Großer Zapfenstreich
The Zapfenstreich is performed only during national celebrations and solemn public commemorations, to honour distinguished persons present at such special events.
The Saxon major Hans von Fleming described this military custom for the first time in detail in his book Der vollkommene deutsche Soldat (The Perfect German Soldier, 1726).
In 1813 the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III witnessed the evening ceremony of the Russian army after the battle of Großgörschen near Berlin.
On 12 May over 1,000 musicians performed the Prussian tattoo signals, a newly composed tattoo march, and the evening hymn "Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe [de]" ("I pray to the power of love"), composed by the Russian Royal musician Dmitry Bortniansky with text by Gerhard Tersteegen.
The GDR's version, made official in 1981 and performed on March 1, NVA Day, and October 7, the GDR's National Day, and on several other occasions when needed, was made possible due to the support of longtime Director of Music of the NVA itself, Colonel Gerhard Baumann, who arranged some of the pieces that were used in the ceremony.
Two of the most impressive "Großen Zapfenstreiche" were those to mark farewell to the allied troops in Berlin in 1994 and on the occasion of the departure from office of the German chancellor Helmut Kohl in Speyer in 1998.
People who are entitled to be honoured with a "Großer Zapfenstreich" are: Participants in the Großer Zapfenstreich involve at least a military band (with a timpanist and a minimum of 4-6 fanfare trumpeters) with an additional Corps of Drums of drummers and fifers, two escort platoons or companies, and an honor formation of torch carriers.
For example, the performance of the "Großer Zapfenstreich" in Bavaria differs slightly from the above: instead of the "Prussian Tattoo March" the "Bavarian Tattoo March" is played, and instead of the "Gebet: Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe" the "Bavarian Military Prayer" by Johann Caspar Aiblinger is played.
The full performance order of the ceremony is very much the same as in the military version, but a Feu de joie and an entrance of colours would be added in some cases (if these are present they are to be lowered when Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe (only in Germany) and the National Anthem are played).
For the German civil ceremony the report to the reviewing officer or the guest of honour would optionally also have musical accompaniment by the band and the Corps of Drums, playing the Preussischer Präsentiermarsch if appropriate, in keeping with tradition.
