„Musik gegen das Vergessen“ – Discussion Concert with the Mannheimer Philharmoniker

Creating a sense of identity, art is an essential part of all cultures. Under National Socialism, it became a form of expression of self-assertiveness and resistance for Jewish artists faced with the acute threats of persecution and extermination. The discussion concert under the motto “Musik gegen das Vergessen” (Music against forgetting) will be dedicated to works directly related to the Holocaust. In a panel discussion in German in between the musical performances, the historical contexts will be highlighted and their significance for us today will be reflected on.

The second event in the “Musik gegen das Vergessen” series will feature works by Gertrud Schweizer (1894–1942) and Gideon Klein (1919–1945). Schweizer, who was born in Mannheim, and Klein, a Czech Jewish composer, both died in Auschwitz. The performance by members of the Mannheimer Philharmoniker will be the starting point for a panel discussion about the biographical backgrounds of the works, art as a means of self-assertiveness and its significance for a culture of remembrance as well as about Jewish lives and fates linked to the University of Mannheim.

The event is free of charge. Please register in advance under https://www.eventbrite.de/e/musik-gegen-das-vergessen-tickets-1981719229562.

The event is a cooperation of the Department of History at the University of Mannheim, the Mannheimer Philharmoniker, and the MARCHIVUM.