MAENNERCHOR: HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

At 75 East Washington Street, on the third floor of a brick building . . . , a quartet comprised of young immigrants resided. In the early 1850s, they had been brought together in Indianapolis through a stroke of fate. . . . Soon the den on the third floor turned into a meeting place for numerous young immigrants. . . .

Eduard Longerich, a young man with a passion for singing, was the lucky owner of a guitar, and under his guidance many songs were practiced. The originally informal gatherings developed into rehearsals. There was singing and the playing of music, and in June of 1854, [this] living-room Verein [or society] became the "Indianapolis Maennerchor."

In . . . May 1855, the following announcement could be found in the German papers of Indianapolis:

First Concert and Ball of the Maennerchor
to be held Monday, May 28, 1855
in Washington Hall

The members of said singing society invite all friends
of song and dance to attend the concert and ball;
it is our goal to provide an evening of joy and fun to all
of our guests.

Admission one dollar. Tickets available at D.
Hastreiter, Hotel Bührig, as well as from all members of
the society.

Longerich, Jose, Bauer, Committee.

E. Despa replaced Eduard Longerich as conductor since the latter traveled back to Germany the same year due to bad health. Rehearsals were held in his apartment, 23 East Washington Street. Since electricity was unknown in those days and the luxury of gas lighting could not be afforded, the singers had to provide for their own light. . . . They gathered regularly in the paint-shop of conductor Despa, holding sheets of music in one hand and a tallow-candle in the other to practice songs.