Category Archives: History

Mar 11

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and its Nazi history

Posted on by

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra commissioned a report on its activities from the Anschluss with Germany in March 1938 to the end of the War. You can read the reports of three historians, along with memoirs by former players, in a series of documents on the orchestra’s website An English translation is in preparation. READ MORE.

The report confirmed that in 1966 the orchestra reissued its highest award, an Ehrenring (Ring of Honour) to Baldur von Schirach, the former Nazi party governor in Vienna, who had just been released from Spandau prison for crimes against humanity, including the deportation of thousands of Jews to death camps. His original ring issued in 1942 had been taken by an American soldier following the Nazi defeat.

The report unearthed a petition to von Schirach from a prominent Nazi member of the orchestra, Wilhelm Jerger, pleading for him to stop the deportation of the Jewish musicians. Von Schirach ignored the appeal. Today’s report names Helmut Wobisch as the man who handed the re-awarded ring to von Schirach. (Source The Times 11 March 2013)

A rare photo from Lebrecht Music & Arts from 1943 when the Nazis ran Austria shows Von Schirach (far right) at the Burg Theatre in Vienna for the world premiere of Hauptmann’s ‘Iphigenia’ (centre) and Richard Strauss (left).

STRAUSS, Richard (1864-1949) in 1943

Email
Feb 04

Remains of King Richard III found in car park

Posted on by

A skeleton found beneath a Leicester city council car park has been confirmed as that of English King Richard III. Experts from the University of Leicester said DNA from the bones matched that of descendants of the monarch’s family.

Lead archaeologist Richard Buckley, from the University of Leicester, told a press conference to applause: “Beyond reasonable doubt it’s Richard.” Read full story HERE.

Richard III of England - portrait
© Lebrecht

Richard III by William Shakespeare. Act V. Scene 4
© Lebrecht Authors

William Shakespeare 's play 'Richard III' -
© Tristram Kenton/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Email
Nov 20

Lebrecht Music & Arts now has almost 900 of the beautifully illustrated Liebig cards on our website

Posted on by

The cards were a promotional device started in the nineteenth century and going through to the twentieth century. The aim was to encourage purchases of the Liebig meat extract by collectors who enthusiastically tried to complete their set of six cards on every subject known to mankind at that time.

Subjects covered included Shakespeare’s plays, famous leaders throughout history, manufacturing processes in the industrial world such as printing or the work of foundries, ancient means of producing basic materials, folk dances, ancient Greek civilization and myths, famous sculptures or sculptors, buildings around the world, information about countries in Asia, the Middle East – just about anything you can think of.

The illustrations on the cards are charming and very much of their time. Many famous artists were contacted to design the cards, which were first produced using lithography, then litho chromo, and chromolithography.

Email
Nov 15

PHOTO OF THE WEEK from LEBRECHT MUSIC & ARTS

Posted on by

Lebrecht prides itself on acquiring very rare photos from hidden corners of cultural history.

This is a truly original photo taken in the depths of World War II. It leaves you wondering what the real story is behind it, what are the soldiers saying to each other and where exactly are they? They all look so much of their time, even the angle of the cigarette speaks volumes.

The caption to this postcard reads: ‘Los soldados de Europa-españoles, finlandeses y alemanes- conversando en una ciudad ruso-soviética’ . From a series of cards called ‘The European Crusade against Bolshevism: The Blue Brigade’.

La División Azul was a unit of Spanish and Portuguese volunteers that served in the German Army on the Eastern Front of the Second World War.


© Lebrecht history

Email
Oct 15

World War I Centenary

Posted on by

A ‘truly national commemoration’ for World War I Centenary in 2014

British PM, David Cameron has announced that during 2014, the WWI centenary year, the UK will host a series of events to commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of the Great War.

Alongside a huge event programme, he has pledged £5m of government funding for educational visits to battlefields in Belgium and France for schoolchildren and promised financial support for the expansion of the Imperial War Museum – overall he has said that £50m will be allocated for the complete series of commemorations.

Lebrecht Music & Arts has been busy preparing for the centenary by expanding our collection of World War I material.

Email
Sep 13

Richard III makes the headlines in the UK!

Posted on by

Archaeologists have long searched for the remains of the Plantaganet king in vain. They have now found the remains of a high status man in a car park in Leicester who they think could possibly be the long sought after king. The skeleton has an arrow in its back and archaeologists say that a blade appeared to have cleaved part of the rear of the skull. This suggests the body belonged to a man who rich and killed in battle. It does not have the withered arm that Shakespeare depicted but it does have spinal curvature. The remains will now go for DNA analysis.

Richard III was last seen in August 1485 in Leicester riding out in full glory to meet his Tudor opponents. His body was brought back later and his death marked the end of the Wars of the Roses. The body was displayed for threes so his death could be confirmed and he was then buried. His burial place may finally have been found – and historical events confirmed!

(source: The Times).


Richard III of England
© Lebrecht

Email
Jun 29

Prehistory images from the De Agostini archives at Lebrecht!

Posted on by

Prehistoric humans created a wealth of cultural objects and tools that laid the foundation of society as we know it today.

The latest major additions to our library from the De Agostini archives cover the cultural and artistic production of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Countries covered include China, Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria and France.

We have images of sites of cultural and historical importance, metalwork, stonemasonry and ceramics, as well as cave paintings ranging from the Paleolithic Stone Age to the Calcolithic Bronze Age.

See www.lebrecht.co.uk for more pictures from this collection.


Flint spear points from Scania.
© De Agostini/Lebrecht Music & Arts


Megalithic monument of Stonehenge (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1986)
© De Agostini/Lebrecht Music & Arts


Backa archaeological site. Rock carvings dating back to the Bronze Age.
© De Agostini/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Email
Apr 25

Paule Saviano’s new photo book

Posted on by

‘From Above’, Paule Saviano, Lebrecht Music & Arts photographer’s photo book, featuring portraits and testimonials of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and fire bombing survivors from Dresden and Tokyo is a new book from this ever questing photographer.

‘With gratitude to life, I live my life as strongly as I can. And for the sake of people who were forced to end their lives at that moment, it is my role to make the world go around.’

These words, spoken by Mrs. Hisayo Yamashita, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima encapsulate the sentiments of many brought together in Paule Saviano’s new book. Recollections and portraits of survivors of both atomic bombs and the Bikini Incident are presented along with those who experienced the 1945 firebombings of Tokyo and Dresden.

The Memorial Cenotaph monument reads ‘Rest in Peace, for the error shall not be repeated.’ Looking through the sculpture the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome can be seen. The Memorial Cenotaph was built on 6 August 1952. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victim.

Email
Apr 17

Images of Cuba at Lebrecht!

Posted on by
Come to www.lebrecht.co.uk to see our recently launched collection of photographs, paintings and old postcards that chart Cuba’s history, explorers and rulers.
The unique collection includes 20th century images showing Cubans looking at new buildings, driving cars, working in the sugar cane fields and a quiet bay called Guantanamo. We also have pictures of modern day ballet dancers and Soviet Russia’s view of its ally and leader Fidel Castro.
Email
Apr 02

Images of Vladimir Putin unveiling a new monument to Mstislav Rostropovich online at www.lebrecht.co.uk

Posted on by

We have just received images of Vladimir Putin at the unveiling of Alexander Rukavishnikov’s monument to musician Mstislav Rostropovich. The event took place in Moscow on 29 March 2012. To read more on the story, click here. For pictures of Rostropovich, search online at www.lebrecht.co.uk.

Vladimir Putin at the unveiling of a monument to musician Mstislav Rostropovich by sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov, Moscow, 29 March

Email