Sausage Festival (2010/11)
WurstfestThe largest German festival in America
In 2010, Wurstfest celebrated its 50th anniversary as the largest German festival in America, held in New Braunfels, Texas. This festival honors the German roots of ancestors who immigrated from Hesse in the mid-19th century. Since 1961, the festival has been celebrated with Dirndls, polka, duck dance, and of course, sausage. The folkloric mix of styles was developed by the descendants of the German immigrants. Their image of Germany is celebrated humorously for ten days, this year from October 29 to November 7. The Hamburg photographer Johannes Arlt has documented Wurstfest in atmospheric images. More than 30 of his photographs, as well as original Wurstfest mugs, steins, and the uniform vest of the volunteer event committee, were showcased in a new special exhibition at the Deutsches Auswandererhaus Bremerhaven from October 2, 2010, to March 31, 2011.
New Braunfels plays an important role in German-American history: In 1845, when Texas was still largely uninhabited, the first German settlers established themselves here. The emigration was organized by the “Mainzer Adelsverein” under Carl Prinz zu Solms-Braunfels, who purchased over 500 acres of land at a crossing of the Guadalupe between San Antonio and Austin for $1,111 and founded his own settlement on March 21, 1845: New Braunfels. 4,000 Germans moved to the village in the first five years, which now has a population of 50,000. In schools, churches, and the town hall, German was spoken almost exclusively until World War I – Texas German, a mix of various German dialects and English. Even the daily newspaper was published in both languages. Today, English dominates New Braunfels, followed by Spanish due to its proximity to Mexico. Nevertheless, traces of German culture can still be found in everyday life: the mascot of the local golf course, for example, is a Sepp in lederhosen.The highlight of the calendar in New Braunfels is Wurstfest at the beginning of November. The men don their lederhosen, the women wear their Dirndls, and the volunteer organizers of the “Texas-Wiesn” humorously carry the honorary title “Opa.” When Wurstfest first took place in 1961, it was still a small gathering of village butchers. Today, the joy of German life can be celebrated nowhere better in America than in New Braunfels. Thus, the festival now attracts up to 120,000 visitors. Of course, the festival offers not only sausage on a stick, but also other German delicacies and souvenirs like cuckoo clocks or Dirndls.The Photographer:Born in Hamburg in 1981, Johannes Arlt initially completed training at the vocational school for physiotherapy in Kiel, finishing with the state exam. After a short period of work in this profession, he began to freelance in photography in 2006. Arlt lives and works in Hamburg.
Exhibition view “Wurstfest. The largest German festival in America”