The Third Reich was a time of chaos. After World War II, both Germany and the international community vowed to never let the Nazi culture take power again. In the music department, what looked to be the “simplest” way to do that was by banning all music that was either created or performed by anyone who collaborated with the Nazis, or was upheld by the Nazis as a symbol of their ideology. Richard Wagner and his very popular opera, Die Meistersinger, were part of that latter group. This was very problematic. How can one condemn an opera that had been a part of Germany’s music culture for 65 years before the Nazi government’s rise to power, especially one that people still want to watch? Although Richard Wagner was not even alive while the Nazi …show more content…
He also brought a lot of controversy on himself with his writings. Wagner was anti-Semitic and he wrote essays about it. His most famous essay, titled “Judaism in Music”, explains Wagner’s belief that Jews cannot create authentic German music because they are part of a different culture. They did not grow up with the same experiences, even if they have lived in Germany their whole lives (Wagner). His operas were also interpreted as “ultranationalistic”, which some scholars believe is what drew the Nazi party to his works (Eylon). The anti-Semitism, though widespread at the time, drew a dark spot on his reputation, especially after the Third Reich. It is still a main piece of evidence against him in the debate on how his work should be …show more content…
Peter Cornelius, a composer and friend of Wagner, praised the opera shortly before it premiered, saying that “Wagner has written the ‘German national opera’” (Bermbach). A reviewer of the performance in Karlsruhe also “classified [Die Meistersinger] as a German national opera which expressed the sovereignty of the German spirit” (Salmi). Its nationalistic spirit caused it become seen as a symbol of Germany. By the time the Nazis came to power, Die Meistersinger was already beloved by the German populace. The Nazi government did not waste this useful tool.
For the 12 years that the Third Reich existed, Die Meistersinger was the most popular opera. The Nazi government allowed the opera to continue on its wave of popularity, especially since its message coincided with their own. There were many “parallels between Nazi assessments of Sachs and the… ideology and bureaucracy of the Third Reich” (Dennis 117). They also supported the “active role played in it by the German Volk, particularly in the last scene” (115). With the Nazi government trying to promote the Volk and nationalistic ideology, Die Meistersinger became their favorite opera as
The movie begins by giving us a brief history of a painting. The painting they refer to is the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. It was still in its creative process at the time being painted by the artist Gustav Klimt. At this same point in time Adolf Hitler applied to the Vienna Academy of Art. This eighteen year old Hitler’s admission to the academy was rejected. The people deciding his admission were primarily Jewish and most likely fueled the flame to his anti-Semitism.
Prior to the Nazi takeover of Germany, the nation had been suffering deeply. An economic depression, large-scale unemployment, and the shame of losing World War I had put Germany in a dark place. The Nazi’s were incredibly aware of this, and their propaganda at the time reflected a need to reunite the German people. Propaganda appealed to national pride, and putting ones country before themselves. Of course, a strong united people needed a leader that was just as strong, and the “myth of Hitler” would create that leader. Slogans like “One People, one Fuhrer, one Reich!” promoted national unity, and a Wochenspruch from February 1938 states, “The greatest of all sacrifices is to give one’s life to preserve the existence of the community.” Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will comes from this time period and helps form the mythological image of Hitler. Propaganda also focused on the good the Nazi party was doing. It discussed how well the Nazi welfare system was working, newsreels showed happy German people enjoying the benefits of the Nazi regime.
It seems strange that Carl Orff would be forgiven since he played an active role in the Nazi Party. It’s even stated that one of his great works “Carmina Burana” was composed for the Nazi leaders (Eylon). I feel the main reason why Carl Orff may have been forgiven is although he was asked to rewrite “A Midsummers Night Dream” and, agreed he never did (Eylon). The Nazi’s were trying remove the composers name because he was Jewish, Mendelssohn. It can be easier to forgive something that is not actually done even if it is said that it will be where as Wagner hurt himself by writing criticizing articles about the Jewish people and Artist. Wagner’s pieces were never composed for Nazi leaders but, the ideas of his writing stayed with him. Which
After World War I, there was a spiritual void left within the people of Germany. The outcome of the war had ripped the German society along the class lines causing great stress and tension among the people. The people of Germany had believed all along that they were winning the war, and therefore the news of surrender came as a great shock to them. To make things worse, the peace treaty established placed the entire fault of the war on Germany and left them responsible for paying for the costs of the war for all who were involved. This sparked a conflict between the middle and working classes in society. Then, the depression followed, creating even more unhappiness among the people. With all of this unhappiness because of the class divisions and the depression, the Nazi...
