Jazz was seen as degenerate and lacking form. Jazz and Blues were also seen by the Nazis as associated with "Negro" music, who were seen as racially inferior to the Aryans. Ironically, though, there was a band called Charlie's Orchestra under the sponsorship of the Reich which was to be used in propagandizing the West. Jazz was seen as degenerate partly because of the Nazi's perception that American Jews were behind the music. It was also equated with low-morals, the most objectionable type was swing. Those caught at 'swing' parties could be incarcerated in Nazi Germany as it was seen as corrupting youth.⁵

All Jewish Art was immediately censored and segregated as soon as the Nazis took office. In 1933, immediate restrictions went into place removing Jewish professors and artists from University and government offices. A Reichsmusikammer, or Reich Music Chamber was established for the

American popular music was seen as perhaps not degenerate, but superficial and unworthy. American songs were often parodied by the Germans, for example "Stormy Weather" was rewritten into a song about Churchill beign incompetent.

English words, like the 'Americanization' element denoted to the Nazis a form of what they considered degenerate culture. Since they also saw the US as puppets of the Jews, and politically controlled by the Jews and Jewish media, they equated all 'English-speaking' with a form of degeneracy. Striving to bring back a purified German society in their self-defined 'kulturkampf' they disallowed even what might be tainted with the languages which they considered inferior to German.

Rhythmic music with strong beats were seen a carnal and decadent and unworthy of young Germans. An example is 'Swing' music (although young germans participated as much in it as their English and American counterparts, even in underground clubs) and other forms of dance music. The Nazis bore a double standard, for they both encouraged sexual activity and propigation and yet held strong legalistic restrictions against foreign influences which promoted carnal behavior.

Schoenberg and his students Berg and Von Webern all were banned as well as their influence: their lack of form and any sense of classicism disturbed the Nazis who were in the process of trying to bring back a neo-classicism, neo-baroque nationalistic sense to the arts. Twelve tone row Music actually does have considerable 'form' requiring the use of the twelve tone scale with no repetitions until all the notes are used, and then the pattern repeated, but often took a more modern discordant timbre which deeply offended the Nazis many of whom were very traditionally trained musicians (e.g. Heydrich) Some critics claim that Schoenberg, who invented the approach is less melodic in the method, than his students.

What music is demoralizing to a Führer, or nation, or War Effort? Most of the decision making regarding this requirement came from the office of the Reichminister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels. Goebbels did not care for 'sentimental music' which he felt left Germsns too softhearted, nor did he care for music which would counter the aims of the Nazi party at different times of the year or war effort. For example, he once issued an order banning the playing of Mozart's Requiem on a Sunday afternoon, considering it too depressing and demoralizing for Germans to listen to. Another time, he censored certain forms of Christmas music, as the Reich wished eventually to redefine the holiday as the Solstice eventually but knew the German populace would not comply. It was not just music which was nationalistic which was favored or vice versa, but it was music for purpose or cause, usually to bolster giving to, supporting or otherwise inspiring the war effort.

All Music not in Line with Reich Views and Morale³