Karajan in Paris in war time

[Zarathustra799]

France declared war on Germany, for anyone who says it's a terrible sin for Germans to play music in occupied Paris. And the French civilians were well treated by the Germans. ;-)

[promptersbox]

NAZI BASTARD. In contrast to the Karajan that we're all familiar with, restrained, eyes closed, small movements, we have here a Karajan all but jumping off the podium. Clearly acting the conquering hero. This was a German opera company playing to an audience of Nazis in a city and country that had been INVADED.

He seems all too happy to be there. Disgusting, revealing and tragic.

Hell of a conductor though.

[fullbuck50]

A very depressing documentation of what he denied later on. He could have refused, he could have left, like so many others. But there he is, playing for occupied Paris. All the self-justifications and rewrites of history, especially his own, are just washed away by this.

[promptersbox]

@fullbuck50

Well said.

[themfromspace]

karajan's earliest records are his best. After the 50s he steadily went downhill and turned into a robot. A pretty robot, but still a robot.

[padredemishijos12]

Most German people benefited from the German plunder of Europe. WWI ended because of mutiny of the German Army, just like the Russian Army mutinied. That never happened in Germany. They fought to the end until the Soviet Army liberated Berlin. There were no protests when Jewish property was plundered. Karajan performing in OCCUPIED AND PLUNDERED PARIS, frankly speaking is disgusting. Toscanini refused as did Furtwanger to play for any nationalists of any stripe.

[padredemishijos12]

Truly disgusting to hear Von Karajan in a performance in occupied Paris giving comfort to the occupiers and collaborators.

[XSW1000]

Z. Metha is at least equal,

to Karajan

He is also an Indian, which

cracks down

Hitler's race "theories"

[XSW1000]

Zubin Metha does it as well or better.

H.V.K was a great musician , so was Wagner- but he was a member of the Nazi party, whereas artists like Marlenbe Dietrich simply left Germany.

[japanesesweet]

career wise it may not have been so easy to move from Germany- -he was a ruthless opportunist but not i suspect particularly committed to Nazism (his 1st wife was partly Jewish,so was his record producer,so was his good friend Alexis Weissenberg....etc. etc.) - - -like most of us, he wasn't blessed with forsesight either.

[sstuddert]

@XSW1000 Zubin Metha is not comparable to Karajan.

[jorgeliebermann]

Es mejor que vean al Gran Menuhin cuando tocó para los que habían quedado vivos de los campos de concentración!Es una escena que Él mismo me la narró...y le dan lugar a actos nazis.Yo quiero y respeto a You tube,eliminen lo peor.

[berlinzerberus]

karajan war,wie jeder diktator,ein mensch der gewalt.sein tun war eher geleitet vom ideal imperialer machtausübung als von dem aus dem geiste der musik.

es scheint,als ob er erst nach den strengen prüfungen,die das leben ihm durch alter und krankheit zugemutet hat,geläutert,zum humanistisch geprägten bewußsein vorgedrungen ist.

die letzten aufnahmen,als er vor dem orchester wieder die augen öffnete,sind einzigartig und geprägt von dieser endgültigen hinwendung zum menschlichen.

[moman1208]

man hes relli energetic

[deja2048]

hey someone has to play darth vader to make luke skywalker the hero of star wars. von karajan was the wehner von braun of nazi musical genius. dont deny he was a nazi. dont deny his genius. you will never understand nazism;s power without watching triumph of the will or the

passion of the red army without viewing wwll classics like 'the sacred war.' as brando says to sheen in apocalypse now:make friends with horror or horror will become your worst enemy. evil genius is antihero of yinyang.

[MrAchxo]

woww.....true true!!

[sstuddert]

Karajan wasn't a Nazi, did you know that Hitler once remarked that he hated Karajan's conducting? Now if you were Karajan and you were aware of such an attitude, what would you do?

[TrottaVonSipolje]

@sstuddert "Karajan wasn't a Nazi"

Well, did you know, he was a double member of the nsdap ?

He had not just one, but even TWO memberships in the party.

This is 100% more than all the other nazis.

