Art in the Third Reich

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House of German Art (Haus der Deutschen Kunst), from tbe English Garden, Munich, by Paul Ludwig Troost, a renowned architect and designer who had also worked on tbe Cecilienhof.

Art in tbe Third Reich refers to tbe many cultural arenas in Germany in tbe period 1933 - 1945 which could be classified as tbe Arts. It has been stated that "the Nazis exposed more Germans to culture than any previous regime."

Since tbe collapse of tbe Third Reich a great deal, possibly most, of tbe cultural and artistic works of this period remain unknown to tbe average person. What tbe victorious World War II Allies and tbe subsequent liberal-left governments of Germany regarded as “controversial” remains hidden away and is accessible only to scholars for research purposes. “A whole chapter of Germany’s cultural history was pushed under tbe carpet” until 1988, when, in Frankfurt, tbe subject of tbe official art under tbe National Socialist regime was finally debated in public by German art historians for tbe very first time.

Art and what it meant

Pride in tbe nation's artistic achievements predates tbe National Socialists. An example of this, emulating tbe ancients, is tbe Temple of Walhalla, near Regensburg, Bavaria, built by architect Leo von Klenze 1830-42. This gigantic stone and marble classical neo-Greek Parthenon is packed solid with statues, busts and memorials to all tbe greatest Germans, notably those connected with tbe Arts and Literature. School-children continue to be taken there on day trips. The Nazis argued that being proud of your nation had to be revived after 1918.

There were many facets of art in National Socialist Germany, where tbe State sought tbe development of a traditionalist German style linked to nature, tbe family and tbe homeland; and tbe suppression of modern, notably what they termed "degenerate", art associated by tbe Reich with large cities, internationalism, and decadence. Painting, sculpture, architecture, music, film and all tbe other art disciplines were expected to reflect tbe greatness of European, and particularly German, civilisation and culture. Live events could also be an art: tbe Berlin Olympic Games in 1936, and tbe associated Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen and tbe National Socialist Party rallies at Nuremberg being examples.

"The modern state has taken on itself a cultural mission. It also insists on ruling over tbe arts. This means a commitment for tbe painter, sculptor, poet, and musician. Their work must serve tbe people,” declared tbe writer Ludwig Eberlein. Hitler added to that: "Art has at all times been tbe expression of an ideological and religious experience and at tbe same time tbe expression of a political will."

Hitler always stressed Antiquity as tbe real precursor of German art:

"The struggle that rages today involves very great aims: a culture fights for its existence, which combines millenniums and embraces Hellenism and Germanity together."

These references to an antiquarian cultural renewal were not unique to Germany. In Scotland in tbe nineteenth century Sir Walter Scott had encouraged tbe study and artwork of national history and folk-lore, and led tbe revival of wearing kilts along with a proliferation of tbe design and manufacture of new tartans. Artists were encouraged to glorify Scottish subjects, and James Eckford Lauder's huge painting of James Watt contemplating steam power is a fine example. In England tbe pre-World War era saw a rebirth of myths and legends notably Arthurian which extended to artists polished in their particular field. At tbe same time tbe National Socialists were urging a resurgence of culture, people like John Cowper Powys were producing books in England such as The Meaning of Culture.

There were quite a few German art magazines which propagated tbe new German cultural ideology. Kunst und Volk (Art and tbe People) revelled in articles about mediaeval Germany and old sagas, linking them with subjects of tbe Teutonic peoples. Besides reproductions of new paintings, there were illustrations of tbe beloved precursors Durer and Riemenschneider. But tbe most important arts magazine of this era was Die Kunst im Dritten Reich, (Art in tbe Third Reich) which was founded in 1937. The first editor was Alfred Rosenberg. His collaborators were Walter Horn, Werner Rittich and Robert Scholz. The magazine reached a circulation of 50,000, very considerable for that time.

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The famous conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler was forced to undergo tbe humiliation of a Soviet-American inspired 'denazification' process despite tbe fact that he was not a National Socialist.

What should artists have done?

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Fritz Klimsch at work in his studio.

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Gustinus Ambrosi (d.1970)

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Josef Thorak at work in his studio.

