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The Vienna Philharmonic under National Socialism
(1938 - 1945)

(English translations of the articles on this page will be added as they become available.)
In 1938, politics encroached upon the Vienna Philharmonic in the most brutal manner. The National Socialists dismissed all Jewish artists from the Vienna State Opera and disbanded the Association of the Vienna Philharmonic. It was only the intervention of Wilhelm Furtwängler and other individuals which achieved the nullification of the disbandment order and, with two exceptions, saved the "half-Jews" and "closely-related" from dismissal from the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. However, five members of the orchestra perished in concentration camps, despite the intervention of the new Nazi chairman of the orchestra, who attempted to rescue them from deportation. Another two members died in Vienna as a direct result of attempted deportation and persecution. A total of nine orchestra members were driven into exile.

The eleven remaining orchestra members who were married to Jewish women or stigmatized as "half-Jewish" lived under the constant threat of revocation of their "special permission".

Yet also within the orchestra, as part of the NS Personnel Organization State Opera (NSBO), there was an active illegal cell, so that even before 1938, when the ban of the NSDAP was in effect, 20% of the members of the orchestra belonged to the Nazi party. In 1942, 60 of the 123 active orchestral musicians had become members of the NSDAP.

Oliver Rathkolb

The Project "Vienna Philharmonic - A Historical Overview of the NS Era" On the basis of many years of comprehensive research by an independent group of historians made up of Maga Bernadette Mayrhofer, Dr. Fritz Trümpi und Prof. DDr. Oliver Rathkolb, an attempt will be made in the following five chapters to present a concentrated summary of the examination of the history of the Vienna Philharmonic under National Socialism. This project represents another step in the scholarly and candid study of the effects of the National Socialistic regime of terror. This work is not yet completed, but will be continued and expanded in the next months. The responsibility for these articles lies exclusively with the group of historians.

Fritz Trümpi
The Politicization Process of the Vienna Philharmonic from World War I until 1945

	Surge in Politicization during World War I During the First World War, the orchestra saw itself confronted for the first time with diverse politically motivated attempts at exploitation, some of which it tried to resist, others which it supported and promoted.
	The First Republic and Austrofascism: Enhancing References to Vienna as the “City of Music“ and Strengthening Internal Authoritarian Structures Unlike the time before World War I, when musical events were primarily initiated by private committees, there was a considerable degree of politicization after 1919.
	An Association Based on National Socialist Principles Having been spared disbandment, the Association was charged with implementing far-reaching changes in its statutes: important personnel decisions now required the consent of the Reich Propaganda Ministry and later that of the Reichsstatthalter in Vienna.
	Increased References to Vienna in the Vienna Philharmonic's Media Presence under the National Socialist Regime The Vienna Philharmonic has always had a multifaceted media presence. It remained at a steady high under the National Socialist regime.
	Die 'wienerische Note' als Merkmal des politisierten Musikrepertoires Auf das Repertoire bezogen war die Konzertpraxis der Wiener Philharmoniker im Nationalsozialismus also von einer hohen Kontinuität geprägt – allerdings nur soweit es die Abonnementkonzerte betraf.

Oliver Rathkolb

	From the Johann Strauss Concert in 1939 to the New Year's Concert in 1946 [...] the tradition of New Year's concerts given by the Vienna Philharmonic with works by Johann Strauss, broadcast on the radio and later on television, dates back to the National Socialist era.

Bernadette Mayrhofer
Vertreibung und Ermordung von Wiener Philharmonikern nach 1938

	Vertreibung und Ermordung von Wiener Philharmonikern nach 1938 Aus dem Philharmonischen Verband bzw. aus dem Orchester der Staatsoper wurden 1938 dreizehn aktive Musiker vertrieben. Drei weitere Philharmoniker, die bereits in der Pension waren, fielen dem Holocaust zum Opfer.

Deportation and Murder 

	Persecution and Murder of Members of the Vienna Philharmonic A total of five members of the Philharmonic were killed in the course of racist cleansings. One member of the Philharmonic died as a result of the eviction from his apartment, and another died in Vienna before his impending deportation.
	Moriz Glattauer (Violin I) On July 14, 1942, Moriz Glattauer, a retired first violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic, was deported to Theresienstadt along with his wife, Anna Schidlof Glattauer.
	Viktor Robitsek (Violin II) After 35 years of service in the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic, Viktor Robitsek received notice from the management of the State Opera informing him of his compulsory suspension.
	Max Starkmann (Violine I, Viola) This article will appear shortly.
	Julius Stwertka (Concertmaster, Solo Violinist) Julius Stwertka was recruited from Hamburg as concertmaster by Gustav Mahler and was engaged for this position with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic from 1902-1936.
	Armin Tyroler (Oboe II) "„(ich) habe mich stets bemüht, den Daseinskampf meiner vom Glück weniger begünstigten Kollegen zu erleichtern, zu verschönern. Das ist alles!"

