who were unable to converse in foreign languages and only had Palatine folk music in their programme could not hope for permanent employment. Another, crisis-proof sector was the circus, which even offered work for some musicians after the First World War. In the 19th century, large circus companies developed, which sometimes had several bands. There was a great demand for musicians and many Palatines, especially from Mackenbach, found well paid jobs at Hagenbeck, Sarrasani or Busch. In the hometowns, instrument-making developed as a flourishing industry, as did the businesses of the cloth makers, dyers and tailors. Music brought prosperity to the once impoverished region, and many musicians returned as wealthy men, sometimes after years of absence. Decline The start of the First World War marked the beginning of the end for touring music bands that had just reached its absolute climax. Many men had to go to war, most of the job opportunities for musicians were eliminated and Germany's borders were blocked. Musicians who were caught out by the start of the war during a trip abroad were prevented from returning home. Rudolf Mersy from Aschbach was interned until 1920 in camps in Australia and New Zealand, Otto Schwarz from Hinzweiler and his band, who had previously lived in England for several years, were incarcerated on the Isle of Man. After the war, Germans were initially banned from entering almost all countries, with the exception of the Netherlands. After the hardship of the post-war period was over and cultural life flourished again, the travelling musicians faced increasing competition from with records, radio and film; the trade was never able to return to its heyday. At best, as a circus musician some touring musicians were able to continue their profession for a while. Some musicians stayed abroad, especially in the US, and continued to make music there. Bill Henry, originally Heinrich Jakob from Mackenbach, hired a young singer, Frank Sinatra, for his band in 1932. In 1935, the remaining full-time wandering musicians of the Palatinate were admitted to the Reichsmusikkammer ("State Music Institute"). A prerequisite for a professional travelling outfit was that the band had to consist of at least seven members. They had to pass examinations and needed a responsible director, who was issued with a group pass by the State Director of the Saar-Palatinate division of the Reichsmusikkammer. In 1938, musical auditions were conducted in Mackenbach and Lauterecken, where