Modern recordings/use of Third Reich music

DarExc · Post by **DarExc** » 03 Jan 2003 01:52

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

Does anyone know which, if any, marches and tunes are still in use in the Germany bundeswehr today? Marches like Erika, Funkerlied and lets not forget the Panzerlied as they have no political ties, heck there are tons, Im sure I've heard a new version of Westerwald too.

Schafer · Post by **Schafer** » 03 Jan 2003 02:18

A lot of the 'non-political' songs were written prior to the nazi era and that's the reason why they have stood the test of time. A large number were written during the 18th & 19th centuries (e.g. 'Ein Heller und ein Batzen', Schwarzbraun ist die Haselnuss' etc ) and are still sung in bierkellers today.

Lawrence · Post by **Lawrence** » 03 Jan 2003 03:12

I actually have a MP3 of the Bundeswehr singing "Wenn die Soldaten" so I take it that was written before the Nazi era.

DarExc · Post by **DarExc** » 03 Jan 2003 03:22

I would love to hear the bundeswehr version of Wenn die Soldaten, my email is [email protected] if you wouldn't mind sending it along =)

Tancred · Post by **Tancred** » 04 Jan 2003 00:55

Can somebody please post websites which offer German marching songs sung by modern bands - thanks.

DarExc · Post by **DarExc** » 04 Jan 2003 11:34

Yes that would be nice if such a site exists?

T Glaeser · Post by **T Glaeser** » 04 Jan 2003 11:56

ohh..geeez..i had and visited this one webpage that had anthems and marches for each of the countries involved during World War 2..i cant seem to find it. But the German march enthems were great...very powerful.

Bill Medland · Post by **Bill Medland** » 04 Jan 2003 13:06

Hi Forum,

I have been interested in German WW2 military music for over thirty years and my collection includes original music sheets and several original gramophone records that I still play! I have started collecting MP3 versions of the songs through sites on the net, and although not complete, I have over 150 at the moment. I would love to chat and exchange info with anyone interested in Third Reich music, my e-mail address is [email protected]

It is interesting to note that the Badenweiler Marsch was banned in the Bundeswehr because it was Hitler's favorite march, although the Fire Service (Feuerwehr) were still allowed to play it. I know former members of the Bundeswehr who told me they have sung the old wartime songs, but only behind closed doors and in private. I have heard Bundeswehr soldiers singing the Fallschirmjägerlied. A youth group that sung old Hitler Jugend songs called "Wiking Jugend e.V." I believe has been banned? German Military music and marching songs is my favorite hobby, and when I see the Bundeswehr march past with drums beating and the Schellenbaum, it makes me feel so proud.

Regards,Bill.

Lustmolch · Post by **Lustmolch** » 29 Jan 2004 17:54

Do the paratroopers still have "Rot schein't die Sonne" in their songbooks?

I would have thought that "Lili Marleen" was exempt from any Nazi association, given its popularity with both sides in the Western Desert.

Gyenes · Post by **Gyenes** » 30 Jan 2004 00:34

That is intresting. Are there many other popular songs from the WW2-era still sung. Though the verses might have been changed?

stg44 · Post by **stg44** » 17 Apr 2005 18:05

Greetings all...

I was curious to know if any modern performances of music that was popular during the 1930s-1940s has been recorded?

I was able to come across 2 copies of such recordings...the first was the Königgratzer Marsch, I believe this may have come from a soundtrack CD. Was not this music used in Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade? Perhaps that is where this piece comes from.

The other one I listened to was a recording of Deutschland über Alles (orchestral only, no vocals) that sounded very beautiful. Crystal clear CD quality in stereo. I have no idea where this one came from.

I realize that such recordings are probably extremely taboo, but if these 2 have been recorded, perhaps others have...?

PAK · Post by **PAK** » 17 Apr 2005 20:06

stg44 wrote:The other one I listened to was a recording of Deutschland über Alles (orchestral only, no vocals) that sounded very beautiful. Crystal clear CD quality in stereo. I have no idea where this one came from.

This is Joseph Haydn's "Kaiser-Quartett" written in 1797, it still is the music of the official hymn of Germany so it isn't rare at all.

stg44 · Post by **stg44** » 17 Apr 2005 21:16

I was under the impression that Deutschland über Alles was banned in Germany also?? Hmm..learn something new everyday then.

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 17 Apr 2005 21:19

Some background:

The text of the song 'Das Lied der Deutschen' was written in 1841 by the German poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798-1874). At that time Germany was still split up in more than 30 small states which were loosely united since 1815 in the Deutscher Bund (German Federation). Hoffmann von Fallersleben who was a poet, linguist and historian of literature wrote also a number of other well-known songs. His 'Lied der Deutschen' consisted of three stanzas, beginning with the opening line 'Deutschland, Deutschland über alles.'

In 1922, the first president of the German Republic, the Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert, officially introduced the Deutschland-Lied as the National Anthem.

In May 1952, the third stanza of the Deutschland-Lied was proclaimed the official anthem of the Federal Republic of Germany by President Theodor Heuss.

The melody of the Deutschland-Lied was composed by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), the famous composer of many symphonies, operas and oratories. The melody is that of the old Austrian Kaiserhymn (Imperial Anthem) which was played for the first time on February 12, 1797.

http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/in ... nthem.html

/Marcus

nondescript handle · Post by **nondescript handle** » 18 Apr 2005 14:25

stg44 wrote: I was curious to know if any modern performances of music that was popular during the 1930s-1940s has been recorded?

I was able to come across 2 copies of such recordings...the first was the Königgratzer Marsch, I believe this may have come from a soundtrack CD. Was not this music used in Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade? Perhaps that is where this piece comes from.

The other one I listened to was a recording of Deutschland über Alles (orchestral only, no vocals) that sounded very beautiful. Crystal clear CD quality in stereo. I have no idea where this one came from.

I realize that such recordings are probably extremely taboo, but if these 2 have been recorded, perhaps others have...?

Hi stg44,
I'm wondering what is your definition of "music that was popular during the 1930s-1940s"?

The two examples you gave were: the German anthem and the Königgrätzer Marsch a march composed 1866.
Is a national anthem "popular"? It is played at "official" events (from soccer matches to state ceremonies). But only few people own records of the national anthem and listen to them as music.
The Königgrätzer Marsch is a standard march since its was composed. Are standard marches "popular"? Marching bands (military, fire brigades, shooting clubs) play them all the time, but records of standard marches were never chartbreakers (not 1930-1945, not today).
The marches like the Königgrätzer Marsch are somewhat akin to classical music (Mozart and the like): they had their audience before the third reich, during the third reich and after the third reich...

For me "popular music" is music in the charts and on radio. One example of a song of the 30s and 40s in a modern version would be Heinz Rühmanns Fliegerlied from 1932 which was covered by the rock band Extrabreit in the 70s.

Regards
Mark