Prager Morgenpost 10/11/1862 published a review noting: ‘Schiller Festival [Schillerfeier]. Thus was named the musical-declamatory entertainment that was arranged by the Messrs Karl Simon and M. Ronsburger at the Konvikt Hall at midday yesterday. We would like to believe that there was no other motive than a great enthusiasm for Schiller and his works which guided the two gentlemen when they felt the inner calling to arrange their own Schiller Festival. Nevertheless we have to admit that a celebration such as yesterdays is only of a certain value if it retains a private character and does not invite a wider public. Mr Simon might have had the best intentions [yet] it cost him so much effort to speak the prologue and to declaim Schiller’s poem Der Taucher that no-one could conceal... [his being] too much a dilettante in this field. This was illustrated by the sentence in the prologue: Schiller would not be a poet of the nation, but of nations. Mr Labler-Daskowsky performed a Concert Allegro he himself composed... Lieder performed by the singer Mr Hardtmuth found great applause. Also Mrs Brenner, who sang an aria from Mozart’s Don Juan, inspired well-earned cheers. The most favourable impression was made by the Imperial Russian Court Concertmaster Dimitrief Svetschin, who through his violin playing drew animated applause from the audience. He and Miss Katharina Summ [Summová] performed the great Duo on themes from the Hugenottes by Meyerbeer, for piano and violin by Thalberg. The invited guests were quite numerous, yet were not particularly inspired by the programme. The Konvikt Hall was still in festive decoration from the Schiller Festival of the Reading Room [of German Students].’

Prager Zeitung 11/11/1862 published a brief account of the Schiller anniversary celebrations then having been given in Prague. The correspondent reported: ‘As we have already announced, festivities were arranged during recent days to celebrate brilliantly the memory of the great poet [Schiller], whose 103rd birthday [it would have been]. These were commenced by members of the Reading Room of German Students, who assembled in the Konvikt Hall with numerous guests and celebrated the acclaimed poet through readings and song. To end the celebration was a festival social evening [Festkommers - literally a students’ ceremonial drinking session].

The Prager Morgenpost correspondent seems to be criticising the arrangements of this occasion in the organisers having inviting a large guest audience when the content and character of the programme and works given was considered more fitting with that of a more modest private event.