Sunday, October 28, 2007

No 206- Gerd Siemoneit with Circus Carla Hagenbeck 1962


Scan000010371, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Posted by Buckles at 10/28/2007 07:00:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I first saw Gerd Siemoneit working a tiger act on the old International Showtime TV show around 1962.

I got to meet this fine man when he came to America in 1998 to purchase some tigers from Josip Marcan. Josip was just closing at the fair in Tampa, and he asked me to entertain him for a couple of days. To say the least, I was honored. I took Mr. Siemoneit to the Ringling elephant coumpound and to the Arabian Nights show. I also got to show him my miniature circus, which he enjoyed.

He invited me to visit his show, (Circus Barum), which I did later that year in Hamburg, Germany. He met me at the front gate of his show, and invited me into his beautiful wagon for lunch. He had already booked and paid for a hotel room for me.

His circus was excellent, 2 cage acts, a big 28 animal mixed camel and horse act, a performing rhino & giraffe who also worked with camels and zebras. There were also some good ground acts and a flying act from South Africa. The traditional European musical clowns were excellent and a 12 piece band rounded out the show. The show equiptment was well painted and facilitys for the animals was first class.

Later that year, I got in the mail a bundle of Circus Barum Posters that are now a valuable part of my collection. Thank you again Gerd Siemoneit!
Jimmy Cole

28 October, 2007 12:07
Anonymous said...

In 1998, Mr. Siemoneit was at Monte Carlo with his white tigers the same time I was there with Jim Clubb's mixed act. Before rehearsals, he was very worried because he didn't have enough tunnel to reach the ring. We happily loaned him part of ours, since we worked at different times. He seemed very pleased, and gave me a Circus Barum jacket, a signed copy of his book, and several other souvenirs from his show just to say thanks. He was such a pleasant man, a real gentleman. I was thrilled for him when he won a Lifetime Achievment Award during the ceremonies. It was an honor to meet him.

28 October, 2007 18:07

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