DDR/BRD bandleaders active during the Third Reich period

Discussions on the music in the Third Reich. Hosted by Ivan Ž.
Ostuf Charlemagne
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DDR/BRD bandleaders active during the Third Reich period

#1

Post by Ostuf Charlemagne » 17 Apr 2004, 03:38

[Several topics dealing with the same subject have been merged and renamed by the host, Ivan Ž.]

I'm looking for info on Heinz Winkel, who was a trumpet player of Musikkorps der motorisierten Gendarmerie, bandmaster of Musikkorps I. der Einsatzpolizei,Breslau, from 1943 to 1945. In 1948,again policeman,he directed the Musikkorps der Schutzpolizei Berlin untill his death in 1962.
Any info about his WW2 service,medals,???? was he member of the SS ?

Also on Oberstleutnant G.Scholz who directed the Musikkorps 6 der Bundeswehr and the Stabmusikkorps in the 60s, 70s....born 1919,died 1990.He was a WW2 vet, EK II and Cross of Merit 2nd class...
Any info about his WW2 service ???????????????

Thanks to the ones who may add pictures of them in WW2.

Auceps
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#2

Post by Auceps » 07 Nov 2010, 01:31

Hello everyone!

I'm looking for the WWII or pre-WWII photos of conductors, which served in Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr.
At first I'm looking the photos of this guys:

Gerhard Scholz-Rothe (1913 - 1991), Chief of (Heeres-)Musikkorps 6, Hamburg; Stabsmusikkorps der Bundeswehr. During 1933 - 1945: Musikkorps des III. Bataillons des Infanterie-Regiments 9, Spandau; Musikkorps des Infanterie-Regiments 67, Spandau. About WWII I have two infos: Musikkorps des Artillerie-Regiments 20 or 56. Truppenoffizier, Battariefüher http://www.egb-olm.com/egb/komponisten/scholz-rothe.htm

Friedrich Deisenroth (1903 - 1997), Chief of Heeresmusikkorps 5, Koblenz; Stabsmusikkorps der Bundeswehr. During WWII: Musikkorps des Infanterie-Regiments 57, Siegen; Stabsmusikmeister bei der Wehrmachtkommandantur Kopenhagen.

Heinrich (Heinz) Schlüter, long-year Chief of Heeresmusikkorps 5, Koblenz. During 1933 - 1945: Musikkorps des Infanterie-Regiments 58, Herford; Truppenoffizier after studying in Hochschule für Musik in Berlin-Charlottenburg until 1944.

Wilhelm Stephan (1906 - ?), second Musikinspizient der Bundeswehr. During WWII: Musikkorps des Infanterie-Regiments 59, Hildesheim and from 1943 Lehrer in Berlier Musikhochschule.

Thank you very much in advance!

Auceps


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von thoma
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Bert Kämpfert

#3

Post by von thoma » 01 May 2011, 19:33

Someone can tell me about the german compositor Bert Kämpfert during the WWII ?
I know that, Kämpfert was hired by Hans Busch Tanz Orchestra for play with his orchestra, before serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. Bert Kämpfert is a beloved musician in Germany, and practically unknown in Spain.
I am interested in the unit who can served the composer of "Strangers in the Night".

Many Thanks!
" The right to believe is the right of those who don't know "

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Sewer King
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Re: Bert Kämpfert

#4

Post by Sewer King » 15 May 2011, 06:41

Bert Kämpfert was quite popular in the US as well, from the mid- to late-1960s. I heard many of his best-known hits during that time because my parents had some of his records. Somewhere I still have Wonderland by Night and A Swingin' Safari, probably his best-remembered albums.

I also remember it well from a New York City children's TV show (The Sandy Becker Show) and a Clark's chewing-gum commercial of the time, both of which also used Kämpfert's music or style. At that young age I did not know anything about who wrote the distinctive light trumpet sound, but later I did. This was around the same time that he wrote for the film A Man Could Get Killed (1965), which included "Strangers in the Night."

His music is still used in contemporary film, apparently as period sound.

