 75th anniversary celebration. Our musical performances were well received by the audience.
Unfortunately, after the wine festival, our new conductor stopped attending rehearsals regularly. We also felt that she no longer had enough time to prepare when she did attend a rehearsal. For this reason, it was decided in April to terminate her contract.
As chairperson for the first half of the year, I realized during a board meeting (April 13, 2017) that I was no longer up to the challenges of this position. I therefore decided to step down from my position effective immediately.
Rüdiger Moisel / Chairman (until April 2017)
2019
Excerpt from the annual report by Chairman R. Moisel:
2019 began with a significant turning point. Our long-standing and distinguished treasurer, Franz Klimas, did not stand for reelection to the board and thus stepped down from the association’s governing body at his own request. Rüdiger Moisel was elected to the board to replace him. Due to the association’s declining membership, the board had been reduced to five members: Following an internal reassignment of roles, Rüdiger Moisel assumed the chairmanship, with Herbert Schier serving as vice chair. Holger Ahrens became the new treasurer, and Karl Ernst Otto continued as secretary, while Alex Haupt volunteered to take on the role of music librarian as an at-large member.
The highlight of last year was undoubtedly our annual concert, themed “On a Raid with the Swakopmund Men’s Chorus.” Under Lindi Botha’s direction and with Gert Meier’s accompaniment, we were able to offer the audience a very entertaining evening. The applause and comments from the audience were consistently very positive. In particular, the good mix of more sophisticated (through-composed) pieces, solo vocals with the full power of the choir in the refrains, and sing-along opportunities for our guests seems to be a recipe for success. Added to this was a well-crafted program that provided a common thread running through the evening and gave each performance a meaningful place in the show. Unfortunately, this evening also marked the official farewell to our musical director, Lindi Botha, who was no longer able to continue with us due to professional and family reasons. But we were able to give her a fitting send-off and, as a token of our gratitude—thanks to generous donations from various singers and the association—provide her with a substantial contribution to her travel fund for the Way of St. James in Europe.
On December 15, we participated in the memorial service at the Catholic church for our dear and faithful fellow choir member, Heinz Czech, as well as for our fellow choir members Holler Schirmer and Erwin Körner, who passed away last year.
Our 2018 end-of-year celebration at the Deutsches Haus was once again superbly planned and organized by Franz and Doris Klimas. In keeping with the occasion, Franz was honored as “Singing Brother of the Year” for 2019.
The annual New Year’s braai by the sea, south of the Swakop River estuary, marked the start of new endeavors. In April, we took the stage at Andy Thompson’s OLD SAILOR bar to perform our pirate songs.
On Walpurgis Night, quite a few members of the choir had once again gathered at Nordenburg. There, they were able to enjoy the silence of the Namib, the delicious potjie, the twinkling stars, and the huge Walpurgis bonfire. July was then marked by our—now almost annual—meeting and concert with the Windhoek Men’s Choir in Omaruru. Under the direction of Erina Junius, we were able to offer the—unfortunately very small—audience a wide variety of choral music.
A week later, we performed our sea shanties as part of the Kantorei’s “Musical Bouquet” at the Haus der Jugend. On that occasion, we spotted one of our former conductors, Nils Erlank, in the audience. He was in Swakopmund on vacation and was actually able to put us through our paces during a few rehearsals on Thursday. What a pleasure it was to be led by a professional conductor once again.
Furthermore, we didn’t miss the opportunity to perform a few serenades throughout the year to celebrate the milestone birthdays of Käthe Grosche (100 years) and Irmela Erlank (90 years), our ailing fellow singer Herbert Schulze, Siegfried Mater on his wedding anniversary, and the 50th class reunion of Herbert Schier’s graduating class from the local high school.
This latest serenade prompted our fellow singer Herbert Schier to generously sponsor a polo shirt—signed for the upcoming Kaperfahrtfest—for every club member. Incidentally, we also met another former conductor, Evert Genis, on this occasion, to great fanfare. He couldn’t resist singing along to some of our songs at the top of his lungs.
On a social level, the following aspect of the club has particularly impressed me over the past 12 months: the lively, relaxed, yet focused participation in rehearsals, even though we usually had to manage without professional direction or accompaniment. The evenings almost always went very smoothly, and with the help of Gert Meyer and Herbert Schier, we managed to cover an astonishingly extensive repertoire.
The trash cleanup campaign in the Swakop River, initiated by Franz Klimas, received strong support from the choir members. To me, this is an excellent example of environmental awareness and also a clear demonstration of the Swakopmund Men’s Choir’s social responsibility.
I hope that even more members will be able to participate in the future.
The association’s founding celebration at Nordenburg can certainly be considered the social highlight of the year. The camaraderie, the fun, the good conversations, the empty beer cans, the cleaned-out potjie, and the general exuberance were proof enough to me that we’ve found a great way to celebrate our founding together every year. We need to build on that.
