The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-10
The GESANGYEREIN VIRGINIA
0ls Of The Nest Useful Organizations IN
The City.
INTERESTING CAREER OF THE SOCIETY.
List of Prominent Germans VINO joined
the Organization During tho iirst
Right Years of Its Existence.
Sketches of the Present Oh'cers.

OF the various social and singing So
cieties that have been organized In this
city from time to time. none has enjoyed
as long IN existence as the GeSangvcrein
Virginia. chat on July 2, 1875. will cele-
brate its forty-fouTth anniversary. The
success Of this prosperous organization Is
largely due TO the perseverance or It's old
members. who are always looking after
its interests. approaching the fact That
Il has not On'y been largely Instrumental
In raising the German song 20 its present
high standard. but has also always up
held the German spirit ard German So
ci.luity. Tho maintenance and support
OF the society by its organizers and old
members was not so easy matter as
A NAV appear to-day. when II has It's
own building and q large membership.
and forms the centre Of attraction for
All Gcrman-Amcrican citizens OF Rich
mono.
During the late war the existence OF
H.. society was repeatedly seriously
jeopardizod. but The few members VINO
did not 20 TO the front stood togelher
and upheld the organization IN spite or
AN unfay3rable conditions. IL may look
rather strange but 10 IS fact that uur-
ing the four years % the war the soclal
pathoriuass OF the Gcsangvcrein were some
its history. After the close of the war
the organization made rapid progress and
At all singing festivals which II partici-
pated ian. It's name was ranked among
Tho first organizations Of this country
and its members repeatedly carried OH
number Of prizes.
ITS HISTORY.
The Gesangvorein Virginia was organ
fzed on July ]. 1852. by the following gen
tlemen: Messrs. O. Cranz. ii. &. q.
zimmerman. T.. Behrend Il. hrausse'
A. Schad. NJ. Mielke. G. Htterhaus'
G. koenig. 4. SchenkUhl, John heppler
&. Wclmer. II. Won Groenig. r. Dolhneer
and &. Emmingor. The first pIcsideht
of the organization was Mr. c. Emminger
and Mr. oscar Cranz was It's hrst secIe-
tary. The following were the next p'esl-
dents. in the order named; Messrs' A.
Gipperich .. Cranz, Or. w. Hrene' H.
Bochmor, j. =. Fischer.
ON June 20. 1853. the first dedication OF
n flag took place and few days Iatef
the organization participated Tor the hrst
,ime i'm "A German singing festival which
Was then held az Philadelphia, while IN
1854 the Gesangyerein was represented by
a delegation at the singing festival In
baltimore. second nag dedication took
place during the same year ana the rec
ords show that in the following year the
organization went 20 the expense OF pur-
chasing a fine piano. The organisation
took part in the singing festivals at New
York. Baltimore. and Philadelphia during
The next few years. ana was incorpora-
ted in 1853.
A new era Of the Gesangyerein was APP
rarent during the years 1913 and lN4
when Mr.. Charles l.. Siegel was It's mu-
steal director. It's membership increased
very largely. and il achieved weil-descfved
fame by the rendering Of The o. eres,
der Freischuetz" and "Stradela. IN
1S73 the organization undertook the hoid-
ing Of a singing festival in this city whlch
brought il additional glory, but at Tue
same time a deficiency of S0l9. In $50
,be Gesaneyerein participated in the sing
Inc festival in Washington, and purchased
ne LOT on north Seventh street where
no wears later. during the twenty-nfth
anniversary. the new Saenger Halle was
dedicated with appropriate ceremonies
'rbe amount paid for the lot was $1,000
since that time the organization has
urospered. hut 1t has ceased 10 come
before the public. all its entertainments
being strictly confined to its members ana
their families who on every occasion com
pletely fiji the building.
PROMINENT MEMBERS.
II might be Of general interest
10 give in connection with TINS
sketch of the organization the names
OF some Of the more widely known Ger
mans who Joined during the hist elshs
wears Of its existence and the dates OF
,beir membership. Among them were
y Hassel. November p. 1852 a. Rick ana
l. Rueger. January IL. 1888; y. Glpperlch
and &. Ximmermarn. January -, 1905.
DIR w. Grebe. october S. 1888. " Schaai
and i. &. Fischer October q, 1913; Il.
Hraucr. December IL. 1853, a. MOL, Jan
nary IA 1854: T. w Thilow March 10 lNoi'
otto Noreonstern. March n. 1853, III. Koch
NOR Nav T. lS6. N. Briel and J.. ruAef'
November y. 1S5G; c. Bach FEBRUARY
Is. 1877: ii. Wenzcl July 2s' lsas, br- g.
A. Rock. G. Haase. ana ). T. ho"hl'''
June 90 1859; c. Sael1er and X veneer
h,,rg Apri 8. 1860: H. Schuncht, May -
1861 q. Klein, December o. lSV' a. Ivpio'
December 49, 1850
The present officers Of the Gesaneverein
are os follows: Charles II. Phillips, pres
ident: 4. Won n Rosenegk, Nce-presi-
dent. Henry q. Miller treasurer; A. Nolk-
mann, secretary.
CHARLES VI. PHILLIPS.
Mr.. Charles II. Phillips was born IN TINS
civ on March -. 1859. at PIG east Broad
street. lie is the son Of the late hehrN
4. Phillips. who kept the well-known
,ov store during and after the war. Mr..
phillips. though born in this country
has taken am active part in all the large
enterta ,nments given by the German
Americans I'm this CITY. The father or
Mr.. phillips died in 1856. while his mother
IS stnl living. Soon after completing his
sducation, he began a course at the Oh
Dominion business College.
While still young man he began 10
take an active interest In the political al
fairs Of the city. llo served for some
time ON the Democratic City Committee
and in 1855 ne was chosen 10 ill an I'M