There might be more, but all I could readily find about Kämpfert's wartime service was from a German site, Munzinger Biographie: "Kämpfert was in captivity in liberated Denmark from March-September 1945. During this time he formed a 18-man band from among his fellow PoWs. In postwar he perfomed with his sextet "Pik As" at a US officers' club in Bremerhaven."

Who remembers that he signed up the Beatles when they were "The Beat Brothers" on the club circuit?

-- Alan

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von thoma
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Re: Bert Kämpfert

#5

Post by von thoma » 15 May 2011, 16:09

Alan,Thanks for the Info !
" The right to believe is the right of those who don't know "

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Johannes Schade

#6

Post by Panzermahn » 26 May 2013, 13:39

Hi all

Is this the same Johannes Schade of the HMK 6 (according to the Bundeswehr Musikkorps website below, Johannes Schade was in the Luftwaffen Musikkorps)
Schade.jpg
Schade.jpg (20.1 KiB) Viewed 9439 times
http://www.militaermusik.bundeswehr.de/ ... v0w_7XSNn/

Any infos on Schade's during WW2?

Thanks
Panzermahn

Auceps
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Re: Johannes Schade

#7

Post by Auceps » 12 Oct 2014, 18:46

Panzermahn wrote: Any infos on Schade's during WW2?
1942 - musician at Stabsmusikkorps beim Wachbataillon der Luftwaffe;
1944 - 1945 - study at Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Berlin-Charlottenburg, ended with a Musikmeister rank (possibly).

Auceps
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#8

Post by Auceps » 27 Dec 2014, 04:25

As we know, most of the early Bundeswehr bandleaders like Wilhelm Stephan or Heinz Schlüter started their musical career as musicians and later as bandleaders of the Wehrmacht, even the Reichswehr (like Stephan). Now I would like to сast a glance at their "colleagues" from the DDR. By "colleauges" I mean the NVA/DVP (or even Stasi) bandleaders, musicians and (civil as well) march composers.
To begin the topic I would like to quote an article written by Werner Kunath, Oberstleutnant a. D., Musikdirektor and former bandleader of the Stabsmusikkorps der Landstreitkräfte, Leipzig:
"Die Gründung der Nationalen Volksarmee am 1 . März 1 956 (Gesetz der Volkskammer vom 18. Januar 1 956) brachte für die Militärmusik entscheidende Veränderungen und damit eine reale Basis für militärmusikalische Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten. Schon bei der Kasernierten Volkspolizei waren viele ehemalige Militärmusiker (Wehrmacht) eingestellt worden. Einige frühere Musikmeister, Obermusikmeister, Stabsmusikmeister, übernahmen die Leitung der größeren Orchester. Bei der Übernahme in die neu gebildete Armee hatten diese erfahrenen Militärdirigenten wesentlichen Einfluss auf die neu zu schaffende Dienstordnung für die Militärmusik. Ihnen ist zu verdanken, dass bestimmte traditionelle Elemente der deutschen Militärmusik, die sich von der kaiserlichen Armee über Reichswehr bis zur Wehrmacht fast unverändert erhalten hatten, übernommen wurden."
Here are some names and only a few pieces of information about them:

NVA:

Heinz Schulz (30.01.1920 - 25.07.1998) (Oberst, Musikdirektor, Musikinspizient der NVA (1956 - 1972), director of the Militärmusikschule Prora (1974 - 1978))
1938 - 1943 - trumpet player in Trompeterkorps des Artillerie-Regiments 3, Frankfurt (Oder),
1943 - was taken prisoner and held in a Soviet camp in Tashkent;

Gerhard Baumann (03.09.1921 - 07.11.2006) (Oberst, Generalmusikdirektor, bandleader of the Zentrales Orchester der NVA (1959 - 1983))
1936 - 1940 - student at the Musikschule Malchow (Mecklenburg),
1940 - 1945(?) - musician in the Luftwaffe;

Ernst Rembach (born 1919) (Oberstleutnant, Musikdirektor, deputy head (Stellvertreter) of the Zentrales Orchester der NVA (and close friend of Gerhard Baumann)
? - musician/(Ober-, Stabs-)musikmeister (?);

