About the project Heimspiel

Again and again, associations were and are still reviled, disregarded, persecuted or politically abused. Nevertheless, as a new social movement for “our social capital” , they make their contribution to the “centre of society between family and state”, by providing their members meaning and structures. Whether with a focus on sport, culture, the environment, self-help, music or work: Currently, with 600,000 groups in Germany, more than 90 percent of civic engagement takes place in the environment of associations. At the same time, there is growing concern that the increasing individualism impends to plunge associations and societies into a crisis. It is therefore all the more astonishing that so far, in Germany there are relatively few studies on the sociology, structure and culture of associations.

The photographic project in hand deals with the structures, achievements and changes as well as with the members’ needs and motivations of a successful music association with many members: The Spielmanns und Fanfarenzug Fürstenau. Founded in 1930, at a time when association structures in Germany were instrumentalized by the propaganda machinery of the National Socialists and subsequently almost banned by the Allies, today, the marching band gathers almost 200 young and old people, male and female, rooted in the village or moved to cities, under its roof. The majority of them come together every Friday evening, on time at 8.00 p.m., for a rehearsal in the clubhouse. At present, Fürstenau has about 1,200 inhabitants – with decreasing tendency.

The association is not only a place where values are conveyed, but also offers space for sociability, participation and a sense of community as well as for dealing with social change. It fulfils its members’ need for security, identity, protection and structure and is above all a beloved routine.

The link of the common traditions is the music, but also the conformity as a relic of the musical origin in the military music, which goes back to the 15th century. The unified marching, light grey uniforms and caps: Individual interests are thus not only receding in the togetherness, but above all also visually. For outsiders, this image is often alienating. Commonly incomprehensible, terms such as “tradition” and “attached to one's homeland” trigger negative connotations and criticism in Germany of today.

The present work does not intend to resolve the individual observer’s conflict. Indeed, it wants to make the observer experience the association as a whole of its members, as a meaningful community, its needs and feelings based on the representation of individuals.

It started at the age of ten or eleven, when I was addressed at our home by the former head of training whether I wanted to join the marching band. The new youth band had started fourteen days ago and I could still join it, however not as a drummer, but as a flutist. And so I thought to myself, my colleagues are already in and I can just give it a try.

And so I joined the marching band in 1968/1969 and that's why this year I already got the bravery medal for fifty years of membership. Since then I have always remained faithful to the marching band. There are of course reasons for it, because if you live in a village like this, you don't have much choice compared to the young people today. At that time there was only the marching band and the sports club, where I also started. And that was our realm, that means we had the school, the family and then these two hobbies. And there was a great togetherness and that was also the reason why we joined the team. With hindsight, you have to say, it was a good thing.

A few years or decades ago I already switched from the so-called main band to the seniors band. There you have a togetherness over generations. And that's the case with the seniors, they meet every three weeks and there it's no longer just a matter of rehearsing, but a social gathering. People exchange information, communicate with each other and the social vein in the village is preserved.

And there is also a serious reason that has contributed in the long-term to many members staying in the marching band for decades. It is not only this sociability and togetherness, but also the idea of performance. I always have to think of a saying: “If I don't go to rehearsal on Fridays, then I'm missing something”. That's what someone from the main band once said. It's not a bowling club or anything else. It's a marching band that performs well, not only at the Cologne Carnival or the riflemen’s festival. Indeed, it has always been under a certain pressure. A certain motivation is required – no matter if from the president or from the lower player. This is also reflected in the whole history of the marching band.

If you look at the trophy cabinet and see how successful we have been, or if you have even taken part in such victories, you are even more motivated to participate in this story. That is the A and O, because this long-term performance idea has also made us to play a certain quality. When I see other clubs that were strong competitors at the time, we pulled them off. You also took part in German championships or played in Shanghai. As older people, we are incredibly proud of that. You can see how your own daughter suddenly plays along, the younger generation, with whom you also have to deal. That's quite amazing. That's why I'm in it and probably will stay.

So in my opinion there have been very serious changes. It is a traditional association which has always presented this sociability, this performance. At that time in a completely different way. In former times it was called: Standing at attention, left, right align and it was worked with carrots and sticks. We always had good presidents, but in the past on an authoritarian basis. In my opinion, the big sticking point came when the change took place and a younger one took over the reins. That's when I first thought - man, that doesn't fit in with the whole tradition, we're now entering into a generation change. The new president also came up with the idea to build a clubhouse outside of Fürstenau, which is not really an option and also entails financial burdens and so on.

