Adolf Hitler harnessed the power of music but it was actually Josef Goebbels who ensured that National Socialism adopted it as a part of German daily life through the semi-professional bands of the 'brown-shirted' Sturm-Abteilung and the enthusiasm of the nation's youth.
Whilst the 'Horst Wessel' song was the most recognisable in the history of Nazi Germany and it's faithful 'S.A. Stormtroopers' and synonymous with the Third Reich as its unofficial German National Anthem, Hitlerjugend musical education was originally centred around the traditional German folk song. However, still being essentially a political and ideological organisation, like the SA, more emphasis was eventually placed on solemn military and fighting songs, through which the ten-to-eighteen year olds could re-affirm their commitment to their leader and Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, and his ideals!
This was to result in the youngsters, (whose lusty singing & marching was a world away from traditional German military music), taking a rebellious pride in the fact that all their early activities were performed without any help from the experts, rejecting the 'know-it-all' attitudes of their S.A. musical peers!
Gradually the Hitlerjugend evolved into a powerful political youth organisation whose leadership began to control every aspect of music and gifted youngsters were sent to the Musikschulen für Jugend und Volk and from this early 'rag-tag' musical education of S.A. street-fighting songs would come many talented future Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS military bandsmen, conductors and musical directors.
Tracking down and acquiring such original shellack 78rpm records in Germany has been a long and arduous process, but Tomahawk Films are now pleased to present 14 of some of the best digitally re-mastered S.A. and H.J. Fighting and Marching songs: available today: Horst Wessel Lied - Jugend will marschieren! - Zittern die morschen Knochen - Junge Mannschaft im Südosten - Deutschland erwache! - Solang’ wir jung sind - Die braune Kompanie - Ich bin der Bub vom Fuldatal - Am Adolf Hitler Platz - Morgen marschieren wir - Wir sind die braunen Soldaten - Die Jugend marschiert - Deutschland du Land der Treue and Wenn die SS und die SA aufmarschiert…