Oskar Hackenberger

German conductor, composer and arranger of marches (born July 24, 1872 in Langhennersdorf, Saxony – died November 8, 1929 in Berlin, Germany) After working as solo trombonist for the orchestra of the Gewerbehaus in Dresden (1890-1892), Hackenberger did his military service with the Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 47 in Posen, Westpreußen. He remained with the regiment, rose to Sergeant-Hoboist, was sent to study music at the Hochschule für Musik (musical academy) in Berlin-Charlottenburg (1900-1903), and finally became the musical director of his old regiment. From 1908, he held the position of 2. Armeemusikinspizient and became instructor at the Berlin Musikhochschule. In 1914, he published a collection of all 75 marches of the Prussian army with new arrangements written by him. During the First World War, he wrote his two most famous marches, "Feinde Ringsum" (Enemies All Around) (1914) and "Deutschland Hoch In Ehren". After the war, he left the army for a while. In 1924, however, he was reactivated as Heeresmusikinspizient of the new Reichswehr. In that position, he conducted Reichswehr bands on numerous recordings for Electrola, Homocord, and other labels.