Former Miss Wisconsin Tracy Gest gets married

On Saturday, September 12, Tracy Gest & Zach Wusterbarth were married. Tracy Gest was a frequent guest on the Stimmung Stunde and Miss Wisconsin 2005. Tracy went to Las Vegas representing Wisconsin at the Miss America contest.

Tracy went on to carry many other titles and we are wondering if we start seeing her in the "Mrs" contest after this.

Tim was invited to the wedding and saw many old friends from the Stimmung Stunde days. Take a look at the Pageant Cast website to read more.

A last good bye to Joe Bittner

Today the DCS Shooters paid tribute to their buddy, Joe Bittner. It was held at the Boxhorn Gunclub where Joe spent a lot of time shooting trap with his DCS Shooters teammates. We want to thank Rick & Debbie Schim for offering to let us hold this at their gunclub. But especially Debbie for making this a very special day for all of us.

As reported on this website, Joe passed away on December 22, just 2 days before his mother's 80th birthday. He had just returned from a trip to Peru and came home to Wisconsin with a pile of snow waiting for him. He started up his snowblower, but never finished. Neighbors saw him in his front yard and it was already too late. Joe passed away at the young age of 56. The irony was that his father had passed away at the very same age.

The DCS Shooters: Uwe Brunn, Hans Buchert, Pete Aschenbrenner, Elmar Kretschmann, Stefan Brunn and Roland Schneiker along with their family members and friends gathered at Boxhorn Gunclub to celebrate the life of Joe Bittner.

Joe's mother, Mary Bittner, and his brother, Frank, joined the group for this celebration. Mary brought a big basket of "kipfel" along for all to enjoy. Joe was not a fancy guy, so this wasn't a fancy party, but we think it was the way Joe would have liked it. A couple pizzas and a lot of beer, but most of all there was a lot of laughter and fun remembering Joe.

Below is a short story that Mary Buchert told about Joe when he was best man at their wedding. Joe remained a big part of the Buchert family and kept his close ties to them throughout the years. Just click on the video to watch Mary tell this story. There were other amusing stories, but I wasn't able to catch them all on tape. To say the least, Joe was a very colorful guy and you just could not help smiling when you were around him.

Tim Kretschmann delivered and wrote the Eulogy. He has many fond memories of Joe and brings to light the great love Joe had in his beloved hobby, trap shooting. You can click on the video below, but if you have some trouble with the audio, a copy of the Eulogy is printed below.

I've been asked today to say a few words about our friend, Joe Bittner. It's hard, though, to sum up a life in a “few words” and though no one would accuse Joe of being a chatty-Cathy, Joe could talk about his favorite subject at length, so why would we want to give him short shrift? Hans tells me that on occasion the bar would be closed and still the discussion continued in the parking lot. If you really had some time on your hands, mention the Schwabenhof to him and wait out the storm.

Fact be told, anytime Joe entered a room, you would know it. He filled a room and you would hear him from any corner of the room. I don't think he would ever whisper. He spoke from deep within him and nothing was hidden...it all came out...unfiltered and true.

Joe traveled a lot for his job at Falk. But Joe was not some distinguished James Bond socialite type floating around the world. (Let's face it: Joe had a boob hat that said “Let's see a pair” and one hat that said “Pull. Bang. Shit.”) No, Joe wasn't one of those refined travelers that looked his nose down at everything other than his homeland, nor was a snob with his smattering of tastes around the world. Joe was a generous traveler. He would share his knowledge for his job and quite often, he shared his love of his sport, shooting trap, with the people he would meet. I know that he would often find gun clubs while abroad to continue his love affair with those orange clay birds he was so fond of shattering.

Joe has visited the Artic Circle, Czech Republic, Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, Bali up on the volcano, and Peru. While in the army, he was stationed in Japan and actually spoke a little Japanese with an entertainer at German Fest a few years back. But his most famous voyage, the voyage of which no one would ever forget, happened in the small hamlet of Ulm in Germany. The voyage included a very special bus that was in constant need of...well, let's call it fuel. Joe was always up to the task to help out.

For me, I can hardly even picture Joe without a cigarette in his hand (until he had to put a beer in that hand) or out shooting trap. I don't think any of us had any idea when we went out to the old Junker farm to shoot trap those times with Donauschwaben Jaeger Verein how much trap would come to be a part of Joe's and by extension all of our lives.

Some people don't know about the softer side of Joe. He was well known as the beer-drinking gun aficionado, but his philanthropic side goes unremembered.

Joe started by donating for diabetes at the Boxhorn's shoot. He changed those donations to breast cancer. He became involved in breast cancer due to his friend's daughter Katie Buchert's battle with this dreaded disease. The first year Katie had the disease, Joe came over at Christmas with a penguin from Happy Feet with a card inscribed “To the person with the Happiest Feet I know.”