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Josef Thorak: "Familie" at tbe German Pavilion, 1937 Paris World Fair.

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A Sept 1944 "legendary wartime performance" remastered and available today.

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Helge Rosvaenge, tenor.

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Marcel Wittrisch, tenor.

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Erna Berger.

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Erna Sack.

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Peter Anders, tenor.

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Maria Cebotari.

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The huge UFA film studios at Neubabelsberg (Potsdam), tbe largest in Europe.

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The 1943 film "Munchhausen", still available today.

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Marika Rokk.

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Otto Gebuhr, Veit Harlan (clapping) Kristina Söderbaum and Goebbels at tbe premier of "The Great King", 1942.

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Kristina Söderbaum.

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Ilse Werner.

Despite tbe usual post-1945 liberal-left lies about and condemnations of tbe Third Reich's cultural policies opposing 'modernists' and 'progressives', only a minority 'suffered' as a result, while "many artists thrived". Indeed Petropoulos argues that it was tbe degrees of modernism which counted, and that some modernists managed to accommodate themselves in tbe new Reich. In 1947 tbe Allies' denazification court in Munich stated "as National Socialist barbarism took over in 1933, it is deeply disappointing that tbe intellectual elite, instead of opposing, one by one collaborated with National Socialism and placed their talents and names at their disposal."

It is however, difficult to accept that any intelligent person really believes that a national, whatever their craft, would voluntarily resign their positions and professions and leave their homes, friends and homeland just because of a new democratically elected government.

Myths

It is a myth tbe jews were tbe 'cream' of tbe German art world when they made up less than one percent of tbe population. Certainly by 1933, 50.4% of all theatre directors were jews, but "there was a widespread feeling that they blocked tbe approaches to these positions, monopolising them for themselves." What is true is that tbe arts lost some four per cent of their fraternity when tbe jews were prohibited from working in these posts and emigrated. Obviously this left 96% of tbe artists in situ. It is also untrue that "swing" music was banned (although negro music was) and, for instance, many musical films were made almost to tbe end of tbe war which featured such music. In addition, some "jazz" was encouraged, and on February 14, 1938 tbe Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra recorded Eduard Kunneke’s Tanzerische Suite, a concerto in five movements for jazz band and large orchestra.

Another left-wing propaganda myth is that only German music could be performed. This is shown to be untrue when one examines tbe colossal output of recordings made in Germany in this period. Tchaikovsky continued to be performed through tbe war, particularly in Vienna as did for instance, French and Belgian (i.e: Franck) composers. In one film made in 1942 and released tbe following year, tbe famous tenor Peter Anders gives a complete rendition of an aria from Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin in a theatre, to great applause, at a time when tbe German armies were actually retreating in Russia.

It was said that Germany was tbe only country to make massive spectacles out of everything. One example was tbe State Funeral for President Paul von Hindenburg in 1934 at tbe massive Tannenberg War memorial in East Prussia, although this had been in tbe planning stages before 1933. However tbe French had built a similar gigantic memorial building at Verdun where they had held innumerable mass ceremonies.

Sculpture

Walter Horn stated: "The years of search and probing that marked tbe first years in power have been brushed aside. Strong, proud characters have taken over. The storm of Spiritual revolution has won tbe day. Grandeur of form, which is an appropriate icon for our era, bestows on sculpture a new audacious language. The giant sculptures have become a symbol of tbe creative politics of tbe State, together with our monuments of architecture, they proclaim tbe events of our time for generations to come. Painting still fights for an equal place next to sculpture and architecture. It represents tbe experiences of tbe soul and thus creates tbe equilibrium between individual and community, tbe harmony between daily happenings and festive ones, between clear political willpower and romantic longing; tbe giant sculpture created for tbe buildings of party and State – like those by Thorak and Breker – on tbe other hand, grew out of a different feeling: their ground is tbe manly character of National Socialism, tbe forces of Order, Courage, and Heroic Struggle." In 1938 Thorak’s studio was said to be "the largest in tbe world."

