‘Vindjammers’ – the button accordion or Squeezebox in German-Queensland Culture! Unknown squeezebox player with accompanying violin player. Photograph from the Lockyer Valley. And of course when it comes to German settlers and their unique and traditional music we cannot forget the old ‘Vindjammer’, or button accordion (squeezebox). Nearly […]
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David Forrest and the ‘Lost’ Tapes of Binjour
David Forrest and the ‘Lost’ Tapes of Binjour Photograph of Binjour German settlers brass band Many years ago whilst staying in the Gayndah and Munduberra districts I contacted Vera Wolf in Munduberra when searching for German songs in the Burnett district. Vera informed me that many years previously a young […]
Old Augie
OLD AUGIE (by Mark Schuster) Open the squeezebox bellows, parchment dry and stiff, Lift the stops, breathe back the lives of the aged pioneers Men and women, not forgetting the kinder Show us of modern times their ways. Slab hut, bread oven, shingle barns The patchwork of paddock, brigalow and […]
Music from my Heimatland
MUSIC FROM MY HEIMATLAND: Queensland is Different!! By Mark Schuster (Toowoomba, Qld) Although it was early June 1999, the familiar pale blue glare stung the eyes and the slanting rays of late afternoon sunlight still held their characteristic sting. Shedding my coat at Brisbane airport the soft light and verdant […]
Ringing Strings of the Burnett
Ringing Strings of the Burnett: The German-Queensland Zither Tradition For more than two decades I have sought out and recorded the unique German-Queensland musical traditions of the farming communities in southern Queensland. I had the wonderful opportunity to savour and record the ‘tail end’ of a once enormous tradition of […]
German Brass Band Traditions
German Brass Band Traditions ‘The Toowoomba German Band had a practice hut strategically placed in Flegler’s vineyard, no doubt to make the lubricating of the players’ tonsils easy when the needs arose’ Photograph shows Herr Frederick Kretschmar, famous Toowoomba bandsman in the centre back of the picture. (from the late […]
Waltz Of Vienna
This popular old dance tune is a real favourite in the German-derived farming communities in southern Queensland – it could be termed a real classic. The Waltz of Vienna is a stately dance and the tune is lovely and flowing. Here played on button accordion by Mark Schuster with accompanying […]
Uniformen Der Alten Armee
Uniformen Der Alten Armee. Published by Waldorf-Astoria Zigarettenfabrik, Munchen. A very rare German book (no published date, possibly 1940s?) containing 312 beautiful cigarette cards of old (Imperial and older) Army uniforms of the German provinces. Approx. 80 pp. All 312 cards are present. A must for those interested in early […]
German Bible
Large Illustrated German Family Bible ‘Illustrierte Heilige Schrift’ The much sought-after German Holy Bible, produced in USA in the 1880s. Philadelphia, USA. 1883. Leather Bound large format, 883 pp. Beautiful hand coloured illustrations. These large leather bound family bibles were the pride and joy, the treasured possessions of many German-Queensland […]
