De Vier Botze

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The quartet De Vier Botze ( Kölsch , Die Vier Hosen ) was a vocal group that became known beyond the Cologne region. She specialized in carnival songs and hits in the Cologne language and performed between 1933 and 1961.

Career

While they sometimes performed ironically pointed parody texts in the times of crisis before the Second World War and in the post-war period , their repertoire became more commercial with increasing success.

Foundation and first years

Founding members in 1933 were Hans Süper senior (* August 28, 1907, † November 4, 1970), Hans Philipp "Fibbes" Herrig (* 1909, † 1992), Gerhard "Grätes" Böckem (* May 22, 1914, † 12 February 2004) and Ferdinand "Fänand" Vossenberg. The four members originally named themselves after the founder of the group, who was nicknamed "de Botz" ("the pants"). Later they wore over-the-top trousers as a sign of identification.

De Vier Botze first traveled through Cologne as a street musician before the quartet appeared on the radio and made numerous recordings. One of the first was Jo, the uss dr Spillmannsjass (“Yes, the one from Spielmannsgasse”), a Cologne hit by Süper, who wrote the music, and Franz Klein, who contributed the text. The piece was recorded on December 28, 1938 in Berlin (gramophone 2926) with the line- up Ferdinand Vossenberg, Hans Philipp "dr Krumm" Herrig, Hans Johann "dr Stump" Süper and Richard "dr Nassauer" Engel. When war broke out in 1939, they interrupted their careers after 18 singles.

In addition to their own songs, mostly based on Cologne texts, De Vier Botze also succeeded with numerous parodies of popular hits and folk songs . They performed these first in the typical street musician manner with four-part singing and subtle instrumental accompaniment by guitars and mandriola , from time to time an accordion was added.

After the war

They became known nationwide in 1945 with a cover version of the original hit En d'r Kaygass number zero recorded by the Drei Laachduve ("Three Laughing Doves ") on December 28, 1938 . The hit only became popular in the Cologne region thanks to the Vier Botze and has since risen to become an evergreen not only during the Cologne Carnival , to which the new inclusion of Bläck Fööss also contributed. The song about a special school on the corner of Kaygasse 1 / Großer Greeksmarkt 87 (existed between 1891 and 1939) was about the teacher Welsch , who also actually existed. The song, however, put the teacher in Cologne on the left bank of the Rhine - in reality he was born in Arzdorf in the Voreifel in 1848 and worked as a teacher in Cologne-Kalk on the right bank of the Rhine . The young people in the song excuse all sorts of pranks due to their lack of education ( Nä, nah, dat wesse mer nit mih, janz bestemp nit mih / un dat hammer nit studied ; “no, no, we don't know that anymore, definitely not anymore / and we haven't studied that ”) with the well-known refrain Dreimol null es null (“ three times zero is zero ”).

The four botze - little winemaker from the Rhine

The group then consisted of Hans Süper senior, Richard Engel (* 1903; † 1974), Jakob Ernst and Hans Philipp Herrig. All four members became known in Cologne by their nicknames, Richard Engel - comedian and main singer of the group - as "d'r Rickes", Hans Süper - the composer and arranger - as "de Stump" ("the stump"), Jakob Ernst as “de Ähz” (“the pea”) and (Hans) Philipp Herrig - the copywriter - as “d'r Kromm” (“the crooked”). Between 1949 and 1961 the Vier Botze were active again and brought at least 125 more records onto the market, often as the accompaniment of other interpreters. Karl Berbuer brought out the Peace Pipe Samba (Polydor 48 262) with the Vier Botze in 1950 , followed by Heinz Erhardt and Die vier Botze with Ernst Fischer and his soloists under the title Onkel-Otto-Walzer / Bobby Schick hat 'nen Tick (Polydor 48 287; 1950), Willy Schneider and the four botze with 1900 years is our Kölle on the Rhing (Polydor 48 308; 1950). Other well-known records were The most beautiful place is always at the bar (composed by Toni Steingass , Polydor 48 663; November 1951) and Der Knallkopp (Polydor 48 686; 1952). Since they had now become known nationwide, but no one outside the Cologne area could imagine anything under the name De Vier Botze, they also called themselves the Colonia Quartet. The Colonia Quartet & Will Glahé brought Do laachs do dich kapott (Decca 43900; 1954) onto the market, the original was by Karl Berbuer (text, music, singer), recorded with the Steingass trio (1954). They also took over from the Steingass trio The most beautiful place is always at the bar (Polydor 22081; 1954).

Final phase

In the 1950s and 1960s they appeared frequently on radio and television programs and were often in demand as an accompanying ensemble for other pop stars. This was followed by thirst is worse than homesickness (1953), a cover of Friedel Henschleben and Cyprys from 1953. Likewise coverten they August Batzems composition Et Vögelche fleut (Austroton 9656; 1954). As Die Vier Botze, they covered Dietmar Kivels Lore leih ich Ihr Herz (January 1955). Hans Theodor Kivel and the Vier Botze brought out Kleine Winzerin vom Rhein / If the water in the Rhine were golden wine ' (Tempo 602; 1957), followed by Kölsche Mädcher, die sin solig (Telefunken 45 213; 1958) or with Willy Schneider Dä Schwimmingpuul / Hurray March (Polydor 24163; 1960). After that it became quieter around the Vier Botze; they lasted until the death of two members in 1966.

Subsequent generations

Descendants of former members of the Vier Botze followed in the footsteps of their fathers: Tommy Engel , singer for many years in the Cologne dialect group De Bläck Fööss , and Hans Süper junior , comedian in the Colonia Duett , are sons of "Rickes" and "de Stump". The keyboard player of the Cologne group Brings , Kai Engel , is the son of Tommy Engel and thus the grandson of "Rickes".

Discography (selection), unless mentioned in the text

  • There's still time (1954)
  • Fritz Servos & Die Vier Botze: If we'd rather have buried the money / Robert Jacob & Die Vier Botze: You are a tasty, tasty little mouse (Tempo 3705)
  • 7 "Willi Breuer & die vier Botze:" Why do you sing such beautiful songs on the Rhine? "B / w" Mer can suffe, wat mer will, mer kütt zo nothing "(Dom-Kölsch 7PAL2072)
  • 7 "The four botze:" Kölsche girls who solve the problem "(Telefunken U 45213)

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