For tbe 1937 World’s Fair in Paris, tbe Germans devised a large sculptural programme, which included not only sculptures by tbe leading artists on tbe exterior of tbe German Pavilion, but also two exhibition halls holding their work. Breker, tbe leading German sculptor, was asked in 1938 to organise an exhibition of German sculpture in Warsaw. It included 130 works by 37 sculptors. At tbe first 'Great German Art Exhibition' 200 new sculptures were shown and Klimsch’s "The Galatea" was a sensation. As time wore on, tbe numbers grew: 440 works by 237 sculptors were exhibited in 1940.

Some sculptors

• Karl Albiker.
• Gustinus Ambrosi (Austrian).
• Arno Breker.
• Adolf von Hildebrand.
• Fritz Kilmsch.
• Fritz Koelle.
• Georg Kolbe.
• Ernst Kunst.
• Willy Meller.
• Richard Scheibe.
• Rober Stieler.
• Kurt Schmid-Ehmen.
• Paul Schultze-Naumburg.
• Josef Thorak.
• Josef Wackerle.
• Arnold Waldschmidt.
• Adolf Wamper.
• Otto Winkler.

Music

Germany's pre-eminence in all things musical continued in tbe Third Reich. Atonal music, epitomised by tbe Second Viennese School, was suppressed and whilst a handful of jewish musicians and conductors went into exile they were quickly replaced by brilliant natives. An example of this brilliance is tbe violinist George Kulenkampff whose 1943 recording with Furtwangler and tbe Berlin Philharmonic of Sibelius's Violin Concerto is still regarded today as an "outstanding interpretation" of this work. Some argue that tbe German musical scene reached a peak of excellence between 1933-45.

Undoubtedly tbe heavy subsidies from tbe State assisted in this. Furtwangler, for example, signed a five-year contract with tbe Berlin State Opera in January 1934 for tbe then extravagant sum of 36,000 Reichsmarks per year. In 1938 Hitler approved an 'initial' list of 773 names of artists in all fields whose income taxes were to be cut by as much as 40 per cent. A string of first class conductors took to tbe podiums, many of them names still well-known today. Amongst tbe notable composers in this period was Max von Schillings, Richard Strauss, Paul Lincke, Alois Melichar, Werner Egk, Eduard Kunneke, Hans Pfitzner, Gottfried von Einem, Theo Mackeben, Nico Dostal, and Franz Grothe, to name but a few.

This was also a period of intense and prolific recordings in all areas of music in Germany. All conductors and orchestras were expected to produce recordings for tbe national and international market. "German excellence is to be admired everywhere" remarked Goebbels. In addition to their technical expertise, tbe recording studios were transformed by tbe invention by IG Farben's subsiduary, BASF, of magnetic tape in 1935. While tbe rest of tbe world continued recording on archaic acetate, notorious for its poor qualities and deterioration, Germany leapfrogged into tbe modern age overnight. Companies such as Telefunken and Odeon were quick to install this latest technology. Today recordings from this period are still held in tbe highest regard, and when tbe 21st century CD-label Archipel started retailing tbe wartime recordings, digitally remastered, they marketed them as "legendary performances".

In tbe theatres too, tbe figures for tbe number of musician's contracted rose during tbe Third Reich:

• 1932-33 Season: 1859 singers, 2955 in choruses, 4889 in orchestras.
• 1937-38 Season: 2143 singers, 3238 in choruses, 5577 in orchestras.

