Arnold Schönberg and summer retreat antisemitism in the Salzkammergut
Online memorial exhibition
An Aryan summer vacationer
Object # 34
An Aryan summer vacationer
Anonymous letter to Arnold Schönberg
Mattsee, 5 July 1921
The Library of Congress, Washington DC
“Illustrious Master!?
If you are interested in the Jewish question in Mattsee, then read today’s
article about it in today’s [Salzburger] Chronik; at least your
attention is encouraged.
An Aryan summer vacationer |
To the renowned composer
A. Schönberg
at present unfortunately in Mattsee”
In its 11 July 1921 issue, the Salzburger Volksblatt reported on the observation that the antisemitic agitation was attributable “above all to the political ambition of a certain man resident here of late.”
Three years later, the Salzburger Chronik announced: “Again this year, the enterprising tourism association has succeeded in keeping Mattsee free of Jews, thanks to the help of the entire populace and the judicious direction of treasurer Mr. Wildner. The perpetual number of summer vacationers is proof of how highly
the tourist body appreciates this standpoint, to the benefit of Mattsee, which is preferred precisely because only German Aryans are admitted.”
Franz X. Wildner, who was vaunted for “acquiring extraordinarily great merits in the local tourism association “(Salzburger Chronik 61/194, 27 August 1925), did not move to Mattsee until his superannuation in 1919. The community representatives affiliated with Wildner ideologically (Christian-socially) included the mayor, who expressed “grateful recognition […] for the locality’s development, particularly as organizer of the tourism association” to the neo-Mattsee resident on the occasion of his 70th birthday in August 1925 (Mattsee, 18 August, in Salzburger Volksblatt 55/189, 21 August 1925, p. 6).
Cf. Therese Muxeneder: Arnold Schönbergs Konfrontationen mit Antisemitismus (III), in: Journal of the Arnold Schönberg Center 16/2019. Edited by Eike Feß and Therese Muxeneder. Wien 2019, p. 165–254
Introduction
This year’s tourist season in Mattsee
Object #1
Heinrich Schönberg with his wife Berta and his daughter Margit
Object #2
Come visit me
Object #3
Villa Nora
Object #4
It’s lovely here
Object #5
Harmonielehre
Object #6
A popular vacation destination
Object #7
Arrogance and Oriental Allures
Object #8
Row-boating
Object #9
Summer retreat free of Jews
Object #10
He is in good humor
Object #11
Heil Salzburg! Salzburg wants the Anschluss!
Object #12
How are you and yours in Mattsee?
Object #13
You will be pleased with me
Object #14
Kaiser-Elisabeth-Bahn
Object #15
Convivial gatherings
Object #16
Antisemitic scandals
Object #17
For rent to Aryans
Object #18
Disharmony
Object #19
Away with the Jews!
Object #20
They are doing well there
Object #21
Arnold Schönberg: Felix Greissle
Object #22
Arnold Schönberg: Harmonielehre
Object #23
Arnold Schönberg: the theory of coherence
Object #24
It must be splendid there
Object #25
I am not staying a day longer
Object #26
Threat in his own house
Object #27
Anti-Jewish proclamations
Object #28
The composer’s baptismal certificate
Object #29
Arnold Schönberg: on Zemlinsky
Object #30
The Jewish colony in Mattsee
Object #31
That outrageous, incredible thing
Object #32
The community physician
Object #33
An Aryan summer vacationer
Object #34
A summer retreat free of Jews
Object #35
Einstein’s propaganda speech
Object #36
The revolting press notice
Object #37
Sedition
Object #38
Antisemitic racial attitude
Object #39
All is calm within me
Object #40
Imaginary and material damage
Object #41
Guests of Max Ott
Object #42a
Guests of Max Ott
Object #42b
Arrival in Traunkirchen
Object #43
Departure
Object #44
Very ugly at the end
Object #45
Domestic and foreign newspapers
Object #46
Villa Josef
Object #47
Arnold and Mathilde Schönberg
Object #48
Shaken awake
Object #49
Such circumstances
Object #50
Arnold Schönberg: Baroness Löwenthal
Object #51
Traunkirchen
Object #52
Arnold Schönberg: Prelude
Object #53
A ridiculous matter
Object #54
Hegemony in the sphere of music
Object #55