'Died in Vienna'

	Paul Fischer (Violine I, Stimmführer) Paul Fischer spielte 39 Jahre lang 1. Violine bei den WPh und im Staatsopernorchester. Zusätzlich war er langjähriges Mitglied des international renommierten Rosé-Quartetts.
	Anton Weiss (Violine I) This article will appear shortly.

Vienna Philharmonic Musicians in Exile

	Wiener Philharmoniker im Exil Neun Philharmoniker konnten sich ins Exil retten.
	Hugo Burghauser (Fagott I, Vorstand) [...] und von ihren alten Schülern niemand anderer als Hugo Burghauser, der arme, der so ganz verloren auf dem Asphalt von Manhatten ist [...]
	Friedrich Siegfried Buxbaum (Solocellist) Friedrich Buxbaum wurde in seiner exponierten Position als Solist und erster Cellist der WPh unmittelbar nach dem ‚Anschluss' Österreichs an Deutschland aus dem Orchesterverband vertrieben.
	Daniel Falk (Violine II) „Seitdem ich Wien verließ, liegen hinter mir Jahre der Wanderung, das tragische Schicksal, meine ganze Familie, Mutter, Brüder wie auch sämtliche Angehörige in den Konzentrationslagern und Gaskammern verloren zu haben, wie auch Jahre, ein neues, hochinteressantes Land kennengelernt zu haben."
	Leopold Othmar Föderl (Violine II) Im Sommer 1948 kam dann die große Ernüchterung: Der Operndirektor Franz Salmhofer wies den vertriebenen Musiker zurück, während ehemalige Nazis in der Oper ihre Karriere fortsetzen durften.
	Josef Geringer (Violine II) This article will appear shortly.
	Ricardo Odnoposoff (Violine I, Konzertmeister) „[...] he established himself as one of the outstanding violinists of the day. The Argentine artist, who came here virtually unknown to the general public, took his audience by storm by the virtuosity, power and fire of his performance. [...]"
	Arnold Rosé (Konzertmeister, Violine I, Viola-Solist) „Wie Sie richtig vermuten, bin ich nun nach 57 Jahren Oper, 56 Jahren Quartett und 44 Jahren Hofmusikkapelle in den Ruhestand versunken, ohne Sang und Klang"
	Berthold Salander (Violine II) Durch die gewaltsame Vertreibung aus dem Orchester brach für Berthold Salander eine Welt zusammen. Mit 51 Jahren wurde er abrupt aus seinem gewohnten, sehr erfolgreichen Berufsleben exkludiert.
	Ludwig Wittels (Violine I) This article will appear shortly.

Bernadette Mayrhofer

	Impending Expulsion of Those Declared in Nazi Terminology as "Closely Related" (Versippte), "Half-breeds" (Mischlinge) and Foreigners Lacking a "Certificate of Aryan Descent" (Ariernachweis) Gottfried Freiberg, Josef Hadraba, Theodor Hess, Rudolf Jettel, Richard Krotschak, Karl Maurer, Ernst Moravec, Otto Rieger, Arthur Schurig, Erich Weis, Otto Fieck

Oliver Rathkolb

	Das "gestrichene" Abonnement-Publikum (Gründer, Unterstützende und Beiträger) Im Zuge der Recherchen mit der Archivarin der Wiener Philharmoniker wurde in einem als Notenarchiv gewidmeten Kellerdepot in der Wiener Staatsoper ein handgeschriebenes Kontoregister vom Autor dieses Beitrags gefunden.

Oliver Rathkolb
Observations on Nazification and Denazification

	From the Organization Cell Group State Opera to the Managing Comittee The core group of NSDAP sympathisers in the Vienna Philharmonic had in 1931/32 already organized themselves in the framework of the NSBO – the NS Organization Cell Group State Opera.
	Ehrungen und Auszeichnungen (Ehrenmitglieder, Ehrenring, Nicolai-Medaille und die „gelbe" Liste) In Vorbereitung des Hundertjährigen Jubiläums wurde auch eine Zusammenstellung der Träger von Ehrenringen angefertigt.  Wann genau der erste Ring verliehen wurde, kann derzeit nicht rekonstruiert werden.
	Entnazifizierung und der lange Schatten der Vergangenheit in den 1950er/1960er Jahren Das markanteste Beispiel für den unüberwindbaren Prioritätenkonflikt bei der kulturellen Entnazifizierung, nämlich die Forderung nach künstlerischen Leistungen bei gleichzeitiger Eliminierung nationalsozialistischen Gedankengutes durch rigorose Personalsäuberung, stellte die politische Einordnung eines kollektiven Klangkörpers wie jenen der Wiener Philharmoniker dar.

Silvia Kargl

	Historisches Archiv – Bestand Die umfangreiche Programmsammlung und eine Konzertdatenbank bilden das Herz des Historischen Archivs.