Kraus was a significant part of the history of the Fargo Theatre, as well as the history of entertainment in Fargo-Moorhead. She was the wife of Ed Kraus. The couple met in 1925 when Hildegarde was staff organist at the State Theatre, and they married after a whirlwind courtship. Ed continued to serve as the local representative of the American Amusement Company, while Hildegarde played the organ for silent films at all of the area theatres. In 1926, she went to Minneapolis for advanced organ courses at the McPhail School of Music. Upon her return, she began a series of live, remote broadcast programs over WDAY Radio with the organs from both the State and the Fargo Theatre.