Biography of 	Deiler, J. Hanno Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller September 2000

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J. Hanno Deiler, professor of German in Tulane university, was born August 8, 1849, at
Altoetting, in Upper Bavaria, in the German empire, being the second son of Konrad Deiler, a
royal court musician, and a descendant of an ancient family of Nuremberg, where, his ancestors
are mentioned as early as 1540 as "Genannte," i.e., members of the "Grosse Rath."  The subject
of this sketch was educated in the public school of his native place, and received, at the same
time with his elder brother, Aloys (the efficient organist of Dr. Markham's church, and a music
teacher of New Orleans), an early and thorough musical training from his father, and the royal
chapel master and composer, Anton Mueller.  At the age of ten, being then the possessor of an
excellent voice, he was appointed soloist of the choir of St. Emmeran, at Ratisbon
(Regensburg), and received a scholarship in the royal "Studien und Musik Seminar," which
enabled him to study at the gymnasium of Ratisbon, where he won prizes every session.  In 1886
he received a scholarship in the Royal Normal college of Munich (located at Freising), and
graduated in 1888, taking the highest honors in every branch of study.  From this time up to
his immigration to this country he held government appointments as teacher in several schools, 
the last of which was at the model
school of the city of Munich.  While thus occupied he began an advanced course of studies in
German literature, history, aesthetics and kindred branches, under the direction of Professors
Herz, Kluckhon, Koenig and others of the Royal Polytechnic institute.  On New Year's day, 1872,
he immigrated to this city, under engagement as principal of a German school.  Since then
Professor Deiler has been connected with a number of schools in this city, and has been
eminently successful as a teacher of German.  In 1879 he was appointed professor of German in
the university of Louisiana, which has since become the Tulane university, which chair he still
occupies.  He is. also professor of German in the "Sophie Newcomb Memorial College for Women."
Professor Deiler has achieved great success as a public lecturer, and ranks with the best
German orators in this country.  He has also always manifested the greatest interest in
everything tending to preserve and spread the German language, to cultivate the public taste
for German song, and to protect and ameliorate the condition of his countrymen.  He has been
for many years a director, and the secretary of the "Deutsche Gesellschaft," an association for
the protection of German immigrants, and was also the originator of the "German Archive, for
the History of the Germans in the South." and since its incipiency its "archivar."  In 1882 he
founded the "New Orleans Quartette club," the most celebrated German singing society in the
South, with which he visited the great "Saengerfest" in the North and West, and it was through
his efforts that the Twenty-sixth National Saengerfest of the "North American Singers' union"
was held at New Orleans.  At this festival, one of the grandest triumphs in the history of the
Singers' union, Prof. J. Hanno Deiler was the director general, and the leader of the great
mass choruses. It was held in February, 1890.  In the same year he was appointed a delegate to
represent the national union at the "Vierte Allgemeine Deutsche Saengerbundesfest" at Vienna,
Austria.  On the occasion of this visit to the old "Fatherland," Professor Deiler was received
with the greatest distinction in all the cities which he visited, and created through his
eloquence the most unbounded enthusiasm among the 30,000 participants of the Vienna
Saengerfest, whom he addressed at the official opening ceremonies in the great Saengerhalle.
As an author, Professor Deiler published a series of articles on a "Universal Language;" on the
works of the "Grimm Brothers;" "Germany's Contribution to the Present Population of New
Orleans;" "Des Redemptions-System in Louisiana" (Sally Mueller, die weisse Sclavin);
"Geschichte-der Deutechen Gesangvereine im Sueden der Ver. Staaten," and "History of the German
Society of New Orleans."  At present he is engaged in collecting the material for an extensive
"History of the Germans in the South."

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 373-374.  Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.