Compars Herrmann
Encyclopedia
Carl Herrmann (1816–1887) was a German
illusionist.
The Herrmann family name is known as the "first-family of magic". Alexander's father Samuel, a practicing German physician, was the first to enjoy magic as a hobby. Samuel's first son Carl (Compars), was born in 1816 and left medical school at an early age to pursue a career as a magician. He was the first in the family to gain fame as a conjurer. By the age of thirty, Carl was recognized as one of Europe’s most accomplished magician. Alexander Herrmann
, who was 27 years younger than his brother Carl, also became a world famous magician.
Eventually his practice demanded more of his time so he eventually quit magic entirely. With the birth of his oldest son Compars in 1816 in Hanover Germany, he decided to settle down to continue his practice.
This is the myth. The reality is confusing as a Hitchcock thriller. Some reports say that Samuel was never a professional magician, but a physician that only did magic as a hobby. Another report says that he was never a physician was a traveling magician never quite reaching fame as his son where soon to reach.
He played small towns around from 1817 in Germany and moved his family to France. He played Institutes and Lyceums of Paris still gave performances until 1855. He taught his skills to his oldest son Compars also known as Carl. There is no record of him performing in well known theatres. But he did play the colleges in Paris and Versailles
. Samuel entertained the pupils of the Grandes écoles
(founded by Lazare Carnot
) near Versailles. With this performance, his son Carl was admitted to the school tuition free.
Samuel continued in this way even after his son Carl was a famous magician. Samuel retired about 1860 and lived quietly with his wife Anna on a pension set up by Carl.
look. As he got older the hair on is head got thin. Carl’s humor was sly, and he presented his magic in a mysterious manner. He was from the old school of magic. The critics of his day said his performing ability was on par with the most talented actors, singers, and dancers of the 19th century.
While attending classes at Grandes écoles, he tried to fit in with his upper crust classmates at the prestigious school. He went to Fontainebleau
(which was a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France) with his classmates. Fontainebleau was renowned for its large scenic forests which surrounded the city and dozens of villages. It was a favorite weekend getaway for Parisians, as well as for the reigning monarchs of the time.
Young Carl played on the Palace grounds with his friends as a cavalcade came up the road. They realized they were trespassing so they fled leaving poor Carl to take the fall. So Carl swiftly climbed a tree in the dense Forest of Fontainebleau
. Even though he was hidden by the thick foliage, he began to trill bird calls.
Two young princes of King Louis-Philippe of France
, Antoine and Henri, heard the trills. They wanted to catch a glimpse of the birds. They parted the leaves and saw the grinning Carl perched inside. The citizen king and the ladies in the carriage were so amused, they invited him to entertain at the palace.
Carl lived in Paris as a young man. His father, Samuel, urged him to study medicine. But Carl was more interested in performing. He had early success as a magician, but tried to please his father by earning a living away from the stage. He was in his twenties when he was out of work and desperate for money. So turned to the only profession he knew and that was magic.
He practiced ventriloquism as well as magic. His career was interrupted by his services with the French Army. When he left the army, he returned to France. While there, he was a constant visitor to the theatre of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin
starring the name sake, Robert-Houdin. He was most impressed by the many new illusions presented by the former watchmaker turned magician. Illusions were new at the time and Carl thought it would nice to own such fine tricks.
He finally earned enough to buy equipment for a three hour production. He bought most of his illusions from Robert-Houdin’s trusted assistant LeGrande. LeGrand made replica’s of Houdin’s equipment and sold them to French magician Robin, Scottish magician John Henry Anderson
, and Carl. Herrmann set out to tour with his own show.
First stop for Carl was England. He took the pirated tricks to London and first appeared at the Adelphi Theatre
. In 1848, Carl performed at the Haymarket Theatre in London where he billed himself as the Premier Prestidigitateur of France and the First Professor of Magic .
