- Title: WEST GERMANY: NAZI SONGS AROUSE LAUGHTER IN THEATRE EXPERIMENT
- Date: 10th March 1968
- Summary: THEATRE; AUDIENCE ENTER; AUDIENCE SEATED (NATURAL SOUND OF SINGING); POETRY READINGS (SOF); AUDIENCE APPLAUD. Initials GHB/V/JB/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 25th March 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GOETTINGEN, WEST GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVACZ4KS80BAKNYY5AVGAT9OGZ2X
- Story Text: NAZI SONGS AND POEMS, WHICH ONCE AROUSED PATRIOTIC FERVOUR IN THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS OF GERMANS, WERE TODAY (SUNDAY) GREETED BY LAUGHTER FROM A YOUNG THEATRE AUDIENCE IN GOETTINGEN.
THE TAPE-RECORDED SONGS, INCLUDING HITLER'S FAVOURITE - "WE WILL CONTINUE TO MARCH UNTIL EVERYTHING IS A SHAMBLES" - WERE PLAYED IN THE DEUTSCHE THEATRE DURING AN EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE DEDICATED TO THE POEMS AND TUNES WHICH HELPED TO RALLY GERMANY TO THE SWASTIKA FLAG.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE THEATRE, HERR GUENTHER FLECKENSTEIN, TOLD A PACKED AUDIENCE WHICH INCLUDED A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT HE HAD STAGED THE EXPERIMENT TO GIVE THE YOUNG GENERATION A CHANCE TO JUDGE FOR ITSELF RATHER THAN LEARN ABOUT NAZI PROPAGANDA SECONDHAND.
THERE WAS AMUSEMENT AND OCCASIONAL RIPPLES OF LAUGHTER AS ACTORS READ POEMS INCLUDING ONE BY NAZI YOUTH LEADER BALDUR VON SCHIRACH WHICH OPENS - "HERE WE STAND, THE BROWN HORDES OF US, WE WANT TO MURDER THE ENEMIES OF THE REICH - PEOPLE TO THE GUNS".
STUDENTS SAID LATER THAT HAD MERELY FOUND THE ITEMS AMUSING, BUT ADMITTED THAT IN SOME CASES THE SONGS STRUCK AN EMOTIONAL CHORD.
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