The board has met 12 times over the past few months. We planned, considered, and discussed many things. Nevertheless, all items on the agenda were handled efficiently, and as a result, the meetings rarely lasted longer than an hour. For this, I would like to extend my special thanks to my fellow board members. Among these decisions, the following were of greater financial significance: First, we replaced the platforms used to extend the stage at the Haus der Jugend, which had been destroyed in the Metro fire. Furthermore, we have now commissioned a reissue of our CD. This includes remastering the old CD, creating a new booklet, and printing 500 new CDs.
Our club is pleased to welcome three new members and one returning member—Dawie Coetzer, Gert Meyer, Helmar Runge, and Wilfried Buschack—who have joined our ranks over the course of the year:
The SMGV now has 23 singers again, distributed among the individual voice parts as follows:
1. Tenor: Ulf Göthje, Edmund Klimas, Harald Knobloch, Gert Meyer, Joel Nambuli, Marcell Noble, and Bernd Schlag
Second Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Dawie Coetzer, Karl Ernst Otto, Herbert Schier, and Hans Thomas
1. Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Helmar Runge, Jochen Schwietering, and Wüdo van Wyk
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Rüdiger Moisel, and Herbert Schulze
I especially love that our three “migratory birds”—Wilfried, Bernd, and Richi Worth (who, sadly, has since had to make the long flight back home to New Zealand)—felt so at home among us and truly enriched our group over the past year. On behalf of the association, I’d like to extend a big thank you to them and to all the other members for their active and relaxed participation in the rehearsals, performances, and all the other activities of the SMGV.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank my fellow singers on the board, who have given me exemplary support over the past 12 months!
SMGV 1902 deserves this effort.
Rüdiger Moisel (President of SMGV 02)
20210
Annual Report of the Chair of SMGV 02 for 2020, presented on November 26, 2020
Dear fellow singers, dear honorary member Franz!
We are coming to the end of a rather unusual year. The global COVID-19 crisis has also had a significant impact on our activities and caused considerable disruption.
The musical highlight of the past year was the joint performance in the auditorium of the Namib Elementary School with the Ochsenburgers and the Windhoek Men’s Choir on February 22. Together with the subsequent desert tour and the braai in the Khamis Gorge, which included a convivial closing evening, this can certainly be described as the highlight of the past year. I would also like to note that this was our only event that generated significant financial proceeds.
In addition to the general restrictions caused by the lockdowns and the real risk of COVID-19 infection among the singers, we also had to cope with the fact that we lacked competent musical direction and accompaniment for almost the entire year. Nevertheless, we tried to continue our club activities and weekly rehearsals as much as possible. I think we managed this rather well. For this, I’d like to especially thank Gert Meyer and Herbert Schier for their help with rehearsals. Certainly, there will be some members of the choir who would have welcomed a more challenging program. But others, on the other hand, really enjoyed the casual rehearsals in a convivial atmosphere around the fire—even if the smoke signals were sometimes a little too strong!
Unfortunately, additional large-scale events had to be put on hold. Nevertheless, we still got together for other occasions in a smaller, more intimate setting: Our participation in the “Swakopmund as City of the Year” celebration in December was a success, and we were able to benefit financially from our appearance there as well. The end-of-year dinner at the Old Sailor was really cozy, made even more special by Gert Meyer’s musical interludes and Arvid’s thoughtfully distributed Christmas gifts. The New Year’s braai took place at Daurebecke this time, which turned out to be a stroke of luck given the prevailing southwesterly winds. Father’s Day in the Khamischlucht was a welcome occasion marking the end of the first lockdown. The same was true for the small celebration in August featuring various honors, where we celebrated several birthdays and were able to present the long-overdue silver singer’s pins to Arvid Grosche, Holger Ahrens, and Jochen Schwietering. Eddi Klimas also finally received his certificate from the German Choral Association for 60 years of dedication to choral singing! The atmosphere there in the Khamischlucht was great—not least thanks to the guitar performances by Freddy Kühhirt and Ingo Berg. Our birthday celebration in October marking the association’s 118th anniversary in Nordenburg had—just like last year—the harmonious and convivial atmosphere that characterizes our association. The same goes for the Papwiel tire-collecting tour last weekend through Hotsas, Ganab, Karpfenkliff, and Kuiseb Canyon. It’s a shame that more club members couldn’t join us at these social events. And, of course, let’s not forget… that we had the pleasure of providing musical accompaniment with our songs for Beate and Siggi Stein’s golden wedding anniversary at the Bay View Hotel on Langstrand.
