Third Reich chic: Michael Jary Tanz Orch. - Leise klang eine Weise, 1940

[unpodimusica1]

That is one powerful video! It makes me sick to the stomach, all those artists who sucked up to Hitler and his gang, and then in later years bent over backwards to deny it - Leni Riefenstahl, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Furtwängler and many others. And were forgiven. The Wagner festival takes place till today amid much song and dance. Sure, they were "only doing their jobs". But they did have a choice. Many other artists left Germany. And what's the point of denying what they did?

[ScallySkinMaster]

@unpodimusica1 as jewish actress lilli palmer was once asked: "if you hadn't been a jew, would you have left germany?" she answered:" no, i would have stayed there!" most just stayed!

it's so easy to have a big mouth nowadays, if you had lived back then, as an actor or singer who would have lived from his mother tongue and who would have loved his culture, you would probably argue differently! they were not all nazis! and wagner is immortal, not even 12 years of hitler can change this!

[unpodimusica1]

@ScallySkinMaster Sure sure. Wagner is great. So is R. Strauss. And I have plenty of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's recordings. As you say, the Nazis can't change that. And Lili Palmer might have stayed. But a lot left, even those who didn't have to. My question was, fundamentally - why deny it? They could have put forward your argument, couldn't they? Like "we were doing our job, we knew no English, we had no choice". Ergo: As they say in my mother-tongue: "The hat smoulders on the thief's head."

[1920sbuff]

This was quite a memorable clip! The music in itself is lovely, although the title (Leise klang eine Weise) couldn't be more in disharmony with the anything but "leise" deafening "Weise" of war bombs.

[HarborGuy]

Germany danced as the whole of Europe was destroyed by them........how sick can it get............

[DeLorean4]

I was shocked to see the picture of Richard Strauss with Goebels. It was certainly a different era.

[genia106]

G,

Now my reply has vanished as well. Sorry.

[genia106]

Grzegorz,

I removed my comment once because I didn't like the way it appeared. Then I reposted it, it wasn't appearing on your main page. I think YT needs an Exorcism. Anyway, I am glad you saw it before it vanished.

I wonder if Hannibal Lechter had a Ph. D. in Romantic Literature.

I think Goebbels was a MONSTER and a SOCIOPATH!

[240252]

@SLACKER614 I did not know the subject of his thesis. Thank you for your information. This explains the interest Goebbels and his ministry had in the work and activity of a German poet, Stefan George - founder of "Wandervogel" - a new-romantic movement which was semi-oppositional to the 3rd Reich cultural policy. Some guys (e.g. Schellenberg) from the later anti-Hitler opposition, in their schoolyears participated in it. Goebels must have been aware of the power hidden in a romantic verse.

[SLACKER614]

@240252 thanks for the information on the 'Wandervogel'.Goebbels received his PhD in 1921 at Heidelberg University on 18th Century romantic drama. Goebbels studied literature and philosophy at universities of Bonn, Wurzburg,Freiburg and Heidelberg.Goebbels received his PhD on 18th Century romantic novelist,Wilhelm von Schutz.Goebbels two most influential teachers were, Freidrich Gundolf and his doctoral supervisor at Heidelberg, Max Freiherr von Waldberg.

[240252]

@SLACKER614 Wow, it looks like a REALLY serious education. Unbelievable! Thanks a lot for all that. It helps to put this guy in a perfectly clear faustian "light of evil".

[SLACKER614]

@240252 Goebbels tried to publish his semi-auto-biographical novel,'Michael',2 plays and poetry but was unable to find publisher. Goebbels began his diaries in 1923 and continued til his death. his 2 main influences were Nietzsche and Spengler. i seldom find a person of your caliber and intellect on YT. i enjoy your channel very much...thanks again..

[240252]

@SLACKER614 Thank you for your newest comment. I am lucky to have been able to gather here quite a unique group of really excellent, intelligent and sophistiicated guys. I am happy to be able to sit down here at least once a day for an hour or two and make an intelligent browsing through ideas, books, history, habits, humour, with such a swell society of intellectuals. It's a great priviledge in this world becoming more and more cruel and rude

[240252]

@gregkrek Thank you Russian friend, for your really friendly remark. Let me translate what you wrote, for those of us who don't speak Russians: "The Poles again are licking German asses". I would insist, however, you go to some other site. Here, most of us are educated and culturally sophisticated Europeans and Americans. Perhaps you'll feel less neurotic in a not so demanding society. So, thank you for your participation - and don't come back.

[dzheger]

A jarring video that demonstrates how talent and excellence can go hand in hand with evil, all to the sound of a most pleasant music.

[240252]

@dzheger Please read above a little discussion we had a propos Goebbels. Some new facts I didn't know.Sorry I have to leave - as memento -my answer I gave to a Russian guy who kindly send me a rude Russian line a propos what Poles do with German back sides. Well, I shouldn't bother others with such dirt, but subject of my clip, however, refers directly to all kinds of totalitarian thinking. And it's exactly what that Russian guy presented. Unfortunaterly, I was too abrupt in gettin rid of it.

[240252]

@genia106 Genia, I don't know what's going on with your comments? Two were erased before publishing - and not by me!! Another one has been "marked as spam" - so I "unspamed" it and it lived only for an hour or two. Now - it is also gone. What's going on? Did you erase all of them? But, once you mail out, you can't erase them - so who did? And how? I LOVED your emotional, clever comment about this clip, fascism, nazi chic - or wouldbe chic etc. - and I miss it on this forum. Oh, gosh :(((

[alesig19]

@240252 Thank you so much for putting up this clip, a history lesson in itself. To me it is very haunting while "leise klang eine Weise" coming from Radio and being danced to in Nazi Germany at the same time utmost horrors were committed systematically "loud and clear" . Growing up after WWII in Germany history lessons very scantily covered the rise of Nazism and its implication during my early school years in the late fifties. That changed in the 60's...

Thanks for sharing, gracias.

[bill3murr]

in the toilet bowl some things always float to the top...it would appear that that is the case with the upper british classes in so many cases...it is floating again here in political classes spurred on by the uber rich. sorry to be so graphic, but i don't know a better way of putting it. what a travesty when greed and false pride combined with a psycopathic mind set are allowed to prevail. thank you. a timely reminder contrasted against murderous nazis and a soft swing musical backdrop.

[240252]

@bill3murr Bill, I like your toilet comparisons and find them very appropriate and accurate! The case is exceptional - never in modern history of Europe so many of "upper few thousands" enthusiastically backed up a pure political barbarism. Later they shouted: yes, Adolf was a criminal! But why they did not say so when he was pushing 1000s of intellectuals into Dachau as early as in 1934? Instead, they exchanged with him such charming handshakes like Duchess of Windsor and her husband