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From: simon@psuvax1.UUCP (Janos Simon)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: music and nazism
Message-ID: <1689@psuvax1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 23:42:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: psuvax1.1689
Posted: Mon Aug 19 23:42:10 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 16:11:39 EDT
References: <152@vice.UUCP>
Reply-To: simon@psuvax1.UUCP (Janos Simon)
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Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ.
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Summary:it wasn't always Deutschland Ueber Alles - Haydn wasn't a bum 

The tune referred to may or may not be original Haydn (it may have been an
Austrian folk song). In any case, Haydn popularized it, in a song, in piano
variations, and in the slow movement of a string quartet. It became the
Austrian national anthem, with words that mean "God save the Emperor" - not
a Nazi hymn. Like the old sanscrit symbol swastika, it was stolen by the
Nazis. Unlike the swastika, the tune is still beautiful, and has not been
used since WWII as a Nazi symbol (neo-Nazis may not be musical enough) so
as the generation that heard it in its Nazi context dies off, it will, hopefully
lose its modern connotations and become again just a nice piece of music.
Haydn wasn't a bum - in fact he was a neat and gutsy fellow. People who make
stupid and groundless accusations are bums.

As for the original query, I think there is some interest in exploring how
great artists could become nazis - not necessarily to condemn, but to understand
and possibly to avoid similar traps. I recommend very strongly a work of
fiction that does this beautifully: the novel Mephisto by Klaus Mann. 
(There is also a film version - the book is better).
js