[HANASHIR:5976] Re: Edelweiss at a Bat Mitzvah service

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Ah, Brian, but that's the irony. Edelweiss was intended to be representative
of Austrian nationalist and patriotic sentiment in opposition to the Nazis.
It honors the memory of the sensible Austrians who opposed the anschluss.

I'm not sure this song has a place at a Bat Mitzvah, but I don't think
arguing against the song because it is from an idealized musical version of
the story of the Trapp Family Singers that deals with Austrian nationalism
and the encroaching Nazi jackals holds up.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!

Adrian

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
> shamash(dot)org]On
> Behalf Of Chazzzan (at) aol(dot)com
> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2000 5:10 PM
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:5974] Re: Edelweiss at a Bat Mitzvah service
>
>
> I am schocked that no one has responded with the obvious here!
> Edelweiss was
> sung in  The Sound of Music movie as a patriotic Austrian song, with the
> dramatic implication of anti-Nazi sentiment.  Are we forgetting
> that the VAST
> majority of Austrians WELCOMED the Anschluss (annexation) of Austria into
> Hitler's Third Reich?
>
> Not only would I find it inappropriate to sing this song at this
> crucial life
> event, but I would also make an effort to educate the family about the
> importance of remembering the Holocaust.
>
> Just my two cents!
>
> Brian Serle
> Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> (40 minutes east of Oconomowoc)

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