Other noteworthy developments include the completion of the new master CD of our Namibia songs. It will come in handy when we need to have new CDs pressed. The new edition of our songbook is now at the printer’s, and we hope everyone will have a copy in their hands by the end of the year. Arvid and Teresa have agreed to take care of the supporting members. This still requires some coordination with the board, which unfortunately has not yet been completed. Furthermore, we were able to bring Lindie Botha back—for now, only on a temporary basis—as our musical accompanist.
The board of directors from the previous year remained unchanged this year, consisting of Rüdiger Moisel (chairman), Herbert Schier (vice chairman), Karl Ernst Otto (secretary), Holger Ahrens (treasurer), and Alex Haupt (music librarian).
Unfortunately, Karl Ernst Otto resigned from the board and left the club for personal reasons. Despite our efforts, we were unable to convince him to return to the club. The chairman has temporarily taken over the duties of the secretary, and we hope that this position will be filled by someone else in the new year.
Our club is pleased to welcome four new members: Jörg Stammwitz, Siggi Stein, Falco Moisel, and Ingo Berg. Helmar Runge and Dawie Coetzer left the club for health reasons. However, there is now also a possibility that Hugo and Willie van der Merwe, as well as Josua Opperman, will soon be joining us as singers.
The SMGV now has 24 singers, who are divided among the individual voice parts as follows:
1. Tenors: Bernd Schlag, Edmund Klimas, Gert Meyer, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Jörg Stammwitz, Marcell Noble, Siggi Stein, and Ulf Göthje.
Second Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Herbert Schier, Ingo Berg, and Hans Thomass
1st Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, and Wüdo van Wyk
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Rüdiger Moisel, Falco Moisel, and Herbert Schulze
In closing, I would like to thank everyone in the club who, despite all the challenges, focused on what we have in common and, through their presence and dedication in a wide variety of areas, contributed to the well-being of the Swakopmund Choral Society.
Cheers, cheers, little cheers….
Thank you very much!
Rüdiger Moisel (President of SMGV 02)
2021
Annual Report of the Chair of SMGV 02 for 2021, presented on November 25, 2021, at the Swakopmund Club
Dear fellow singers, dear honorary member Franz!
As was the case last year, we had to cope with the extraordinary circumstances imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore understandable that our activities were significantly restricted as a result. Nevertheless, we can look back on 12 months during which our musical and social well-being was largely preserved.
We were able to continue our weekly rehearsals throughout the entire singing year, as far as the COVID-19 restrictions allowed. It didn’t matter whether we met outdoors next to the Daurebecke stream at Haus Moisel or in the small hall of the Swakopmund Club. Attendance at rehearsals was almost always good despite the challenges, and we owe that in no small part to our two musicians, Lindie Botha and Gert Meyer! In addition, the cozy get-togethers after rehearsal—by the fire at the Daurebecke and at the bar at the Swakopmund Club—contributed to the sense of camaraderie within the club.
We gave our first performance on December 16 to mark Beethoven’s 250th birthday and, at the same time, to commemorate the SMGV’s very first official performance, which took place in 1903 at the pier during its dedication ceremony. Just as we did 117 years ago, we once again sang Beethoven’s hymn “Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre” (The Heavens Praise the Eternal One’s Glory)…..Using microphones and loudspeakers, it was an attempt to perform outdoors. Various recordings of the songs we performed showed that there was still significant room for improvement. Nevertheless, the audience—about 100 people—was grateful that we had made the effort to undertake this special experiment.
Smaller gatherings organized by the association took place at Sigi Mater’s bedside and, later, in the form of a memorial service for him at the front of the old landing stage, as well as in the dining hall of the Antonius Senior Center.
We weren’t idle on the social front either: The end-of-year dinner in December 2020 at the Deutsches Haus was greatly appreciated by most of the choir members, along with some of their partners. Unfortunately, only a few of us were able to celebrate the New Year’s braai by the sea. Father’s Day in the Khamischlucht, on the other hand, was quite well attended, thanks to Arvid Grosche’s delicious catfish. The club’s anniversary celebration in October at Daurebecke was a cozy and relaxed affair.
As in previous years, another trash cleanup took place—this time around the old marble quarry near the small settlements in Swakopmund. Despite relatively limited support from the association, a truckload of trash was collected, which Herbert Schier then disposed of.
Our major project for 2022—the anniversary trip to Germany—took up a great deal of planning time. Several members of the choir devoted a great deal of time to it. I would like to extend special thanks to Siggi Stein, Wilfried Buschack, and Herbert Schier for their efforts. Unfortunately, it now appears that this was a wasted effort, as we were unable to find enough choir members capable of singing for this venture.
Our Seeschwalbe was able to take flight once again. The revised songbook has also come back from the printer. Special thanks go to Peter Brüggemann and Herbert Schier for their hard work on both projects.
