Night of the Amazons

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Advertising postcard for the first "Night of the Amazons" in 1936
Excerpt from the program of the Night of the Amazons 1937, the representation of the figure is based on the sculpture by Franz von Stuck
Site plan with a sketch of the grandstand for the Night of the Amazons in 1937
The appearance of the “Amazon Queen” was flanked in 1939 by shiny golden “female warriors”; Their canopy was stylistically more reminiscent of the Rococo ...
The big fireworks display again put nudity in the limelight
Closing picture with Hiller Girls and "Amazon Queen". Bronze SS men stand in the flanking arcades (1939)
An Amazon with a wreath adorned the special stamp on the occasion of the horse races for The Brown Ribbon of Germany in 1938
In 1939 the Night of the Amazons was already established in the media as the “standard festival of international standing”

The Night of the Amazons was the name of an open-air revue that was held in Munich in the 1930s in the park of the Nymphenburg Palace , which was illuminated at night . It took place on July 27, 1936, July 31, 1937, July 30, 1938 and July 29, 1939. In the post-war years it was forgotten until Herbert Rosendorfer brought it back to public awareness in his novel The Night of the Amazons in 1989 .

Emergence

The International Riemer Racing Weeks, always flanked by other events, should present equestrian sport at world level and attract numerous visitors. In 1936, The Brown Ribbon was doubled by Germany as the highest endowed prize on the continent to 100,000 Reichsmarks. That year there was also a special anniversary: ​​“500 years of horse racing in Munich”, which featured 14 major events for thoroughbred breeding and equestrian sports. The evening highlight of the horse races around Das Brown Band von Deutschland should cause a sensation at home and abroad. That is why Hitler's duo friend Christian Weber, together with Paul Wolfrum, devised an evening event with up to 2,500 participants, which is still a sensation today and which was held in the Nymphenburg Palace Park , which was illuminated at night under the name of the Night of the Amazons . Christian Weber used the former summer residence of the Bavarian kings as a staffage for his self-portrayal and that of the Nazi system of rule .

Preparatory work and financing

The rehearsals and setup work were labor-intensive and dragged on for several weeks. Financing was taken over by the Reich organization Das Brown Band von Deutschland. For the first event in 1936, the two access avenues and the entire palace complex received their first and comprehensive electrification. The concerns of the Bavarian Palace Administration were dealt with amicably: risk of fire due to the large final fireworks, damage from horse hooves, crowds and underground installations. Finally there were compensation payments. The SS provided supervisory staff.

content

Each time the event consisted of two different parts of the game that differed in content. All too superficial Nazi propaganda was dispensed with. International stars and hundreds of horses were always used. The first part of the game had a historical theme that was set in the courtly environment of the 18th century, which was branded as decadent. In the second part of the game, the “New Age” glorified by Nazi ideology was presented. Under the pretext of ancient mythology, more and more nudity was staged from year to year. A bronze sculpture created by Franz von Stuck in 1913/14 was considered a typical Amazon . In 1936 a replica was placed in front of the Villa Stuck .

Director

In 1936 Hans Gruß was the director. In 1937, 1938 and 1939 Paul Wolz was the director.

Artistic Director

The painter Albert Reich , who was a friend of Christian Weber, was the artistic director of all four revues . He was responsible for the color effect of the successive game scenes as well as for the design of the costumes, carriages and the replica of carriages. In 1937 he also illustrated the program.

Lighting technology

Wilhelm Hindelang was responsible for staging the light. Under the motto “The festival stands and falls with the lighting”, he worked out the lighting plans and provided lighting effects, in particular the colored lighting of the water features and groups of trees using underwater spotlights and mercury vapor lamps. In 1936, during the World Power Conference in New York, he had ample opportunity to study the various illuminations on Broadway and the nighttime illumination of Niagara Falls. The illumination of the “Amazon Nights” enabled the passionate amateur photographer and amateur filmmaker to live out his creativity and expertise. “Under his leadership, the power cables laid in Nymphenburger Park doubled to over 7,000 m. In the western half of the ground floor, 38 towers measuring 40 x 40 cm and 9 m high were built. In addition, four towers for large spotlights each measuring 1.90 x 2.50 m and 18 m high as well as 16 approx. 20 m high light output masts were built on the ground floor walkways. 103 small masts for headlights were set up along the linden-lined high avenue on the central canal. ”The majority of the lighting and the telephone system for the control and lighting instructions were provided by the Wehrmacht.

