CULLMAN — Being a member of the high school marching band can be lots of fun and extremely rewarding. Of course, there are also times when band members are the butt of jokes for being so-called “band geeks.” What the jokesters fail to realize, though, is that without the band geeks of the world, there would be a lot less music. Music speaks to the soul and brings people together. The Hauk family of Bremen, Germany understood this as they packed up their precious instruments and sailed to America around the turn of the century.
In the 1880s, Germany was in political turmoil. Many Germans, including the Fiedegott von Lieblich Hauk family of Bremen, desperately longed to leave, especially after reading the optimistic letters from friends and family who had already taken the plunge and emigrated to America.
The elder Mr. Hauk and his wife had nine children, so moving to America cost quite a bit. But the Hauks scrimped and saved, and before long, they packed up their belongings and started the long trip to their new home.
The excited Hauks bade their homeland goodbye, then Mr. and Mrs. Hauk, followed by Ernest, Emil, C.O., Richard, Alfred, Lena, Guito, Ida and baby Forta, walked up the gangplank to their steerage quarters. Sadly, even after years of sacrifice and saving, they could only afford the lowest class fares, traveling in the cargo area in steerage, as the decks above were reserved for the wealthy.
The days seemed to last forever as the Hauks endured their painfully cramped quarters. That is, until the day a sailor checking on the passengers saw C.O. Hauk’s violin hanging on the wall and inquired about it.
“All my children and I play instruments,” Mr. Hauk announced. “We have an orchestra,” he poked out his chest and smiled proudly.
The sailor perked up and smiled, “Do you have your instruments with you?”
“Yes, but they are packed up in the ship’s hold. We can’t get them,” Mr. Hauk explained.
The sailor, unmistakably a music lover, told the captain about the Hauk family band. The captain was curious and after meeting with Mr. Hauk, he ordered the Hauk baggage to be fished out of the baggage of 1,300 other passengers. When the instruments were retrieved, he sat down and listened to a medley of beautiful German music.
Sometimes music can be pure magic, and it certainly was for the Hauks that afternoon. They played so well, the captain invited them on deck with the wealthy passengers whom they entertained for the remainder of the voyage.
When the ship landed in Baltimore, the admiring sailors personally led the Hauk family musicians on a march through the city. The townspeople were delighted, and the sailors were so impressed, they filled boxes with enough food to last the family until they reached their destination of Cullman.
In Cullman, the talented Hauk family orchestra entertained the town. Mr. Hauk organized the Cullman Coronet Band, which became quite popular. They would often practice on the front porch of the family’s living quarters, located above the ice factory Mr. Hauk founded.
Neighbors would gather together and listen. Afterward, Mrs. Hauk would serve glasses of beer to the adults and lemonade to the children.
Music allowed the Hauk family to travel a little more comfortably than most people of their class. It gained them boxes of much needed food for their travels, opened up the ears of those around them and helped them find friendship in a big new world.
Were the Hauk children ever called band geeks (or whatever the equivalent was at the time)? Or were they automatically cool because of their incredible talent? No one knows. But either way, they brought happiness to those around them, just like today’s young musicians bring to us.
