Hitler Hymn - God Bless our Leader, by Leopold von Schenkendorf

by Tony Magee

An interesting record label has come to my attention, stumbling across it on the internet.

It looks to me as if it would have been the centre label on a German 45rpm single (record), with perhaps another song on side two.

Certainly, the inclusion of B.I.E.M. (Bureau International de l'Edition Mécanique - International Bureau of Mechanical Publishing) and Telefunken is an indication that it is a record label, including the centre-whole in the middle.

BIEM is the international organisation representing mechanical rights societies. Mechanical rights societies exist in most countries. They license the reproduction of songs (including musical, literary and dramatic works).

Hitler Hymn - God Bless our Leader, by Leopold von Schenkendorf

The translation of the label is as follows:

For the Winter relief Work

Telefunken

Hitler-Hymn

(God bless our Leader)

(by Leopold von Schenkendorf)

Tenor: Marcel Wittrisch

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Conducted by Hans Bund

Order (catalogue) No: A 1550

Warning: overleaf or Overleaf: reminder

_____________________

The text “Umseitig: Mahnung” at the bottom of the disc translates as either “Warning: overleaf” or “Overleaf: reminder”, which begs the question: what is the person listening to the record being warned or reminded about?

Leopold von Schenkendorf:

Leopold von Schenkendorf was a German author and composer of Nazi songs. He was also a recording engineer at Telefunken.

His books include:

1. Kampf um's Dritte Reich: Eine historische Bildfolge, 1933. 

Translation: Battle for the Third Reich: A historical sequence of images, 1933. A set of cards was also included with the book. 

2. Der Staat der Arbeit und des Friedens. [Sammelbildalbum]. Ein Jahr Regierung Adolf Hitler, 1934. Cigaretten-Bilderdienst, Altona-Bahrenfeld (Hrsg.) 

Translation: The State of Labor and Peace. [Scrapbook Album]. One year in Adolf Hitler’s reign, 1934. Cigarette picture service, Altona-Bahrenfeld (ed.)

Leopold von Schenkendorf was born on September 4th, 1909 as the son of a battalion commander in Breslau. His father, Günther von Schenkendorf, died in 1916 in World War I near Verdun.

At the age of 20, von Schenkendorf joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (The Nazi Party). He worked as a book author, lyricist and composer. A number of Nazi songs were composed by him.

Under the pseudonym Günther Ernst,  he composed lyrics and compositions in the field of light music.

In 1933/1934 von Schenkendorf was one of the recording technicians at Telefunken. 

In the fall of 1934 he was expelled from the Sturmabteilung, or SA, a paramilitary organisation associated with the Nazi Party.

He then became leader of an N.S.K.K. (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps - The National Socialist Motor Corps) motor squadron.

After working for Telefunken, von Schenkendorf moved to Electrola as a unit manager. He finished there in 1936. 

Leopold von Schenkendorf (left) in conversation with Peter Igelhoff at an
Electrola recording session. (Photo courtesy of member Barnabás)

After that, von Schenkendorf was head of broadcasting in the entertainment department of the Reichssender Frankfurt/M. In February 1938 he was expelled from the Reich Chamber of Music.

From 1939 until the end of the war he was head of training at the Air War School in Göppingen.

After the war, for a short time he was head of production at Philips in Hamburg.

Leopold von Schenkendorf died on October 1st, 1988 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Heinrich Hoffmann:

The selection and artistic processing of the photographs used in von Schenkendorf’s books was carried out by Heinrich Hoffmann (born September 12, 1885). Hoffmann was Adolf Hitler's official photographer and also a Nazi politician and publisher, who was a member of Hitler's intimate circle.

Heinrich Hoffmann - Hitler's official photographer. Photo courtesy The New Yorker

Hoffmann's photographs were a significant part of Hitler's propaganda campaign to present himself and the Nazi Party as a significant mass phenomenon.

He received royalties from all uses of Hitler's image, even on postage stamps, which made him a millionaire over the course of Hitler's rule.

After the Second World War he was tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison for war profiteering. He was classified by the Allies' Art Looting Investigators to be a "major offender" in Nazi art plundering of Jews, as both an art dealer and collector. His art collection, which contained many artworks looted from Jews, was confiscated by the Allies. 

Hoffmann's sentence was reduced to 4 years on appeal. In 1956, the Bavarian State ordered all art under its control and formerly possessed by Hoffmann to be returned to him.

Hoffmann died on December 15, 1957.

Some information in this article first published at Grammophon - Platten de, June 25, 2014 and The New Yorker, reprinting an article from "A Reporter at Large", November 4, 1950 Issue: "Hitler's Photographer, An intimate friend of the Führer" by Bernard Taper, October 27, 1950.