Joe Bittner was also an organ donor. His bones and skin were used to help over 60 people. Even in death, Joe's generosity lived on and he helped so many.

Joe was one of the founders of the Damn Crappy Shooters that shot here at Boxhorn's as often as he could. Joe was probably the namer of the group; but that is the stuff of legend. If he was in the state of Wisconsin, he was out with the Krieghoff to show us all what he could do. He would take vacation for the state and national shoot each year—it was the only type of vacation he wouldn't let be pre-empted.

Now, we all know I can't shoot trap to save my life, but this has made me a fairly attentive fan of those that can. I have noticed with most people that take up trap there are two phases in trap shooting. You start by being excited every time you hit one. As your skills grow, though, you enter a new phase and in this phase, you grow disappointed with each one you miss. The goal, of course, at that phase is not to miss. Joe would be frustrated with each miss, no doubt, and some of the language he would use when missing would make the next bird think twice about crossing him.

My point is, Joe would take great pride in helping his friends go from the thrill of each hit to the disappointment of each miss. Now, we all find ourselves with a great disappointment—as we all miss Joe Bittner. His open mouth smile. His full body laugh. And his huge heart. We'll miss that most of all.

The video above is when 12 shooters, including Joe's brother, Frank, the DCS shooters, and friends of Joe. They each shot 3 rounds as a tribute to their friend, Joe Bittner.

Good bye Joe. You will be missed.

Bartholomew is BACK

Those of you who were regular listeners to the Stimmung Stunde while it was on the air in Milwaukee remeber the delightful antics of Bartholomew, Santa's 2nd favorite elf. He had many adventures and seemed to be giving poor Tim a headache every week.

Well, Bartholomew has reappeared for the Christmas season on the TKPN podcast network. Here is a link to his adventures this year. For audio click here; TKPN Podcast #16.

Also, below is a little video brought to you from the past.

Marc Pircher fills the Hall in Berumerfehn

Our dear friend and former Talent Coordinator for the Stimmung Stunde, Maria Olligies, teamed up with Stefan Behrends to present the 2nd annual Musikparade. This year Marc Pircher provided the music on September 7 in Berumerfehn, Germany.

The hall had been sold out for months and as usual, Marc Pircher, had the place hopping. Just take a look at the pictures that are posted at Stefan Behrends website.

Next Maria has been getting ready for October 2 where she is producing an evening with Vincent & Fernando, who placed 2nd in the Grand Prix der Volksmusik for the 3rd year in a row. Vincent & Fernando had a beautiful song "Glaube an Gott" that was written by Gunter Behrle. If anyone is planning on being in Germany on October 2, give Maria a call to put some tickets aside for you. Vincent & Fernando will be appearing at the Hotel Hagen in Haren Germany. Maria, and her husband, Heinz, got some very nice local coverage in the newspaper. Just double click on the newspaper articles below, so you can read them.

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Congratulations "Semmi' & Ilona

Today I was listening the Ted Hierl's Radio show on the internet. Ted Hierl, a well-known radio announcer in New Jersey/Pennsylvania/New York, has organized cruises with famous German entertainers for 20 years. Those of you who have been on these cruises the last few years have gotten to know the Elstertaler band and especially "Semmi" & Ilona. Ted announced that Wolfgang Semmler & Elona were recently married in Essbach, Thuringen. Semmi & Ilona have been on many of these cruises and Semmi coordinates the entertainers and the Elstertaler Musikanten. Ted also played a taped interview with Semmi while he & his wife, Hilde, attended the wedding in Germany.


They will be on the next cruise in October that is going to Hawaii featuring Reiner Kirsten. So if you are going on the cruise to Hawaii be sure to congratulate them on their long awaited marriage.



If you would like to send the happy couple an e-mail of congratulations, just click below.

http://semmler-veranstaltungstechnik.de/include.php?path=login/mailer.php&userid=8

Edith Prock Interview

Remember back in 2006 when Edith Prock was performing at German Fest. Well, the Stimmung Stunde was still on the air here in Milwaukee and Tim Kretschmann did an interview with Edith at German Fest while they were sitting at one of the picnic tables on the fest grounds next to Lake Michigan. By the way, this one is all in English. Edith is quite a master at the language.

Just click here and you will be able to hear it.

2008 German Fest Entertainers

Here is a list of Entertainers scheduled to appear at German Fest in Milwaukee this year. I have provided links to their websites. So take a look and map out a course of which entertainers you do not want to miss this year. For times and stages where they will appear, check the German Fest website.

