Posted on 01/11/2005 7:06:51 AM PST by ZGuy
Portraying themselves as protectors of German traditions and historic continuity, the Nazis promised law and order and national respect at a time of economic despair when Hitler came to power in 1933. Lighthearted entertainment was allowed to flourish to distract Germans from harsh realities of totalitarianism.
Sentimental songs churned out by Germany's light-music industry were crammed with code words like "fate" and "homeland" that served as psychological tools to enforce mass conformity.
Allusions to discipline and obedience were reflected in seemingly innocuous popular tunes with titles like "Don't Ask How, Don't Ask Where," "Don't Let It Bother You" and "Everything in Life Will Pass."
"Entertainment rather than propaganda proved to be the most effective support for the regime," Moshe Zimmermann wrote in his Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper review of the film. "One could whistle 'Eternal Spring,' take pleasure in Heinz Ruehmann's amusing films, sing along with the pop tune 'The World Isn't Collapsing' as bombs fell, and the world seemed intact."
"Hitler's Hit Parade" (in German with English subtitles) shows "how dangerously tempting and engaging the general mood of an era can be," according to co-director Axer. It serves as a warning to "recognize the true, hidden meanings before believing" in the brave new world promised in Nazi rhetoric.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Sentimental songs churned out by Germany's light-music industry were crammed with code words like "fate" and "homeland" that served as psychological tools to enforce mass conformity.
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I did cringe when the US Homeland Security was named.
Too many connatations for me personally.
From what I've read, the Germans were in a mutual commiseration society mode desperately needing to blame something for their economic woes. Interesting how the depression here in the states didn't lead to such hatred.
Homeland is better that "nanny state" imho.
But actually - I am beginning to appreciate the Libertarian party view of govt in general.
keep your guns loaded.
Well there were some famous anti-semites about though.
Luckily the Politicians did not listen to them.
Well, the Germans were not the only one trying to use entertainment for escapist purposes during the Depression. For an example look no further than Hollywood happy endings. When life sucks, the fairy tales find a particularly strong market.
Now we have the opposite, music and just plain noise designed to make kids call people pimps, prostitutes, etc. We have blind rage music. We have drug music. We have anti-Captitalist music. And then of course, Gangsta' Rap. A tremendous amount of music is based on sexual sin. I even heard one rapper compare the Bush administration with terrorism.
Why is this a surprise to anyone? The 21st-century neo-Nazis of the Western Left do this sort of thing all the time.
Excuse me.
You must be mistaken.
I believe that is U.S. Fatherland Security.
Closely linked to TSA, headed by a Japanese subversive.
I liken it more to how the liberals operate. NPR, NEA, et. al., etc.
Not only did our Depression not foster the hatred that(in Germany)was focused on Jews,Gypsies,etc.etc.,it also didn't spur a crime-wave among our people.This puts to rest one of The Left's most cherished credo!!!
You know, I wished that this movie also covered a very sinister aspect of classical music, namely that opera composer Richard Wagner was a fervent German nationalist (and very likely fervent anti-Semite). It is known that Wagner's descendants curried favor with Adolf Hitler, and Hitler himself was a big fan of Wagner's operas.
"But actually - I am beginning to appreciate the Libertarian party view of govt in general."
I'm steadilly losing respect for libertarians. I don't like drugs that enslave. Not quite as bad, I think pot does a lot to make people as sleazy as Boortz, if not worse. Not to mention, I believe pot undermines a good work ethic and other ethics, such as property rights. I'm sick of abortion rights, the super-rights of homosexuals, the peasant status of Christians, and the libertarian opposition to destroying the terrorist threat. [God, please find a way to bless Boortz for opposing the libertarians on that.] I like our child porn laws. I want NAMBLA investigated. And I want our children shielded from ambush porn when watching something traditionally safe, such as the Superbowl.
I think the main difference between the US and Germany in 1932 is, that the Germans had someone to put the blame on for their misery, while Americans had experienced that economic and political freedom can mean prosperity and poverty. Germanys democrats weren´t strong enough against the popular goals of the Nazis (regaining national strength, healing the wounds of Versailles) and Commies (no poor nor rich people).
It is as unprecedented as it is cunning, using all the right words and happiest faces in an attempt to speak directly to the nation's children about "tolerance and diversity." Once again, of course, those ideas include homosexual advocacy.On November 10, 2004, a video remake of the song, "We Are Family," was created using the voices and images of over 100 beloved children's TV characters. On March 11, 2005, the video performance will air simultaneously on the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS. A similar video aired on those networks in 2002.
The nation's children will be all too familiar with the characters on the video, incuding those from Arthur, Barney, Blue's Clues, Bob the Builder, The Book of Pooh, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dora the Explorer, Jimmy Neutron, Kim Possible, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Little Mermaid, Madeline, The Magic School Bus, The Muppet Show, Rugrats, Sesame Street and SpongeBob SquarePants ...
Every time it rains, it rains, pennies from heaven.
We're in the money...
But flashes of harsh realism intruded into even "Gold Diggers of 1933". There is a scene where Dick Powell is trying to withdraw his desparately needed financial backing from a musical on premiere night. Joan Blondell dissuades him by pleading for him to see what a lot of the showgirls are "going to have to do", (i.e, prostitution) without this job.
1. IIRC, Wagner was deeply anti-semitic.
2. Winnifred Wagner, a direct descendant of the composer, was an early Hitler benefactor, and would host Hitler at the Bayreuth Opera festival every year. She had a 'thing' for him. And if I remember this right (I'm pretty sure I do), Hitler fled the march/shooting that culminated the Beer Hall Putsch by taking shelter with, you guessed it, Winnifred Wagner.
But the gun toting bank robbers of Dixie (Bonnie and Clyde, Ma Barker, Pretty Boy Floyd, etc) became pop culture heroes.
agree.
i don't like it.
I did cringe when the US Homeland Security was named.
Too many connatations for me personally.
I see your point. Poor choice in words, may be something like Freeland Security would have been better.
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