When the Kulturbund’s performance of Countess Maritza closed in July 1939 (above), the Kulturbund did not plan for more dance performances. Word spread that the Nazis would send the dancers to the concentration camp since they were no longer employed by the Kulturbund. Quickly, the Kulturbund organized a plan. Kurt Baumann was commissioned to write … Read More
The Jewish Kulturbund orchestra, conducted by William Steinberg, performed in this Frankfurt theatre, which was filled to capacity. The Palestine Symphony Orchestra started under the direction of Bronislaw Huberman in 1936, recruiting European Jewish musicians, providing them not only a living wage, but a safe place to live far from threats in Austria, Germany, Poland, … Read More
Many Jewish musicians and performing artists from the most prominent theatres in Germany (the Deutsche Theatre, the Staatsoper, and the Berlin Philharmonic) performed in the Kulturbund. Rudolf Schwarz, an Austrian musician who played viola for the Vienna State Opera, moved to Germany. In 1935 he became the music director of the Berlin’s Jewish Kulturbund until … Read More