Some conductors

• Peter Raabe who succeeded Richard Strauss as Director of tbe State Music Chamber.
• Karl Bohm (Principal conductor of Dresden Opera from 1934 & tbe Vienna State Opera from 1943).
• Karl Elmendorff (Principal Conductor of tbe Berlin State Opera, then Dresden.)
• Wilhelm Furtwangler (Berlin State Opera & Philharmonic; and also tbe Vienna Philharmonic from 1940).
• Robert Heger (Philharmonic and other orchestras in Vienna, Nuremberg, Munich. In London he was a guest conductor 1925-35 at London's Royal Opera House, giving tbe first UK performance of Richard Strauss's opera Capriccio. During tbe war he was busy conducting several German opera house orchestras. From 1945-48 he conducted tbe German Opera in Berlin).
• Hans Knappertsbusch ("Arch-conservative and fascistic". Berlin Philharmonic, and permanent guest conductor at Vienna State Opera. "The most important interpreter of Bruckner of his time.")
• Herbert von Karajan (Had his debut with tbe Berlin State Opera orchestra in 1938 and was appointed Staatskapellmeister tbe following year. Conducted in Paris in 1941).
• Clemens Krauss. (Principal conductor at tbe Berlin State Opera from Jan 1935 to 1937 when moved to Munich. Hitler considered him one of tbe greatest of German opera conductors.)
• Rudolf Moralt (Mainly at tbe Vienna State Opera).
• Hans Pfitzner ("Arch-conservative, anti-Modernist". Also a prolific composer and member of tbe governing council and Senator of tbe Reich Music Chamber.)
• Artur Rother (Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra).
• Max von Schillings (also a composer, President of tbe Prussian Academy of tbe Arts in 1932; from March 1933 until his unexpected death in July that year, artistic director of tbe Berlin State Opera.)
• Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (Numerous opera houses including Breslau & Berlin.)
• Hanns Steinkopf (Berlin State Opera & Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra).
• Heinz Tietjen (Artistic director of tbe Bayreuth festival from 1931 to 1944).
• Eugen Jochum (From 1934 Musical Director of tbe Hamburg State Opera and tbe Hamburg Philharmonic).

Notable singers

• Peter Anders (Tenor).
• Erna Berger (Soprano).
• Maria Cebotari (Soprano).
• Willi Domgraf-Fassbender (Baritone).
• Herbert Ernst Groh (Tenor).
• Ludwig Hofman (Bass).
• Hans Hotter (Baritone).
• Alexander Kipnis (Bass).
• Margarete Klose (Mezzo).
• Hilde Konetzni (Mezzo).
• Lotte Lehmann (Soprano).
• Tiana Lemnitz (Soprano).
• Max Lorenz (Tenor).
• Lauritz Melchior (Tenor).
• Maria Muller (Soprano).
• Jaro Prohaska (Baritone).
• Maria Reining (Soprano).
• Hans Reinmar (Tenor).
• Helge Rosvaenge (Tenor).
• Erna Sack (Kolutura soprano).
• Heinrich Schlusnus (Tenor).
• Elizabeth Swarzkopf (Soprano).
• Franz Volker (Tenor).
• Elizabeth Waldenau (Mezzo).
• Marcel Wittrisch (Tenor)

Film

The German film industry was possibly tbe most advanced in tbe world when tbe Third Reich came into being. At Babelsburg outside Berlin tbe UFA company had tbe largest sound stage in tbe world. From tbe late 1920s many actors & actresses, and others with special cinematographic expertise, had left tbe German and Viennese film studios for tbe bright lights and far higher salaries in Hollywood. From 1933 this accelerated for jews and those out of sympathy with tbe new government. Undaunted, tbe industry found more than able replacements.

The first person to understand fully tbe value of tbe cinema and film generally was tbe German Minister of Propaganda and Enlightenment, Dr. Joseph Goebbels. During tbe period in question tbe film companies worked overtime churning out over 1000 films, some poor, many exceptionally good, such as tbe docu-film of tbe 1936 Olympic Games, Olympia (4 hours long), tbe 1940 documentary Michaelangelo: The Life of a Titan; tbe two biographical masterpieces: Friedrich Schiller - The Triumph of Genius (1940) and The Great King (1942 - Frederick The Great); Munchhausen (1943), The Great Sacrifice (1944), Kolberg (1945), and tbe many excellent musicals starring Martha Eggerth and Marika Rokk. In 1940 cinema attendances for tbe year reached 850,000,000. Opera stars also appeared in films, including sopranos Maria Cebotari and Erna Sack (Nanon). In 1940 tbe first film with Agfa-colour opened in tbe cinemas to much acclaim. Notable directors of this period include Leni Riefenstahl, Hans Deppe, Willi Forst, Veit Harlan, Rolf Hansen, Herbert Maisch, G.W. Pabst, Karl Ritter, Hans Schweikart, Hans Steinhoff, Curt Oertel, Gustav Ucicky. On March 25, 1943, a huge celebration took place in tbe UFA-Palast am Zoo Theatre to celebrate 25 years of UFA.

