I am actually quite fond of Brian Ferry and Roxy Music. Some of his interpretations of Bob Dylan's songs are outstanding. I see he has apologized for his approving comments about Nazi iconography. Ferry is an artist not a politician. He has a great eye for style. Those who criticize him are like the ignorant mob who beseiged the home of a pediatrician not realizing that a pediatrician is not the same thing as a pedophile. Ferry said that the banners and buildings of Riefensthal and Speer were “beautiful.”
So they were. Nazism was extremely popular in Germany in the 1930s. The attractive presentational style disguised the horror of the content. We are very prone to confuse style and content. Very beautiful people, darlings of the media, do terrible deeds and ugly people go around doing good.
Nazism was somewhat popular in the 1930s, but never a majority. In fact, support for the National Socialist German Worker's party was declining when a bad decision to bring Hitler into the government was made.
ReplyDeleteHitler's successes in besting the English and her umbrella-wielding politicians without firing a shot undoubtedly enhanced his reputation.
I agree, though, that people say dumb things every once in a while. And it should be noted that the decisions were made early on by Hitler and his degenerate cronies to appeal in every way possible (including artistic) to the masses. Albert Speer's book touches on that in detail.
Although Hitler never had a majority, he certainly had a lot of followers. I guess at least as many as Roxy Music. Another factor in his rise to power was the decision of Pius XII to instruct teh Catholic party to pull out of the race in return for faith schools.
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