By Myra Lee Adams Goff

Recently I gave a speech about the history of First Protestant Church at the Texas German-American Society’s meeting. One of the stories in the history of this church is about the three large bells that are in the tower. These are not the ones that Prince Carl gave to the church and brought by the Schaefer family; those are installed on the front lawn. The tower bells symbolize change and you’ve heard over and over that “change” is inevitable. We all agree that it’s true, but we also know that change is extremely difficult.

Let’s look at how the First Protestant Church bells became the symbols of change and even of a changing society here in New Braunfels. Parishioner Christian Lange presented the three bells to the congregation in 1894 to be hung in the tower. The smallest bell has its name, “Germania”, engraved on its side. Germania represents the German heritage. It is three feet in diameter and thirty inches tall and rings a high tenor sound. The next bell is named “Columbia” and is forty-four inches in diameter and forty inches high. It signifies the loyalty toward the new country, America. The song, “Hail Columbia”, although it never mentions America, is a song whose words were written when America and France were at war with each other and was used to keep Americans united. The chorus goes:

“Firm, united, let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find”

“Concordia” is the largest of the bells and expresses the hope for harmony between the old and the new generations. It is almost six feet in diameter and four feet high. With its deep mellow voice, it forms the bass for the harmony of the blending of the three. If you look up the root of the word Concordia, you will find that it means “a peaceful coming together, not of one conquest over another”. Symbolically, the three bells represent a peaceful blending of the German and American cultures resulting in a new culture.

About two decades after those bells were singing in harmony, there was an opportunity for Concordia to show its strength. Here’s what happened:

Shortly after the end of the First World War, there arose an element of discontent in the church body. From the beginning, the church had been a German church – the German Protestant Church with everything in German- sermons, music, organizations, and confirmation classes. Now many parishioners wanted to make the transition to become truly American.

There was much strife during this time and the church split down the middle. There was an English service and a German service. There were two confirmation classes, two choirs, one in English and one in German. The English church service paid the utility bill for the English service and the German church service paid the utility bill for the German service. An attempt was made to solve this growing chasm by hiring an English-speaking pastor to join the German pastor, Rev. Gottlob Mornhinweg. He had been pastor at the church since 1899.

After many years, the problem was finally solved by hiring Rev. Edwin Berger who was proficient in both English and German and could give sermons in both. Rev. Mornhinweg was retained as an Emeritus Pastor. After this tumultuous time, the name of the church changed from German Protestant Church to First Protestant Church. After WWII, the German influence became smaller and gradually the speaking of German all but faded away. The same situation was happening in the town of New Braunfels.

First Protestant strives to hold on to some of its German traditions a little like the town holds on to its “Germania” with Wurstfest, Weihnachtsmarkt, the German singing societies, Kindertanzen and Kindermaskenball. We have our fests and vereins, burgs, and bergs. Occasionally at First Protestant the choir sings an anthem in German and the pastor, Darryl Higgins always adds a German blessing.

Don’t think for one moment that “ Germania” didn’t suffer during this transition. It was hard. No doubt, the struggle goes on in other cultures as well, whether it is Hispanic, Black or Asian. The changes aren’t over yet as we go from a little town to a big city, but here’s hoping “Concordia” is strong and big enough to help peaceful transitions.

Jerald Schroeder, Director of Operations, checks the clock winding mechanism and the bell Concordia in the tower. The large bell rings on the hour and half hour. All three bells ring before church services. Church member Clinton Brandt has been winding the clock in the tower twice a week since the 1980s.

Clock Faces

Clock Face

Columbia

Concordia and Germania

Germania

By Myra Lee Adams Goff

One of the more exciting stories concerning the early settlers of New Braunfels was that of Betty Holekamp charging across the Guadalupe on a horse after Prince Carl’s spectacular show of bravado. The story was probably somewhat embellished over the years, but nevertheless it’s a good one.

Prince Carl was of the highest class of aristocracy and I doubt seriously if he appreciated anyone trying to upstage him, much less a woman. He would not be leading the parade for women’s sufferage, but I think Betty would have.

Here’s the story: Georg and Elizabeth Holekamp had married in Germany on March 17, 1844. They set out for Texas to make a new life for themselves. They were on the brig Johann Dethart which was the first ship of the Adelsverein. They arrived in Galveston November 24, 1844.

Georg Holekamp, the son of the royal architect Daniel Holekamp, was educated at the University of Hanover and could speak German, English, French and also studied music and medicine. His father discouraged him from being a musician. He couldn’t have gone farther away from that career – a brick maker and a farmer. Music did become his hobby. For that matter it was while pursuing this hobby that Georg met Elizabeth Abbenthern. While playing the piano, Georg asked for a vocalist and Elizabeth (Betty) came forward. She was 10 years younger and he was impressed.

Betty’s father was the ministerial accountant in the royal court of the King of the state of Hannover. Betty was educated along with the king’s daughters to become a governess.  She had been around the aristocracy before so that may explain her willingness to challenge the prince.

Georg and Betty married and set out for the Republic of Texas. They arrived in Galveston on November 24, 1844. They made their way to New Braunfels and when they could, crossed the Guadalupe to get to the settlement.

Now Betty is the one that tradition says would not want to be outdone by Prince Carl. Supposedly he was riding a white horse and   plunged into the raging flood waters. This white horse story made me question the accuracy of the story. After all, “good” cowboys ride white horses. We don’t know what color Betty’s horse was but she followed suit in true pioneer fashion. Don’t you know Georg was impressed?