I sent out quite a few newsletters last year. Writing them—and having them translated—takes a lot of time. My most urgent request in this regard is that all members take the information contained in them to heart, so that we don’t have to remind each and every one of us personally about the association’s planned activities. At the same time, I would like to urge ALL association members to participate more actively in all of the association’s activities and to contribute sensible and thoughtful suggestions to enhance our initiatives for the benefit of everyone. However, I would like to mention one commendable exception: Our honorary member, Franz Klimas, regularly contributes—as a non-board member—with ideas and reminders—thank you very much for that, Franz. As chairman, I greatly appreciate this, even if not all ideas can always be implemented. Let’s all follow his example! The association should always be a collective effort and not be kept alive solely by individuals. I know that we need driving forces—BUT—even a single workhorse will eventually get tired… And that’s more mentally than physically.
The SMGV currently has 20 active singers, who are distributed among the individual voice parts as follows:
1. Tenors: Bernd Schlag, Edmund Klimas, Gert Meyer, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Marcell Noble, Siggi Stein, and Ulf Göthje.
2nd Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Herbert Schier
1st Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, and Wüdo van Wyk
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Rüdiger Moisel, and Herbert Schulze
In closing, I’d like to thank all of you for sticking with the club and for contributing, in big and small ways, to the well-being of the SMGV.
Thank you very much
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairperson / SMGV 02
2022
Annual Report of the Chair of SMGV 02 for 2022, presented on December 1, 2022, at the Swakopmund Club
Dear fellow singers, dear honorary member Franz!
A year that flew by is now behind us. As chairman and interim conductor, I look back with rather mixed feelings. On the one hand, we achieved a lot of positive things with the annual festival and, of course, the anniversary tour, and were able to make a good impression with them. But I also have to say that, due to frequent absences from choir rehearsals, one of the pillars of our association—the very thing that holds us together—is suffering: singing. That’s why I would VERY much hope that, going forward, every choir member will try to plan around rehearsals… surely missing an hour of rehearsal for a three-day visit from a great-great-grandmother, daughter, or granddaughter is a reasonable sacrifice.
As previously mentioned, over the past 12 months, our annual festival focused on the theme “Who’s going to pay for this?” We can look back with satisfaction on an event that was fun for us and our audience, that did justice to our very limited abilities, and that was also a financial success. Thanks to Lindie Botha’s piano skills and Gert Meyer’s guitar accompaniment, we were able to smoothly perform our program of polyphonic songs and several solo pieces. We also presented the new Swakopmund song, “Weit im Westen” (loosely based on the melody of Santiano’s “Hoch im Norden”), to the Swakopmund audience for the first time. The atmosphere in the courtyard of the Woermannhaus suits the SMGV perfectly, and we will certainly be performing there more often in the future.
The second highlight was our anniversary tour to the northern part of the country. I think it was a success and also helped strengthen our bonds with one another. It was a truly worthwhile substitute for our canceled tour of Germany. But of course, it was also a real shame that not all of our active choir members could be there.
The SMGV also performed at the matinee in the Woermannhaus courtyard and at the memorial services for our active and former members Hans Thomass, Horst Hofmeister, and Edmund Klimas. We also helped enhance the small concert by African Vocals by performing a few of our songs.
On the social front, we had more than fulfilled the club’s social obligations with the very well-attended end-of-year party in the Khamisch Gorge, the Walpurgis Night celebration at Nordenburg, Ascension Day at Daurebecke, and our club anniversary party at the Swakopmund Club’s Braaiplatz.
Unfortunately, over the past year we had to say our final goodbyes to several active and former members of our choir. They were Hans Thomass, honorary member Fritz Wagner, Edmund Klimas, Horst Hofmeister, and Herbert Schulze. In their honor, we will now sing the first and third verses of “In allen Guten Stunden.”
However, we are now fortunate to welcome three new singers with powerful voices to our ranks: Cameron Coetzee, Hermann Koch, and Helmut von Maltzahn. A warm welcome to you all! We also extend a warm welcome back to our fellow singer Wilfried Buschack after his hiatus.
The SMGV currently has 21 (more or less) active singers, who are distributed among the individual voice parts as follows:
1. Tenors: Bernd Schlag, Gert Meyer, Harald Knobloch, Joel Nambuli, Marcell Noble, Siggi Stein, and Ulf Göthje.
Second Tenor: Cameron Coetzee, Holger Ahrens, Herbert Schier
1. Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, Wüdo van Wyk, and Helmut Von Maltzahn
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Hermann Koch, and Rüdiger Moisel
Finally, I'd like to thank everyone in the club for your contributions, big and small.
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairperson / SMGV 02
2023
Annual Report of the SMGV 02 Chairperson
Presented on November 30, 2023, at the Swakopmund Club
Dear fellow singers, dear honorary member Franz!
Auch in diesem Jahr möchte ich mich mit meinem Resümee recht kurz fassen. Im 121. Jahr unseres Bestehens gibt es die folgenden “Highlights” zu berichten.
