New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-15
THE GERMAN "MASCH."
RESEMBLANCE TO THE AMERr-
CAN COUNTY FAIR.
HOW THE PEOPLE ENJOY THEMSELVES AMI
SOME OF THE FORMS OF AMUSEMENT
DESCRIBED.

Brunswick. Germany, June 2.-One OF the most
interesting Of the many forms OF outdoor amuse-
ments with which the Germans enjoy life in the
summertime is the "masch." 1t bears n strong
sembance to the American county fair. but has
points OF difference which render II peculiarly inter-
esting 10 the student Of national amusements The
word 'masch means more nearly than anything else.
a mixture. and mixture German masch certainly
Is. 1t is held as rule. at the time Of the annual
"Schttzenfest" and near possible to the
shooting garden. All the fakirs and what we would
cali In America sideshow attractions. make n busi-
ness OF travelling about from one masch TO another.
81 that their attendance has grown into a regular
trade. II Is especially 'volks' gathering and the
enjoy It to the utmost. severa. days before
the fest begins caravans which composed of
wagons strongly resembling the ordinary freight
on whee.s except that they all have curtained
windows, may be seen on every road approaching
the city In which the masch is TO be held They take
possession OF the nearest open space to the shoot
ing garden. and from the cavcrnous depths OF the
metamorphosed freight are taken first a
larger or smaller tent. the case may be. and
bewildering array OF properties needed IN the
forthcoming show.
In a night the vacant place is transformed into
small city OF tents. each the temporary business
pace Of fakir. the wagons being drawn up
conveniently near, they are the dwelling places
OF the showmen. The tented town is laid of into
streets which on both sides lined with the
booths the merry go rounds the tlntype galleries.
the miniature circuses. and In short everything In
which the heart Of the small boy and dlmnutive
maiden is supposed rejoice. one masch Is typi-
cal Of all Pay n visit to one II you ever have an
opportunity You may not want 10 go the second
time but you will certainly not regret going the
first.
You enter the entrance street without being ex-
pected to pay any fee and find yourself in a wide
lane with confectionery and bakery booths on each
side The candy Is rather doubtful except to the
German small boy who has but this annual chance.
a a general thing for tasting sweets. and TO whom
n Is very heaven Of saccharine delight; the cakes
are excellent. however. they are all over Ger
many. chief among them Ia sort OF huge pop
over" light as n feather. II Is called "erkranz'
AMI Is made only at the time Of the masch. IL
must DO eaten hot and is devourel in vast qnant-
ties. 4 lIt,.e farther up the lane you come 70 the
stands " tho smaller fakirs. AMI there gambling
OF a mid FORM for the stakes are rarely over NIFTY
pfenulngs- about 10 ccnts-goes on with an open
ness which would delight the soul OF an American
county fair faklr. You may pay roulette. rouge
et-nolr. or the familiar shell ard pea game to your
heari's-oy rather your pockets -content and no
minion 81 oppressive law will say you nay In
fact for this occasion only. the rigor OF the law
seems % generally relaxed and 10 the credit OF
the Germans. be 1t said. such forbearance u at
tended with fewer evil consequences than would be
the In almost any other country OF Europe.
There OF
some rather rough Joking. under the glare OF the
rarng gasoline amps: but the people there fOr
FUN and not 10 lose their tempers. They
work hard. and It Is natural they should
=, times play rather hard. Each one has
but few marks. perhaps. few pfennings.
Only - spend and they are bound 70 get every
.as, rrocscheu's worth u pleasure out Of them.
Tint they succeed 10 the utmost speaks highly
FOR their capacity - BE- p.eascl with ti.e things
II is something % nm Indication 81 what makes up
the Widespread contcn;ment among the German
pe1p.e even among the very poorest. this posi-
h'niy ~ extracting pleasure from small analrs
which 70 another people. less easily peaseu' "o"'o
~, seem worth the white.
Tho nrs, street AZ right angles from the entrance
sne i the street Of the tn-type and shooting gti-
ley mend The tn-type man does not diner essenti-
ally from his brother NJ own county fair though
he takes better pictures. but the shooting gallery
IL far ahead 81 s American cousin. brhihi
counter on which numerous air guns are laid. stand
"A hnlr-doz~n pretty girls attir-d In fantastic COS
fumes and each seeks % aurac, men who may be
victims - her modern bow. That the bianas ar"
pretty successful. IN their uncels!ns opportunities
Is eyincei hy the constant pop. popping which one
hears on every side large canvas is stretched
about n,tern Zee; behind the maiIens. and upon 1t
are displayed every conceivable form OF target
over, one y which Il Is Almost Impossible 10 miss.
t,r m. vanity . the customer must De cultivated
- continued patronage is 10 be assured Every one
Of these targets gives forth beating Of drums or
a ringing 81 bells when struck. - the din may be
mdrlnel
Near the shooting booths are the canvas palaces
inhabited By the fat woman: the genuine African
Zulu. who speaks when caught unawares with
strong German accent ana who has n strange fond
ness for beer. the museum Of wax Images Of living
and dead celebrities. the stercopticon Views OF
famous events and other shows OF the kind when
a country boy In America Is familiar with ut the
fair In his own county for none OF the usual at'rac-
.,,,s ar. missing The entrance fee is ten or
twenty pfennings Perhaps the most popular thing
on the ground Is the merry -go-roun1. There are
a dozen forms 81 H. Some In the form OF real
rocking ships propelled In "A circle by machinery,
hu, mast 81 them are the ordinary hobbyhor OF
our childhood fixed on a circular PLATFORM winch
Il made % revolvr by horse power There are pat
ont snrings also which are adjusted to small boats
in such a way that the boats hanging from ropes
are swung 10 and fro In the air Ike huge p"hun-
lums These are called American air cAaflots
and attract a great deal OF custom-for anything
coming from America is supposed to De not onS
novel but the best Of It's kind. That the contrW-
o,c.. .rs Mother American nor made In America Is
| cer,aIn Rut one thing that Is distinctivey Amer
Tenn though II IL not advertised rs such, Is small
COPY Of the Ferris wheel 1t Is about forty rect
high and carries n dozen oIen cars when hoid SIN
persons each. Despite the exceedingly iraiI con-
strnction OF the affair It is very popular ana y
crowded continualiy Whether the imitation pays
ROYALTY or not 10 the Ferris Company Is not known
OF course in about and around all these aHuse-
,ncnts f. heard the biarc OF the brass band your
good German would not believe he was having
good time unless he was hearing music. no matter
what Csc he might be doing and therefore the
band Ia very much In evidence. But mere ~ announcer
startling noint OF difference from our county FAIRS
The band is almost always very good one anu
the music well worth listening to. Nearly every
German Is more or less OF a musician and wh'ie ne
viii Tolerate a good deal Of personal discomfort ne
will not submit to having poor music DARED IN Ms
ears
The traditional beer drinking IL there nut IL soeS
| on az a matter OF course. and. again. unlike our
,,,rs q, homo M one s the worse for 1t. In the
| -. ...ox.r,, ,or,, tbere IL erected