Former Bergmann Music business

Here in Koningstraat was Bergmann Music, a music store with mainly sheet music and classical CDs. Nothing new in itself. But this store entered music history through a theft on Tuesday, August 16, 1960. A few English young people, aged no more than 18 or 19, are looking around and ask if they can look at a few harmonicas. The boys decide not to buy anything and leave the music store again. The saleswoman Elly soon notices that a harmonica is missing. A Hohner Marine Band. She still follows the boys, but of course there was no trace... Those English young people were The Beatles , and the perpetrator was 19-year-old John Lennon.

Two years later in 1962, the stolen harmonica was featured on the first Beatles single Love Me Do. That single was released in the UK on October 5, 1962.

Every disadvantage has its advantage

Bergmann cleverly responded to the harmonica incident and included a special model of the Hohner Marine Band in the range. On the packaging, which features the famous drawing of Lennon's face, the instrument is called 'The Stolen One'. Elly handed out certificates proving that it was really that model.

Author: Dromos