Hans-Helmut Hunger (14.08.1921 - 07.04.2014) (Major, Generalmusikdirektor, bandleader of the Zentrales Orchester der NVA (at the time - Zentrales Orchester des MfNV) (1956 - 1959), Zentrales Musikkorps der FDJ (1969 - ?))
? - musician/(Ober-, Stabs-)musikmeister (?);

Alfred Pechau (born 23.12.1921) (Musician of the Zentrales Orchester der NVA, composer of the "Präsentiermarsch der Nationalen Volksarmee" (today - "Brandenburger Präsentiermarsch")
1936 - 1940 - student in Rätzlingen (Altmark) (took classes of Musikdirektor Erich Bause),
? - musician in the Luftwaffe;


Landstreitkräfte

Karl Bräunig (____ - ____) (Bandleader of the Stabsmusikkorps der Landstreitkräfte, Leipzig (____ - ____)
? - musician/(Ober-, Stabs-)musikmeister (?);

Walter Linack (17.03.1909 - 08.01.1991) (Major, bandleader of the Standortmusikkorps der NVA, Halle (1956(?) - 1974)
1938 - a Musikmeister candidate, later Musikmeister;

Erich Rönisch (____ - ____) (Bandleader of the Musikkorps der Offiziershochschule der Landstreitkräfte, Görlitz/Löbau)
? - musician/(Ober-, Stabs-)musikmeister (?);


Volksmarine

Ludwig Schmidt (____ - ____) (Kapitän zur See, bandleader of the Stabsmusikkorps der Volksmarine, Rostock (____ - ____)
? - musician/(Ober-, Stabs-)musikmeister (?);


Luftstreitkräfte und Luftverteidigung

Wilhelm Horst Hoffmannbeck (05.10.1913 - 08.02.2002) (Oberst, Generalmusikdirektor, bandleader of the Stabsmusikkorps der Luftstreitkräfte und Luftverteidigung, Cottbus (1956(?) - 1977))
? - student at the the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Berlin-Charlottenburg,
? - Musikmeister;


Grenztruppen (Grenzpolizei)

Willi Heiß (1900 - ____) (Oberstleutnant (?), bandleader of the Zentrales Orchester der Deutschen Grenzpolizei (1952 - ?), Stabsmusikkorps der Grenztruppen, Erfurt (1954(1962) - 1966))
? - Stabsmusikmeister;


Deutsche Volkspolizei

Willi Kaufmann (1901 - ?) (Oberst, Musikdirektor, Musikinspizient der Deutschen Volkspolizei (1960 - 197(?), bandleader of the Orchester der Volkspolizei Berlin (later - Zentrales Orchester des MdI) (1948 - (?))
? - bandleader in the Wehrmacht in Sachsen (?),
1941 - 1947 - was held as a prisoner in Russia, organised a band for the national commitee "Freies Deutschland";


Composers

Otto Wagner (24.08.1924 - 1999) (March and brass music composer, music teacher in Leipzig);
1940 - student in Leipzig and at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Berlin-Charlottenburg (took also classes of Professor Hans Felix Husadel).

Any new information about their activity (bandleadership, composing activity) from 1933 to 1945 would be most desirable!

Regards,
Otto

Auceps
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Otto Wagner

#9

Post by Auceps » 26 Apr 2015, 00:04

I've just found an interesting information in the archives of German National Library: It seems that Otto Wagner started his composer's career already as a Luftwaffe musician. His Opus 1 was released in 1943 at Portius-Verlag, Berlin. The name of the march is "Kommodore Mölders", composed for flight music (Fliegermusik).
https://portal.dnb.de/opac.htm?method=s ... 1006709711

Auceps
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Gerhard Thürmer

#10

Post by Auceps » 02 May 2015, 01:08

Sadly the short biographical information about a DDR military and brass music composer and police musician Gerhard Thürmer was removed from this site: http://www.egb-olm.com/egb/komponisten/thuermer.htm, but it is still possible to receive a short info from the cache. Gerhard Thürmer studied - obviously in the Third Reich - as a band musician and composition, returned from the captivity only in 1948. In the last months of war he must be fighting, as many musicians in this time, as a usual soldier or driver.

