Harry Wolf of the Waterloo German Band is seen here at a music stand with his century-old Czechoslovakian tuba. The cataloged plastic boxes behind him contain more than 40 pairs of lederhosen that he wears for performances. (Alan Dooley photo)

For those who haven’t mastered the unofficial second language of Monroe County – German – the headline of this article translates to “Mr. Waterloo German Band.”

It describes Harry Wolf, who heads up the Waterloo German Band, an organization that is familiar throughout the region and sustains our strong German heritage.

Decades ago, when Wolf was a young man here, much daily business was conducted in German. In fact, it has been only a handful of years now since Columbia’s main food market stopped showing the location of various items with signs in both English and German.

Wolf, whose band office on South Main Street is rigidly (one might say “Germanically”) organized, points to rows of binders. They contain thousands of music manuscripts the band is ready to play, each cataloged and readily locatable. In another room, more than 40 pairs of lederhosen – the characteristic leather shorts of German music – are carefully preserved in plastic containers, ready for instant reuse.

“We strive to sustain and share the German customs, food and music of our forefathers,” Wolf explains.  “But we are, first of all, proud Americans.”

Two of Wolf’s U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant uniforms hang on the wall to strongly reinforce that statement.

Wolf’s parents spoke the “high German” of the southern section of the country and “low German” of the north. He grew up around music, playing in the Monroe County Farm Bureau Band between the ages of 10 and 15.

“That band finally gave out in 1945,” he reminisced.  “Half of the county’s young men were engaged in combat in World War II, and the other half were working seven days a week in the fields to feed those overseas.  My mom bought us some sheet music and that was the genesis of the Waterloo German Band,” Wolf told.

“At one time, we sustained three Waterloo German Bands,” Wolf remembered.

Seventy years later, the ever-present float that is the rolling signature of the band is a feature of parades, festivals and other events regionwide — and indeed, far more distant than that.

“We have performed in 22 states to date,” Wolf said. “We have been to the east coast, as far west as Salem, Oregon. We have played on the White House lawn twice. We have even flown to Europe and then performed on a cruise ship transiting back across the Atlantic, and we have worn out five motor homes through it all.”

The pace of performance has slackened slightly in recent years.

“I think we may be starting to outlive some of our faithful followers,” Wolf notes with grim humor.

But the band continues to perform some 200 times a year.  In October 2014, they performed 59 one-hour shows alone.

While Wolf has been a lifelong musician, he’s accomplished more than that.

“I earned my college degree,” he said, “and taught for 35 years in schools in Belleville.”

Wolf retired from that profession in 1989, having taught social studies, geography and – of course – German language.

And he has been a global traveler as well.

“I knew a fellow many years ago. He always said he wanted to travel and see the country and world with his wife. He worked hard and was very successful. Then shortly after he retired, his wife passed away.  He lasted about a year and barely one trip after that. I took that lesson to heart. I started in 1960 and have visited more than 100 countries worldwide,” he affirmed.

That includes a trip across the 11 time zones of Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway, from Europe to the Pacific Ocean and back (he traveled both ways). And add a three-week round-the-world flight to that list several years ago.

Although performances have slowed a bit, the band is by no means idle.  They handled seven parades in Chicago over the July 4 weekend. They were back in the Windy City the first weekend of August for another one.

As Wolf gave a tour of his office and rehearsal area to the Republic-Times, he pointed out countless plaques, certificates and citations, signed by mayors and governors, sharing several stories

None compare, however, with a singular honor he was accorded five years ago this summer at the German Consulate in Chicago: the Medal of the  Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany – the Bundesverdienstmedaille.  This award is the highest honor accorded to anyone in or outside of Germany.

Wolf’s family, Waterloo and his German heritage are tied closely in another way. Each year’s Porta Westfalica sister city festival is a reminder of his background. His grandfather was born there in 1854.

The ties remain.  They reach across generations, oceans and more than a century and a half.  Next time you see Harry Wolf, ask him about them. He’ll be proud to share them with you.

And Waterloo is proud to be part of them.