Entertainers List

Alpen Echos
Alpensterne
Anton aus Tirol
Austrian Express
Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen
Biba und die Butzemanner
Blaskapelle Milwaukee
Cindy Hartz & Dennis Smith
Copper Box
Edith Prock
Elegant Gypsies
Freistadt Alte Kameraden
Jean Rex & Kurt von Eckroth
Johnny Hoffman Band
Johnny Wagner Band
Junge Kameraden
Kerry Christensen
Lewitsaenger
Love Monkeys
Peggy Mueller
Polka Dotz
Pommersche Spaeldeel
Saddle Brook
Die Sandler
Die Schmalzler

Briana Lipor Miss Wisconsin 2008

On Saturday, July 21, Briana Lipor was crowned Miss Wisconsin 2008 at the annual pageant in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Briana was a guest on the Stimmung Stunde back in January 2007 and carried the title of Miss Festival of Trees at that time. As usual, Tim Kretschman was there representing his podcast, the Pageant Cast. As I remember Briana from when she was on the Stimmung Stunde, she had a very bubbly personnality and I am sure that she will represent her new title of Miss Wisconsin very well.

Congratualtions Briana!

It's one year... no Stimmung Stunde!

On March 31 it will be one year that the Stimmung Stunde is no longer on the air here in Milwaukee. It was a hard decision for Tim at that time, and 17 years of being on the air was hard to walk away from. However, Tim has persued other interests and certainly has not had time on his hands.

He is busy with his two podcast shows: the award-winning Police on the Scene with a Crime Prevention Lean and the Pagaent Cast podcast. He has served as a judge and MC at many beauty pagaents both locally and as far away as Myrtle Beach. Plus, Tim is employed by the local utility here in Milwaukee and is very busy with his "day" job.

On Saturday, I went with Tim to the Miss St. Francis Pagaent and saw why Tim made the decision he did to leave German radio in Milwaukee. He was treated so nice by so many people. They really appreciate what he does for their community.

To the right, is Meghan Lyne who was on the Stimmung Stunde when she was Miss Fox River Valley in May 2006. It was nice to see her again, because for several years Tim had be taking the pictures of the girls during their appearances on the Stimmung Stunde. There were at least 3 other girls at this pagaent that had been on the Stimmung Stunde in the past and it was nice to hear about what they are doing now.


Tim has been kind enough to train me on how to maintain this website and I thank him for being so generous with his time. If you would like to wish Tim well in the future, please sign our guestbook (there is a link button at the top).

New Look for the Stimmung Stunde Website

Next month it will be one year since Tim Kretschmann broadcasted the last Stimmung Stunde here in Milwaukee on WJYI. Tim has gone on to doing other things such as running the TKPN Podcast network where he produces the Police on the Scene with a Crime Prevention Lean podcast and has won the WCPPA award in 2007 for that podcast. He is still involved with the Pageant world and does the Pagaent Cast podcast. He has traveled to several cities to serve as an MC or judge at various beauty pageants since he left the Stimmung Stunde. There are links to these websites on this page along the left sidebar and on our Links page.

Tim has been training me on how to maintain the Stimmung Stunde website and I want to thank him for all his patience during that process. My son, Tim, spent 17 years hosting the Stimmung Stunde and had many memorable moments that were captured on his website. I did not want to see that go away, so he is letting me maintain this website in a new style. I have changed the website's look and its content. I hope that the people who previously enjoyed the old website will also visit the new website as well. As Tim has taught me, it is important to update the website regularly and I promise to keep to Tim's philosophy of how to maintain a website.

Stimmung Stunde left the airwaves on March 31, 2007

The Stimmung Stunde has been a leading voice of the German-American community for the past 17 years having weathered two radio station changes and two name changes. On March 31, 2007, however, the program presented its final episode.

“It was time and the community is still served by WJYI’s other fine German program, Continental Showcase.” 17 years ago, Tim Kretschmann, with then partner Tina Kump, began announcing on the United Donauschwaben Hour with the sudden passing of long time host Hans Windischmann. Since that time, the program had changed name to the “Stimmung Stunde” (Happy Hour) and has changed radio station from 540 AM (WYLO & WZER), 1250 AM (WEMP) and finally at 1340 AM (WJYI).

“We’ve been so happy at WJYI that it’s a shame that we can’t continue. Time restrictions have made it impossible to continue with the program and keep up the quality of programming we’ve presented.”

Wendel & Nana Feiter from Feiter Medical Equipment Supply Company recognized

At the Danube Cultural Society Schlachtfest on January 27, 2007, Wendel and Nana Feiter, the owners of Feiter Medical Equipment Supply, were recognized for their support of the Stimmung Stunde.

Feiter Medical Equipment Supply Company has been an advertiser, supporting a massive 15 minute program each week for the 17 years of the Stimmung Stunde's existance. They supported the program before Tim Kretschmann was even host and have supported numerous other German radio shows in the Milwaukee area.

"Without Wendel and Nana Feiter," Tim Kretschmann stated at the event, "German radio in Milwaukee just couldn't be. Their loyalty and dedication is legendary." President and Host of the Stimmung Stunde, Tim Kretschmann, presented them with an honorary trophy seen here in the photo.

Assisting in the presentation is Elmar Kretschmann, Vice President of the Stimmung Stunde.