[davidm416]

It's almost like someone saying they don't approve of Tchaikovsky or Bernstein because they may have been gay. FUCK OFF! They're musicians! That's what we're listening to, their music!

[MrAFLANDERS]

Sorry both your comments are wrong..simply wrong and far from the mark; the Nazi movement was embedded in German culture; over centuries this germ, this cancer grew and was obvious to many learned Germans and Europeans in general; but it was allowed to ripen from within its own culture to produce a cess pool of evil spilling in all directions and infecting everything it touched; that it was allowed to grow at all is Germany and Europe's shame.

[davidm416]

Probably not, because such footage doesn't exist. He was THE MAN. So fuck off with all your stupid Nazi remarks. The fact IS that he was an AMAZING figure in the world of classical music. What, are we just supposed to pretend that he didn't have any talent? Is that what you morons want? For us to sweep Karajan under the rug?

[davidm416]

Seriously, I've just started learning about Karajan. To me, it's absolutely ridiculous that people criticize him for being a Nazi. FUCK OFF! He was born where he was born, in the time he was born in and had no control over that. He wanted to play music, and joining the Nazi party was the only way he could bring music to as many people as he desired. Don't judge him when you've probably done worse. Can anyone show me some video of someone who conducts an orchestra better than Karajan?

[cort381]

Un Gran Director que independiente de haber dirigido la Orquesta Sinfonica alemana en esos tiempos, No le quita su gran talento y amor a la musica ya que al final es Universal, sin importar ideas,religion,razas y traumas.

[tiarca]

le seul alemand qui a due etre bien acceuilli en France à cette époque

[aronron2727]

tiarca, ça c'est la propagande de de Gaulle et de la suite des politiques français qui n'avait pas le choix que de laisser certains mensonges perdurer. Il y a un sacré paquet de Français qui ont sympathisé avec les Allemands, même Cocteau, Vlaminck et plusieurs autres. On sait que les Français attendaient que les Canadiens, Anglais et Américains viennent se faire tuer, avant que les Français, une fois le vent bien tourné, se lèvent enfin. Pauvre France, que de mensonges en ton nom.

[tiarca]

ce que je vois sutous c'est que tu ne comprend pas tres bien le deuxieme degré

Humour, que de gens ne te comprennent...

[tiarca]

ce que je vois sutous c'est que tu ne comprend pas tres bien le deuxieme degré

Humour, que de gens ne te comprennent...

[golbalson]

think of this...... where in the world there were great composers, writers, scientists? India?, Iran? Greece? no !Germany!!! Why people from differents races were able to develop only there to the highest ? would Mahler develop a composer in China? how many others had the oportunity to study in Germany and Austria ? Then respect the land that let you become a composer cientists , only there, not somewhere else!!

[sebiart001]

did you know anything about history? of course there where great scientists in greece and china( the european culture is mainly influenced by antik greek ideas and the way science workes). The chineese opera is very old and complex and beautiful. Every country has its own great minds.

[davidm416]

Yes, but I have to agree with golbalson to some extent. Germany takes a lot of heat for the events of the past century when it really could have happened anywhere. Everytime I see a reference to Germany's Nazi past in a movie or something, intended to bash Germany, I get pissed. Most Americans are of German ancestry!!! More than anything else! Our culture has more of a German influence than anything else. So it's totally lame when we make fun of them. Makes us look even worse than we do already.

[sstuddert]

Yes, Germany is not to blame at all.

[padredemishijos12]

@sstuddert Are you rewriting history? Are you saying that the germans were sleepwaking through Europe?

[sstuddert]

@padredemishijos12 The German people can't be blamed for the tyranny of a few maniacs, just as france can't be called a nation of war-mongers because of Napoleon.

[promptersbox]

@sstuddert

Yes they can.

[sstuddert]

@promptersbox no, they can't, do you think the German people would have supported Hitler for a second if they knew what it was going to lead to? of course not.

[promptersbox]

@sstuddert

You need to study history. They DID support him...through Kristallnacht, the invasion of Poland and on and on. Ever notice the massive crowds at Nuremberg? A scene repeated all over Germany and Austria.

"Mein Kampf" was there for everyone to read. His hatred of the Jews was expressed in speech after speech. They did support him, they supported the war and through their silence, they supported the extermination of the Jews. He joined the Nazi party twice.

