Who were the Swing Kids in Germany?
The Swing Youth (German: Swingjugend) were a group of jazz and swing lovers in Germany formed in Hamburg in 1939. Primarily active in Hamburg and Berlin, they were composed of 14 to 21-year-old Germans, mostly middle or upper-class students, but also including some in the working class.
What is the message of Swing Kids?
“Swing Kids” addresses an issue that is very relevant to our society today. The oppression portrayed in this film was not exclusive to Germany. The discrimination, ostracism and segregation in Germany earlier this century are still alive and well.
What was Peter delivering in Swing Kids?
delivering books
Peter, who has a job delivering books, is asked to spy on his boss, whom the Nazis suspect is working against the Reich. In HJ school, the boys are encouraged to spy on their friends and families.
When was jazz banned in Germany?
Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels controlled German culture. His bureaucracy set up rules that deprived most jazz musicians of the chance to make a living. Jazz was banned from the radio, and in 1937 records of ”non-Aryan” music were banned.
Who made the swing?
Charles Wicksteed is thought to be the inventor of the modern day swing. In 2013, a prototype of his was unearthed near Wicksteed Park in the United Kingdom dating back to the early 1920s.
Where does the Swing Kids music come from?
Arising in the mid-1930s and originating in the United States, the newest style of jazz, swing, brought forth a renewed interest in jazz across the world, even in Nazi Germany. As the world began to recover from economic depression, swing and swing-influenced music came to represent the latest trend in popular music.
What is the meaning of Reich?
The term is derived from the Germanic word which generally means “realm,” but in German, it is typically used to designate a kingdom or an empire, especially the Roman Empire.
What is the plot of Swing Kids?
American big-band jazz beats in the hearts of young German friends (Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley) confronted by the Nazis.
Swing Kids/Film synopsis
What did the swing youth do?
The Swing Kids A youth movement that started in Hamburg in 1939 and spread to Berlin and other German cities. The movement was a challenge to Hitler announcing that all German adolescents had to join a Nazi youth movement. They challenged the Nazi image of youth by growing their hair and wearing fashionable clothes.
Why was jazz banned in Germany?
The Nazi regime pursued and banned the broadcasting of jazz on German radio, partly because of its African roots and because many of the active jazz musicians were of Jewish origin; and partly due to the music’s certain themes of individuality and freedom.