The Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
Entartete Musik
English: Degenerate Music
…the sound the “Führer” did not want to listen to…
A lecture by Adrienne Haan
Under the patronage of the German Consul General in Cape Town
Presented by the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre
Degenerate Music (German: Entartete Musik) was a label applied in the 1930s by the Nazi government in Germany to certain forms of music that it considered to be harmful or decadent. The Nazi government's concern for Degenerate Music was a part of its larger and more well-known campaign against Degenerate Art ('Entartete Kunst'). In both cases, the government attempted to isolate, discredit, discourage, or ban the works.
In her historical lecture, Ms. Haan highlights many aspects of German history and goes as far back as the year 1914, the beginning of World War I (1914-18), focusing on the the Primal Catastrophe (German: Urkatastrophe) of the 20th Century that would later on lead to the Third Reich.
She elaborates the politics of the last German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the connection between Germany and the Great Powers at that time. Many facets of the Great War are shown and she then continues to take the audience straight into the Weimar Republic (1918-1933), again focusing on its politics, but also focusing on its artist and the rise of European Cabaret.
She then illustrates the life and works of some of the most famous musicians of the time before she progressively finds the passage to the rising Nazi Regime, its politics and therefore the end of the pluralism of the Weimar Republic.
The Great Depression of 1929, the forbidden Jazz and Swing music under the Naziz as well as the persecution and execution of the so-called German “Swing-Youth” which originated in Hamburg, Germany are also important topic of this lecture.
During the lecture, Ms. Haan contrasts the music that was allowed in the Third Reich (1933-1945), and the music that was considered degenerate.
Approx. running time including Q&A: 1 hour
In her lecture, Adrienne Haan goes into detail about the origins of this catastrophe, featuring certain artists. There will be a powerpoint presentation with music toward the end of the lecture, a Q&A session as well as a reception.
The lecture begins at 6 pm and is FREE of charge.