He further uses propaganda techniques to change the views of the German people. His book The Mein Kompf was spread to the people of Germany and his Nazi party. This book is Adolf Hitler’s manifesto in which he outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany such as the hierarchical status of the Aryan race towards the Jews and other inferior race. In his book he stated, that “The child is the objective of the struggle and the very first appeal is addressed to it: 'German boy, do not forget that you are a German. ' 'German maid, remember that you are to be a German mother.” Which means that Germanys race was to be kept at its purest form. He further targets young Germans to rise up to his cause because the future of their country is their hands and they have the right to claim its title. Other than his book, Hitler’s implicates fear tactics and speeches to manipulate the Nazi party. The Schutzstaffel, better known as the infamous SS, were established by Hitler, to act as protection force at Hitler’s mass meetings in public. This was due to early Nazis meeting that can turn to violent during its early rise to power because of competing factions within the party. In 1934 an event happened to which was called, “The Night of the Long Knives “; it was a cleansing of other political opponents of Hitler within the party. Hitler uses this to instill fear in the party and warns other that whoever imposed him shall suffer and die. Hitler’s speeches were also part of influencing the views of the party. In 1939 he made a speech that changes everything. This speech move thousands of people and change the views of Germany towards the Jews and other inferior race. He stated, “The peoples [of the earth] will soon realize that Germany under National Socialism does not desire the enmity of other peoples. I want once again to be a prophet. If the international Finance-Jewry inside and outside of
Nazis and Nietzsche During the latter parts of the Nineteenth Century, the German existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a great deal on his ideas of morality, values, and life. His writings were controversial, but they greatly affected European thought. It can be argued that Nietzschean philosophy was a contributing factor in the rise of what is considered our world's most awful empire, the Third Reich. Such a stance is based on the fact that there are very similar currents in thought between the philosophy and the empire.
While many countries in Europe were celebrating the freedom to listen to any music they wanted, the Nazi Party was taking over Germany. The music that was listened to in Germany had to be approved by the Nazis. According to Adolf Hitler good German music was that of Beethoven, Wagner and Bruckner. Out of the three composers, Richard Wagner was Hitler’s favorite. He would have his music performed at functions and rallies for the Nazi Party. Wagner’s music was loved, but even more so, his political views were very much liked by Hitler (“Nazi Approved Music”). Wagner wrote a booklet called “Das Judebthum in die Musik” translated: Judaism in Music. It talks about his feeling towards Jewish people, and how he believes that they ruin the arts to everyone in the public (“‘Degenerate’ Music”). The Nazis seemed to have lost the true meaning of music and made other lose it as well. Hans Pfitzner said that the best thing about Wagner’s music was that it was German; Gustav Mhaler responded saying, “All great artists leave their
And like many Austrian Germans in his time, his German nationalism began to grow as well. He and his friends would even great each other with the German greeting: “Heil”. However, at the time he lived in Vienna, everywhere you’d look was prejudice and racist people. Most of them were against the Jews even though they played a Christian act. It may be very hypocritical and deceiving, but everyone was practically acting the same way, so no one could correct each other and lead them down the right path.
Hitler had a hatred for Jewish people, the roots of his anti Semitism are unclear. When Hitler came to power he almost immediately began to strip Jewish people of any kind of rights.
