THE GERMAN INTELLECTUALS
[To the Editor of Tim SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Anyone reading Mr. C. M. Cadogan's letter in your issue of October 19th would naturally infer that the recent quarrel between Drs. Goebbels and Furtwaengler ended with a complete victory for Dr. Furtwaengler, and that an effective blow had thus been struck for the freedom of artists and intel- lectuals in Germany. This impression would be strengthened,
by memories of the letters which Dr. Furtwaengler wrote not long before his resignation to Dr. Goebbels and to the cele- brated violinist Bronislaw Huberman, published in The Times, in which he said that he recognised no distinction between artists save that into good and bad, and followed this tip by inviting Huberman, Schnabel, Menuhin and other non-Aryan musicians to visit Berlin. In his reply M. Huber- man, who naturally refused the invitation, gave expression to the admiration which those who had followed the course of events felt for Dr. Furtwaengler as being the only German artist holding an official position in the State with sufficient courage and dignity to resist the policy of his government. Then came the crisis over Hindemith and Dr. Furtwaengler's resignation. There the matter seemed to rest for sonic months until the news, referred to by Mr. Cadogan, of Dr. Furtwaengler's reinstatement. The great conductor has indeed recovered his former position, but not without having completely abandoned the principle for which he had formerly fought. For he has now consented to the dismissal of all those of his musicians who failed to pass the racial test, which has resulted in the loss, among others, of the three leading members of the orchestra. Even those members of the musical public in whom the claims of justice 'and humanity are outweighed by reluct- ance to criticise the internal policy of another country, may well, on Purely personal and aesthetic grounds, resent the fact that they have been invited to hear in their own country music whose authors and executants are determined for them by the abnormal political exigencies of another. Such a situation has never, to my knowledge, occurred before, nor would it be reasonable to blame Dr. Furtwaengler for it. He made a most honourable attempt to resist ; it failed, and lie capitulated. Nobody can expect him to be a martyr, but it does follow that he can no longer be regarded as a hero.—
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