UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Waltzing in 4/4 March Tempo: Viennese Music in the Third Reich by Keith M. Fewster A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF GERMAN, SLAVIC AND EAST ASIAN STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA APRIL, 2012 © Keith M. Fewster 2012 Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-87909-2 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-87909-2 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de thesis. cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. Canada Abstract Research into music in the Third Reich has been relatively neglected by historians since WWII. This study investigates the impact of Third Reich policies on the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (GdMf), a major Viennese music Society, while the Society was under the Nazi Regime from 1938-1945. The GdMf case study evidence is measured against Primo Levi's "gray zone" theory of human behaviour in a totalitarian state. GdMf music programs flourished under Franz Schiitz, a professional musician and Nazi Party member. Under his GdMf leadership, the Nazis were not just perpetrators and the Viennese were not just victims. The study shows the response of the Viennese to the Nazi takeover of the Society can best be classified as collaboration, compromise and complicity. This case study also sheds light on the question of Austria as the first victim of Nazi aggression and how Austrians today are coming to terms with their Nazi past. ii Acknowledgements This thesis would not have come to fruition without the encouragement, assistance and support of many people and organizations. Firstly, I want to acknowledge my deceased wife Christine who introduced me to and encouraged my venture into German language studies and Viennese music culture. Her support in connecting me to key people in Viennese music institutions contributed greatly to the success of my thesis research in Vienna. I owe a sincere expression of gratitude to my supervisors Dr. Florentine Strzelczyk and Dr. Horst Mastag. Without their expertise, guidance, commitment, kindness, patience and dedicated hard work to help me every step of the way, I would not have been able to complete this work. I also gratefully acknowledge their encouragement, interest and support in my thesis topic over several years. My thanks are also extended to Dr. Sandra Hoenle and Dr. Barbara Schneider for agreeing to participate on my thesis defense committee and to Dr. Michael Taylor for acting as neutral chair. I acknowledge and appreciate the staff in the GSEA department for their support and encouragement and for providing me with teaching opportunities and financial support during my Masters program. My thanks are extended to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for financial support, approvals for care giving and bereavement Leaves of Absences, and for an extension of time to allow completion of my Masters program. I especially want to acknowledge Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c Otto Biba, Direktor of the Archiv, Bibliothek und Sammlungen, and his staff Frau Ilse Kosz and Mag. Julia Kirnbauer in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. Their assistance in finding and interpreting research materials for me over several years has been outstanding and an invaluable iii resource. Professor Biba's encouragement and continuing interest in my study has also been a significant source of inspiration to me. As well, I appreciate the approval from the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde to use copyright materials in the Appendix of this thesis. Similarly Dr. Erwin Barta, the archivist at the Konzerthansgesellschaft in Vienna, has been very generous in providing me with materials from that society and offering general guidance in my understanding of musical life in Vienna. I want to thank my friend Helmuth Rapp in Vienna who shares my interest in music and has offered me encouragement and support and provided me with materials and information over the years for my research in Vienna. I am grateful to Leslie Potter at the Taylor Family Digital Library at the University of Calgary and to my son Robert Fewster for their computer technical support in finalizing my thesis. Finally I want to acknowledge my friend and music colleague Jiirgen Bahr, along with Austrian authors Heinrich Kralik and Thomas Weyr, who provided the inspiration for the reference to "waltzing in march tempo" in my thesis title. iv Dedication My thesis is dedicated to the memory of my beloved wife Christine. Together we experienced many wonderful visits to her native Vienna where I was introduced to the musical life of the city. We shared the rich Viennese musical experience for many years which inspired my interest in, and provided the opportunity for, the research on my thesis topic. Her support, encouragement and interest in my German studies and language acquisition are her legacy to me which will continue to enrich my life forever. v Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii Dedication v Table of Contents vi List of Tables viii List of German Terms ix INTRODUCTION 1 Music and the Third Reich—a neglected area of study 4 Researching Viennese Music in the Third Reich 9 Vergangenheitsbewdltigung in Austria 10 Collaboration, Compromise and Complicity 14 THIRD REICH MUSIC POLICIES AND IDEOLOGY 22 NATIONAL SOCIALISM IN AUSTRIA AND VIENNA 37 Austrian Political History 1918-1938 37 Viennese Music under the Hakenkreuz 44 Viennese music institutions under the Nazi regime 49 Wiener Konzerthaus 49 Wiener Philharmoniker 53 Wiener Staatsoper 58 Denazification 62 GESELLSCHAFT DER MUSIKFREUNDE (SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS OF MUSIC) 1938-1945 65 GdMfhistory—1812-1938 65 National Socialism in the GdMf. 76 GdMf under the Hakenkreuz 76 Franz Schtitz—the GdMf s "man of the hour" 78 Compromise and Coercion: Six Cases 82 Friedrich DlabaC 82 Wilhelm FurtwSngler 85 Anthony van Hoboken 88 Karl Geiringer 91 Franz Schmidt 93 Friedrich Wildgans 95 Schtttz's "Modus Operandi" 97 Schfltz's 6-week self-congratulatory Report Card 97 Nazi sympathizers "IN"—Jews "OUT" 100 From Vienna to Berlin 102 Concerts "unter dem Hakenkreuz" 109 vi Wahrend die Russen vor den Toren Wiens stehen —(Russians at Vienna's gates) 117 Art vs. Atrocity 122 Schutz on Schtitz 126 CONCLUSION 128 BIBLIOGRAPHY 131 APPENDIX A MUSIKVEREIN BUILDING 146 APPENDIX B 147 Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde - Brochure 147 APPENDIX C 151 Concert Programs—GdMf 1937/38 to 1944/45 and 1950/51 151 vii List of Tables Table 1 Page 115 GdMf concerts 1937-1951 viii List of German Terms (excluding terms translated in the text and titles of books and music compositions) German English Gegenwart present (time) Geschichte history, story Hakenkreuz swastika (hooked cross) Lager camp e.g. Nazi concentration camp MSnnergesangverein men's choir Musikverein music society—also name of the GdMf concert building Nfirnberger Rassengesetze Nazi racial laws announced in the city ofNurnberg, Germany in 1933 Schrammelmusik Viennese folk music named after folk composers Johann and Josef Schrammel Vergangenheit past (time) Verdffentlichung publication, disclosure Volkischer Beobachter official Nazi party newspaper Wiederhersteliung reconstitution or reestablishment Zentralfriedhof central cemetery, e.g., in Vienna where great Viennese composers are buried ix 1 INTRODUCTION Soil man das Thema nicht „endlich" ruhen lassen? Hat man nicht schon „genug" getan, bedacht, gedacht? Muss es sein, dass sich die hoch lebenden Mitschuldigen schlechter flihlen und die iiberlebenden Unschuldigen dadurch auch nicht besser? .. .Fragen dieser Art werden wohl immer noch, immer wieder gestellt. Die Antwort kann nur lauten, dass man nie genug getan hat, solange es Erinnerung an die Greuel gibt. Und dass das Wachhalten der Erinnerung an Geschichte—an gute so wie an schreckliche Zeiten—den Kulturmenschen erst ausmacht. Das Thema ruht nicht Wir konnen uns also nur selbst zur Ruhe begeben, um ihm auszuweichen.1 Despite the tomes that have already been written about the Third Reich since 1945, there is a continuing interest by historians and scholars in continuing research and study of this topic. Although the political impact of National Socialism had come to an end, there has been a veritable explosion of discussion about the National Socialist past in the public realm—involving media, intellectuals, politicians of all parties and the general public.