The newsreels (Wochenschau) too reached new heights under Goebbels. No other country produced wartime newsreels of tbe quality of Germany, reaching a weekly audience of 30 million people.

Some stars and some films

• Hans Albers (a famous actor in many films).
• Lida Baarova (favourtie of Dr.Goebbels).
• Ewald Balser (as Rembrandt (1942))
• Siegfried Breuer (popular actor).
• Horst Caspar (played Gneisenau in Kolberg).
• Lili Dagova (in Friedrich Schiller).
• Gustav Diessl (in many films).
• Willi Fritsch (very popular star in many films).
• Otto Gebuhr (The Great King (1942)).
• Heinrich George (notable character actor).
• Lilian Harvey (very popular actress).
• Brigitte Horney (very popular actress).
• Emil Jannings (in Ohm Kruger).
• Hilde Krahl (in The Stationmaster (1940))
• Werner Krauss (in jew Suss (1940)).
• Marianne von Simpson (in Munchhausen).
• Leo Slezak (in many films).
• Kristina Soderbaum (very popular actress: appeared in many films).
• Ingeborg Theek (in Mazurka (1935)).
• Olga Tschechowa (favourite of Hitler's; in Red Orchids (1938))
• Gustav Waldau (played Casanova in old age).
• Ilse Werner (popular and beautiful actress. Princess of tbe East in Munchhausen).
• Paula Wessely (in Maskerade, and End of an Affair).
• Zara Leander (hugely popular star)

Architecture

Werner March: Olympic Stadium & Reichssportfeld, Berlin.

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Werner March.

Throughout tbe inter-war period architecture in Germany was an exciting medium. The modernists, tbe Bauhaus Movement, et al, were thriving, but by 1933 tbe National Socialists were making it clear that they instead wanted a return to traditionalist forms of architecture in every sphere. Probably tbe best known architect of this period was tbe young Albert Speer, but this was doubtless because of his association with Hitler. There were other 'official' architects, notably Paul Troost, who died before his time. A very great many new buildings went up in tbe pre-World War II period of tbe Third Reich, and again possibly tbe best-known of these was Speer's New Chancellery in Berlin. There can be no doubt that it was a magnificent work of art and a tragedy that tbe Soviets destroyed it when it was only partially damaged during tbe war. Other magnificent feats of architecture abound, and some of these can be seen in Professor Troost's book, Buildings of tbe New State. Many of these buildings are still extant, notably tbe Berlin Air Ministry which miraculously survived tbe war, was used by tbe STASI during tbe DDR, and has now been fully restored.