[sstuddert]

@promptersbox Those massive crowds at Nuremberg account for 0.7% of the population of Germany at the time. As for their support of Hitler, they DID support Hitler, just like the U.S. supported Bush. Well, the U.S. certainly regretted that decision, fortunately for them, the president didn't seize indefinite absolute power by murdering or incapacitating all of his political rivals and trapping the nation in a state of totalitarianism.

Now, off you fuck.

[uhartchristian]

@sstuddert come on everybody in germany did read the book mein kampf as it was the holy bible there. and all was written in that book.... nobody did ignore the kristallnacht as it was a "big" and noisy event.... yes all germany or nearly all supported these massmurderers and thieves. read the book of Mrs alma Mahler Werfel and you will understand what happened in that time.... My mother told me she did not have seen the Kristallnacht but she knew as everybody. they did not want to look !!!!

[uhartchristian]

Karajan was quite clever, to continue without problems his career after the war, he took Mister Glotz as his impresario (agent) . so he had no problems and could do a lot of money, fly with his own airplaine , have a nice house in st tropez and salzburg and much more.... he married a joung and beautiful french girl. thats as much adaptation as Furtwaengler showed during the war....

[sstuddert]

@sebiart001 Germany has the greater musical history though.

[AZIMUTH595]

I guess that is the danger in Internet: I only visited this page in order to listen to some music and watch an interesting documentary, but unfortunately I had to stumble upon a totally idiotic comment like yours... get a life, for god's sake and stop hiding your poor existence behind geography. And speaking of geography, I don't consider it a coincidence that 2 world wars started from Germany...

[billyguns2]

The Karajan sound is in full evidence even at this early date.

[joeocho88]

Hitler was a nut who only THOUGHT he knew about music. Guess alll that power went to his head. Hitler had a Jewish grandfather on one side of his family so what did HE know about anti-Jewish composer Richard Wagner....

[nmrkg]

To joeocho88- what nonsense it is to say that Hitler had grandfather!

Karajan was an opportunist who didn't even think twise before joining the Nazi party- I have no respect for him what so ever!

[Manya1759]

"what nonsense it is to say that Hitler had grandfather!" well, I think he had :P

Let Karajan rest in peace. He was an artist, not a pope; don't expect angel's behaviour from every artist. Fortunately we don't know what we would do in his situation.

[nmrkg]

Right... at least not a Jewish Grandpa.

Of course there is not always a connection between great artistry and high moral standards.

"Fortunately we don't know what we would do in his situation"

It is obvious to me that I would never join to Nazi party,especially as a musician,knowing that some of the best musicians & friends from all the orchestras in Germany & Austria,have been sent away and disappeared.Other great artists who took a stand- Hindemith, Ditrich, Mann and more. them I respect!

[japanesesweet]

yes,of course you have the benefit of hindsight. I imagine you take a similarly critical stance on Shostakovich for his complicity in an equally bad regime.

[nmrkg]

Shostakovich was afraid for his life. Karjan could have defected, Shostakovich couldn't. Read Sebastian's Hafner's book "Diaries of a German". that helps to explain who would be the type to join the Nazis, and who not.

[sstuddert]

@nmrkg Yes, Karajan could have defected and ruined his career. In any case, if Rachmaninov and Stravinsky left Russia, why didn't Shostakovich?

[padredemishijos12]

@sstuddert Shostakovic remained in Stalinist USSR to prosecute the anti fascist war.  Plain and simple. Shostakovich remained an anti Stalinist to the end. Just like Toscanini remained an anti fascist in the US. No evidence that Von Karajan was an anti Nazi unitl the war ended.

[aronron2727]

well said japanesesweet.

[quelbop]

Hindemith was edged out of Germany by the Nazis, as Hitler remembered a scandous theatre work he's seen in the 20s...

in terms of what he was prepared to do: by the 1930's Hindemith was happy to accept a commission to write a piece for the Luftwaffee....do i care?

not much, These were very difficult times and it's difficult to imagine how we'd act in similar circumstances.

lest there be any doubt,morals and great art don't always coincide.

