Family A
Weiss / Tata Mirando
Koninklijk Zigeunerorkest Tata Mirando
Sinti — Switzerland / Germany → Netherlands
Style: Holland–Hungary restaurant violin
Joseph Weiss, called Tata Mirando — tata meaning father — led a Sinti family orchestra that played the Hungarian restaurant book in Dutch rooms. They fled the Nazis in 1937. The sons kept the name.
Joseph Weiss was born 6 March 1895 in Opfikon, Switzerland, son of Johann Weis and Magdalena Krems. His Sinti name was Judo. He married Balwina Georg, a Sintezza and harpist (b. 1897, Szczecin). Her mother, Margaretha Elisabetha Reinhardt, was later murdered at Auschwitz. They had a large family: about twelve sons and three daughters, born on the German road between the 1920s and 1938.
The father’s band, Zigeunerkapelle Weiss, had already played German courts. Joseph founded his own after the First World War: four violins, no cimbalom — an unusual seating — and he himself often on bass. They played Hungarian csárdás, Romanian hora, Russian standards, and later some swing. The public heard “Hungarian gypsy.” The family were Sinti.
In 1937 they fled Germany for the Netherlands, abandoning the wagons’ goods. During the war they survived in part under circus cover with Toni Boltini (the Zwarte Raven). Some were held at Vught and Westerbork and got out. After the war they played the Kurhaus, radio, and the Dutch restaurant circuit as Tata Mirando en zijn zonen, later the Royal Gypsy Orchestra.
Joseph died in Dieren on 1 January 1967. The name Tata Mirando passed to whoever led: Meissel, Morschy, Loeila, Roma Heina, Adolf Kokalo. A 2005 DjangoBooks post says Morschy passed the Tata name to Kokalo in 1973. Nello — guitar on the records — was a public face of the later discs (the film Violist zonder viool calls him first violin — that claim is listed under Later). This is a Dutch Sinti restaurant family. They played in the same cities as Rosenberg and as the Budapest Lakatos bands. The kinship is different.
Adolf “Kokalo” Weiss, who led as Tata Mirando of the Koninklijk Zigeunerorkest Roma Mirando, died of heart failure at 92. NOS reported the death on 1 October 2025; his adopted son Romano Weiss announced it. NOS also files royal rooms: Louise von Baden and the court of Wilhelm II in the German years; in the Netherlands, Paleis Soestdijk (silver wedding of Juliana and Bernhard), and Beatrix’s engagement, bachelor party and wedding. Those rooms are NOS’s list, not a family album opened here.
Lineage
Birth and death on a vertical line — generation by generation. Places are listed where we could find them.
Generation 1
Johann Weis
Father, musician
Father of Joseph. Zigeunerkapelle Weiss; court playing before the First World War.
Generation 2
Joseph Weiss (Tata Mirando / Judo)
Bass, leader · 1895–1967
Born 6 March 1895 · Opfikon, Switzerland — Died 1 January 1967 · Dieren, Netherlands
Joseph Weiss, called Tata — father — and Judo. Bass and leader. Fled Germany in 1937. The name the Dutch rooms still say.
Generation 2
Balwina Georg
Harp · b. 1897
Born 1897 · Szczecin (Stettin)
Sintezza, harp. Wife of Joseph. Her mother Margaretha Elisabetha Reinhardt was murdered at Auschwitz.
Generation 3
Johann “Meissel” Weiss
Violin, later leader · 1920–1996
Born 1920 · Mannheim, Germany — Died 1996 · Arnhem, Netherlands
Johann “Meissel” Weiss. Violin, later leader of Tata Mirando.
Generation 3
Ludwig “Loeila” Weiss
Leader (Loeila Magyara) · c. 1922–after 1999
Born c. 1922 — Died after 1999
Ludwig “Loeila” Weiss. Split from the father’s band in 1957: Loeila Magyara.
Generation 3
Morschy Thomas Weiss
Violin · 1923–1992
Born 1923 — Died 1992
Morschy Thomas Weiss. Violin on the post-war stand of father and seven sons.
Generation 3
Roma Heinrich Weiss (Roma Heina)
Violin · c. 1930–1962
Born c. 1930 — Died 1962 · near Echteld, Netherlands
Roma Heinrich Weiss. Violin. Died in a road accident. Seen with the original orchestra on Dutch television, 1962.
Generation 3
Nello Weiss / Mirando
Guitar · c. 1931–2008
Born c. 1931 — Died 2008 · Arnhem, Netherlands
Guitar. Public face of later Tata Mirando records.