Wir dürfen mit unseren beiden grösseren Auftritten vor dem Swakopmunder Publikum recht zufrieden sein. Der Abend im Bierzelt bei der Antonius Residence – betitelt “Ein Tag in Leben des SMGV” und dann der gemeinsame Shantyabend am 11.11. mit den Sängern aus Geseke waren ein Erfolg. Die Resonanz bei unseren Zuhörern bestätigt dies. Einmal ist durch die Auswahl des Liedgutes mit Sologesang, Klavier- und Gitarrenbegleitung mehr Schwung und Abwechslung in unseren Vorträgen. Auch mit dem gemeinsamen – meist ein- bis zweistimmigen Singen der Kehrreime haben wir gute Effekte erzielt. Damit konnten wir das langwierigen Einproben 4-stimmiger Stücke weitgehends umgehen. Für das letztere hapert es bei uns wirklich an ausreichender Stimmenbesetzung und im Besonderen auch an regelmässiger Probeanwesenheit eines Teils unserer Sangesbrüder. Natürlich sollte der mehrstimmige Vortrag des Liedguts nicht in Vergessenheit geraten, aber heutzutage kommt bei dem Publikum, das wir besingen, der einfache, schwungvolle und deswegen effektvollere Vortrag wesentlich besser an, als ein durchkomponiertes Lied, das aber dann vielleicht an allen Ecken und Kanten etwas wackelig ist.
Auch die wirtschaftliche Seite dieser Auftritte darf sich sehen lassen, aber darüber wir uns Helmut von Maltzahn mehr berichten.
Kleinere musikalische Akzente setzten wir in diesem Jahr im Deutschen Haus bei einer von Thomas Ehbrecht vermittelten Reisegruppe, denen unser Strauss Südwesterlieder so gut gefiel, dass es in einer erklecklichen Spende für die Vereinskasse ausartete ; bei einer Veranstaltung in der NG Kerk in Ocean View – bei der wir leider verpassten, Mitglieder zu werben; bei der Gedenkstunde für Detlev Doll, dem ehemaligen Besitzer des Amtsgerichts; , beim Offenen Weihnachtssingen der Kantorei.
Sozial gab es mit dem Jahresabschluss im Deutschen Haus, Jahresanfangsbraai beim Swakopmund Club, Vatertag neben Herberts altem “Kunst und Krempel-Laden”, dem Bring-und-Braai anlässlich des Vereinsgeburtstags beim Swakopmund Club, ausreichend Gelegenheit sich in gemütlicher Runde zu treffen. Auch das Braai in der Khamischlucht war bestens organisiert und vorbereitet, was allerdings offensichtlich nicht von allen Gesekern geschätzt wurde, zu urteilen nach deren recht frühem und fluchtartigem Aufbruch des grössten Teils dieser Besucher vom Lagerfeuer.
Als besonders darf auch vermerkt werden, dass unser Ulf Göthje in diesem Jahr die Silberne Sängernadel des Deutschen Chorverbands überreicht wurde. Er ist inzwischen 27 Jahre treues Vereinsmitglied.
ABER – ICH MEINE Alles, in allem, ein recht erfolgreiches Jahr.
In eigener Sache möchte ich den Vereinsmitgliedern das Folgende ans Herz legen. Ein Verein ist nur so gut, wie seine Mitglieder einsatzfreudig, motiviert und begeisterungsfähig sind. Wenn die Mitglieder träge und unmotiviert sind, geht der Verein irgendwann ein. Deswegen möchte ich auch in diesem Jahr wieder an jeden Einzelnen appellieren, sich mit Freude, Begeisterung und auch Kreativität in das Vereinsleben einzubringen, dann ist dem SMGV eine gute Zukunft sicher.
Unser Vorstand setzte sich im vergangenen Jahr aus den folgenden Mitgliedern zusammen :
Vorsitz – Rüdiger Moisel, Stellvertreter – Herbert Schier, Kassenwart (seit 2023) Helmut von Maltzahn, Beisitzer – Holger Ahrens und Jochen Schwietering, Schriftwart – Peter Brüggemann (ko-optiert und ohne Stimmrecht im Vorstand).
Der SMGV hat zur Zeit 20 aktive Sänger, die sich wie folgt auf die einzelnen Stimmen verteilen :
1.Tenor: Ulf Göthje, Harald Knobloch, Gert Meyer, Joel Nambuli, Bernd Schlag, Siggi Stein.
2.Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Balder Camby, Herbert Schier
1. Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, Wüdo van Wyk, and Helmut Von Maltzahn
2nd Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Hermann Koch, and Rüdiger Moisel
Abschliessend danke ich allen, die sich in diesem Jahr für unser Gemeinwohl eingesetzt haben.
