Jewish music in Germany

[Sapoznik <Sapoznik...>]

In 1984, my group Kapelye was the first klezmer group to play in Germany
since the 19th century. *You're going WHERE?* people would ask incredulously
(no one less than my parents who both survived the Holocaust.) Sure, we were
trepidacious, edgy and uncomfortable but we knew that it would have to be
done. We knew that if Jewish history and culture of the martyred millions
were not presented in a vibrant and powerful way then Jewish life would be an
abstraction to the new, young generation emerging, a new generation which was
asking tough questions of its elders. Once there, people there didn't know
what to make of us. We were a combination high energy professional stage act,
freak show and a painful reminder of the monstrous crimes against humanity
committed there only a heartbeat before.  (one reviewer wrote of our concert
in Berlin: *the grandchildren of the former subhumans were entertaining the
grandchildren of the former mass murderers*!!)  Despite the rise of
neo-fasicism and a somewhat clumsy inclusion of Jewish history and culture as
a part of general German history , the Germans have made some progress in
crafting their *consciousness of culpability*  of their role in the
Holocaust. Give them some some credit for that; it's alot better than some
other European countries which cleansed themselves of their Jewish
populations and have continued to deny their role in the mass murder. 
Since 1984, we have toured Germany dozens of times and with other groups have
seen klezmer make it on the world music charts there. Most amazing is the
explosion of young (mostly non-Jewish) bands forming to play the music.  Even
if the idea of young Germans crooning *Zog Nit Keynmol*, (the partisan hymn)
as if it were some kind of show tune is obscene, even if  the emergence of
some parasitic performers, producers and agents who have ripped off the
culture to cash in on the current interest in Yiddish culture is revolting,
 they are in the minority. We're proud to have opened the door to Germany so
that Yiddish culture and music might live and thrive again.

Henry Sapoznik
Founder
Kapelye
KlezKamp: The Yiddish Folk Arts Program