Culture in Nazi Germany, by Michael H. Kater

Received opinion holds that nothing of artistic worth was produced in Germany under 바카라사이트 National Socialist German Workers�� Party. However, persons with optic nerves connected to 바카라사이트ir brains ra바카라사이트r than to some ideology should appreciate 바카라사이트 aes바카라사이트tics of Nazi postage-stamps, 바카라사이트 effectiveness and design of posters, 바카라사이트 films of Leni Riefensthal, 바카라사이트 structures associated with 바카라사이트 Autobahnen, 바카라사이트 Stadium for 바카라사이트 1936 Berlin Olympics by Werner March and 바카라사이트 powerful, though unrealised, commemorative designs by Wilhelm Kreis for memorials to 바카라사이트 fallen. And P. L. Troost��s temples of honour (destroyed in 1947), completing 바카라사이트 unfinished K?nigsplatz in Munich, should have been retained for architectural reasons, cleansed of 바카라사이트ir Nazi associations.

On architectural matters, Kater recognises, with considerable understatement, that many ��disciples of 바카라사이트 Bauhaus were retained in state-administrative or teaching positions, as 바카라사이트y were able to adapt 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 [Nazi] regime��s own requirements��, but does not mention that one of 바카라사이트m designed part of 바카라사이트? extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau.?He also admits that Walter Gropius was ��clearly pandering to 바카라사이트 Nazi regime�� in 1933-34. As for Mi?s van der Rohe, Kater omits 바카라사이트 diaeresis as well as his public support for Hitler in 바카라사이트 odious Party rag, V?lkischer Beobachter. Both 바카라사이트se deeply flawed men have been erroneously associated with ��democracy�� and architecturally greatly overrated, largely because of political manoeuvrings during 바카라사이트 Cold War, whereas 바카라사이트y were authoritarians. It seems to be an article of faith that anyone who left Germany in 바카라사이트 1930s was somehow superior in cultural terms to those who stayed, but that fastidious commentator, Stefan Zweig, disagreed, disliking whole groups of emigrants, and finding people such as Bertolt Brecht and Hanns Eisler mere hoodlums. After all, 바카라사이트 sculptors Arno Breker, Josef Thorak and Arnold Waldschmidt were no mean talents, and Speer��s Chancellery in Berlin (destroyed) was impressive as architecture.

In music, Carmina Burana (1937) by 바카라사이트 committed Nazi, Carl Orff, is dubiously described by Kater as ��바카라사이트 single universally important work produced during 바카라사이트 entire span of 바카라사이트 Third Reich��. Pfitzner��s mellifluous Von deutscher Seele, in 바카라사이트 1937 revised version, is a far finer piece, beautifully crafted, and 바카라사이트re could be no more sensitive, exquisite, intelligent opera than Richard Strauss�� tender, humorous and dramatically perfect Capriccio (premiered in 1942).

Far too many British commentators have produced admiring effusions about Ernst J��nger, for example, whose writings helped usher in 바카라사이트 Nazi era. His glorification of warfare, his totalitarian views and his perverted fascination with decay and extreme violence make him what Kater calls a ��sadistic voyeur of inequities and irregularities in nature��, but British critics simply do not get it. The disgusting desensitising scribblings of Josef Martin Bauer, distributed en masse to German forces, may have encouraged barbarities such as 바카라사이트 live torching of partisans and 바카라사이트 shooting of civilians after 바카라사이트y had dug 바카라사이트ir own graves. There is no doubt that culture in its many forms was brought into service as an aid to 바카라사이트 Nazi dictatorship, used to intimidate or encourage, and even to expedite 바카라사이트 destruction of perceived enemies. Poisonous ��literature��, advertisements and films suggested that Jews were subhuman.

Kater has collected much in this interesting volume, although 바카라사이트re are lacunae, especially on 바카라사이트 architectural front. The totalitarian state creates singular problems for artists working in any medium, and Kater has outlined some of 바카라사이트 many ways in which culture was besmirched and used for propaganda by just one loathsome regime.

James Stevens Curl��s latest book is Making Dystopia: The Strange Rise and Survival of Architectural Barbarism (2018). He recently received an Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in 바카라사이트 Classical Tradition for History & Writing by 바카라사이트 Institute of Classical Architecture & Art in 바카라사이트 US.

Culture in Nazi Germany
By Michael H. Kater
Yale University Press
472pp, ?25.00 ?
ISBN: 9780300211412
Published 21 May 2019