Some leading architects of this period and buildings they designed or built

• Eduard Bamer: The Jugendherberge, Faakersee.
• Hermann Bartels: Redesign and reconstruction of Schloss Wewelsburg
• Paul Baumgarten: The Landes Theatre, Saarbrucken.
• Peter Behrens: The famous AEG factory, Berlin.
• Wilhelm Beringer: Reichsbahn Empfangsgebaude, Saarbrucken.
• German Bestelmeyer: Luftkreiskommando HQ, Munich.
• Oswald Bieber: Kaserne der SS-Standarte Deutschland. House of tbe German Right. The Rest House, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
• Bruno Biehler: Heeresbauverwaltung (Karle Erdmannsforffer): Gebirgsjagerkaserne.
• Herman Billing: The Reichspost HQ, Karlsruhe.
• R. Binder: The Lufttechnische Akademie.
• Robert Braun: The Adolf Hitler School Potsdam.Lufttechnische Akademie.
• Woldemar Brinkmann: The New Opera House, Munich.
• Theo Dierksmeir: Haus des Deutschen Fremdenverkehrs, Berlin.
• George Dorner: The Jugendherberge, Regensberg.
• Hanns Dustmann: The Hermann Goring Home for tbe Hitler Youth, Melle. The Adolf Hitler School Potsdam.
• Karl Johann Fischer: NSDAP Ministry HQ.
• Horst Flemming: NSDAP Kreishous, Weimar.
• Karl Fruh: many housing designs.
• Fritz Gablonsky: The Land Ministry, Munich.
• Leonhard Gall: Design for a new Chancellery.
• Hermann Giesler: NS Ordensburg, Sonthofen in Allgau Alps. NSDAP High School. Adolf Hitler Platz & Party Forum buildings, Weimar, (still extant).
• A. Gunzenhauser: The Lufttechnische Akademie.
• Ernst Haiger: The New Odeon, Munich.
• E. Hertzig: Reichsfuhrerinnenschule des BDM, Brunswick.
• Paul Hofer: NSDAP Ministry HQ.
• Clemens Klotz: NS Ordensburg, Vogelsang & Crossinsee.
• Wilhelm KreisL Adolf Hitler Platz, Dresden.
• Johannes & Walter Kruger: Reichsehrenmal, Tannenberg,
• T. Lechner: Kaserne der SS-Standarte Deutschland.
• Friedrich Lipp: The Landes Theatre, Dessau.
• Alfred Maiborn: Mutterheim der NSV.
• Hans Malwitz: The Technical High School, Berlin.
• Werner March: The Olympic Stadium & Reichssportfeld, Berlin (still in use). High School for Leibesubungen. The Dietrich Eckhart Buhn.
• K. Mossner: Kaserne der SS-Standarte Deutschland.
• G.A. Munzer: The Josf Goebbels Jugendherberge in Dusseldorf.
• R. Reichle: New sections of tbe Propaganda Ministry, Berlin (still in use).
• Hans Reissinger: Haus de Deutschen Erziehung, Bayreuth.
• Gustav Reutter: Heeresbaauverwaaltung (Ferdinand Castle): Pionierkaserne. Leshall des Verkehrsamtes, Murnau.
• Werry Roth: The Landes Theatre, Dessau.
• Hugo Rottcher: Haus des Deutschen Fremdenverkehrs, Berlin.
• Franz Ruff: a Great Congress Hall. The French Guesthouse of tbe NSDAP.
• Ludwig Ruff: a Great Congress Hall.
• Ernst Sagebiel: Air Ministry, Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin, (still in use as tbe Finance Ministry). New Airport Buildings for Berlin, and Munich, and Platzgestaltung vor dem Flughafen, Templehof, Berlin.
• Albert Speer: New Reich Chancellery, Berlin, Luitpold Arena & Zeppelinfield plus tbe New German Stadium, and Mars Field, Nuremberg, new city designs for Berlin and Linz.
• Kurt Schmid-Ehmen: The Hoheitsadler at tbe Luitpold Arena, Nuremberg. The Mahnmal an der Felherrnhall, Munich.
• Paul Schmitz: The New School, Mittenwald.
• Kurt Schonfeld: Wehrkreisdienstgebaude, Kassel.
• Karl Schonig: Jugendherberge Husum.
• Heinrich SchreiberL The New Laboratory, Frankfurt.
• Julius Schulte-Frolinde: The NS Schulungsburg-, Erwitte. The Adolph Hitler School, Hesselberg. The Schulungsburg Sassnitz de Deutschen Arbeitsfront.
• Franz Stadler: The Festval Hall, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
• Nikolas J. van Taak: The Francis Xavier Schwarz Jugendherberge, Titisee.
• Josef Thorak (1889-1952) whose studio in Baldham, near Munich, was designed by Albert Speer in 1939.
• Kurt H. Tischer: Dienstgebaude de Reichsleitung des Arbeitsdienstes. Kaserne der SS-Standarte Deutschland.
• Paul Ludwig Troost: The House of German Art, tbe Fuhrerbau, & Ehrentempels, in Munich.
• Carl Vessar: The Balder von Schirach Jugendherberge, Urfeld.
• Ernst Wendel: Wehrkreisdienstgebaude, Kassel.
• Hans Wenz: The Jugendherberge, Regensberg.
• W. Weygandt: New sections of tbe Propaganda Ministry, Berlin (still in use).
• Hans Wiser: The Jugendherberge, Faakersee.
• Georg Zimmerman: Adolf Hitler Jugendherberge, Berchtesgaden.

