Propaganda music in the Second World War

Thursday, March 12, 2026, 7 p.m.

Propaganda music in the Second World War

Lecture with musical examples with music enthusiast Tobias Baur

Jazz was banned in National Socialist Germany, but the Nazi regime used it for propaganda purposes: the big band “Charlie and His Orchestra” was formed by order of Propaganda Minister Goebbels to broadcast swing music with Nazi lyrics to Great Britain via shortwave. Many of the band’s musicians escaped concentration camps or deployment on the front. They allowed themselves to be instrumentalized by the regime in order to survive. But Americans and Britons also used swing music for the same reasons. The popular American big band musician Glenn Miller led the Army Force Orchestra from 1942. This took over the musical part when the BBC broadcast the “Wehrmacht Hour” from Studio London. Some of the protagonists are introduced. Pieces of music and broadcast recordings are played that are rarely heard.

Fee: 5,00 €

To register, please send an e-mail to museum@radolfzell.de or call 07732 / 81-530 (Thursday to Sunday) is requested.

Venue: Stadtmuseum Radolfzell