But in retrospect, this decision to bring a new generation with younger people to the management level was decisive for the further successful development of the marching band. And further people also became part of the new management level, amongst others I would like to emphasize the staff leader at that time, who led our whole musical direction. During this period in particularly, there was an enormous development that surprised many people. And also with the construction of the clubhouse, when a huge community was formed in the whole village. That was simply a stroke of luck for Fürstenau. For the whole village community, because the clubhouse is used by all associations and has accordingly become a fixed point of view in the village.

Well, I was one of those who were absolutely in favour, because there's nothing like investing in the future. And there was a real euphoria. When the planning for the construction began, many members also took on important tasks during the construction phase. And thenthere were so many helpers in every direction. They weren't just members, but people from all over the village who participated. Be it physically, mentally or with other possibilities. And within shortest time this clubhouse has been built. That was really a madness and an impressive thing that something like this could happen in the village. Probably there won't be such a thing in the future, because the craft skills are no longer that present in the village. Perhaps this was the last possibility to start such a project in Fürstenau. And there I take my hat off to the community of Fürstenau and the marching band, who got it all together.

I once experienced a time when the “old guard” was still there among the leaders, who then had a problem with the next generation. That means there weren't enough guys and then there was, how shall I say, a slight crash. Many older guys said, yes, but we can only take boys now, because it is a tradition. We can't take any girls - they will participate in the education, but then they will be off the window soon because of marriage and having children. That was such a back and forth, but in the end they were forced to accept also ladies. And that, by the way, was a great success, because the first ladies brought a certain stability with them. They didn't let the boys overthrow them.

At the same time there was another change: Will we stay true to traditional marching music or will we go the more modern way by playing by notes and more concertante music? And I think that they then tried to find a good compromise. That you didn't try to play only this traditional brutal march music, but something of both. And also the fanfares were kept. Meanwhile we are one of the most demanded clubs, which can still play fanfare reasonably and also create atmosphere. So we’ve done everything right until now. And for that we have to thank everyone.

Yes, not only to me, but probably to several of my colleagues. I was in the youth band at the time and we had made it through the district championships, Lower Saxony championships up to the qualifying for the German championships. But at the same time, there was also the riflemen’s festival in our village. Then we were advised by our staff leader at that time, who was already a really great authority, that we as youngsters and with regard to the German championship should be at home early. Well, we as teenagers, a bit euphoric, of course, went a little over the top. With the result that I had to be picked up by bus at five in the morning because I had overslept.

Then we drove to the championship and had to play our piece of music in a hall. That was a huge hall that we didn't know that well. So you have to imagine it like an Olympic Stadium with a big stage. This stage was felt to be fifty meters wide, ten meters deep and it was certainly two meters high, so you had the feeling that everyone was looking at you from bottom to top. And everyone who walked off the stage afterwards felt a flutter of legs. And then they tried to get their supposedly trembling legs to shut up. Recently we talked about it: “Do you remember how we went to the championship and we all had those fluttering legs?” So that was a serious event at a young age, that you had such tension. And strangely from all of them. Not only from me, but from all of them.

Dad made me come to the marching band. Dad as a marching band boy through and through. When we were told that a new youth band would be founded, Britta and I were of course the first. Let's go. I remember that Britta really wanted to drum. But there were no drumming girls before. And then we came to the flute. And yes. Daddy. My dad is the reason and I am grateful to him for that. Still today.

There is only one female drummer and I think, if Lena would not be physically restricted, there would not be a single female drummer until today, which I think is very sad. Maybe we are just too tradition-conscious. I have no idea. Well, there were discussions about the first girls in the marching band at the time. Yes, it was always such a back and forth. We girls were such a small minority. In former times. But nowadays I would say that if all the girls and women weren't in the marching band, it would look pretty bad.

I think we started in 1983 or 1984. In the youth band girls and boys were mixed and it didn't matter at all. A discussion came up again when we changed from the youth band to the main band. There came comments like “There’s never been something like this before – women and young girls in the marching band” or “Do we really want that – the bitchy bitch?” There were arguments against us or for us. But we did not have to prevail at that time. We were all equal and had a lot of fun together. However, it was always this classic picture: The boys drum and the girls play the flute. Yes, and that is still the case today. Unfortunately.

I think the club's doing pretty good. At the age of fourteen, fifteen, I thought: marching band, that's actually uncool, you're wearing this uniform, this hat, you're playing the tattoo. How uncool is that? That’s when I took two or three years off. Meanwhile, I'd say we're super modern and tradition is something very valuable, you have to retain this. I see it more as an enrichment now. Maybe because the picture just turned a bit. We are in the fortunate position of being a well-known marching band.

