Page 31 - Studio International - April 1970

in itself inevitably refuted any extremist
stance, while aiding the development of neo-
classicist and social-naturalist styles. Interes-
tingly, no architect was excluded from the
Reichskulturkammer on a basis of style alone
(Behrens and Mies were members), but public
discussion of advanced work was stifled and
no new commissions came the way of the
radicals. As for Expressionism, Goebbels's
early support seems mainly to have been con-
cerned with preserving a progressive image of
the Nazi state abroad and with justifying a
private interest which, he realized, would
have to become a secret one. Its inherited
burden of 20s' accusations of political and
cultural depravity made it too dangerous to
support; and the works of expressionist
artists were to receive pride of place in the
forthcoming exhibitions of 'Degenerate Art'.
This has nothing at all to do with the suppression of
artistic freedom and modern progress.
Goebbels, 1937.
Beobachter, and the earlier admiration for city advocacy of a free art to demonstrate the That the Nazis specifically equated 'de-
life had been replaced by a column with revolutionary character of the new Germany generacy' with the art engendered by the
`News from the Asphalt Deserts'. This denun- had brought fierce opposition from the Kampf- German revolution of 1918 is suggested by
ciation of the metropolis in the search for bund and created an open party conflict. The the earliest exhibitions of `Entartete Kunst'
German-ness is a significant rebuttal of Berlin expressionist exhibition (mentioned (Degenerate Art) set up in provincial cities
20s' ideology and marked the first triumph above), provocatively entitled 'German Art', during the months of the Rosenberg/Goebbels
of ancients over moderns in this continuing which included a painting by Goebbels's aide, dispute. Their titles included such words as
debate. The moderns never survived it. But Hans Weidermann, was attacked at the Novembergeist and Kulturbolschewismus.9 This
the Kampfbund ancients did not enjoy their Kampfbund rally that month, and Rosenberg sets the pattern for the important Munich
victory long, for shortly after the establish- appealed to Hitler for support. But Hitler's exhibition of 'degenerate' art in 1937. The
ment of the Nazi state Goebbels not Rosen- reply, in the form of a speech at the party period 1933-37 saw the establishment of the
berg came to control cultural affairs, and congress in September, was noncommittal, legal framework of the Nazi state, a period of
he was clearly unsympathetic to the con- choosing to present a unified party before a certain experimentation within limited
servatism of the Kampfbund. He had, precise artistic policy. For Rosenberg, a com- bounds; but from 1937 policies were tightened
moreover, a considerable interest in expres- promise of this kind was not enough and and more rigidly defined and pursued. Thus,
sionist art and even at times appeared to be without Hitler's support the Kampfbund con- when opening the Haus der deutschen Kunst
sanctioning advanced currents. For a short tinued to lose ground to Goebbels's cultural at Munich in 1937, Hitler was able to say that
period it seemed that at least some of the take-over. In November, Goebbels estab- the modernists had had four years in which
moderns had a second chance. lished the Reichskulturkammer as a branch to prove themselves (that is, reform). Hence-
The 'spiritual' upsurge of the years 1930-33 of his ministry and thus assumed responsi- forward, 'cliques of chatterers, dilettantes and
was reflected in the resumption of creative bility for the state organization of the arts.? art forgers will be picked up and liquidated'. 10
work by expressionist writers like Hans His victory meant that the debate could The two Munich exhibitions which opened in
Johst (a Kampfbund member) and Gottfried continue. In 1934, Gottfried Benn published July of 1937, of official and of 'degenerate'
Benn, who perhaps saw in this period an echo his Kunst und Macht, which defended Expres- art, marked the establishment of the 'rules' so
of their earlier activism and communal spiri- sionism as a 'power' movement, and even far as art was concerned.
tual life, and it was felt by many that championed Marinetti; and in the following Goebbels' direction to Professor Zeigler was to
Expressionism could be the German art which year Max Sauerlandt attempted to reconcile confiscate all degenerate art since 1910. This
was being sought. Certainly, it seemed to have advanced art and the new politics in a study date was not explained; neither was a defini-
some good qualifications : its connections with of the art of the past thirty years. Even the tion proposed of what was meant by 'degener-
the Gothic tradition, with the 'blood and soil' `new architects' went out of their way to stress ate'. In fact, confiscations included works with
evolution of transalpine peoples, its indi- the 'German-ness' of their work : Gropius, for racially-suspect, pacifist or Bolshevist con-
vidualist and power-orientated ethos. At example, writing to the Reichskulturkammer nections, real or assumed. This meant all
least, such were the claims put forward for an that the Bauhaus style was 'a valid union of varieties of Expressionism and abstract art:
Aryan Expressionism. Perhaps such connec- the two great spiritual heritages of the classical Expressionism for its Novembergeist or its
tions motivated the exhibition of expressionist and the Gothic traditions'.8 But these efforts primitivism or its supposed illustration of
art organized by Berlin students led by Fritz were to no avail, and it was soon apparent inferior types; Abstraction, especially Bauhaus-
Hippler in the July of 1933. In any case, that Goebbels's criteria were not artistic but orientated abstract art, for its symbolic
Goebbels was a well-known collector of works political, not concerned with creating a Nazi association with Weimar free-thinking. But
by Nolde, Barlach and other expressionist style but with effecting total cultural admini- the exhibition, `Entartete Kunst', placed
artists. The battle for power between Goebbels strative control. It was, therefore, unnecessary major stress on the initial revolutionary period
and Rosenberg was to be fought on this front. to establish a precise category, 'German Art'; of modernism, and the pamphlet which accom-
In March of 1933, Goebbels was appointed rather, an a-stylistic designation of any kind panied it was concerned to assert the political
Minister of Propaganda and immediately of art as 'cultural goods' (Kulturguter) capable and racial degeneracy of modern art with an
began to try and assimilate cultural affairs to of use for state ends, practically, commemo- almost exclusive reference to the period
his areas of influence. By July, his seeming ratively, aspiratively or soporiferously. This c.1918—c.1922, using texts by political theo-