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Exclusion of Jews Dulls German Radio Programs

May 7, 1933
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Radio faces a serious problem in Germany, and jazz orchestras and even phonograph companies are suffering from the ban on Jewish talent.

The interdiction of Jewish talent has revealed the enormous dependence of Germany on Jewish talent. It is now admitted to be impossible to build up entertaining radio programs, containing the numbers which radio fans heretofore have looked forward to and been amused by in the past.

In the jazz division of music, it is estimated that 90 per cent of the song-writers are Jews. Almost every popular hit of the past five years is of Jewish authorship. The stars — Fritz Rotter, Robert Gilbert, Hans Lengsfelder. Arthur Rebner — are all Jews. There are of course lesser lyric writers who are not Jews, but their number is inconsiderable.

The same holds true of the composers. Paul Abraham, Oscar Straus, Friedrich Hollaender, Werner Richard Heyman are all Jews. There are only a few non-Jewish exceptions.

All of the leading jazz bands are similarly taboo, and the gramophone companies which depend on these song hits are facing a serious problem.

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