Topic: Politics/History
In an interview printed in Germany’s Welt Am Sonntag the lead singer of Roxy Music Bryan Ferry, recently made the following comments:
"The way that the Nazis staged themselves and presented themselves, my Lord!
"I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags -- just fantastic. Really beautiful."
According to Yahoo! News, Ferry’s comments triggered an immediate firestorm of anger from the “Jewish leaders in Britain, some of whom had condemned Ferry's comments and questioned whether he should be dropped by the Marks & Spencer retail chain that employs him as a model, welcomed Ferry's clarification.”
Of course, Ferry turned the supplicant, issuing as statement in which he apologized “unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective.”
Thanks Mr. Ferry! You’ve just empowered the word-thugs again.
When an artist is so intimidated by the word-thugs that they cower like some spineless creature, freedom of speech and the press is in jeopardy. When the truth can’t be expressed without a negative media barrage and threats of personal ruination, there is something desperately wrong in a democratic society.
It is ridiculous for Mr. Ferry to apologize for a historic fact. The Nazi movement harnessed political theater better than any movement in the history of the world. Hitler’s adept use of art in the Nazi Party’s rise to power is a recognized fact. Historians from the great William L. Shirer to Telford Taylor have all given honest appraisals of the use of art and theatricality in Nazi Germany. They agree with Mr. Ferry’s original statements.
When people deny that an enemy can be beautiful or attractive they do so at their own peril. Why? Because, when others see the obvious truth, those dishonest appraisers lose credibility. This makes other ideologies—anti-Nazi in this case—more susceptible to criticism, to skepticism, to questioning.
Great art is great art and the best art is the most effective art.
In politics the best art can’t be separated from political propaganda.
The Soviet regime did equally terrible, inhuman deeds. Yet, anyone looking at the art and architecture of the Soviet era must admit to the stunningly effective qualities of Soviet-style art.
The use of art as propaganda is a sophisticated undertaking that has been used by every political movement of any consequence. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this sort of art wasn’t—isn’t—used by democracies. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the same wrong-headed persecutors of Mr. Ferry don’t employ these same arts.
The media whipping of Mr. Ferry is a form of mind control. This media sanctioned, Pavlovian, “conditional reflex” is actually a perfect example of art in the service of political ends.