The spectacular illumination of the actual festival made it possible to film the event for the first time in 1938. Three sequences each lasting 15 minutes were created. They are among the first color film recordings to be shot at night.

Riding skills

The ambitious Reiter-SS staged the numerous rider demonstrations in a publicly effective manner. Many of the riders were members of the SS equestrian standard Totenkopf, which guarded the Dachau concentration camp during the day . Hermann Fegelein , award-winning show jumper and ambitious protégé of Christian Weber and head of the SS main riding school in Riem since 1937, trained them as well as the “Amazons”.

dance

The State Opera ballet took part in the first Night of the Amazons in 1936. However, because classical ballet was said not to be down-to-earth and influenced by foreign countries, from 1937 onwards, more and more expressive dance was used by various dance schools. In keeping with the Nazi ideology, dancers symbolized the “voluntary and lively integration into the great community” in the so-called New Dance. The extras of the German theater and BDM girls from Faith and Beauty were also used for crowd scenes . Choreographically, suggestions from dance performances from current Hollywood and UFA films were also incorporated.

Use of stars

Every year internationally known stars were used, such as B. 1936 Margaret Severn from New York and Eugene Iskoldoff with dancers from the Royal Covent Garden Ballet Russe. In the following years, Scala Girls from Berlin and the Hiller Girls performed , as well as vocal interpreters such as Hans Hermann Nissen and Erna Sack .

Nudity

Christian Weber increasingly implemented the knowledge he had gained in 1937 when he visited the Paris World Exhibition - and the relevant establishments - namely that "naked German girls look better than French women." For the night of the Amazons his conclusion was: "All we have to do is take it off and put it in the spotlight." From 1938, the number of girls wearing only skin-colored briefs increased. For the first time 150 bronzed male and female participants were used, who appeared coated with gold-colored stage make-up from head to toe.

music

The first part of the sequence began with fanfare players, then military music predominated. After the break, classical music changed with vocals, hunting horn players and “rural music” were also used.

Spectators and playing field

Grandstands and standing room were placed on the elongated inner parterre of Nymphenburg Park. As early as 1936 the press spoke of 20,000 viewers. In the years that followed, the grandstands were expanded and there was no longer any standing room. The celebrities had their places of honor on the western steps of the palace. The Night of the Amazons was always sold out. In order to offer something to the onlookers in front of the castle, the building was illuminated, open fire shone from pylons, gondolas ran along the castle canal.

Safety precautions

Every year, members of the Gestapo meticulously searched the spacious area of ​​the Nymphenburg Palace . After all, the presence of Adolf Hitler was hoped for. “Rails were even attached to the doors of the castle residents so that explosive liquids could not be poured through. Prince Adalbert of Bavaria , who lived with his family in Nymphenburg Palace, described the prevailing excitement. He and his family were therefore forbidden to open windows and receive visitors during this period. ”Hitler preferred the Bayreuth Festival , which was taking place at the same time .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ StAM SGSV 931.
  2. ^ Doris Fuchsberger: Night of the Amazons - A Munich series of festivities between Nazi propaganda and tourism attraction. Allitera Verlag, Munich 2017, ISBN 978-3-86906-855-8 , p. 118.
  3. ↑ Völkischer Beobachter of July 2, 1939: Article on the one and a half year existence of the "Educational Center for German Dance" under the direction of Elly Bode.
  4. ^ Ernest R. Pope: Munich Playground. Literary Licensing LLC, 2012, ISBN 978-1-258-33807-7 , p. 35 (original: New York 1941).
  5. ^ Ernest R. Pope: Munich Playground. Literary Licensing LLC, 2012, ISBN 978-1-258-33807-7 , p. 36 (original: New York 1941).
  6. ^ Doris Fuchsberger: Night of the Amazons - A Munich series of festivities between Nazi propaganda and tourism attraction. Allitera Verlag, Munich 2017, ISBN 978-3-86906-855-8 , p. 118.