I think competitions at district level have moved a bit into the background. They have completely lost their importance. I don't know if we'll get another turn there. They don't want any more competition with grading, so that more associations in the Höxter district will be attracted again.

I actually prefer to go to riflemen’s festivals. Or really to marching competitions like the championships in Copenhagen or Chemnitz. I think that's good. But I tend more towards riflemen’s festivals or festivals in general. Of course, it also depends on the festival where we go. I think it's just the community. At some festivals you hang on to each other, non-stop for four days and surprisingly it works. If you get annoyed by one or the other, you just sit somewhere else.

The strength of the association is the solidarity. And that everyone is accepted as they are. The nice thing is, if you get somewhere, you can turn to everyone. I could now stand in a circle of the younger ones, of twenty-year-olds. On the other hand, someone of the fifteen-year-olds could also join a group of the fifty-year-olds. If you wear your uniform, somehow you belong, somehow we belong together. Anyone can stand with anyone. Everyone is accepted with his or her quirks. I think that's a strength.

When rehearsing, our weakness is the lack of discipline. But hey, we are a hobby association. Everyone comes here on Fridays because they want to, not because they have to. Because maybe you have a hard week behind you. You meet others, drink two beers or not. Chatter a little. If we say we start at 8.00 p.m., then everyone rolls in between 8.00 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. and in other associations they arrive on time and start. We won't be able to do that. This is perhaps a somewhat bad quality for others, but that is just the way it is for us.

The Spielmanns- und Fanfarenzug Fürstenau

The marching band was founded in 1930 in the former sports club DJK “Victoria” Fürstenau on the initiative of the two teachers of the village. Due to the rising unemployment and the financial emergency the inhabitants of the East Westphalian village met in their free time to play football. The sports activity was apparently not enough for many members, which is why a sports festival was organised in 1930. The proceeds were used to purchase some instruments and equipment for the marching band.

During the National Socialist era and in the course of the unification the DJK Fürstenau was finally dissolved and changed to the newly founded WSV Fürstenau. Because of this, the marching band Fürstenau was formed as an independent association, because until then it had been subordinated to the sports association.

Under its own management, the association continued its activities successfully until 1939. During the Second World War, association life came to a complete stop everywhere, and the village of Fürstenau and the marching band were no exception.

After the war, a new group of young minstrels was formed, which in the following decades developed into one of today's leading musical bands in traditional minstrels and fanfare music in the Federal Republic of Germany.

As early as 1949, the association took part in its first competition. It achieved its first real success in 1951 with the first place. This result grew into a habit in the following decades, especially on the district level. Regular participations in competitions on district and country level followed. In the 1970s and 1980s, the association took part in German championships for the first time and was able to become German champion several times in different valuation classes.

In 2013, the marching band finally became German vice champion in the marching competition at the German championship in Chemnitz. This also qualified him for participating in the world championship of the “World Association of Marching Show Bands”. Two years later, the association achieved its greatest success so far with the 7th place at the world championships in Copenhagen/Denmark.

The association currently consists of around 200 active and passive members. The active members are divided into a total of three bands: Youth, main, senior. With almost 70 people, the main band challenges the majority of the active club life. This includes performances at festivals, participation in competitions, education of young talents and organisation and administration of the association.

With up to ten appearances a year at home festivals and riflemen’s festivals, the marching band's main focus has always been on the musical arrangement of the local festivals in the surrounding villages. The educated young musicians support the main band in their performances and take part in competitions as a youth band.

Since 1985, the older minstrels have gathered every three weeks not only for rehearsals, but also for a leisurely evening.

And so every Friday evening, all the members of the main band gather in the clubhouse for a joint rehearsal. This tradition is not only the basis for appearances, but also for sociable hours and the solidarity in the association.

Special thanks to

Prof. Axel Grünewald and Prof. Dr. phil. Anna Zika for the mentoring of this thesis as well as Paul Fiebig for the creative realization of this book and Rebecca Struck for the introduction text

and all supporters

Freya Stadermann, Birgit Eckardt und Lutz Hufeld, Jenny Bewer, Martin Kraft, Vedad Divovic, Annette Küper und Klaus Seelig, Christoph Seck, Alice Meise, Thekla und Josef Fromme as well as all participants of the Spielmanns- und Fanfarenzug Fürstenau von 1930 e.V.