In 1848, The Illustrated London News critiqued the 32 year old magician’s performance in April. “He was not only adept at tricks of his predecessors Phillipe and Doebler had shown, he also introduced several striking new mysteries of his own.” They praised tricks like the Inexhaustible Bottle , which produces endless quantities of different liquors in what seems to be an endless quantity; The Portfolio, items such as flowers, turtle doves, and a live boy would be produced from the empty portfolio; and the Second Sight, items are named from a blindfolded assistant.
What the Illustrated London News didn’t know was that those marvels where created by Robert-Houdin in Paris. When he premiered in London later in the year at the St. James Theatre, Robert-Houdin was not happy with his friend presenting duplicates of his tricks. Also, he was annoyed by Carl’s title. He felt he was the Premier Prestidigitateur of France. Herrmann was glad to let him have the title. But did keep The First Professor of Magic in the World.
Two years later he took Robert-Houdin’s pirated illusions and performed in Germany, Austria, and Italy. In Portugal, he was decorated by the king and became Chevalier Herrmann. It was during this tour he was developing his sleight of hand skill and adapting them to his program. After producing four gold fish bowls, he would walk into the audience and invited the spectators to inspect his arms and his long coattails. Those that assumed that’s where they came from would not expect there could be more. Then from the same cloth, Carl produced a fifth bowl.
, Russia to teach him the art of magic. While there, he took his younger brother with him on a tour that started in Russia. He suspended his young brother before Czar Nicholas I. The then nine year old acted as a blindfolded medium in the Second Sight. Czar Nicholas gave Carl an engraved gold watch decorated with diamonds, pearls, and amethysts.
Alexander remained with Carl until they arrived in Vienna
. Samuel didn’t want Alexander to suffer the same fate as Carl. His father was ready to bring kidnap charges against him. Samuel’s anger caused their mother to come there and insisted upon Alexander's return to Paris. They reached a compromise. Alexander would stay with Carl until the tour was over. Alexander continued his duties as assistant.
Alexander didn’t just learn how to pop out of boxes. Carl served as a role model and inspiration for his younger brother. He was teaching him advance sleight of hand. Some that he had learned from their father. He also taught him new moves that Carl picked up on his own. He was thrilled that Alexander was an eager and willing student. Carl continued with this throughout their excursion threw Europe. After touring places like Germany
, Austria
, Italy
, and Portugal
, the tour ended in Vienna. Carl liked it so much, he made Vienna his home. As promised, he sent Alexander back home to Paris.
While there, Alexander showed what he had learned from Carl to their father. Samuel was impressed with Alexander’s skill. He decided to let him continue in magic. Carl was to mentor his young brother. Alexander stayed in Paris until he was about 11 years old. Then he returned to Vienna to meet up with Carl. He promised Samuel to teach Alexander things other than magic. While in Vienna Alexander attended college. But, it was sleight of hand that was to be his main interest.
His new approach brought him triumphs in Brazil
, Uruguay
, and Argentina
. In January 1861 he was in Havana, Cuba. His admirers said, “You don’t need a wand to work your imitable wonders. But,” they added, “We thought you merited the finest one ever made.” They presented him with a diamond sapphire gold wand. Engraved on the staff was his portrait along with an inscription. Carl added this to his ever growing collection.
From Cuba, they sailed to New Orleans. There he gave his first twenty-four performances in the United States at the St. Charles Theatre. The only thing that stopped the run was the outbreak of the American Civil War
. Carl and Alexander packed their bags quickly and caught the last train north. Without any bookings, they sought the prominent New York opera impresario
B. Ullman. Ullman arranged for the Herrmann’s to perform at the Academy of Music on 14th St. The impresario told reporters that Prof. Herrmann’s magic, “…was as much acknowledge in Europe as Jenny Lind
’s was in music.”
Carl was impressed with the progress of his brother Alexander’s skills. He decided to have Alexander became a real part of Carl’s show. By the time they arrived in the America
in 1860, Alexander was seventeen. Audiences noticed his adroitness. His dexterity soon rivaled that of Carl. Jealously brewed on that tour, but never surfaced.
