[Translator's note: This is one of several special articles which appeared in the Sonntagpost on the eve of the great Chicago Saengerfest, June 11-13, 1924.]

Hans Balatka, the director of the song festivals of 1868 and 1881 [held under the aegis of the North American Saengerbund], was one of the outstanding figures among the pioneers of American music, and it is only right and proper to consider for a moment the man who, in a certain sense, laid the cornerstone for the coming Saengerfest and to give an account of his life and achievements.

Born in Moravia, Balatka enjoyed an excellent education. He studied law in Vienna, although his highly gifted nature really leaned toward the fine arts. Passionately devoted to music, he spent every free hour in extensive musical studies under the guidance of outstanding masters.

Then the Revolution of 1848 broke out. The fiery young Balatka threw himself boldly into the army, enlisting in the Academic Legion. After the capture of Vienna, he was forced to flee to America, where he selected Milwaukee as his new home.

Aided by a number of Germans of mature musical judgement, he founded the Milwaukee Musikverein, which is till highly regarded, even today. Under Balatka's direction, this organization presented outstandingly artistic performances not only of symphonies and oratorios, but of operas as well. The celebrated Balatka soon received invitations from all parts of the country to direct music and song festivals among them [being], the festivals held in Cleveland (1855), Cincinnati (1856), Detroit (1857), Chicago (1857, '66, '81), Pittsburgh (1858), Indianapolis (1867), Louisville (1877, and Quincy (1877).

In 1860, Mozart's majestic "Requiem" was performed in Chicago under Balatka's direction with astonishing success. Shortly thereafter he was named director of the Philharmonic Society of this city, a post which he occupied for six long years. He later became director of the Music Union [a choral group] and the Oratorio Society. After having been engaged for some time in the arrangement of symphony concerts on his own initiative, Balatka became the director of the Germania Maennerchor, in which post he presented several operas, including "Der Freischuetz," "Stradella," "Maniello," and others.

Like many others, Balatka lost all that he owned in the Great Fire. His complete 3destituion led him to assume the then unoccupied post of director of the Milwaukee Musikverein. However, in 1873, he returned to Chicago, where except for a brief sojourn in St. Louis, he remained until his death. During this period he founded the Liederkranz and the Mozart Club, both singing societies, and in collaboration with outstanding artists, he presented numberous concerts and operas.

One could go on forever describing the life and achievements of this Nestor among the German musicians of the West. But suffice it to say here that the flowering of the great singers' alliances of America at the present time is in large measure to be attributed to his untiring efforts and his gifted talents, and that his name will never be forgotten in the history of American art. On the night of April 17, 1899 he quietly passed away. His death was deeply mourned by old and young alike.