The chronicle records about the Barbara Day of the year 1839: "Johann Nikolaus Sonntag was the first bandmaster to march under the new flag, which was handed over in November 1839 to the St. Ingbert miners' association on behalf of the Bavarian royal family. Full of pride, the miners of St. Ingbert, to the sounds of their mining band, carried their flag to the Engelbert Church on Barbara Festival, December 4, 1839, where Pastor Duy gave it the church blessing. It was a great day for the miners and their musical band. The men’s faces beamed, and the metal buttons on their black miners' costumes shone almost as brightly as the gilded pommel on the saber of the royal Bavarian mine foremen, who marched ahead of their miners in tailored uniforms."
Since the valuable founding flag has not been used in the parades of the mining band for decades – it is exhibited in the Rischbachstollen visitor mine – the association has now commissioned a Bavarian flag manufacturer to create an authentic replica of the historic founding flag from 1839. In addition, a second flag featuring Saint Barbara and motifs from the city of St. Ingbert was created. Both flags will be consecrated in a solemn mass on St. Barbara's Day. In keeping with the occasion, bandmaster Matthias Weißenauer will wear his new uniform for the first time, which is modeled after the mining parade uniform of 1839.
Also, the "Steigerlied Overture" by the Briton Nigel Hess, a commissioned composition and gift from the city of St. Ingbert for the 185th birthday of the mining band, will have its world premiere on this day. Nigel Hess, who composes for star pianist Lang Lang as well as for the coronation of King Charles, has created a concertante and magnificent work for the mining band, with the central theme being the "Steigerlied."
The Steigerlied, whose origins date back to the 16th century, is the anthem of mining par excellence and was designated by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of Germany in 2023.
The solemn mass will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Josef Church. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to take a closer look at the new flags and to chat with the musicians over grilled sausages, mulled wine, and cold drinks.