During the beginning of the Nazi development. Nazis made posters to shape the Hitler regime legitimacy. The poster shows that there are leaders from different periods. It puts Hitler with emperors in parallel, such as king, prince and marshal, which meaning is that to convey the German militarism and the supreme spirit of leader. The title specially emphasizes the identity of Hitler, who was a soldier. Although the soldiers’ status below other three leaders that can highlight leader’s strong volition and personality
Since anti-Semitism was already present, it made manipulating the German public into perceiving the Jew as an enemy an easy task. In political psychology it is believed that politics can cue identity and this is clear when it comes to German society and Hitler. He was able to play on the fear of others and the threat to German culture in order to come to power and fulfill his plan of the extermination of the Jew. Which is what intentionalist believe was what he had set out to do from the beginning. Like Karl Dietrich Bracher states, “Hitler was the most radical expressor and the most effective propagator of a set of ideas and emotions forming the nucleus of extreme German nationalism, that is, anti-democratism, imperialism, and racism.” Hitler was the perfect leader for a nation that was disappointed with the Weimar government and that had a strong sense of nationalism. He tapped into this deep love of nation and used it to turn Germans against Germans, making them fear and hate one another. Intentionalists believe that without Hitler there would have been no
...ism is determined to make that authoritarianism absolute, all-surpassing, consolidating the state as the new steel-like instrument of power.” The German people tolerated these actions because they felt that Hitler and the Nazi party would bring Germany out of economic ruin and back to the forefront of European affairs. Nazi doctrine of militarism, expansionism, and ultra-nationalism appealed to the attitudes and beliefs inherent in the conscience of the German people at the time.
The Holocaust was a sad period in our history where the corrupt moral code of a nation took the lives of Six million people. Germany under rule of Hitler’s Nazi party killed and incapacitated anyone who didn’t fit into the Nazi’s idea of an ideal society. Hitler inherited a decrepit nation; in the 1920s Germany was plunged into a depression, which left many citizens unemployed, hungry and homeless. Living in conditions of hopeless poverty the country was overwhelmingly starving for economical and social reform. Just as they thought their prayers for a new leader weren’t heard; Hitler emerged inspiring and charming the beaten down people of Germany with nationalism, giving them a new found since of unity. The nation of Germany so
During the Holocaust, around six million Jews were murdered due to Hitler’s plan to rid Germany of “heterogeneous people” in Germany, as stated in the novel, Life and Death in the Third Reich by Peter Fritzsche. Shortly following a period of suffering, Hitler began leading Germany in 1930 to start the period of his rule, the Third Reich. Over time, his power and support from the country increased until he had full control over his people. Starting from saying “Heil Hitler!” the people of the German empire were cleverly forced into following Hitler through terror and threat. He had a group of leaders, the SS, who were Nazis that willingly took any task given, including the mass murder of millions of Jews due to his belief that they were enemies to Germany. German citizens were talked into participating or believing in the most extreme of things, like violent pogroms, deportations, attacks, and executions. Through the novel’s perspicacity of the Third Reich, readers can see how Hitler’s reign was a controversial time period summed up by courage, extremity, and most important of all, loyalty.
Historians are often divided into categories in regard to dealing with Nazi Germany foreign policy and its relation to Hitler: 'intentionalist', and 'structuralist'. The intentionalist interpretation focuses on Hitler's own steerage of Nazi foreign policy in accordance with a clear, concise 'programme' planned long in advance. The 'structuralist' approach puts forth the idea that Hitler seized opportunities as they came, radicalizing the foreign policies of the Nazi regime in response. Structuralists reject the idea of a specific Hitlerian ideological 'programme', and instead argue for an emphasis on expansion no clear aims or objectives, and radicalized with the dynamism of the Nazi movement. With Nazi ideology and circumstances in Germany after World War I influencing Nazi foreign policy, the general goals this foreign policy prescribed to included revision of Versailles, the attainment of Lebensraum, or 'living space', and German racial domination. These foreign policy goals are seen through an examination of the actions the Nazi government took in response to events as they happened while in power, and also through Hitler's own ideology expressed in his writings such as Mein Kempf. This synthesis of ideology and social structure in Germany as the determinants of foreign policy therefore can be most appropriately approached by attributing Nazi foreign policy to a combination as both 'intentionalist' and 'structuralist' aims. Nazi foreign policy radicalized with their successes and was affected by Hitler pragmatically seizing opportunities to increase Nazi power, but also was based on early a consistent ideological programme espoused by Hitler from early on.