Vienna Philharmonic lifts lid on Nazi history

All a bit predictable, but nevertheless they allowed historians access to their archives and to publish an honest account of their history. Easy for us to all scoff, but living under Nazism/Communism or any other oppressive regime forces people to act in ways that may not stand up to later scrutiny by those of fortunate to live in the free world. we all like to think we would ne heroes but we don't really know how we would behave.

The hills are alive with the sound of music....

Can you imagine the outcry if Communist player were fired? The idea of winning the war was to reestablish the freedom not permitted under the Nazis, not to institute a new discrimination.

If in Vienna in the late 30's, would it raise a brow that nazi's were members? No news here....

You're splitting hairs. Vienna Philharmonic =Austria=Nazi

The famed Vienna Philharmonic has acknowledged that many of its musicians were Nazi party members during Hitler’s rule and that its director may have delivered a prestigious orchestra award to a Nazi war criminal two decades after the end of World War II.

Kinda ironic that this article is appearing in "Japan Today", a country that still has government members go to Yasakuni Shrine to pay tribute to Class A war criminals every year. Wonder is this dawns on any Japanese folks and maybe makes them understand a little why their neighbors get so upset when they do that?

Except for the fact that your irony is way off. Austria=Korea(Japan's neighbor)

nigelboy -- nonsense. Nice try. The irony is spot on, the Philharmonic is coming clean on atrocities it comitted, not Austria. (They already did that, in 1991. Or did you not read the article, or just conveniently ignore that?) Meanwhile Japan vacalates. Man up and stop looking for semantic dodges to hide behind. Also, Yasukuni, which I referened, is just like the Philiharmonic, in that both are private entities which have, over the years, had strong governmental ties. One has chosen the moral high road, and one has chosen to spin the "victim" speak.

nigleboy -- also, before you respond, you might want to consult Wikipedia, and learn the difference between "irony" and "analogy". I said the situation was ironic, which means some parralells can be drawn, not an analogy.

Herefornow

Oh no. I have it right when you mentioned "their neighbors". I recommend you read up on history.

edbardoe. Your statement makes no sense at all. If we are talking about an American symphony and any person if fired for political affiliation, then we have a problem. Right? But this is not about America.

In Germany the Nazis were in power for a long time and did incomprehensible harm to people. It is only natural that once the party fell, that it follows that punishment for those who empowered that evil with their support be banished from much of society.

Learn your history and learn to differentiate between the post war reality of Germany and the McCarthy period in America. They are not remotely the same circumstances.

Kinda ironic that this article is appearing in "Japan Today", a country that still has government members go to Yasakuni Shrine to pay tribute to Class A war criminals every year. Wonder is this dawns on any Japanese folks and maybe makes them understand a little why their neighbors get so upset when they do that?

Except for the fact that your irony is way off. Austria=Korea(Japan's neighbor)