Comments on: Paul Abraham: An Interview with His First Biographer

By: Johan F

Johan F — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 20:19:33 +0000

Thank you! The Nazi policy of “so oder so”. I know the new Reichsmusikkammar excluded Jewish composers, but the idea of a total and immediate theatre censure didn’t sound right to me. The jazz style of Abraham’s music seems to have lived on for a while despite it all, though it of course didn’t help Abraham. But the idea of happily mixing races (My golden baby, and the Mama from Yokohama) must have made the Reichsdramaturg angry, and Abraham’s librettists met a sad fate too, I believe.

By: kevin

kevin — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 13:24:10 +0000

The only work explicitly banned by the Nazis was “Der fidele Bauer” by Leo Fall. Because a state subsidy system was introduced for operetta in 1933, all theater director had to “discuss” there repertoire with the Reichsdramaturg, Dr. Rainer Schlösser. That made it easy for him to persuade those remaining in Germany which pieces were considered suitable, and which were not.

By: Johan F

Johan F — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 16:10:41 +0000

I think the Germans’, certainly the Berliners’, taste in music and theatre did not change overnight because of Hitler in 1933. But was there an explicit ban on producing Abraham’s operettas and playing his music because he was Jewish?

By: kevin

kevin — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 13:26:51 +0000

Not that I know of.

By: JC)

JC) — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 12:03:32 +0000

Is there an English translation of Klaus Waller’s book planned?

By: Det

Det — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 18:24:21 +0000

This interview and of course the biography itself are a very good introduction into the live and destiny of Paul Abraham. Its amusing to read, and you also get an impresseion of the way of live, that artist had in Berlin in the 20th and 30th.