bavarikon4UDescription
Depiction of an Oberlandler band in traditional costume playing in a large ensemble. Twenty-six men with instruments can be seen in front of a painted backdrop with a rock face and wooden huts. Mountains in the background.
Georg Lang (1866-1904), a publican from Nuremberg who first appeared at the Oktoberfest in 1898, made a significant contribution to the transformation of this large beer-fuelled event that is known in Bavaria as the "Wiesn". He is regarded as the inventor of the giant beer halls and was the first festival host to hire a 30-man band to play from a podium. With its powerful range of sounds, it provided the perfect 'beer tent atmosphere'. Lang introduced lyric booklets so that the audience could sing along loudly. The band continued to make guest appearances throughout Germany under Lang's name after his death; Joseph Schwarz led the band for several years. Moreover, the band was considered a model for Oberlandler music ensembles, many of which were based in Nuremberg. The picture was taken no later than 1904. Georg Lang can be seen in the middle, wearing a suit. Following his death, his widow Wilhelmina took over the running of the business. Lang was to remain the face of the band though; as late as 1910, text booklets, and other items, were illustrated with his portrait. This postcard was also presumably acquired at a performance shortly before it was posted in July 1907. Lang's light entertainment programme was known for its spectacular show interludes and merry humour and has shaped our image of beer tent music right up to the present day.
Text content: "Grüße von der Winziger Kerwe" (Greetings from the Winziger Kerwe)