They appeared at the Academy of Music which is generally known for their opera’s, but when the two Herrmann’s arrived, the music played second fiddle to the wonders the two wizards produced. The posters of the time mentioned that Herrmann’s, “… distinguishing feature is the entire absence of any apparatus, all effects being solely produced by extraordinary manual skill.” During the beginning of the their show, Carl announces that his younger brother was his successor-to-be.
Five weeks of full houses brought Carl receipts totaling thirty-five thousand dollars that would be about $700,000 in today’s dollars). With the Civil War in full swing,the Herrmann’s headed for Central and South America.
A few years later, they parted company. Alexander appeared on his own until he met up with Carl in Vienna in 1867. They formed their second co-partnership and returned to the U.S. to resume their tour there. According to Walter B. Gibson’s book The Magic Masters, "...and implanted the name Herrmann quite firmly there." The Herrmann name eventually became synonymous with magic. Eventually the two magic brothers would go their separate ways.
Carl retired during Alexander’s three stint at Egyptian Hall. Meanwhile, the financial panic of 1873
wiped out Carl. On May 9, the Vienna Stock Exchange crashed. They no longer were able to bankroll the corrupt mismanagement of the Deutsche Bank
. A series of Viennese bank failures resulted. This caused a deflation of the money available for business lending.
He needed money and the only way to pay his debts was to return to performing. The two magical brothers met again in 1885 in Paris. Carl was still miffed at Alexander from his triumph at Egyptian Hall. Carl was not about to retire until he regained his fortune. So, an agreement was made between the two brothers to split the world. Compars was to return to Europe and Alexander to the United States.
in Germany. Alexander was very shocked. Even with the rivalry between them, he could not help but feel that he owed everything to him. "We've always had a warm and brotherly feeling towards each other," he told a newspaper.
After Carl's death in 1887, Alexander continued with the profession until his own death in 1896. The Herrmann name continued as Alexander's wife Adelaide became the first woman to win notable fame as a magician. Alexander's nephew Leon had accompanied Adelaide, adding another "Herrmann" name to the magical family tree. Leon died in 1909, at the age of 42.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
illusionist.
The Herrmann family name is known as the "first-family of magic". Alexander's father Samuel, a practicing German physician, was the first to enjoy magic as a hobby. Samuel's first son Carl (Compars), was born in 1816 and left medical school at an early age to pursue a career as a magician. He was the first in the family to gain fame as a conjurer. By the age of thirty, Carl was recognized as one of Europe’s most accomplished magician. Alexander Herrmann
Alexander Herrmann
Alexander Herrmann was a French magician, better known as Herrmann the Great. He was part of the Herrmann family name that is known as the "first-family of magic". Those who witnessed Herrmann the Great perform considered him the greatest magician they ever saw...
, who was 27 years younger than his brother Carl, also became a world famous magician.
Father's career as magician
According to Herrmann legend, Alexander’s father was a part time magician and full time physician. Samuel Herrmann was a favorite of the Sultan of Turkey and sent for the magician often. The Sultan paid a princely sum for the entertainment. It was said that Samuel even performed for Napoleon Bonaparte. The story goes that he was receiving so much attention from the elite of Paris with his magic shows, that word spread to Napoleon himself. The self crowned emperor wanted Samuel to perform for him. Napoleon reportedly gave Samuel a gold watch for his performance for this august sole. Alexander carried the gold watch on the day of his death. It was passed on to his widow.Eventually his practice demanded more of his time so he eventually quit magic entirely. With the birth of his oldest son Compars in 1816 in Hanover Germany, he decided to settle down to continue his practice.
This is the myth. The reality is confusing as a Hitchcock thriller. Some reports say that Samuel was never a professional magician, but a physician that only did magic as a hobby. Another report says that he was never a physician was a traveling magician never quite reaching fame as his son where soon to reach.
