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Notes with the original item indicate that the flour sack pictured above was given to patrons of the Balcony, a tavern located at 301 Camp Street from 1933 to 1963. The sack advertises Wooden Shoe lager beer, and features illustrations and musical notes that accompany a German song called “The Schnitzelbank Song.” The song has several verses that teach German words to the singers. There are several videos on YouTube that will give you an idea of what “The Schnitzelbank Song” may have sounded like long ago at the Balcony. One video includes singing, while another video by Polkadelphia shows the song leader pointing to each illustration as the song is played.
Helen Hansen and Virginia Steinemann wrote an article for the Sandusky Register of May 26, 1991 entitled “Balcony Conjures up Smiles.” The article explains that in 1933 Otto Ketterer established the tavern, which served beer and soft drinks. Otto played the piano, as patrons sang along.
The tavern known as the Balcony had previously been a saloon and boarding house operated by Leopold and Charles Wildenthaler. Later Emma Wildenthaler Ketterer and her husband Albert Ketterer continued the business. During Prohibition the business was a pool hall and served soft drinks. Otto Ketterer was the son of Emma and Albert Ketterer. To read the complete article about the Balcony, visit the Sandusky Library, where several decades of microfilm of local newspapers are housed.
3 comments:
How well I remember The Balcony. Otto played the piano; often accompanied by a modest 35mm slide presentation. When I was young, in Ohio we were allowed to drink beer at eighteen. Nothing stronger. It was 3.2% beer at that. But then the strongest Otto had in the place was beer anyway.
Legend had it that Otto had played piano at one (or more) of the movie theaters in Sandusky during the silent film era. After soundies came he opened The Balcony. Let's hear it for sound movies. Without them, we may never have had The Balcony.
What fun this Blogspot is. I visit you several times each week.
I heartily echo Jim's comments about The Balcony. I too recall being able to enjoy, at age 18 one (or two??) 3.2 beer at Otto's place. Maybe it was with Jim, who as I recall, grew up on Marlboro Street. Otto's playing of the piano in his "rincky-tink" style was another great memory of evenings at the Balcony.
How delightful to hear these memories of such an interesting Sandusky
establishment!
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