Schmidt Eberhard (1907-1996)
Germany
Composer, cellist and choirmaster, was born in Slawentzitz (Upper Silesia, today: Slawiecice Poland).
English
Eberhard Schmidt was the son of a pastor and school principal. His love for music was shaped by his mother, who had studied voice and piano at the Stern‘sche Conservatory in Berlin. The almost daily house music was one of Schmidt's most formative childhood experiences. From the age of six, he received lessons in piano and organ playing. After visiting the village school Schmidt went in 1917 to the high school of the village Brieg (near to Slawentzitz). There he also received cello lessons and participated in the school choir and school orchestra. At the request of his parents Schmidt began law school in 1927 at the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin. At the same time he took cello and theory lessons at the Stern‘sche Conservatory. In 1929, however, he broke off his studies, turned to the left student milieu and decided finally for training as a professional musician in the subjects cello and piano. This year he also met the communist-oriented Jewish artist Cora Eppstein, whom he married in 1933. Schmidt became an artistic member of the Agitprop group Red Striker. For the politically motivated performances of the working class he composed songs that are not recorded.
After the National Socialist “seizure of power” Schmidt escaped in 1933 with his wife in the then still independent Saarland. There he met Erich Weinert and Hans Marchwitza, who influenced him both politically and musically. Also in that time Schmidt composed songs for the political cabaret. After the incorporation of the Saarland in the German Reich in 1935, he fled with his wife to Paris. There they lived in illegality. Through his political contacts he could continue to compose pieces for a French worker's cabaret and a Jewish children's ballet.
In 1936, Eberhard Schmidt joined the International Brigades, which fought in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Spanish Republic against the rebellious associations headed by General Franco. In 1939 he was arrested at the French border by the Guard Mobile and first detained in St. Cyprien and then in Gurs, the largest French internment camp. There he remained musically active. Schmidt initiated the founding of prisoner choirs and played in the camp orchestra. In the internment camps, he composed several songs, including “Between the sea and barbed wire” (1939) and “Interbrigade” (1939). During his detention, his wife Cora Eppstein died in 1939 in Paris.
In 1941, the French Vichy regime delivered the German members of the International Brigades, including Eberhard Schmidt, to Germany. The Gestapo took the musician to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1941. Here, too, he founded a choir and played as a cellist in the German-Czech inmate string quartet. In April 1945, shortly before the beginning of the so-called “death march”, he composed the song “Muselmann” in Sachsenhausen. In April 1945, Soviet troops liberated Eberhard Schmidt near Schwerin during the “death march”.
Schmidt went back to Berlin after the liberation, took up a position as a music lecturer at the Office of Popular Education in the district of Pankow and in turn became politically and musically active. Together with the painter, poet and director Eva Fritzsche, he opened the cabaret „Der Besen” (The Broom) in 1945. The two married in 1950. In the following years he was co-founder of various cabarets and was responsible as a cultural officer of the Free German Youth for Music. In 1951 Schmidt was founding member and board member of the Composers' Association of the GDR. In 1953 he received from the government of the GDR for his achievements the National Prize. In 1958 he moved to the vicinity of Stralsund.
In the years 1964 to 1968 he was director of the Schwerin Conservatory. Then he returned to Berlin and lived there until his death as a freelance musician.
In the GDR, Eberhard Schmidt became known through television children operas and singing games. He also composed workers songs for solo and choral singing, such as “Das Eisenbahnerlied” (The Railwayman Song, 1948). He also composed operettas, cantatas, scenic collages and instrumental works for school and music school use. (Rainer Stelle)
After the National Socialist “seizure of power” Schmidt escaped in 1933 with his wife in the then still independent Saarland. There he met Erich Weinert and Hans Marchwitza, who influenced him both politically and musically. Also in that time Schmidt composed songs for the political cabaret. After the incorporation of the Saarland in the German Reich in 1935, he fled with his wife to Paris. There they lived in illegality. Through his political contacts he could continue to compose pieces for a French worker's cabaret and a Jewish children's ballet.
In 1936, Eberhard Schmidt joined the International Brigades, which fought in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Spanish Republic against the rebellious associations headed by General Franco. In 1939 he was arrested at the French border by the Guard Mobile and first detained in St. Cyprien and then in Gurs, the largest French internment camp. There he remained musically active. Schmidt initiated the founding of prisoner choirs and played in the camp orchestra. In the internment camps, he composed several songs, including “Between the sea and barbed wire” (1939) and “Interbrigade” (1939). During his detention, his wife Cora Eppstein died in 1939 in Paris.
In 1941, the French Vichy regime delivered the German members of the International Brigades, including Eberhard Schmidt, to Germany. The Gestapo took the musician to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1941. Here, too, he founded a choir and played as a cellist in the German-Czech inmate string quartet. In April 1945, shortly before the beginning of the so-called “death march”, he composed the song “Muselmann” in Sachsenhausen. In April 1945, Soviet troops liberated Eberhard Schmidt near Schwerin during the “death march”.
Schmidt went back to Berlin after the liberation, took up a position as a music lecturer at the Office of Popular Education in the district of Pankow and in turn became politically and musically active. Together with the painter, poet and director Eva Fritzsche, he opened the cabaret „Der Besen” (The Broom) in 1945. The two married in 1950. In the following years he was co-founder of various cabarets and was responsible as a cultural officer of the Free German Youth for Music. In 1951 Schmidt was founding member and board member of the Composers' Association of the GDR. In 1953 he received from the government of the GDR for his achievements the National Prize. In 1958 he moved to the vicinity of Stralsund.
In the years 1964 to 1968 he was director of the Schwerin Conservatory. Then he returned to Berlin and lived there until his death as a freelance musician.
In the GDR, Eberhard Schmidt became known through television children operas and singing games. He also composed workers songs for solo and choral singing, such as “Das Eisenbahnerlied” (The Railwayman Song, 1948). He also composed operettas, cantatas, scenic collages and instrumental works for school and music school use. (Rainer Stelle)