He played small towns around from 1817 in Germany and moved his family to France. He played Institutes and Lyceums of Paris still gave performances until 1855. He taught his skills to his oldest son Compars also known as Carl. There is no record of him performing in well known theatres. But he did play the colleges in Paris and Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. Samuel entertained the pupils of the Grandes écoles
Grandes écoles
The grandes écoles of France are higher education establishments outside the main framework of the French university system. The grandes écoles select students for admission based chiefly on national ranking in competitive written and oral exams...
(founded by Lazare Carnot
Lazare Carnot
Lazare Nicolas Marguerite, Comte Carnot , the Organizer of Victory in the French Revolutionary Wars, was a French politician, engineer, and mathematician.-Education and early life:...
) near Versailles. With this performance, his son Carl was admitted to the school tuition free.
Samuel continued in this way even after his son Carl was a famous magician. Samuel retired about 1860 and lived quietly with his wife Anna on a pension set up by Carl.
Early years
Carl, was slender, somewhat demonic in appearance. He wore an imperial beard and handlebar moustache to perpetuate or enhance the MephistophelesMephistopheles
Mephistopheles is a demon featured in German folklore...
look. As he got older the hair on is head got thin. Carl’s humor was sly, and he presented his magic in a mysterious manner. He was from the old school of magic. The critics of his day said his performing ability was on par with the most talented actors, singers, and dancers of the 19th century.
While attending classes at Grandes écoles, he tried to fit in with his upper crust classmates at the prestigious school. He went to Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
(which was a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France) with his classmates. Fontainebleau was renowned for its large scenic forests which surrounded the city and dozens of villages. It was a favorite weekend getaway for Parisians, as well as for the reigning monarchs of the time.
Young Carl played on the Palace grounds with his friends as a cavalcade came up the road. They realized they were trespassing so they fled leaving poor Carl to take the fall. So Carl swiftly climbed a tree in the dense Forest of Fontainebleau
Forest of Fontainebleau
The forest of Fontainebleau is a mixed deciduous forest lying sixty kilometres southeast of Paris, France. It is located primarily in the arrondissement of Fontainebleau in the southwestern part of the department of Seine-et-Marne...
. Even though he was hidden by the thick foliage, he began to trill bird calls.
Two young princes of King Louis-Philippe of France
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
, Antoine and Henri, heard the trills. They wanted to catch a glimpse of the birds. They parted the leaves and saw the grinning Carl perched inside. The citizen king and the ladies in the carriage were so amused, they invited him to entertain at the palace.
Carl lived in Paris as a young man. His father, Samuel, urged him to study medicine. But Carl was more interested in performing. He had early success as a magician, but tried to please his father by earning a living away from the stage. He was in his twenties when he was out of work and desperate for money. So turned to the only profession he knew and that was magic.
Career
Carl left school and joined a company of actors. From there he branched out on his own. He started off like all magicians today and that is with doing school shows. Then he progressed to private performances. From there, he got hired to perform at theatre exhibitions.He practiced ventriloquism as well as magic. His career was interrupted by his services with the French Army. When he left the army, he returned to France. While there, he was a constant visitor to the theatre of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin
Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin
Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin was a French magician. He is widely considered the father of the modern style of conjuring.-Early life and entrance into conjuring:...
starring the name sake, Robert-Houdin. He was most impressed by the many new illusions presented by the former watchmaker turned magician. Illusions were new at the time and Carl thought it would nice to own such fine tricks.
He finally earned enough to buy equipment for a three hour production. He bought most of his illusions from Robert-Houdin’s trusted assistant LeGrande. LeGrand made replica’s of Houdin’s equipment and sold them to French magician Robin, Scottish magician John Henry Anderson
John Henry Anderson
John Henry Anderson was a professional magician, born in The Mearns, Scotland. Anderson is credited with helping bring the art of magic from street performances into theatres and presenting magic performances to entertain and delight the audience....
