Ernst Stieberitz
From Marchdb.net
May 31, 1877 - March 27, 1945
Ernst Stieberitz was born in Kotehn, Germany, on May 31, 1877. He began his music education at the city's music school. His main instrument was flute. On October 1st, 1896 he entered military service and was assigned to the 8th Rhenish Infantry Regiment No. 70 as a flutist. The regiment was stationed at Saarbrucken and under the direction of Johann Stephan Lothar Ströber. Three years later, he transferred to the Danzig Infantry Regiment No. 128 in the city of Danzig (now Gdansk in Poland).
From from 1902 to 1905 he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Berlin. After graduating on July 29th, 1905 he rejoined his old Danzig regiment and was promoted to musikmeister in 1906. This made him the youngest band leader in the German armed forces.
During the first world war he was promoted to Major. When the war ended the band returned to Danzig. As a condition of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 Danzig was to be separated from the German empire and become a Free City. The Free City was not autonomous; it was under League of Nations "protection" and put into a binding customs union with Poland. Poland also had other, special utilization rights towards the city. This also had consequences for Stieberitz, his regiment had to leave the city. On February 8th, 1920, he led his Band out of the city. They were the last German troops to leave Danzig.
Stieberitz stayed behind when the band left. Along with friends he formed the new band of the Danzig State Police. He was an accomplished leader and formed this group into an ensemble unrivaled in Germany. At the band's concerts, Oscar Hackenberger and Theodor Grawert were sometimes guest conductors. Stieberitz's band was very active making tours to cities as Berlin, Hamburg, and Breslau, and also numerous radio broadcasts. August 3, 1938, marked the date of the band's 500th broadcast on Danzig radio. In 1942 he was promoted to the rank of major, the highest rank of any police band commander.
With the exception of a very few works, Stieberitz's works existed only as manuscripts. Much of his output was lost in the aftermath of World War II. One of his marches has gained the popularity which band historians feel many of his works deserved. It was written around 1900 and entitled Unter dem Gardestern, (Beneath the Star of the Guard). Carl Fischer issued it in the United States with the title Under the Guiding Star, and it was known in Switzerland as Swiss Rifleman's March 1907. A few march enthusiasts consider this march among the four or five best marches ever written.
When the Red Army was approaching the city in the beginning of 1945 he decided to stay in Danzig. He died from injuries sustained during bombing by the Soviet Air Force on March 27, 1945. He is buried in a forest near Bohnsack.
Works composed by Ernst Stieberitz
- Alt Danzig Marsch
- Am Tannenbergdenkmal Marsch (also known as Wir Praesentieren)
- An der Rawka Marsch
- An Mein Volk
- Auf der Rudelsburg Marsch
- Die Burg im Osten Marsch (also known as Heroldsfanfare)
- Camburger Schützenmarsch (1935)
- Danziger Landesschützenmarsch
- Danziger Präsentiermarsch
- Danziger Turnermarsch
- Deutschland Fliegt Marsch (1936)
- Deutschland, Mein Vaterland (also known as Deutschlands Erwachen)
- Durch Danzigs Tore
- Es Sind die Alten Schwerter Noch (also known as Ordensritter)
- Ewig Jung
- Exotischer Marsch
- Fackeltanz
- Fanfarenruf (also known as Dies' Land Bleibt Deutch)
- Feierlicher Einzug
- Feste Pillau
- Freudiger Aufbruch (later editions were entitled Aufbruch der Nation)
- Frisch Gesungen
- Gisela
- Der Glücksritter
- Grossdeutschland's Blaue Jungen (1940)
- Das grünen Korps
- Gruss an Egern
- Die Helden von Narvik
- Hoch Thurnigen
- Im Grunen Herzen Deutschlands
- Ja, die Soldaten
- Kameraden, Weisst du Noch (also known as Wir Kameraden])
- Kennst du Mein Danzig
- Marsch! Marsch! Hurrah! Hurrah!
- Mein Thüringen, du grünes Herz
- Melodrama
- Des Morgens, wenn ich früh erwach
- Musik zu den Freiubungen beim Ostlandturnfest in Danzig-Zoppot 1934
- Nächtliche Karawane
- Ordensritter Fanfare
- Regiment Sein Strassen Zieht
- Regimentslieder
- Reiterfreuden
- Der Schenk von Tautenburg
- Schimmernde Wehr
- Soldaten Müssen's Sein
- Soldatenhumor
- Ein Soldatenleben (also known as Im Felde Ubesiegt])
- Somme-Kampfer (also known as An der Somme])
- Eine Sommernacht
- Sonntag Ist's
- Start und Sieg
- Thüringer Dorfkirmes Suite
- Trutz und Treue
- Dem Unbekannten Soldaten
- Unsere Infanterie (also known as Infantrie Regiments Grossdeutschlands)
- Unter dem Flugelrad
- Unter dem Gardestern (also known as Swiss Rifleman's March 1907) (entitled Under the Guiding Star)
- Waffentrager der Nation (also known as Fahnen und Standarten)
- Weichselmarsch
- Der Weltmeister, operetta
- Wir Waren Soldaten, Waren's Gerne
- Zusammenstehen und Ausharren