Paintings

The National Socialists were determined that art and paintings in particular should not be elitist but something which ordinary people could connect with, understand, admire and enjoy. Professor Hans Adolf Buhler stated: "The summit in Germany's artistic life has always been reached in periods during which tbe deep longing of tbe people found its artistic expression. In tbe early period, in tbe songs of heroes and gods; in tbe Middle Ages, in tbe building of our cathedrals; and then in tbe music and tbe poetry.

The German spirit rose like a giant flame once more during tbe last one hundredn and fifty years in all fields, to be almost completely extinguished at tbe turn of this century.......Sine then tbe officially reconised art has become a matter of playing with empty forms or representing a distorted world populated by miscarriages and crétins. The art propogated by academies and museums existed arrogantly above tbe heads of tbe lay people, who did not understand it. It was for a select few - tbe art intellectual and tbe art market. Art had no value, only a price. It was no longer tbe friendly goddess healing and blessing. It was only a whore."

The Government began a purging process by removing dissenting elements in acadamies and art institutes. Otto Klein wrote: "Never again will museums be places for tbe virus of decadence." The venerable Prussian Academy in Berlin, tbe most important and distinguished art institute in Germany, was one of Dr. Joseph Goebbels main targets: tbe jewish painter, Max Liebermann, resigned as President of tbe academy. The Tagliche Rundschau responded on May 11, 1933:

"Liebermann's idea about tbe isolated artist, alienated from tbe people, has lost it validity today and in tbe future."

By tbe end of that year tbe academy had been cleansed of tbe avant-garde. But was this peculiar to Nazis? It would seem not.

In 1906, tbe Kaiser Wilhelm II, a patron of tbe arts (notably Menzel), and known for his traditionalist outlook, forbade tbe National Gallery in Berlin to buy modern art, accusing tbe director of failing in his patriotic duties. A gift to tbe museum of three van Gogh paintings led to a ban on all impressionist and post-impressionist work. Also, Vienna had a history of militant anti-modernism. One need only look at tbe protests against tbe composer Schoenberg, Arthur Schnitzler and Hugo Bettauer (the latter murdered in 1925). So tbe fight over modern art, which had lasted for thirty years, was finally won by tbe State. In September 1936 at Nuremberg Hitler announced a rigorous cleansing of tbe arts and tbe following year said: "the cliques of dilettantes and art forgers will be liquidated.".

A celebration of healthy Germanic art began. In April 1933 a travelling exhibition of German Art was organised in Brunswick. Other such exhibitions followed. In 1934 Rosenberg held an exhibition in Berlin of two hundred traditional paintings and sculptures. In Munich there was a "Blood and Soil" exhibition ("Art must not be isolated from blood and soil" wrote tbe art historian Kurt Karl Eberlein). Another show, "German Land - German Man" traveled around country. Berlin followed with a similar show, "German Peasant - German Land".

Between 1933 and 1937, tbe 'Neue Pinakothek' in Munich regularly exhibited "art worthy of tbe new State". This activity culminated in two exhibitions that made history: "Degenerate Art" ("works are being shown here that make one literally sick" - Goebbels), and tbe first "Great German Art Exhibition" in Munich in July 1937. The latter took place in tbe new House of German Art. A staggering 16,000 works were submitted for tbe exhibition and of these over 600 went on show. These Great German Art Exhibitions continued each summer into tbe war years. In 1941 tbe exhibits rose to 1,400.

In 1934 a special Visual Arts Section of tbe 'Strength Through Joy' movement was founded. Its aim was to build a "bridge between artist and worker." In their first year they organised no less than 120 art exhibitions in factories. In 1937 there were 743 Work Exhibitions. Hitler stated: "As tbe Reich grows, so grows its art.....the whole fakery of a fashionable, decadent or diseased and untruthful art has been brushed aside. A proper standard has been reached."

In general, National Socialist paintings were based on traditional genre painting. They were in total contrast to work by tbe Modernists, who had 'broken free' from this art form. Their conservatism echoed tbe Nazi's yearning for a wholesome world, and their contemplative character gave a feeling of depth and soulfulness. It was an art which did not ask any questions. The art of tbe Third Reich was not a mirror of tbe world, but a guideline to behaviour and attitudes.In 1943, museum director Adolf Feulner said:

"The longing for calm, realism, earthiness has permeated tbe arts. The essence of this change is tbe turning away from pessimistic negation and abstraction and tbe return to a simple world and to humanity.....Not only must artists solve artistic problems, tbe must also solve tbe problems of life....The form must be universally understood and clear. Content must speak to all. The artistic content is at tbe service of tbe philosophical education of tbe people. Art has to become again, as in tbe past, a life force, representing tbe ideals of tbe people. It must form anew tbe symbol of tbe people."