, and Carl. Herrmann set out to tour with his own show.
First stop for Carl was England. He took the pirated tricks to London and first appeared at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
. In 1848, Carl performed at the Haymarket Theatre in London where he billed himself as the Premier Prestidigitateur of France and the First Professor of Magic .
In 1848, The Illustrated London News critiqued the 32 year old magician’s performance in April. “He was not only adept at tricks of his predecessors Phillipe and Doebler had shown, he also introduced several striking new mysteries of his own.” They praised tricks like the Inexhaustible Bottle , which produces endless quantities of different liquors in what seems to be an endless quantity; The Portfolio, items such as flowers, turtle doves, and a live boy would be produced from the empty portfolio; and the Second Sight, items are named from a blindfolded assistant.
What the Illustrated London News didn’t know was that those marvels where created by Robert-Houdin in Paris. When he premiered in London later in the year at the St. James Theatre, Robert-Houdin was not happy with his friend presenting duplicates of his tricks. Also, he was annoyed by Carl’s title. He felt he was the Premier Prestidigitateur of France. Herrmann was glad to let him have the title. But did keep The First Professor of Magic in the World.
Two years later he took Robert-Houdin’s pirated illusions and performed in Germany, Austria, and Italy. In Portugal, he was decorated by the king and became Chevalier Herrmann. It was during this tour he was developing his sleight of hand skill and adapting them to his program. After producing four gold fish bowls, he would walk into the audience and invited the spectators to inspect his arms and his long coattails. Those that assumed that’s where they came from would not expect there could be more. Then from the same cloth, Carl produced a fifth bowl.
Carl kidnaps little brother
After Carl finished his tour of Europe with, he returned to his parent’s home in Paris in 1853. He was greeted by his fifteen brothers and sisters. He was most taken in with the youngest Alexander. Carl was thrilled to find out that the eight year old Alexander was already showing an interest in magic. So, without the family consent, Carl kidnapped the young man and took him to Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia to teach him the art of magic. While there, he took his younger brother with him on a tour that started in Russia. He suspended his young brother before Czar Nicholas I. The then nine year old acted as a blindfolded medium in the Second Sight. Czar Nicholas gave Carl an engraved gold watch decorated with diamonds, pearls, and amethysts.
Alexander remained with Carl until they arrived in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Samuel didn’t want Alexander to suffer the same fate as Carl. His father was ready to bring kidnap charges against him. Samuel’s anger caused their mother to come there and insisted upon Alexander's return to Paris. They reached a compromise. Alexander would stay with Carl until the tour was over. Alexander continued his duties as assistant.
Alexander didn’t just learn how to pop out of boxes. Carl served as a role model and inspiration for his younger brother. He was teaching him advance sleight of hand. Some that he had learned from their father. He also taught him new moves that Carl picked up on his own. He was thrilled that Alexander was an eager and willing student. Carl continued with this throughout their excursion threw Europe. After touring places like Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the tour ended in Vienna. Carl liked it so much, he made Vienna his home. As promised, he sent Alexander back home to Paris.
While there, Alexander showed what he had learned from Carl to their father. Samuel was impressed with Alexander’s skill. He decided to let him continue in magic. Carl was to mentor his young brother. Alexander stayed in Paris until he was about 11 years old. Then he returned to Vienna to meet up with Carl. He promised Samuel to teach Alexander things other than magic. While in Vienna Alexander attended college. But, it was sleight of hand that was to be his main interest.
Carl mentors Alexander
Alexander went with Carl on nearly every tour. At first he returned to his role as assistant. This time though he did not float on a pole. Carl discarded those illusions from the last tour when Robert-Houdin discovered that LeGrand was responsible for selling replicas of the fruits of his creations. He had the mechanic arrested. It is not known whether Carl bought the illusions directly from LeGrand or from another source. What is known is that he discarded them in favor of tricks using pure sleight of hand. He found that the audiences enjoyed these tricks better.His new approach brought him triumphs in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. In January 1861 he was in Havana, Cuba. His admirers said, “You don’t need a wand to work your imitable wonders. But,” they added, “We thought you merited the finest one ever made.” They presented him with a diamond sapphire gold wand. Engraved on the staff was his portrait along with an inscription. Carl added this to his ever growing collection.
