The Associationfor the Historical Organs of Hans Hummel in Olkusz was founded in 2005. The main goal of the association is taking care of the organs, in particular bringing the instrument to its former splendor.

The activities of the association is based on:

• organization of concerts in cooperation with the Municipal Cultural Center in Olkusz;
• cooperation with cultural entities, non-governmental organizations and others whose contribution to the promotion of the Olkusz instrument is significant;
• organization of study trips;
• popularizing knowledge about Hans Hummel's organs by publishing information materials and organizing conferences and meetings;
• raising funds for organ renovation.

MORE INFORMATION

The history of the great organ at the Basilica Minor of St. Andrew the Apostle in Olkusz that has been preserved to this day begins in 1611, when Olkusz city authorities signed a contract with Hans Hummel, a Kraków organ builder originally from Nürnberg, for the building of the instrument. Archival materials made public in 2016 concerning the Olkusz organ confirm that the instrument built had 6 stops more than originally planned. As Hummel writes in a letter from 1616, this happened because the Olkusz city council wanted to ‘make a name for itself’ before other cities. An important person with whom the work was consulted was the organist at St. Mary’s Church in Kraków, Rev. Sebastian Zielonka. The good reputation enjoyed by Hummel meant that shortly thereafter, two more orders of almost identical size appeared: the restructuring of the organ above the pulpit at St. Mary’s Church in Kraków, as well as a new instrument at St. James’ Church in Levoča, Slovakia. The long distance between the towns in question (as well as, perhaps, the death of his four-year-old son) meant that Hummel began to have trouble organizing the work of his studio, which (as shown by inscriptions discovered in the Olkusz organ) employed an international group of workers.

READ THE FULL HISTORY