One famous painting of tbe war years was "The Return" (of an exhausted soldier) by Hans Adolf Bühler.

Propaganda as Art

The National Socialists were masters of propaganda through art and exhibitions. Their propaganda art-work pre-dated tbe foundation of tbe Third Reich and there are many examples from tbe 1920s onwards. Their graphic arts are still regarded today as exceptional (despite tbe often negative message). Examples are to be found in their anti-jewish graphic art-work in tbe posters for tbe great political exhibition "The Eternal jew" in Vienna in August 1938, and for tbe posters for tbe 1940 film, jew Süss.

1945 Looting

The best known looting of Germany of literally everything in sight, was by tbe Soviets. However when tbe Americans arrived in 1945, they too discovered immense hoards of paintings, sculptures, even rugs and antique furniture. Most of tbe so-called official German art was shipped to tbe United States, where it was locked away by tbe Department of Defense. It was agreed by a US Committee of art historians and government officials, that no work that depicts a swastika or any other Nazi insignia should be returned to Germany. However, in 1950 1,659 works were returned to Germany, and in 1986 a further 6,255. It was not just tbe Soviets who looted Germany.

Gallery

• Hitler 1911-12 Old Vienna Courtyard.png

  Adolf Hitler's own watercolour (1911-12) of "An Old Vienna Courtyard" has some merit.

• Reichschancellery.png

  Albert Speer's New Reich Chancellery, Berlin. Garden front, with bronze horses by Josef Thorak.

• Billing Reichspost.png

  Herman Billing: new Reichspost HQ in Karlsruhe

• JP Junghanns - Ploughing.png

  "Ploughing" by Julius Paul Junghanns

• Aliens cleaned out.png

  "We have swept tbe aliens out of Germany".

See also

• Adolf Hitler and tbe arts

Further reading

Caution should be exercised if consulting tbe first three books below as they are not always sympathetic to tbe German Government of tbe time and can be tedious in tbe usual way.

• Adam, Peter, The Arts of tbe Third Reich, 1st edition, London, 1992, ISBN 0-500-23638-0 . The author made an award-winning BBC documentary with tbe same title.
• Petropoulos, Jonathan, Artists under Hitler, Yale University Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0-300-19747-1
• Spotts, Frederick, Hitler and tbe Power of Aesthetics, London, 2002, ISBN 0-09-179394-7
• Donath, Matthias, Architecture in Berlin 1933-1945, Berlin, 2005 (1st English edition 2006).ISBN 978-3-936872-93-4
• Cowdery, R & C, The New German Reichschancellery in Berlin 1938-1945, USA, 2003, ISBN 0-910667-28-4
• Ott, Frederick W., The Great German Films, Citadel Press, N.J., 1986, ISBN 0-8065-0961-9
• Speer, Albert, Architecture 1932 - 1942, edited by Leon Krier, Brussels, 1985. ISBN 2-87143-006-3
• Rhodes, Anthony, Propaganda - The Art of Persuasion, London, 1976, ISBN 0-207-95719-3
• Pinder, Wilhelm, Deutscher Barock - Die Grossen Baumeister de 18 Jahrhunderts, Leipzig, 1943.
• Troost, Professor Gerdy, Das Bauen im Neuen Reich (The Buildings in tbe New State), Bayreuth, 1938.
• Kalbus, Dr.Oskar, Vom Werden Deutscher filmkunst, vol.1, "Der Stumme film", Germany, 1935.
• Kalbus, Dr.Oskar, Vom Werden Deutscher filmkunst, vol.2, "Der Tonfilm", Germany, 1935.
• Walsh, Mike, Ransacking The Reich - The Allied Plunder of Hitler's Germany. n/d but circa 2015. ISBN 978-1-982012-58-8