Generation 3
Adolf “Kokalo” Weiss
Piano, later Tata Mirando · 1933–2025
Born 1933 · Aachen, Germany — Died 2025 · Arnhem, Netherlands
Piano, later Tata Mirando. One of the last of Joseph’s sons on the Dutch stand.
Generation 3
Hermann “Lupa” Weiss
Bass / violin · 1935–2005
Born 1935 · Aachen, Germany — Died 2005 · Boxmeer, Netherlands
Hermann “Lupa” Weiss. Bass and violin.
Generation 3
Moro Weiss
Violin · 1938–2004
Born 1938 — Died 2004 · Raalte, Netherlands
Violin. Born on the road, 1938 — the last of the German-road children.
Generation 3
Christian Weiss
Guitar (nephew) · d. 1988
Date not yet recorded — Died 1988 · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nephew. Guitar, left-handed. The family seating already had two double-armed guitars.
Generation 3
Roeli Tsjeija Weiss
Daughter
Daughter. Survived the war.
Generation 3
Tchaia Weiss
Daughter
Daughter. Survived the war.
Generation 3
Gartha Weiss
Daughter
Daughter. Survived the war.
Orchestra years
When the band was founded, when it split, when a new generation took the stand.
c. 1900
New orchestra
The father’s kapelle
Zigeunerkapelle Weiss
Johann / Franz Weiss’s orchestra in Germany. Court playing; a “royal” predicate from Baden and Wilhelm II before the First World War.
c. 1919
New orchestra
Joseph founds his own
Joseph Weiss orchestra
After the war Joseph (Judo) leaves the father’s seating: four violins, no cimbalom, himself often on bass.
1937
New generation leads
The Netherlands
Weiss / Mirando
The family flees Germany. The same restaurant book, new rooms.
c. 1942
Rename
Circus cover
Zwarte Raven
Under Toni Boltini as the Zwarte Raven — survival, not a style change.
c. 1946
New orchestra
Father and seven sons
Tata Mirando en zijn zeven zonen
Post-war public name. Morschy, Roma, Moro, Lupa, Krishan, Adolf, Nello on the stand with Joseph.
1957
Split — new band
First split — Loeila
Loeila Magyara
Brother Loeila founds Loeila Magyara, from 1957 with Roma Heina. Joseph’s Tata Mirando still plays.
late 1950s
Generation joins
Dutch rooms and records
Tata Mirando
Kurhaus, radio, 78s with Monica Witkiewiczowna. The public name hardens.
1960s
New generation leads
Meissel takes the bass
Tata Mirando
Joseph plays less. Eldest son Meissel Weiss takes his chair while the father still lives.
1967
Split — new band
Joseph dies — the family splits
Morschy Mirando / De zonen van Tata Mirando
Joseph dies 1 January 1967, Dieren. Morschy takes the Tata Mirando name. Meissel founds De zonen van Tata Mirando. Two brother bands, one family.
1973
New generation leads
Morschy passes the Tata name to Kokalo
Tata Mirando / Roma Mirando
DjangoBooks forum, Barengero, 2005: as early as 1973 Morschy passed the Tata name to his brother Kokalo (Adolf). Filed as that post, not a contract.
2025
New generation leads
Adolf Kokalo Weiss dies
Koninklijk Zigeunerorkest Roma Mirando
NOS, 1 October 2025: Adolf Kokalo Weiss, called Tata Mirando, died of heart failure at 92. Adopted son Romano Weiss announced it. Orchestra name on that notice: Roma Mirando.
1970
New orchestra
Meissel’s sons on a festival stage
De zonen van Tata Mirando
De zonen van Tata Mirando play Stamping Ground. The split is now a touring fact.
1991–92
New generation leads
Adolf after Morschy
Tata Mirando
Morschy dies. Adolf Kokalo Weiss takes the Tata Mirando orchestra. Meissel’s band continues beside it.
1994
Split — new band
Court — who is Tata Mirando?
Tata Mirando (name)
Brother quarrel over the name goes to a Dutch court. Two orchestras had long tolerated each other. The name was the fight.
1996
Split — new band
Roma Heina’s royal orchestra
Koninklijk Zigeunerorkest Roma Mirando
A further band under the royal predicate, led from the Roma Heina line. Meissel dies this year.
2004–08
New generation leads
Nello as primás
Koninklijk Zigeunerorkest Tata Mirando
Nello on guitar and later as public primás of the royal Tata Mirando. Dies Arnhem, 12 June 2008. Grandsons keep more than one orchestra.
Neighbours
Same country or city, but a different way of playing.