Taking Sides Page #9

FURTWÄNGLER

I received a telegram from Hermann

Goering informing me that he had

made me a Privy Councillor. I was

not given the opportunity either

to accept or refuse. After the

dreadful events of November 1938,

the violent attacks on the Jews, I

stopped using the title.

STEVE:

What about Vice-President of the

Chamber of Music, you used that

title didn't you? But then I suppose

you had no choice there either,

because I suppose Dr. Goebbels

just sent you a telegram saying,

Dear Mr. Vice-President.

FURTWÄNGLER

I don't think Dr. Goebbels sent me

a telegram. I was simply told. In

a letter, I believe. I don't

remember exactly.

STEVE:

Goebbels and Goering were sure

heaping honours on you. One makes

you a Privy Councillor, the other

makes you Vice-President of the

Chamber of Music, and you weren't

even a member of the Party, how do

you explain that?

FURTWÄNGLER

Well, there was a constant battle

between Goering and Goebbels as to

which of them would control German

culture. I was simply a pawn.

Anyway, I resigned from the

Musikkammer at the same time I

resigned as Musical Director of

the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1934.

David puts up a hand. Steve nods.

DAVID:

Why was that? Why did you resign,

Dr. Furtwängler?

FURTWÄNGLER

I wrote an open letter to the

newspapers condemning what they

were doing to music, making these

distinctions between Jews and non-

Jews. For my part, the only divide

in art is between good and bad.

Eventually, Goebbels summoned me

and told me I could leave the

country if I wanted to but under

no condition would I ever be allowed

to return. I always believe that

you have to fight from the inside

not from without. I asked myself,

what's the duty of an artist, to

stay or to leave? And then Goebbels

demanded that I acknowledge Hitler

as solely responsible for cultural

policy. Well, that was a fact and

it seemed pointless to deny it. I

simply acknowledged that Hitler

and the Minister of Culture

appointed by him were solely

responsible for the cultural policy

of the Reich. What I wanted to

express was that I, personally,

had no responsibility whatsoever

for their cultural policy. I have

always had the view that art and

politics should... should have

nothing to do with each other.

STEVE:

Then why did you conduct at one of

their Nuremberg rallies?

FURTWÄNGLER

(flaring)

I did not conduct at at the rally,

I conducted on the evening before

the rally.

STEVE:

That sounds like the small print

in one of our insurance policies,

Wilhelm. And what about April 19,

1942? The eve of Hitler's fifty-

third birthday, the big celebration;

you conducted for Hitler, didn't

you? Was that in keeping with your

view that art and politics have

nothing to do with each other?

FURTWÄNGLER

(flustered)

That... that was a different matter,

I... I was tricked.

STEVE:

How come?

FURTWÄNGLER

Could I have a glass of water,

please? Please, Fraulein?

EMMI:

Straube.

Steve looks expectant but Furtwängler remains silent. Steve

nods to Emmi, who gets the water. Furtwängler drinks.

Steve waits.

FURTWÄANGLER

Thank you. I was in Vienna,

rehearsing the Ninth Symphony of

Beethoven, when Goebbels called

and said I had to conduct at

Hitler's birthday. I'd always

managed to wriggle out of such

invitations, pleading previous

engagements, illness, having my

doctors state I was not well and

so on and so on. I was also

fortunate that Baldur von Shirach,

who controlled Vienna, hated Dr.

Goebbels and would do anything to

thwart his wishes. But this time

Goebbels got to my doctors before

me; they were frightened off, and

von Schirach was threatened, bullied

and gave in. So, I had no

alternative but to conduct for

Hitler. Believe me, I knew I had

compromised, and I deeply regret

it.

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