Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

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Laurence Strong
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Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#1

Post by Laurence Strong » 15 Dec 2015, 02:45

Heeresmusikinspizient Prof. Hermann Schmidt, 1935
Heeresmusikinspizienten Prof. Hermann Schmidt.jpg
Heeresmusikinspizienten Prof. Hermann Schmidt rev.jpg

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Fallersleben
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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#2

Post by Fallersleben » 15 Dec 2015, 04:43

From https://beeldbankwo2.nl/
37197.jpg
Chief Music-Inspector of the Army. Professor Hermann Schmidt has recently been appointed with the newly created rank of chief music-inspector of the army, by the Führer and Chancellor of the Reich. Since 1930, Professor Schmidt has been accountable of the great responsibility of conserving the great military music tradition also in the Third Reich and of reorganizing military music for our new army.


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Ivan Ž.
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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#3

Post by Ivan Ž. » 15 Dec 2015, 12:36

Excellent photos!

A small photo & autograph, from https://www.huesken.com/
43672.jpg
43672.jpg (64.09 KiB) Viewed 1175 times

Cheers,
Ivan

Laurence Strong
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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#4

Post by Laurence Strong » 15 Dec 2015, 18:08

Some more nice photos :)

His entry in the 1938 'Rangliste der Wehrmacht Beamte".
Heeresmusikinspizienten Prof. Hermann Schmidt 1938 ranglist.jpg
Heeresmusikinspizienten Prof. Hermann Schmidt 1938 ranglist.jpg (52.94 KiB) Viewed 1177 times
Cheers
Larry

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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#5

Post by Auceps » 16 Dec 2015, 01:52

The photos are great! :)

It seems that most of his documents are now in Archiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin:
http://kalliope-verbund.info/de/ead?ead ... 1-BF-32010

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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#6

Post by Laurence Strong » 17 Dec 2015, 03:13

Does any one know what he did before and after the war?

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Larry

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Ivan Ž.
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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#7

Post by Ivan Ž. » 12 Jan 2016, 21:32

Hello, Larry, thanks for the addition and sorry that I missed your question.

Could someone (Auceps for example) post a brief bio of Prof. Schmidt please, I'm currently quite busy. Otherwise, I'll try to do it some other day, no worries.

Bis bald,
Ivan

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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#8

Post by Auceps » 17 Jan 2016, 10:11

Hermann Schmidt was born at 9th of March 1885 in Gera, Thuringia. He was the 9th child from 12 siblings. Schmidt took violin classes from the town musician Hartung and later was studying at the music school in Rönneburg. At the 1th of April 1903 he entered at the military band of the Infanterie-Regiment von Wittich (3. Kurhessisches) Nr. 83 in Kassel, where he played the 1. clarinet and in additon performed the concertmaster duties. He also played in the orchestra of Hessian State Theater. In 1909 he was detached to the Hochschule für Musik, Charlottenburg, where he was graduated with the predicate "ganz vorzüglich geeignet" (most excellently fit). At the 1th of April 1913 he was confirmed as a Musikmeister in the Füsilier-Regiment General-Feldmarschall Moltke (Schlesisches) Nr. 38 in Glatz. It was a prominent garrison, which was unusual for a young Musikmeister. Besides the nearby situated resorts (Reinerz, Landeck, Altheide, Kudowa) promoted his concert activities, he was also a brilliant violin teacher and concert solist (among his pupils was also the oper composer Franz Schmidt). At the WWI Schmidt took part alongside with his regiment and was awarded with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
In 1920 he was a bandleader at the Musikkorps der Sicherheitspolizei Breslau. Despite the fact that Breslau already had 2 symphonic orchestras, Schmidt also held symphonic concerts. Later the security police was dissolved due to the order of the Inter-allied Commision. Already in Breslau Schmidt held his concerts from memory without notes. Later Schmidt was a Musikmeister at the Ausbildungs-Bataillon, 14. (Badisches) Infanterie-Regiment in Donaueschingen (where later Hans Felix Husadel was a bandleader). In Donaueschingen he took part at the modern music concerts, where the modern military music by Hindermith, Toch and Krenek was played. As always Schmidt was also a solist, this time as clarinet, violine and piano player.
In 1927 Schmidt was moved to Dresden to III. Bataillon/10. (Sächsisches) Infanterie-Regiment and in 1929 he was already a Heeres-Musikinspizient (Inspector of Music of Land Forces) and professor at the Hochschule für Musik, Berlin-Charlottenburg instead of Oskar Hackenberger, later he become Heeres-Obermusikinspizient alongside with Adolf Berdien. As an Inspector he ended in 1933 the new Heeresmarschsammlung, tried to create or revivify new types of military bands (Jägermusik, Panzermusik) and also conducted an enormous number of army concerts, as well as prominent "Monster concerts" with thousands of military musicians.
In 1945 he was taken as a prisoner by the Soviet army and imprisoned despite his retirement. He died in October 1950.

Source: Probst, Werner: Koblenz - Unsere Garnison. Das Heeresmusikkorps 5 der Bundeswehr spielt Marsch-Raritäten. Leitung: Oberstleutnant Georg Czerner. Beilage zur Langspielplatte gleichen Titels Nr. 1810. Abenberg 1983.

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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#9

Post by Laurence Strong » 17 Jan 2016, 14:28

Hello Auceps

Many thanks for your help. Truly appreciated
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Sincerely
Larry

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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#10

Post by Auceps » 19 Jan 2016, 02:41

You're welcome, Larry! :)

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Ivan Ž.
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Re: Hermann Schmidt (1885-1950)

#11

Post by Ivan Ž. » 01 Sep 2020, 01:15

An early Third Reich article about Army Music Inspector Hermann Schmidt and his predecessors.

Excerpt:
[...] For Army Music Inspector Schmidt is not only a capable musician and conductor, as we have known him for a long time, but also an enthusiastic music historian who eagerly traces the history of the development of military music. [...]
From Badische Presse, 10.02.1933, p. 3
Badische Presse 1933-02-10 S-3.jpg

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