A photograph of the five members of John Brommer’s Hungry Five German Band. The members pictured are: John Brommer, John Leffler, Harry L. Brommer, Dan Brommer, and Richard Brommer. The group entertained frequently in the Pine Grove area in the 1930s.
The photo appeared in the “Down Memory Lane Feature” of the Pine Grove Press Herald, August 2, 1973.
The second photo shows John Brommer and Robert Fidler.
The following brief story was part of the feature:
The two photos here will strike a chord of memory to ling-time Pine Grovers, who remember when John Brommer and His Hungry Five German Band were extremely popular entertainers in the area during the thirties. They had fame outside the local area as well, winning a State Championship German Band Contest.
Robert Fidler and Daniel Brommer, in the [second] photo, were noted for their vocal rendition of “Schnitzelbank.”
Many of their engagements were booked through Easton “Fat” Witmer, who worked for “Pucky” Daubert. All of these men played in the Pine Grove Band, Rehrersburg Band, Perseverance and Oriole Bands of Lebanon, and many others.
One of the reasons for their great success lay in the genuine German selections, all of which were sung by Dan Brommer in high German. They included “Die Lorelie,” “Hi Li, Hi Ho,” “Watch on the Rhine,” and many others. John Brommer and Dan Brommer, brothers, were outstanding clarinetists, John Leffler was excellent on tuba and persecution and Harry Brommer and Richard Brommer on brass….