From travelling confectioners to the Frankfurt Oktoberfest: A family business shapes the folk festival culture in the Rhine-Main area
They are fixtures at the Dippemess, Heinerfest, Christmas market and Haaner Kerb: the tents, rides and food stalls of the Hausmann family of showmen have been a familiar sight at regional folk festivals for decades. This year, the family business looks back on 125 years of history – and is celebrating its anniversary at this year's Haaner Kerb in Dreieich."For five generations, the name 'Hausmann' has been synonymous with cheerfulness, communal celebrations and childlike fun," explained Hesse's Minister President Boris Rhein in a welcoming address. Dreieich's mayor Martin Burlon also praised the role of the family: "The Haaner Kerb stands for Dreieich, and the Hausmann family stands for the Haaner Kerb."
The company has its origins in the Odenwald region. Gertrude "Treitsche" Uhrig, born in Wald-Amorbach in 1882, entered the travelling trade after her marriage to the carter Mathäus Scheidler. After his early death in 1907, she continued the business as a widow with three children – initially by train. In 1910, she married railway conductor Heinrich Hausmann from Heubach near Groß-Umstadt, with whom she had six more children. Together, they devoted themselves to showmanship, for example with a "travelling confectionery".
Since then, the business has been passed down through five generations. Today, Dennis and Patrick Hausmann run the company, which they took over from their father Edmund "Eddy" Hausmann in 2016. He had purchased his first marquee with his family in 1973. "It is a great honour for us to continue our great-grandmother's legacy," says Dennis Hausmann. The challenges remain great, but the passion for the business has never waned.
In addition to classics such as bumper cars, children's carousels and shooting galleries, the Frankfurt Oktoberfest is now one of the company's flagship events. The family has been running the festival since 2009, with performances by artists such as Mickie Krause, Markus and Vanessa Mai. Other branches of the family are also continuing to get involved: Matthias Hausmann, for example, is continuing his parents' business, including a children's carousel that has been in the family since 1954. Michael and Markus Hausmann are responsible for the catering business, founded in 1982 by Rosi and Manfred Hausmann. Albert Ritter, President of the German Showmen's Union, emphasises: "Over the course of 125 years, the Hausmann family has shown that showmanship is not just a profession, but a vocation – with tradition, dedication and passion."