From Cuba, they sailed to New Orleans. There he gave his first twenty-four performances in the United States at the St. Charles Theatre. The only thing that stopped the run was the outbreak of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Carl and Alexander packed their bags quickly and caught the last train north. Without any bookings, they sought the prominent New York opera impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
B. Ullman. Ullman arranged for the Herrmann’s to perform at the Academy of Music on 14th St. The impresario told reporters that Prof. Herrmann’s magic, “…was as much acknowledge in Europe as Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
’s was in music.”
Carl was impressed with the progress of his brother Alexander’s skills. He decided to have Alexander became a real part of Carl’s show. By the time they arrived in the America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1860, Alexander was seventeen. Audiences noticed his adroitness. His dexterity soon rivaled that of Carl. Jealously brewed on that tour, but never surfaced.
They appeared at the Academy of Music which is generally known for their opera’s, but when the two Herrmann’s arrived, the music played second fiddle to the wonders the two wizards produced. The posters of the time mentioned that Herrmann’s, “… distinguishing feature is the entire absence of any apparatus, all effects being solely produced by extraordinary manual skill.” During the beginning of the their show, Carl announces that his younger brother was his successor-to-be.
Five weeks of full houses brought Carl receipts totaling thirty-five thousand dollars that would be about $700,000 in today’s dollars). With the Civil War in full swing,the Herrmann’s headed for Central and South America.
A few years later, they parted company. Alexander appeared on his own until he met up with Carl in Vienna in 1867. They formed their second co-partnership and returned to the U.S. to resume their tour there. According to Walter B. Gibson’s book The Magic Masters, "...and implanted the name Herrmann quite firmly there." The Herrmann name eventually became synonymous with magic. Eventually the two magic brothers would go their separate ways.
Carl tours Europe
With the departure of Carl, Alexander began his own career in 1862. Carl returned to play to the capitals of Europe. Alexander brought his own show to London in 1871 and began his three stretch at Egyptian Hall that he called his one thousand and one nights.Carl retired during Alexander’s three stint at Egyptian Hall. Meanwhile, the financial panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
wiped out Carl. On May 9, the Vienna Stock Exchange crashed. They no longer were able to bankroll the corrupt mismanagement of the Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
. A series of Viennese bank failures resulted. This caused a deflation of the money available for business lending.
He needed money and the only way to pay his debts was to return to performing. The two magical brothers met again in 1885 in Paris. Carl was still miffed at Alexander from his triumph at Egyptian Hall. Carl was not about to retire until he regained his fortune. So, an agreement was made between the two brothers to split the world. Compars was to return to Europe and Alexander to the United States.
The death of Prof. Herrmann
Alexander leaves Paris to go back to America. He becomes an established institution. A few years later, While in New York, Alexander heard the news of the death of his brother Carl. Professor Herrmann died on June 8, 1887 in KarlsbadKarlsbad (Baden)
Karlsbad is an administrative area in the district of Karlsruhe, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 13 km southeast of Karlsruhe, and 15 km west of Pforzheim. The largest town in Karlsbad is Langensteinbach, where its administration offices are...
in Germany. Alexander was very shocked. Even with the rivalry between them, he could not help but feel that he owed everything to him. "We've always had a warm and brotherly feeling towards each other," he told a newspaper.
After Carl's death in 1887, Alexander continued with the profession until his own death in 1896. The Herrmann name continued as Alexander's wife Adelaide became the first woman to win notable fame as a magician. Alexander's nephew Leon had accompanied Adelaide, adding another "Herrmann" name to the magical family tree. Leon died in 1909, at the age of 42.