Nazi Leadership and Classical Music - Essay Example

Nazi Leadership and ical Music Introduction Research and studies show that Adolf Hitler with his Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party) ruled the German government with the support of classical music. Hitler became the leader of the Nazi party, formed in 1921 by unemployed Germans, which he used later to form the dictatorial government from 1933 to 1945. Hitler and the Nazi leadership used the German art and classical music that was essentially meant to further their aim in achieving the superior and inferior racial divisions in Germany. They used the Third Reich to promote their ideologies of racism and nationalism. During the Nazi era, the alien music and jazz was prohibited, which followed the exclusion of jazz and Jewish musicians in the music industry. Additionally, the Nazis promoted the use of classical music in the Nazi concentration camps as a tool of command (Kater 2003, p.167). Classical music in Germany In the Third Reich, administrative and educational policies were developed to facilitate the spread of Nazis political ideologies to the youth and the masses in Germany. In his time, Hitler abolished the Jewish music and saturated the German citizens with their songs, which further promoted their political theories. In 1933, the Nazis claimed the control of all kinds of music in the Reich and this illustrated their initial need to control the public through classical music. They introduced complicated procedures for musicians to join the Reich and this was meant to kill the music culture especially among the Jews. Hitler had a personal interest in the German art and cultures and, therefore, he promoted the spread of the so-called “German folk songs” that described the German culture. Before 1933, the Nazis had implanted the political forums that spread the propaganda claiming that the Jewish music culture had negative impacts to the Germans. The Nazis funded the classical music departments assured of creation of avenues for airing the political ideologies. By then, classical music was used to attract the masses in order for them to get involved in the Nazi Party’s activities. Studies reveal that the fact that most Germans loved music made a path for the Nazis for spreading their racism theories (Turino 2008, p. 35). In 1936, during the Berlin Olympics, the Reich leaders made sure that the German classical music spread their political ideologies not only in Germany, but also, to the whole world. The Nazis in the Reich funded and supported those musicians that held the legacy of spread the German culture, as well as, those who entered the music industry at that time. Some of the musicians include Von Karajan and Wilhelm Furtwangler. These artists joined the Nazi party and attended the official celebrations that Hitler held in Germany. Similarly, the Nazi Party leaders attended the concerts held by these artists, spreading racism theories, that the Jews and Bolshevik were supposed to be eliminated from the German society (Kater 2003, p.169). In the fight against the Jews, the Nazi party established policies that led to the termination of Jewish music performances in Germans’ theatre. In 1935, Hitler initiated the Propaganda Ministry that led to elimination of Jewish composers in the music industry. During the Nazi era, music education among the youths was essentially meant to utilize the German culture aimed at promoting racism and nationalism. The music educators at that time were guided strict canonical guidelines in teaching the young people. They had to incorporate the racial theories postulated by the Nazi Party while developing their teaching programs. Hitler implanted the racism theories in the minds of the children through the German classical music. Music historians indicate that, Hitler’s government killings were facilitated by the way he spread the racism ideologies via the music industry (Turino 2008, p. 36). Research shows that formation of the “Hitler Youth” united many musical groups in Germany. Music groups such as the orchestras, music teams and radio groups were sponsored by the Nazi Party government. During the war against the inferiors in Germany, the masses, the troops and the Nazi supporters were fed by racism theories in the classical songs. The Nazis seemed to exercise cruelty to the Jews just because they loved the German classical music. In opera centers in Berlin, Germany, were fed with German art that accelerated the cruelty of the German troops in the war. The popular British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio usually played the classical songs filled racist theories. Since, Hitler had established the Reich to administer all types of musical songs; he managed to facilitate the war against the poor and inferior through the German classic songs (Bergen 2003, p. 96). In the concentration camps, the Nazis incorporated the classical music as a tool of command on the inmates. The camp inmates had to sing for the guards in the evening. There were few camps established before 1933, and after Adolf Hitler became the president, the political opponents were pushed in those camps forced to sing the classical songs. The opponents forced to the camps spread propaganda speeches to the inmates. In 1935, people were filled with the Nazi Party ideologies that, they even, started to discriminate against the poor Jews. The prisoners during the wars were demoralized by being forced to sing along the German folk songs that were targeted to maintain the respect for Nazi government. With millions of people, being killed during the Nazi regime, Hitler ensured that the troops spread the propaganda speeches during their operations (Bergen 2003, p. 98). In conclusion, the Nazi leadership used the art of music in spreading their political ideologies in Germany and across the whole world. Adolf Hitler, the famous dictator, utilized the German’s love for music to demoralize them during his regime. Before 1933, the popular jazz and Jewish songs had boomed in the music industry in Germany. In 1931, Hitler established the Reich that led to elimination of the Jewish songs. The Nazi leadership used the Third Reich in spreading their racism ideologies through the German folk songs. They funded the German classical music artists to continuously spread their intended messages. In the education system, the music educators were forced to incorporate the Nazi’s political ideologies while training the youth. The fact that, the political ideologies were implanted in young people through music may be the causal factor of cruelness during the Nazi’s regime. During the war, the Nazi leadership ensured continued spread of their ideologies aimed in troop camps and the concentration camps. Although other factors facilitated the massive killings in Germany, classical music seems to have accelerated the war during the Nazi’s regime. References List Bergen, D. L. (2003). War & genocide: a concise history of the Holocaust. Lanham, Md. [u.a.], Rowman & Littlefield. Kater, M. H. (2003). Music and nazism: art under tyranny, 1933 - 1945. Laaber, Laaber-Verl. Turino, T. (2008). Music as social life: the politics of participation. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. Read More