EUROPEAN PLATFORM
FOR MUSIC SUPPRESSED BY NATIONAL SOCIALISM
Conference 'Face the Music' Vienna, May 5, 2006: Resolution de|en PDF >
1: Mission Statement
2: Objectives >
Today, research on and documentation of musicians and music persecuted and suppressed by National Socialism is carried out by public institutions, and also by various nongovernmental organizations and individual scholars in Europe, Israel, the USA and Australia. The variety of activity conceals the fact that its mission has been only partially accomplished and the conditions for doing so are not at all improving. The improved access to archives and general biographical information accorded by the process of digitalisation as well as by the opening of archives in Central and Eastern Europe after the breakdown of Communist regimes is being undermined by the cutting off of public funding for the humanities. Basic concerns such as the investigation of birth/death dates, the opening up of musical estates and legacies, the registration of composers and their works with performing rights societies, and its promotion with concert presenters, performing artists and the public, cannot be carried out because of missing data, uncertain legal positions etc. In the next few years the copyright protection periods of numerous composers who were the victims of National Socialism will expire, if they have not done so already, and this will kill off most interest there was - if indeed there was any at all - on the part of their heirs and any publishers. The existence of organisations that have been dedicated to this work for many years is seriously threatened by the further withdrawal of public funding. Grants from the EU cannot be claimed because of bureaucratic obstacles or the lack of an adequate infrastructure. In light of this situation the idea of a European Platform for Music suppressed by National Socialism with the aim of creating a Europe-wide network of already existing structures and organisations has emerged.
1: Mission Statement
2: Objectives >