Rüdiger Moisel
Vorsitzender / SMGV 02 / 30.11.2023
2024
Jahresbericht des Vorsitzenden des SMGV 02 für das Jahr 2024
Liebe Sangesbrüder, liebes Ehrenmitglied Franz Klimas !
Das 122. Jahr im Leben unseres Vereins verging im Fluge. Deswegen werde ich auch den Bericht darüber schnellstmöglich an euch vorrüberfliegen lassen.
Neben vielen kleineren Aktionen, dürfen wir auf 3 Höhepunkte zurückblicken.
Im Februar hat der Verein auf Nordenburg ein Wochenende verbracht, bei dem 4 SMGV- typische Lieder im Freien vor der Farmkulisse aufgenommen wurden. Dank des Einsatzes der anwesenden Sangesbrüder, Gert Meyers und Helmuth Kriess gekonnter Begleitmusik, sowie Jonas Sprietersbachs Film- und Aufnahmetechnik, wurde dieses Unternehmen ein toller Erfolg. Ein Teil dieser Aufnahmen, sind auf unserer Webseite anzuhören und anzusehen.
Unser Jahresfest, betitelt “Aus der Seele in die Kehle” fand Anfang Mai im Saal der Namib Grundschule statt. Unter Mitwirkung von Joel Nambulis African Vocals und Lindie Bothas
Bellas konnten wir ein unterhaltsames Programm auf die Beine stellen, das von unserem zahlreichen, treuen Publikum sehr geschätzt und mit viel Beifall bedacht wurde.
Im Oktober versuchte der Verein durch Herbert Schiers emsige Vorarbeit und Organisation seine Sänger zu einem wochenlangen Sangesworkshop unter Henry Grossmanns Leitung zu begeistern. Leider hielt sich die-Beteiligung sowie auch die Begeisterung der Sangesbrüder in Grenzen. So muss man dann auch dem SMGV beim abschliessenden Auftritt unter dem Titel “Hast du Töne” attestieren, dass gerade das Gemisch dieser Töne an diesem Abend recht abenteuerlich ausfiel.
Mit unseren kleineren — zum Teil impromptu — Auftritten während des Jahres konnten wir uns weiter profilieren und auch immer wieder unseren Zuhörern und Zuschauern Freude bereiten und ein Lächeln in die Gesichter zaubern. So wie im Dezember auf Farm Santa beim Markt an Gellerts Küche und auch am Strand bei der Mole für das Programm des deutschen Hörfunks der NBC. Wir sangen bei der Buchpräsentation “Those were the days” von Coral vd Plas in der Muschel und beim 50-jährigen Schuljubiläum der 1973er Matrikklasse der Swakopmunder High School im Golf Club. Wir beteiligten uns anlässlich des 70-jährigen Jubiläums der Kantorei an ihrem Musikalischen Blumenstrauss, dem Festkonzert sowie dem offenen Weihnachtsingen. Weiterhin traten wir zweimal im Old Sailor anlässlich einer öffentlichen Probe und im Altstadt zum Besuch der Sangestouries von Kai Müller aus dem Raum Stuttgart auf. Auch der Auftritt einer kleinen schlagkräftigen
Truppe unter Herbert Schiers tatkräftiger Organisation beim Karneval soll nicht vergessen werden.
Auf gesellschaftlicher Ebene gibt es Folgendes zu berichten – da war der Jahresabschluss in . der Daurebecke , der ersatzmässig dort stattfand, weil die anvisierte Veranstaltung nach dem Auftritt bei Gellerts Küche flachfiel. Die Fahrt zur Numasschlucht am Brandberg brachte den neueren Sängern das Daureblied näher. Herbert Schiers Einladungen anlässlichVielleicht ist es an dieser Stelle angebracht, daran zu erinnern, wie wichtig es ist – im Interesse aller — seinen Teil als Vereinsmitglied beizutragen. Dazu gehören eben auch regelmässige und pünktliche Anwesenheit bei den Proben und Auftritten, seine Notenmappen in Schuss zu halten und auch ausserhalb der Proben mal hineinzuschauen und sich Texte und Melodien einzuprägen, sich proaktiv Gedanken zu unseren Treffen und Veranstaltungen zu machen, und sich auch nur einfach positiv sozial mit einzubringen.
In diesem Sinn möchte ich hier zwei Sangesbrüdern – stellvertretend für den Einsatz aller anderen, nicht namentlich erwähnten Mitglieder, die sich BESONDERS um das Wohl des Vereins verdient gemacht haben, – meinen Dank aussprechen.
Einmal geht mein Dank an Alex Haupt, der in langen Abenden unsere Musik per Computerprogramm vertont und sie stimmenweise verschickt hat. Vielen Dank, Alex, ich weiss, was diese langen Sitzungen nach deinem ausgedehnten Arbeitstag für uns bedeuten.
