Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps

The Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps e. V. is a Prussian-tradition Spielmannszug (marching drum and fife corps) based in the East Westphalian city of Minden in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the musical unit of the Mindener Bürgerbataillon, a historic civic militia association, and is regarded as the oldest still-active Tambourkorps in the Federal Republic of Germany, with a history connected to the Bürgerbataillon spanning more than 300 years. The corps traces its origins to the drummers and town pipers of the 17th century, when drums were used to transmit messages and commands. Over time the group evolved from a military signal troop into a modern Spielmannszug performing in Prussian uniform. The corps is an eingetragener Verein (registered association) and the eighth unit of the Bürgerbataillon, with full voting and participation rights. Its repertoire ranges from traditional marches and its own compositions to festive pieces for special ceremonies. It performs year-round at city festivals, anniversaries, Zapfenstreiche (tattoos), battalion events and other occasions, and is closely rooted in Minden's civic life. Its signature duties include the Reveille, Generalmarsch and Großer Zapfenstreich. After the Second World War the corps was rebuilt with few players and much commitment. It accompanied the Freischießen again in 1950, and in 1968 appeared for the first time as a complete Spielmannszug, marking the beginning of its present form. The corps is carried by a community of players of all age groups who consciously live tradition while looking openly to the future.

The Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps shares an equally long history with the Mindener Bürgerbataillon. The Minden drummers had a long tradition; they were not only deployed at the Minden Freischießen, but drumming had always been used to transmit messages and commands. The union into a troop, a play, a Tambourkorps or Spielmannszug turned them from an original signal troop into the "Musical Unit", which not only set the step on marches but also contributed to joy and edification on many social occasions. After long research with well-known Spielmannszug and state music associations throughout Germany, it emerged that the Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps is the oldest active Tambourkorps in Germany. The second-oldest still-active association dates back to 1828. This assessment is also confirmed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, referring to the list of awards of the Pro-Musica-Plakette. The beginnings of the Minden Tambourkorps, like those of the venerable Mindener Bürgerbataillon itself, lie deep in the mists of the Middle Ages. First documentary mentions of Minden drums and timpani can be found in 1622/1623. Large parts of the sparse documents were destroyed during the First and Second World Wars. The few surviving documents nevertheless give the interested reader an insight into the history of the Minden drummers. Initially the music platoon consisted only of drummers and town pipers. They always led the battalion with its six companies and the Bürger-Eskadron at its appearances. They accompanied the individual companies on their official marches and were deployed on the festival ground and in the shooting range. Excerpts from Das wehrhafte Minden by Dr. Martin Krieg: "In the reorganization after the Thirty Years' War, the re-establishment of the companies will soon have begun after 1650." In 1652 drummers are mentioned. Whereas previously only pure target shooting by the civic levy was spoken of, from 1682 it was combined with a large city festival, with the word "Freischießen" first appearing in the protocol of the meeting of council and city representatives on 23 July 1682. During the Freischießen the drummers were always busy, as can be clearly proven by the distribution of the Freischießen costs. At one point it says: "What the city spent for the tambours is unknown." On the other: "On 17 June 1704 at 4 o'clock in the morning the Vergatterung was beaten." "What they spent for the tambours, they were reimbursed by the magistrate." In the description of the first change in the city officers' corps in 1722, the election of the ensign says: "Thereupon the presentation to his company followed. From the middle file with two tambours the flag was fetched with touching play." In old records of the former city major Blancke it is noted that in the year 1730, on 5 September, the entire citizenry moved out with sounding play to the usual shooting ground called "Schweinebruch". Of the tambours, these records first report by name from the year 1747. At that time a completely new order for marching out and in was introduced, about which it says as follows: There went ahead: the tambours and the music corps, the city officers' servant, four ensigns with their espontons in pairs, the accompanied king, the orderlies with rifle and fixed bayonet, the city major with adjutants and the first, second etc. company. In the record of the new statute with ten articles in June 1838, among other things fines and the use of the funds were discussed: "For it had been expressly determined that the money of the officers' fund might be used only for the repair and replenishment of the inventory of ... drums etc." In 1838 city major Blanke reported in the Mindener Sonntagsblatt among other things: "As insignia of the Bürgerbataillon, besides the crowns, the six taffeta flags, one standard, six small field flags, five brass drums, one wooden drum and three iron crowns are named". In 1867 there was probably a mutiny over the legitimacy of the kings. After the election of a counter-king it said: "... and led him into the city under the precedence of the likewise mutinying drummers." From the statute for the Bürger Companien in the city of Minden of 14 May 1868: Under point 28: "On the evening before the prize shooting, tattoo is beaten and in the morning on the day of the prize shooting reveille and then general march ..." Under point 35: "The remaining costs of the festival for ... the drummers fall to the city treasury." In an excerpt from a daily order of 1892 it says: "For the accompaniment of the company watches, only the six tambours of the respective battalion to which the watch-holding company belongs are taken, who are to claim a payment of 1 mark each for this. In addition, the tambour non-commissioned officer receives 2 marks and the tambour of the company remaining on watch 1 mark extra each. The music and the tambours are strictly forbidden under high penalty to play or drum further than in front of the town hall when the watches march in (See my battalion order of 10 July 1886) Minden, 26 May 1892, City Major Gustav Bruns". In 1927 the first Freischießen after the First World War could be celebrated again. From the daily order for... After the Second World War the reconstruction began with few players and much commitment. Already in 1950 they again accompanied the Freischießen, and in 1968 the Tambourkorps appeared for the first time as a complete Spielmannszug. This moment marked the beginning of the present form of the corps. Today the Bürger-Tambourkorps is a registered association and at the same time the eighth unit of the Bürgerbataillon with full voting and participation rights. Musically the repertoire ranges from traditional marches through its own compositions to festive pieces for special ceremonies. All this is carried by a strong community of players of all age groups who consciously live tradition while looking openly to the future.

• 1968

  The Tambourkorps appeared for the first time as a complete Spielmannszug, marking the beginning of its present form.

• 1950

  The corps again accompanied the Freischießen after the Second World War.

• 1927

  The first Freischießen after the First World War could be celebrated again.

• 1892

  Daily order of 26 May 1892 by city major Gustav Bruns regulates payment and conduct of the tambours.

• 1868

  Statute for the Bürger Companien of 14 May 1868 specifies tattoo, reveille and general march duties.

• 1867

  A mutiny over the legitimacy of the kings; a counter-king was elected and led into the city by mutinying drummers.

• 1838

  New statute with ten articles in June 1838; city major Blanke reports on the insignia of the Bürgerbataillon.

• 1747

  First named report of the tambours; a new order for marching out and in was introduced.

• 1730

  On 5 September 1730 the entire citizenry moved out with sounding play to the shooting ground called "Schweinebruch".

• 1722

  Election of the ensign: the flag was fetched with touching play from the middle file with two tambours.

• 1704

  On 17 June 1704 at 4 a.m. the Vergatterung was beaten.

• 1682

  The word "Freischießen" first appears in the protocol of the council and city representatives on 23 July 1682.

• 1652

  Drummers are mentioned in records.

• 1622

  First documentary mentions of Minden drums and timpani (1622/1623).

Prussian-tradition Spielmannszug and musical unit of the Mindener Bürgerbataillon; oldest still-active Tambourkorps in Germany.

1. 1Tambourkorps – Musikalische Einheit | Mindener Bürgerbataillonmindener-buergerbataillon.de
2. 2Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Mindener Bürger-Tambourkorps – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org