Bumbling Bruders Invade Europe
The invasion is at hand! They are already on the shores of England! Who are they? They are the American mechanical organ enthusiasts on Ron Bopp's Bumbling Bruder tour. There is quite a group of them this time and they are visiting the collections of England and Europe ending up in Waldkrich for the organ festival. If you see them say hello keep this forum informed on their progress! If you spot them, take photographs and post them.

The lateis news is just left Hull, they have been in North Yorkshire today and yesterday, Its been good fun to see them.

Indeed, we're having a wonderful time. Belguim today with visits to Decap Herentals, Verbeeck and Arthur Prinsen (he's having beer at the next table as I write!) We've had fabulous hospitality everywhere we've gone, people have really gone out of their way to make us feel welcome (and well fed!) Tomorrow morning it's off to Holland and the KDV festival over the weekend. Cheers, Roger

Indeed, we're having a wonderful time. Belgium today with visits to Decap Herentals, Verbeeck and Arthur Prinsen (he's having beer at the next table as I write!) We've had fabulous hospitality everywhere we've gone, people have really gone out of their way to make us feel welcome (and well fed!) Tomorrow morning it's off to Holland and the KDV festival over the weekend. Cheers, Roger

Hi Roger, It's good to hear that you are all having a great time, and that you are still online to iMOD. Anna and I and the family will be in Waldkirch next weekend. We are staying at the Altersbach as last time, when Ron Bopp brought you all there for dinner on the Sunday. I hope we'll see some of you next week - and anyone else we know :-) Regards, John

Touchdown in Heathrow
I can certainly vouch for the comprehensiveness of the Bumbling Bruders' tour this time. Just the British leg of their trip was mind-blowing enough: touch down Monday (last week) Heathrow at 6.30 am in the morning; breakfast at the Amersham Fair Organ Museum at 9.30 am; Tuesday: Thursford; Wednesday: York; Thursday: Richard Preston's and Graham Atkinson's collections and then car ferry to Belgium in the evening. I can't remember exactly what they were doing after that! It was a great pleasure to welcome them all at Amersham. There's nothing like a good rousing march on a Marenghi to combat jet-lag. It would be good to have more reports from Roger as he progresses across mainland Europe, Belgium and Germany. I wonder what they got up to today?

I met the group at Arnhem last Sunday, and I can only say: what a fantastic group of people! I had a good chat with some of them (esp. with Fred Dahlinger) and they were very enthusiastic about their visit to the UK!

I have just returned from Waldkirch, having had another great weekend there. I met up with several of the Bumbling Bruder folk, including Fred Dahlinger and Ron Bopp, and met Kevin Sheehan and his wife Linda for the first time face-to-face. I built a 90-key "Dutch" street organ for Kevin almost 20 years ago. He says it was sold a while back and has now lost track of it. Anyone know where "De Witte" is now? Regards, John Page

The last I had heard it was for sale by a rebuilder/dealer in Pennsylvania. Thatt was at least four years ago if not longer. Interestingly, there is a "De Witte" video on YouTube featuring an organ by that name in the Netherlands.

Bruder fairground organs are some of my favorites. Although I have yet to see one in person as memory serves. Are their any in Southern California?

I am so out of it today. I can recall the Osmundon 45-key Alfred Bruder at several rallys. Can anybody tell me of more?

There was a 52er Gebr Bruder 107 on the Broadway Flying Horses in San Diego. The carousel and it's organ were sold at auction four and a half years ago. It's present location is unknown.

Thank you very much. The only other Bruder is the one at the Golden Gate park carousel in San Fransisco, but the organ is not currently playing.