Herbert Von Karajan's Tryst With Nazi Music

By Author: Julia Bennet
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In spite of Hitler’s predicted ascension to power, many of the Third Reich soldier songs were composed after 1933 with the intention of altering the musical aptitude not only of Germany but also of the conquered territories. However rich and diverse the German musical legacy might have been till then, the course of events after 1930 completely transformed the trend and the music emanating since then is described as belonging to a new genre namely Nazi music. In fact historians note that if there was anything with which the German leaders were obsessed apart from the Berlin Olympics in 1936, it was the Nazi military music and German soldier songs.

Nazi music which was prevalent during that time was characterized by five prominent figures that held the firm belief that music was one of the best methods to further the political agenda of the regime. Two of the most conspicuous as also renowned conductors as also composers were Wilhelm Furtwangler and Herbert von Karajan and it is the latter amongst them who was credited with being a prodigy. Being as young as 24 years old when Hitler assumed power, he joined the Nazi ...
... party at that time and went on to compose many inspiring Third Reich soldier songs, not to mention the other forms of musical rhapsodies.

At a time when many musicians were immigrating to other parts of the world to maintain a safe distance from the Nazi regime, Von Karajan decided to stay in Europe and take up the cudgels of Nazi music as specified by the dominating powers. This decision along with the one to join the Nazi ranks was one which always shrouded his career and put him at odds with the rest of Europe, especially Austria. During this time he cultivated many contacts within the Nazi and SS ranks and courtesy of his musical ingenuity was able to compose Third Reich soldier songs which are available in CDs’ even today.

If Hitler’s regime at that time was in need of a young, charismatic and talented face to represent its ideologies, Herbert Von Karajan filled in the gap perfectly. Apart from conducting Third Reich soldier songs at official celebrations following annexation of neighboring countries, he also conducted tributes on Hitler’s birthdays. So impeccable was his compilation of Nazi music that many of his original recordings are held in high esteem even today. Given his affinity to the regime as also its beliefs, he never hesitated to present programs which were laden with propaganda material.

Amongst the hordes of compositions played by Von Karajan, one of the well known Third Reich soldier songs was ‘Horst Wessel’ which was the official anthem of NSDAP and hence featured frequently in concerts. Playing Nazi music as composed by Wagner was one of Karajan’s specialty and some noteworthy performances in this regard were ‘Meistersinger’ at the Berlin State Opera and ‘Tannhauser’ on the occasion of Hitler’s birthday in 1935. However, the epitome of his career is still ‘Tristan and Isolde’, a Wager masterpiece which critics of that era hail as ‘the Karajan miracle’.

Continued dedication to the regime in form of Nazi music earned Karajan sizeable financial rewards and this along with success in the recording markets ensured that this was a good phase for him. However it is also courtesy of Third Reich soldier songs that he was the only German musician to have faced the longest period of enforced unemployment after the end of the war. To prove his loyalty to the regime, Karajan also opted for the post of fighter pilot for which he was rejected due to his age. Overall, Karajan built a legacy for German military music which is hard to ignore or overlook.

There were certain faces in the Nazi regime which added an aura of glorification to Nazi music and Herbert von Karajan was one of them. Apart from composing Third Reich soldier songs his ingenuity lay in conducting Wagner's works as well as an ode to the regime in power.