In New Braunfels they enrolled in the German Protestant Church. Their town lots bordered Garden St., from Comal St. to the Comal River.

When Texas became a state of the Union, Betty Holekamp sewed a 6 ft by 3 ft United States flag with the 13 red and white stripes and a lone star on a field of blue in the left corner. This earlier Texas flag was known as the Texas Lone Star and Stripes flag. Tradition says that the Holekamp flag was flown on the Plaza and believed to be the first American flag flown in town. Some think that the flying of this flag could have been a message to the aristocratic Prince Carl. What do you think?

Two years after arriving in New Braunfels, the Holekamps moved to Fredericksburg where they received property and Georg became an administrator in property settlement. They never gave up their properties in New Braunfels. Georg built a home and a saw and grist mill on the Comal River at the foot of Garza St. It was also a paper pulp mill and an ice plant. A flood nearly totally destroyed the mill in 1869. This property became Camp Landa and finally the property of Schlitterbahn.

In 1854 the Holekamps moved to Comfort as one of their first settlers. A small rock house is still preserved by the Comfort Historical Society. They also lived in Sisterdale and San Antonio. The Sisterdale house still stands also.

When the Civil War broke out, Georg enlisted in the Confederate army as a surgeon. His  small amount of medical training qualified him to do that. He was the company’s band director at the same time. Unfortunately he was killed in Brownsville in 1862 and neither the cause or burial site was revealed.

Betty Holekamp continued living in Comfort and raised her seven children alone. She outlived her husband by 40 years. What a woman!!

Mill at the end of Garza St. built in 1850 by Georg Holekamp. This 1890 photo shows L-R John Peter Nuhn and son, Ben, and possibly H. G. Koester who owned the mill at the time. (Source: Roger Nuhn)

By Myra Lee Adams Goff

Step into the past this coming Saturday and Sunday at the Folkfest put on by the Heritage Society at the Heritage Village on Churchhill Drive. The whole event kicks off with the annual children’s masked parade, known as Kindermasken (children’s masks) or the old way, Kindermaskenball (children’s masked dance). Doesn’t New Braunfels just love parades?

Children like to dress up and parade around and they were doing this in Germany long before the settlers came here in 1845. The immigrants brought the tradition with them and supposedly Hermann Seele organized the local event here in 1857. The reason for children parading goes way back too. Children represent new life and Spring represents a new year. Although it has changed over the years, the tradition lives on.

“Kindermaskenball: Past and Present” written by Rosemarie Leissner Gregory and Myra Lee Adams Goff can be purchased at the Sophienburg. The book illustrates, through photographs, the changes in the tradition from the beginning to the 1920s, the war years and up to the present.

This year children are asked to line up at 9:15 Saturday around the Main Fire Station and march towards the Plaza then to First Protestant Church. Two NBISD middle school bands will march. (Parade participants are invited to Folkfest where judging of costumes will be held. Each will receive one pass and one adult pass)

This is the 27th Folkfest put on by the Heritage Society. The setting at the Village is perfect with its beautiful wildflowers and historic buildings. There is something for everyone and especially children.

Ladies, this is what you can experience: Imagine getting up early to feed and milk the goats and feed the chickens. You fix biscuits in a small cottage that could easily be 100 degrees inside. Why do they taste better than canned biscuits? Now you sit down and make lace for the one dressy dress that you own. Look how the handwork is piling up. Let the kids help you wash clothes in a wash tub using lye soap on an old wooden scrub board. By the way, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Ferdinand Lindheimer Chapter, will be there to help you with your genealogy. Were your ancestors in Texas during the Republic?

There is plenty for you men to do. First there is a chuck wagon cooking demonstration. That will come in handy when you make biscuits, cobbler and stew outside. Go by the Texian tents where the re-enactors are camping out. There are also Civil War re-enactors. What a show they put on with their canons that they really do fire. How about learning about native plants and you might as well learn how to make adobe bricks. The blacksmith demo is really interesting since I’ll bet not too many of you do that any more.

Now comes the real highlight of Folkfest, children’s activities. Kids, you can learn how to make a kite and then most important how to fly it. Of course there are the old favorites, candle dipping and the making of clay pots or whatever. You can learn how to make arrowheads and play games like sack races, hoops and graces, lassoing and stick pony races. There’s a bird feeding activity where you make a bird feeder using peanut butter. And for you little girls, you can dress up (clothes provided) and go to a real tea party.

On Sunday, Ravenstar will teach you how to identify birds and the Gorge Preservation Group of Canyon Lake will have an archeological dig and just maybe you will find a little dinosaur.

Both days there will be entertainment like Ballet Folklorico and Kindertanzen. There will be music and food of all sorts. You can see things like snakes. No, they won’t just be crawling around, they will be caged. You can shop for antiques and collectibles and tour the buildings on the grounds. What a great way to learn about the past and have fun at the same time.

All of our historical museums like Heritage, Sophienburg, Conservation, Railroad, plus the County and City Historical groups are doing such a good job of keeping our history alive. Hats off to them all!

Artist Patricia S. Arnold’s drawing for the “Kindermaskenball: Past and Present” book. Her rendition depicts the grandchildren of authors Gregory and Goff.