| You know, I've done a lot of research on Nazi Germany. A hobby/other interest of mine is history, specializing in the Nazi Third Reich. I find the whole period horrifying and at the same time fascinating. I find it difficult to damn someone for being indirectly involved. There were "good" Nazis (oxymoron, I know). Look at Schindler. Look at Erwin Rommel. Some people joined because they were forced to. Perhaps Karajan felt he needed to take that step, and I can see why he may have thought that. Advancement in the totalitarian society of the Third Reich was very controlled. If the NSDAP didn't particularily like you, you didn't go very far, no matter what field you were in. They wanted to control all aspects of culture and life, including music. From what I've read and heard of Karajan, I can see that his passion was music, and he was willing to do whatever it took to go far. If that meant join the popular political party of the day, then so be it. Remember, he left the party and later denounced it. Whether this was trying to save his own skin or not, it was still a good move. Also from what I've read (and again, granted, it's not much. I'm still waiting for my one biography of him, which I've heard goes into his Nazi days in detail) he did not subscribe to the Aryan Supreme train of thought. His last wife, I believe, was part Jewish.
Whew, anyway. I'm not condoning Nazism, nor am I trying to make excuses for a conductor who may or may have not been the greatest guy in the world. I'm just saying that he may have felt that the steps he took were the neccessary ones at the time. Given the situation, I'd be pressed to agree. Now, would I have joined with Hitler's gang just to make music? Who knows, and who can really say without having been in the situation?
Sorry for the long winded post. It's just a topic (well, TWO topics...Nazism and music) that I know a fair bit about and love to discuss. I just try to not judge someone on the card they carry in their wallet.
Thoughts?
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"Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes |