Visiting with old friends
Band members from Herborn Germany visit friends
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NEW ULM -- In 1984, a German musical group called Musikverein Herborn-Seelbach visited New Ulm for Heritagefest. Thirty-nine years later, some of the group members are still returning to New Ulm to visit friends.
Musikverein Herborn-Seelbach band member Volker Knetsch came to New Ulm Sunday with this family. Knetsch brought along his wife Bekima Knetsch, his daughter Rebekka Pulfisch and her husband Holger Pulfrich for the trip. The band's manager, Joerg Menger, also came along on the trip.
Volker Knetsch said the main reason for their visit to New Ulm was to see old friends. Knetsch and Menger have visited New Ulm many times over the years and over the years, two men have made several friends in New Ulm.
Monday, the German group visited the home of Kathy and Mary Ann Kalz. The two served as the hosts for the Knetsch family during their band's 2000 visit. Kathy and Mary Ann were such great hosts, they kept asking to return every few years.
Kathy said they enjoy hosting them, but it’s been over a decade since they hosted the Knetsch family. Musikverein Herborn-Seelbach last performance in New Ulm was 2012.
Musikverein Herborn-Seelbach visited the United States in 2016, but their tour did not take them to New Ulm. They planned to return to Bavarian Blast in 2020, but the event was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.
Menger said they tried to visit New Ulm once every four years, but recent trips were delayed. Menger has another career transporting medical supplies. He has been able to visit the United States several times. He was in New Ulm last October but wanted to return with the Volker clan as part of a series of birthday celebrations.
One of Menger's New Ulm friends, Dave Christiansen, recently celebrated his 75th birthday and he wanted to attend the celebration in person. Menger also celebrated a birthday on Monday and Volker Knetsch celebrated his 60th birthday on Tuesday.
Monday, the German visitor spent the day catching up with friends in New Ulm but were off to Memphis, TN by early Tuesday morning. While in the United States, the Herborn group plans to visit several musical points of interest.
Before coming to New Ulm, they paid a stop at Paisley Park to visit Prince's home. They were excited to learn New Ulm's Minnesota Music Hall of Fame acquired additional Prince memorabilia.
After seeing sites associated with Prince, the group will visit the home of The King of Rock 'n Roll: Graceland.
All five German visitors are huge Elvis Pre fans. Elvis is extremely popular in Germany.
Menger said his father once met Elvis, who rents homes near Herbon, Germany. During Presley's time in the U.S. Army, he was stationed in Germany. It helped raise his fans broad.
Kathy Kalz said she received a call from the Herborn group Tuesday morning, confirming they reached Graceland.