[wagnerian1979]

Madame Wagner is Winifred Wagner, Siegfried's wife.

Hitler hated Karajan's conducting and told Winifred that Karajan will never conduct at Bayreuth during his lifetime. And he was right- Karajan made his Bayreuth debut in 1951!! And he was excellent judging from the recordings that exist. Shame Karajan never returned, he was an excellent Wagner conductor.

[evangelion53]

I wonder if Hitler hated Karajan's rock star looking hair. lol Later on in his life, his image never really changed - the same hairstyle even as he aged and his hair thinned. It was quite a shock to see his dark, straight hair in this clip!

[GermanOperaSinger]

Indeed...I love how energetic he is in this clip and his hair flying about; it seems that he became slightly more mellow in his conducting as he aged, but still with the same passion during his performances.

[joeocho88]

Cosima Wagner's was born in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany; father:of Alexander Victor François de Flavigny (1770-1819),French aristocrat;mother: Maria-Elisabeth Bethmann (1772-1847), a Jewish German banker's daughter whose family had converted to Catholicism.Mother Jewish=Cosima Jewish.

[joeocho88]

Even back then, Von Karahan was something to behold.

I am amazed that the French didn't try to kill the Germans!

Cosima Wagner was supposed to have been nearly six feet since her Dad was Franz Liszt. Cosima and Richard Wagner had at least one son, Siegfried, and maybe this was HIS wife. (December 24, 1837 - April 1, 1930 for Cosima)Could have been Eva or Isolde, Cosima and Richard's daughters.

[stevedn1]

Just why would they do that - there was peace and the war between France and Germany was over.

[tenorismo]

Amazeing Herbie the K joined the Nazi party twice

[JD1985]

Don't try to fuse politics with Karajan's artistry. Also saying he joined the party only because he couldn't get a job is highly simplistic.

[majortom51970]

Even at this early age, you can tell the kind of genious he was. He was later accused of being just "cold" and "technical". These were accusations of people used to artists putting sweet syrup on everything. Karajan's devotion to detail and his care not to impose false sentimentalities of his own, allowed the works of the composers to be revealed in the best possible and most respectful way.

[BrucknerEnthusiast]

majortom51970: Absolutely true! Karajan was a shy man, but confident of his own ability, and the combination of these two factors made some people think he was "cold", but he wasn't.

As for people who complain about too much emphasis on "technical" matters, what do they want? Do they want technical incompetence?

Anyone who thinks Karajan was cold should hear his terrifying DG recording of Honegger Symphony No. 3. Unforgettable.

[cauim]

Madame Wagner? This is Cosima Wagner?

[murraybowles]

wow! he made a huge cut in the overture!

[BrucknerEnthusiast]

No, he didn't cut it - it's just the film has been drastically edited!

[CaravakisBass]

wow amazing post

karajan and wagner is an amazing combo

[Manya1759]

I agree

[sagalat]

To "dantaspaulo": It is YOU who are 'friggin nazi,' you obscurantist, bottom-feeding, well-poisoning vile brainless pendejo! (I say this will total respect)

[ezzemiah]

Thanks a lot.

[DanseDePuck]

Hey, I can only get 54 seconds of the 1.22 minutes promised--- What's up? Thanks

[dantaspaulo]

He was a f*cking nazi, but he's a great conductor.

[BrucknerEnthusiast]

No, he wasn't a Nazi. There's a fascinating 800-page biography of Karajan by Richard Osborne which I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in Karajan. The Nazi period is discussed in detail, and there's no doubt that all the accusations of Karajan being a Nazi are proved false. He joined the party when he was about 25 because he couldn't get a job otherwise, but he soon left it. In fact Hitler tried to block Karajan's career. Then Karajan married a Jew, which was not a good career move ...

[majortom51970]

Excellent point! I think anyone accusing Karajan should read the Osborne biography first.

[KaiserGorlak]

OMG WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS!

[juanlcastillo]

Cuando Karajan tenia como 4 años...

[daspianist]

his hair... it inspires me!!!!

[ferchikaiko]

thanks a lot for posting it

[davidmwilliams]

omg this is awesome, thank you for posting it!