Zum zweiten möchte ich Peter Brüggemann erwähnen, der — nicht nur ex officio als Schriftwart fungiert – sondern auch unsere Webseite – smgvO2.org – in vielen nächtlichen Stunden betreut und im Stand hält. Ihr seid beides beste Beispiele für tolle Sangesbrüder, mit denen unser Verein noch 200 Jahre alt werden kann !!
Dieser Verein setzte sich im Vorstand im vergangenen Jahr aus den folgenden Mitgliedern zusammen:
Vorsitz – Rüdiger Moisel, Stellvertreter – Herbert Schier, Kassenwart – Helmut von Maltzahn,
Beisitzer – Balder Camby und Jochen Schwietering, Schriftwart — Peter Brüggemann (ko-optiert und ohne Stimmrecht imVorstand).
Der SMGV 02 hat zur Zeit 24 aktive Sänger, die sich wie folgt auf die einzelnen Stimmen verteilen : 1.Tenor: Ulf Göthje, Harald Knobloch, Gert Meyer, Joel Nambuli, Bernd Schlag, Siggi Stein. 2.Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Balder Camby, Mischa Fetzer, Marcell Noble, Wüdo van Wyk
1.Bass: Raini Becker, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, JochenSchwietering, Herbert Schier und Helmut Von Maltzahn
2.Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Rene Getto, Alex Haupt, Franz Klimas, Hermann Koch, Martin Spitze und Rüdiger Moisel
Ich freue mich, dass wir Harald Knobloch – leicht verspätet – zum 60-jährigem Vereinsjubiläum gratulieren konnten, Herbert Schier die – noch immer nicht vergoldete – Sängernadel des Deutschen Chorverbands für seine 50Jahre im SMGV überreichen durften und nun HEUTE auch Peter Brüggemann die silberne Sängernadel für 25-jährige Vereinszugehörigkeit überreichen können. Ihr seid 3 wackere Kumpane !
Ich denke, wir können auf ein Jahr mit vielen Aktivitäten und guten Höhepunkten zurückschauen. Deswegen auch abschliessend nochmals meinen Dank an alle, die sich im Grossen und im Kleinen um unseren Verein verdient gemacht haben.
Rüdiger Moisel Vorsitzender / SMGV 02/ 28.11.2024
2025
Jahresbericht des Vorsitzenden des SMGV 02 für das Jahr 2025
Liebe Sangesbrüder, liebes Ehrenmitglied Franz Klimas !
Das abgelaufene Jahr fing – ironischerweise, aber wie immer – mit unserem JahresABSCHLUSS an. Dieser fand als ein Frühstück im Delight Hotel statt und war sehr gemütlich, bei angenehmen Ambiente und bester Stimmung. Eine Wiederholung in den nächsten Jahren wäre begrüssenswert.
Wie in den vorangegangenen Jahren hatte sich unsere – inzwischen eingespielte – Probezeit auch im Dezember und Januar fortgesetzt, um für das anvisierte Jahresfest rechtzeitig fit zu sein. Ich denke, dass diese Massnahme auch weiterhin fortgesetzt werden sollte, um ausreichend Probezeit zu generieren.
Unser Jahresanfang fand diesmal als kleiner Umtrunk im Old Sailor – anschliessend an unsere erste öffentliche Probe – statt. Die letzteren – jeweils im Fachwerk und auch wieder im Old Sailor – waren meines Erachtens sinnvoll von zwei Blickpunkten aus : Einmal verliert man als “Performer” ein wenig das Lampenfieber, je öfter man vor Publikum auftritt und zweitens erhöhen wir damit unseren Bekanntheitsgrad und gewinnen eventuell neue Mitglieder dazu. Deswegen sollten sie recht regelmässig stattfinden.
Unsere musikalische Hauptveranstaltung, das Jahresfest fand diesmal schon im März statt und war ausgesprochen gut besucht. Wir hatten ins Festprogram die Bellas von Lindie Botha und eine kleine Gruppe Sänger aus Stuttgart unter Kai M4llers Leitung integriert. Unser Fest war betitelt “Wir kamen als Freunde” und darf als Erfolg verbucht werden, wenn man sich die Meinungen etlicher Zuschauer angehört hat. Besonders gefreut hat sich Silke Hornung (Tochter unseres langjährigen Sängers im 2.Tenor, Klaus Hornung) über ihr Wunschlied “Knopf an der Bluse”, das wir ihr vorgetragen haben. Auch wirtschaftlich dürfen wir mit dem Ertrag des Festes sehr zufrieden sein.
