Angels in Pigtails: The
Story of the Obernkirchen Children's Choir
One of the most Popular and Loved choirs in
the world for over 20+ Years. 8 tours of the USA, and tours
of many other countries. This is their history and story.
From post-war beginnings to a sound that healed the world
Their History and Story
Introduction: A Child’s Memory
I was a boy of eight or nine when I sat down to watch Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club in 1956. Like so many other children, I expected to see skits, songs, and playful entertainment. That day, however, something different was announced: a choir would be performing.
At first, I felt disappointed — a choir seemed too serious, not what I was waiting for. But within a minute, everything changed. What I heard was unlike anything before: a sound so pure, so new, so filled with life and harmony that it went straight into my soul.
The Obernkirchen Children’s Choir performed four songs that day. When they finished, I found myself wishing they would keep singing forever. Even at school the next day, the choir was all anyone could talk about. The performance had reached into the hearts of children everywhere, and I never forgot it.
Chapter 1: Edith Möller and Post-War Germany
Edith Möller (1916–1975) was musically gifted, but she also trained as a social worker and devoted her life to children in need. In the rubble and displacement of post-war Germany, she witnessed how music could restore dignity and joy to young lives shaken by loss.
Together with Erna Pielsticker, she began gathering children to sing in Obernkirchen. What started as a healing circle of voices became, in 1948, a formal choir known locally as the Schaumburger Märchensänger (“Fairy-Tale Singers”), later widely recognized as the Obernkirchen Children’s Choir.
Chapter 2: The Eisteddfod Breakthrough
In 1953, the choir traveled to Wales to compete at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen. Their singing astonished audiences and judges alike. Newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the festival that summer, adding a sense of historic occasion to the choir’s triumph.
The Obernkirchen singers not only won first prize, they also captivated the BBC with a joyful off-program performance of Der fröhliche Wanderer (Mein Vater war ein Wandersmann), composed by Edith’s brother, Friedrich Wilhelm Möller. The moment was recorded and rebroadcast — a spark that would soon become a global flame.
Their sweet smiles, braided hair, and crystalline harmony earned them an affectionate nickname that would follow them for decades: “Angels in Pigtails.”
Chapter 3: “The Happy Wanderer” Goes Global
The song quickly crossed borders, translated into English as The Happy Wanderer. By 1954 it had climbed to the top of the UK charts, peaking at number two and remaining on the air across the Commonwealth and beyond.
In today’s language, the BBC broadcast “went viral.” For a world still recovering from war, these children’s voices embodied innocence, resilience, and the simple joy of walking into the open air and singing.
Chapter 4: The Media Years — Disney and Sullivan
In 1956, the Obernkirchen Children’s Choir appeared on Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club, performing four songs and captivating millions of American families. For many children, this was their first experience of choral music — and it was unforgettable.
The choir also performed multiple times on The Ed Sullivan Show, America’s premier variety stage. Through these broadcasts and subsequent tours, the Obernkirchen sound became part of living rooms and memories around the world.
Chapter 5: Tours and Triumphs
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the choir toured widely — from the Royal Festival Hall in London to stages across the United States and beyond. In 1956 they acquired a villa in Bückeburg that became a permanent home and music school, offering stability and structure for new generations of young singers.
Everywhere they went, they carried the spirit of Obernkirchen: innocence reborn, joy after sorrow, and the conviction that music can gather the human family.
Chapter 6: The Legacy of Edith Möller
Edith Möller guided the choir until her passing in 1975 at the age of 58. Her legacy lived on in the school she built, in her brother’s melodies, and in the thousands of children who found confidence and community through song.
Today, recordings and films preserve their sound. For those who heard them in childhood, the memory remains bright. For new listeners, the “Angels in Pigtails” continue to sing of freedom, laughter, and hope.
Closing Reflection
The Obernkirchen Children’s Choir was more than a musical ensemble. They were a voice of healing for a broken world. Their harmonies reached across borders, languages, and generations — and for many of us, straight into the soul.
Appendix: Key Moments
- 1948 — Choir founded by Edith Möller in Obernkirchen, Germany.
- 1953 — First prize at the International Eisteddfod, Llangollen; Queen Elizabeth II present at the festival.
- 1954 — BBC broadcasts “The Happy Wanderer” worldwide; UK chart success.
- 1956 — Appearance on Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club; American breakthrough.
- 1950s–60s — International tours and multiple Ed Sullivan Show performances.
- 1975 — Passing of Edith Möller; the legacy continues through recordings and alumni.
Picture Gallery
