Hans-Otto Borgmann
Encyclopedia
Hans-Otto Borgmann was a German film music composer during the Third Reich.
He joined UFA
as a silent film music conductor in 1928, and became head composer by 1931. A melody he had composed for a documentary on Svalbard
island and had become well known was taken up by Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach
who wrote new lyrics as "Our flag flutters before us", becoming one of the Hitler Youth's anthems.
In 1938 he composed a Großdeutsche Hymne for Schirach which coincided with the Anschluss
of Austria.
From 1937-1951 he collaborated on a series of films with Veit Harlan
. From 1959-1971 he withdrew from film popular music to lecture at the Max Reinhardt Theatre and privately compose difficult atonal music.
He joined UFA
UFA
Ufa is a city in Russia.UFA or Ufa may also refer to:*Ufa River, a river in Russia*Ufa, Ethiopia, a town in Ethiopia*Ultra flat architecture, a network architecture design for LTE 4G mobile telecommunication networks...
as a silent film music conductor in 1928, and became head composer by 1931. A melody he had composed for a documentary on Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
island and had become well known was taken up by Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach
Baldur von Schirach
Baldur Benedikt von Schirach was a Nazi youth leader later convicted of being a war criminal. Schirach was the head of the Hitler-Jugend and Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Vienna....
who wrote new lyrics as "Our flag flutters before us", becoming one of the Hitler Youth's anthems.
In 1938 he composed a Großdeutsche Hymne for Schirach which coincided with the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Austria.
From 1937-1951 he collaborated on a series of films with Veit Harlan
Veit Harlan
Veit Harlan was a German film director and actor.-Life and career:Harlan was born in Berlin. After studying under Max Reinhardt, he first appeared on the stage in 1915 and, after World War I, worked in the Berlin stage. In 1922 he married Jewish actress and cabaret singer Dora Gerson; the couple...
. From 1959-1971 he withdrew from film popular music to lecture at the Max Reinhardt Theatre and privately compose difficult atonal music.
Film music credits
- Hitler junge Quex. Ein Film vom Opfergeist der deutschen Jugend, 1933.
- Der große König, 1942
Songs
- Tango notturno in the film of the same nameTango notturnoTango notturno was a 1937 German film directed by Fritz Kirchoff and starring Pola Negri and Albrecht Schoenhals. The film also made a hit of Pola Negri's rendition of the song "Ich hab' an dich gedacht" which gave its title to the film. Negri's role was originally intended for Marlene Dietrich....
. The role originally for Marlene Dietrich was given to Pola NegriPola NegriPola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
who popularised Borgmann's song.
Recordings
- Tango notturno, "Ich hab' an dich gedacht", on the album of the same name by Isabel BayrakdarianIsabel BayrakdarianIsabel Bayrakdarian is a Grammy Award-nominated Armenian Canadian opera singer.-Early life:Born in Lebanon in 1974, she moved to Canada as a teenager. Bayrakdarian graduated in 1997 from the University of Toronto with an honours B.A.Sc...
(2007). The song is contrasted in the booklet notes by Bayrakdarian's husband and pianist Serouj Kradjian with the Youkali tango, "C'est presque au bout du monde", of Kurt WeillKurt WeillKurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
, a Jewish refugee from Nazi persecution at the same time.