Auceps
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Lothar Dobberschütz

#11

Post by Auceps » 06 May 2015, 17:33

The only information about the DDR march, brass and dance music composer Lothar Dobberschütz I've found so far is his birth date and place: 15.03.1914, Posen/Westpreußen:
http://www.dra.de/online/hinweisdienste ... t_2009.pdf
That leads to the possible conclusion, he also studied and was a musician already during the time of the Third Reich.

Edit, additional info: He was a recording engineer at the Rundfunktanzorchester Leipzig in the DDR. In the war he lost his hand, and before he was a trombonist (sadly didn't mentioned, in a military or civil band).

Source: Henkels, Kurt: Zehn Jahre Rundfunktanzorchester Leipzig. Berlin 1957, S. 16

Auceps
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#12

Post by Auceps » 22 May 2015, 19:38

According to the brief of the first deputy of the defence minister Heinz Hoffmann to Erich Honecker, dated by 11.03.1964, from 67 former Wehrmacht officers 4 were still in military bands of the NVA.

Source: Daniel Niemetz: Das feldgraue Erbe, S. 225

I presume, among them were Horst Hoffmannbeck and Walther Linack.

Edit: Most probably, two another music officers were Ludwig Schmidt (Volksmarine) and Willi Heiß (since Grenztruppen from 1961 were already submitted to the Ministry of National Defence and not to the Ministry of Internal Affairs). At least these four bandleaders were during the time of the Third Reich already music officers and not only musicians.

Auceps
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Alfred Lehmann

#13

Post by Auceps » 02 Sep 2015, 16:05

Alfred Lehmann (1921 - ?), long time in the Zentrales Orchester der NVA, later bandleader of the Musikkorps der Grenztruppen in Plauen, later Musikkorps der Landstreitkräfte in Neubrandenburg, served from 1941 to 1945 in the Infanterie-Regiment 65 in Delmenhorst as trombon player and leader of the combo band.

Source: http://www.egb-olm.com/egb/komponisten/ ... mannAlfred

Auceps
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Gerhard Baumann

#14

Post by Auceps » 29 Oct 2015, 16:24

Auceps wrote: Gerhard Baumann (03.09.1921 - 07.11.2006) (Oberst, Generalmusikdirektor, bandleader of the Zentrales Orchester der NVA (1959 - 1983))
1936 - 1940 - student at the Musikschule Malchow (Mecklenburg),
1940 - 1945(?) - musician in the Luftwaffe;
Additional info: began his service in the Luftwaffe on 01.06.1940, was musician at the Musikkorps der Fliegerhorstkommandantur Hagenow. Later was a musician in some Luftwaffe units in Holland, Russia and Romania. At the end of 1944 he was a soldier of the Fallschirmjäger company, during the Battle of the Bulge was captured by the U.S. troops and was kept as a prisoner of war in Texas and Tennessee.

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Willi Kaufmann

#15

Post by Auceps » 13 Nov 2015, 20:17

Auceps wrote: Willi Kaufmann (1901 - ?) (Oberst, Musikdirektor, Musikinspizient der Deutschen Volkspolizei (1960 - 197(?), bandleader of the Orchester der Volkspolizei Berlin (later - Zentrales Orchester des MdI) (1948 - (?))
? - bandleader in the Wehrmacht in Sachsen (?),
1941 - 1947 - was held as a prisoner in Russia, organised a band for the national commitee "Freies Deutschland";
Additional info: Kaufmann lived from 1908 to 1978, from April 1937 to October 1939 had his Musikmeister education at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Berlin-Charlottenburg. As a prisoner organized various musical ensembles, which played during the opening of the "Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland" in 1943.

Source: Schramm, Michael (Hrsg.): Militärmusik im Diskurs. Eine Schriftenreihe des Militärmusikdienstes der Bundeswehr. Band 5: Musik und Staat - Militärmusik der DDR. Dokumentationsband zum gleichnamigen Symposium vom 28. bis 30. September 2009 in Bonn. Bonn 2010

He served in the Schützen-Regiment 52 (earlier it was Infanterie-Regiment 52). He was taken as prisoner near the town of Kopys (today in Belarus, Russian: Копысь).

Source: Paul, Wolfgang: Geschichte der 18. Panzer-Division 1940-1943. Freiburg 1975, S. 413

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