Eine weitere Kernveranstaltung war unser Frühschoppen, den wir im August im Swakopmund Club organisiert hatten. Der Innenhof des Clubgeländes war mit Bierbänken und –tischen, Baldachinen und einer kleinen Bühne rustikal, aber gemütlich hergerichtet. Unter Mitwirkung des Windhoeker Männerchors wurden Trinklieder zum Besten gegeben, die den – leider etwas wenigen – Zuhörern deutlich Spass gemacht haben. Dazu gab es Kartoffelsalat, Würstchen und Gutes aus dem Potjie. Aber auch Gert Meyer und Hartmut Fölscher trugen mit Get 2 zur guten Stimmung bei. Ich denke, es war eine Veranstaltung, die verbesserungswürdig, bestimmt wiederholt werden sollte.
Wir traten auch bei etlichen anderen musikalischen Veranstaltungen auf – beim Abschiedskonzert der African Vocals vor ihrer 6. Deutschlandreise; beim Jubiläumsfest des Georg Ludwig Kindergarten; zum Sundownerkonzert der Kantorei im Juli und beim Konzert der Blasmusik im Woermannhaus Innenhof. Ich meine, dass wir mit unserem Gesang immer Freude, Vergnügen und eine besondere Note (allerdings nicht immer total astrein) verbreiten konnten.
Auch unseren eigenen Mitgliedern haben wir mit kleinen Ständchen Freude bereitet – so z.B. zu Lindies Bothas 50. Geburtstag und Ulf Göthjes Krankenaufenthalt.
Auf sozialer Ebene waren wir in diesem Jahr vielleicht etwas zurückhaltend in unseren Aktionen. Aber deshalb soll gerade der Vatertag am alten Marmorhorst – mit unserem – vom Ehrenitgled Franz Klimas bestens organisiertem Wettschiessen, und dem Meisterschützen , Wonder Awarab, nicht unerwähnt bleiben. Aber auch die SMGV Geburtstagsfeier bei Gulaschsuppe und Fassbier gehört mit dazu. Nur schade, dass sich nicht noch mehr Sangesbrüder eingefunden hatten, den Gert und Friedhelm haben tüchtig auf ihren Klampfen geklimpert.
Unser Vorstand bestand im vergangenen Jahr aus den folgenden Mitgliedern:
Vorsitz – Rüdiger Moisel, Stellvertreter – Herbert Schier, Kassenwart – Helmut von Maltzahn, Beisitzer – Balder Camby und Wüdo van Wyk, sowie unser Schriftwart – Peter Brüggemann (ko-optiert und ohne Stimmrecht im Vorstand).
Der SMGV 02 hatte im vergangenen Jahr 31 Sänger, wovon sich allerdings zwei Sangesbrüder auf Grund von schweren Erkrankungen aus dem aktiven Sängerleben zurückgezogen haben. Wir wünschen Ulf und Wilfried weiterhin viel Gutes und positive Entwicklungen in ihren jeweiligen Krankheitsverläufen. Die Zusammensetzung des SMGV, verteilt auf die verschiedenen Stimmen und sah 2025 wie folgt aus, wobei auch Marcell Noble (aus Arbeitsgründen) Und Willie Davel (aus Krankheitsgründen) längerfristig fehlten:
1.Tenor: Wonder Awarab, Willie Davel, Ulf Göthje, Harald Knobloch, Gert Meyer, Joel Nambuli, Bernd Schlag, Siggi Stein.
2.Tenor: Holger Ahrens, Balder Camby, Mischa Fetzer, Mike McDonald, Marcell Noble, Wüdo van Wyk
1.Bass: Raini Becker, Volker Buchholz, Wilfried Buschack, Arvid Grosche, Jochen Schwietering, Herbert Schier und Helmut von Maltzahn, Hubert Zeller.
2.Bass: Peter Brüggemann, Rene Getto, Alex Haupt, Stefan Klaazen, Franz Klimas, Hermann Koch, Friedhelm Kühhirt, Martin Spitze und Rüdiger Moisel
Es ist sehr erfreulich, dass wir mit den neuen/alten Sangesbrüdern, Friedhelm, Mike, Stefan, Volker und Wonder gute neue Unterstützung bekommen haben und uns so auch stimmlich auf einem besseren Niveau befinden.
Ich danke allen im Verein, die sich in unterschiedlichem Mass für den SMGV eingesetzt haben, und hoffe, dass dieser Einsatz auch in Zukunft weiter wichtiger Teil unseres Vereinslebens bleibt, bezeichnend für den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt der den Swakopmunder Männergesangvereins von 1902 über 123 Jahre ausgemacht hat.
Abschliessend möchte ich euch mitteilen, dass ich mich spätestens in 2 Jahren aus der Vereins- sowie musikalischen Leitung zurückziehen werde. Ich möchte wieder als einfacher Sangesbruder im 2. Bass meine Stimme halten und so endlich auch einmal wieder stressfreie Stunden im Verein geniessen.
Thank you all.
Rüdiger Moisel
Chairperson / SMGV 02
27.11.2025
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