Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site olivee.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!hplabs!oliveb!olivee!greg
From: greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: Music and nazism
Message-ID: <452@olivee.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 13:01:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: olivee.452
Posted: Mon Aug 12 13:01:22 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Aug-85 06:37:07 EDT
References: <1516@bbncca.ARPA>
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, Ca
Lines: 83

> 	Kirsten Flagstad, deported from the US in late 30s for effusive
> 			  praise of nazism
> 	Lawrence Melchior, deported along with Flagstad

Blatantly false in both cases, as even the most minimal research
would have shown.  What did you do, read old Walter Winchell columns?

Aside from the fact that I question the value of this "project" in
the first place, the use of such sweeping statements would make me
seriously question the reliability of any information gathered (and
you talk about Karajan being a liar).

Melchior continued to perform in the U.S. through the duration of
World War II and after.  There are broadcast performances available
on record with Toscanini, and later from the Metropolitan opera which
attest to this.

Flagstad returned to Norway but was certainly not deported.

Kirsten Flagstad was offered a contract by the Metropolitan in 1935,
with very limited terms (nobody apparently dreamed that she would turn
out to be the phenomenal success she was).  She and her husband came for
the duration of the contract, leaving home and family in Norway.  As there
had been no thought of a permanent move to the U.S., her husband's business
was kept running in Norway and eventually required his return.  Her
successes here led to renewals of the contract and kept her occupied 
performing in the U.S. until 1941, at which time Norway was under Nazi
occupation.  By 1941, she had not seen her husband or family for over
a year and they were not permitted to leave Norway.  She gave in to
unbearable homesickness and returned to wartime Norway.  Not only was
she not deported, but representatives of the U.S. state department
tried to discourage her return, primarily out of concern for her
personal safety during the return trip.   She apparently also had the
great misfortune to make a personal enemy of the Norwegian ambassador,
Sundfor, which caused her unnecessary grief later.

Where ambiguity arose in her case was in the fact that her husband,
Henry Johanssen, had been a member of the Quisling
party which aligned itself with the Nazi occupation forces.  However,
in 1942 he left the party, despite serious fears of Nazi retaliation
and the possible loss of his business.  Nonetheless, immediately after
the war he was arrested for suspicion of collaboration and died in
a prison hospital before coming to trial.   Sundfor was able to obtain
the appointment as prosecuting attorney, and managed to prevent Flagstad
from leaving the country on the grounds that she could provide valuable
evidence as to her husband's doings.  It became apparent fairly soon that
this was groundless and she was allowed to leave the country, after which
she had no difficulty obtaining a U.S. visa and returning to performances
in this country, as well as England.  There had never been a legal case
against her personally.  Further, in attempting to discredit her as a
means of implicating her husband, Sundfor was unable to produce a shred
of proof that she had ever expressed pro-Nazi sentiments or provided
pro-Nazi support.

This did not prevent the likes of Walter Winchell and Hedda Hopper
from labelling her as a Nazi and instigating demonstrations against
her.  This caused her to be harrassed for several years after her
return to this country and led to stink-bomb throwings during concerts
and more serious threats to opera managements (particularly in San
Francisco).  Those managements, however, refused to knuckle under and
continued to support her.  Furthermore, on taking charge of the Metropolitan
opera in the early 50's, Rudolf Bing, who was Jewish and as vehement
as anyone about barring Nazi performers (which was why he would not
have Elisabeth Schwarzkopf for many years) insisted on Flagstad's 
immediate return to the Metropolitan opera.

Flagstad's return to, and acceptance by operatic and concert management
in this country as well as, of course, the granting of her visa are
a matter of record and can be found easily in various musical chronicles
which indicate who sang what where and when by anyone who is interested.
Her own statements have been documented in an autobiography and are
substantially corroborated by other documents of the time.  

There is no documentation to support the deportation that never happened
and the only evidence of pro-Nazi sentiments on her part are to be
found in rumor (the prominent one, which she vehemently denied, being
that she once referred to Erich Leinsdorf as "that Jew") and gossip
columns on the level of the "National Enquirer".

As a matter of fact, the "National Enquirer" seems a more appropriate
forum for this entire project.

	- Greg Paley