Munich; Degenerate Art exhibition; Koenigsplatz; Deutsches Museum
Creator(s)
- Ralph H. Major (Camera Operator)
- Ms. Ann Major
Biographical History
Ralph H. Major, MD (1884-1970) was an American doctor from Kansas City, Missouri teaching medicine at the University of Munich in the 1930s. His children, Ralph Jr. (b. 1920) and John (b. 1924), attended a boarding school in Marquartstein, Germany during the time. His wife Margaret (b. 1891) and daughter Virginia (b. 1926) visited them in Europe in the summers of 1933, 1934 and 1937. Major captured several reels of 16mm film of Albania and Yugoslavia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Belgium, and England.
Scope and Content
"GERMANY" "Lunch at Ettal" Beer hall in Ettal. Locals. The American family sits outdoors at cafe. "Munich" "American Express Co. Bavarians" Shops. People in Bavarian dress gathered outside the American Express store. "The Hofgarten" Outdoor cafe, waiter prepares meal. 01:02:32 "The Exhibition of Degenerated Art" INTs, Degenerate Art exhibit at the Archeological Institute in Munich in 1937 [ENTARTETE KUNST]. Modern artwork, sculptures, and paintings declared by the Nazis to be "degenerate" on gallery walls. Museum visitors. 01:03:34 "Haus der Deutschen Kunst | House of German Art" Building exterior. BDM girls. Outdoor cafe tables. 01:04:22 "The Dult or Flea Market in Munich" Busy market. "The Ludwigstrasse State Library Ludwigskirche" EXTs, Library and church on Ludwigstrasse. "The English Garden Benjamin Thompson Monument Chinese Pagoda" CUs, monument to Benjamin Thompson in the English Garden, and Chinese Pagoda. Dining outdoors. 01:06:42 "The Koenigsplatz New Government Buildings" City scenes. Reichsadler on government buildings in Koenigsplatz, the NSDAP center of Munich, including Das Braune Haus and Fuhrerbau. MS, Hitler Youth boys march across the square. Memorial, wreath. LS, Koenigsplatz, with swastika flag. 01:08:53 "Marienplatz with the Rathaus" (color) Busy Marienplatz in Munich. Pan up, neo-Gothic Rathaus building, tram, clocktower. "The Glockenspiel in the Rathaus Tower" Crowds gather on sidewalk in front of shops for the daily display of clock chimes (43 bells triggered by six different reels according to season) with 32 figurines (referring to motifs from the legend and history of Munich). CUs of the rotating figures. Spectators lining the streets, policeman directs traffic. 01:11:33 "The Deutsches Museum" EXT, museum in Munich. Sign, "Deutsches Museum" and front entrance.
Note(s)
Original paper in can: Lunch at Ettal - Munich - Amer. Exp. Co. Bavarians - Hofgarten - Exhibition of Degenerated Art - Haus der Deutschen Kunst - The Dult - Ludwigstrasse - English Garden - Konigsplatz - Marienplatz - Glockenspiel - Deutsches Museum - Bavarian Tirol
The exhibition in Munich opened July 19, 1937 and closed in November, 1937 at the Archaeological Institute, which was almost opposite the House of German Art. The LA County Museum of Art catalogue identifies the artists and "Room 3" of the Munich exhibit which had written on the wall "Nehmen Sie Dada ernst. Es lohnt sich." See departmental subject files for more information. Additional photographs are available in the USHMM Photo Archives.
Subjects
- FLAGS
- STREETS
- MUSEUMS
- VACATIONS
- EXHIBITIONS
- SHOPS
- NAZI PARTY
- CITIES
- SWASTIKAS
- ART (DEGENERATE)
- HITLER YOUTH
- BDM (LEAGUE OF GERMAN GIRLS)
- MEMORIALS
- CHURCHES
- CAFES
Places
- Munich, Germany
Genre
- Amateur.
- Film