Eberhard Rebling (4 December 1911 – 2 August 2008) was a German pianist,

musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

and dance scholar as well as an anti fascist.

Life

Childhood and young adult

Born in Berlin, Rebling, who came from a Prussian officer's family, his father was a

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Regina Scheer Regina Scheer (born in 1950) is a German writer and historian. Professional career Born in East-Berlin, Scheer studied theatre and cultural studies from 1968 to 1973 at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

''Music and the silence between the notes.''
In ''

der Freitag ''Der Freitag'' (English: ''The Friday'', stylized in its logo as ''der Freitag'') is a German weekly national newspaper established in 1990. It has a focus on politics, culture and economy, and is published in Rhenish format. The place of publi ...

''. No. 52, 22 December 2006, retrieved 8 June 2018. began to learn to play the piano at the age of 7. He later received lessons from Lydia Lenz in Berlin-Friedenau and won 1st prize at the "Interpreters" Competition of the German Artists' Association in 1929. He played pieces by

Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...

and

Ernst Toch Ernst Toch (; 7 December 1887 – 1 October 1964) was an Austrian composer of European classical music and film scores, who from 1933 worked as an émigré in Paris, London and New York. He sought throughout his life to introduce new approaches t ...

. After passing his

Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...

at the Goethe-Gymnasium in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Rebling studied

musicology Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...

, among others with

Friedrich Blume Friedrich Blume (5 January 1893, in Schlüchtern, Hesse-Nassau – 22 November 1975, in Schlüchtern) was professor of musicology at the University of Kiel from 1938 to 1958. He was a student in Munich, Berlin and Leipzig, and taught in the last ...

Curt Sachs Curt Sachs (; 29 June 1881 – 5 February 1959) was a German musicologist. He was one of the founders of modern organology (the study of musical instruments). Among his contributions was the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which he created with Eric ...

and

Erich Moritz von Hornbostel Erich Moritz von Hornbostel (25 February 1877 – 28 November 1935) was an Austrian ethnomusicologist, comparative musicologist, and scholar of music. He is remembered for his pioneering work in the field of ethnomusicology, and for the Sachs� ...

, as well as

German studies German studies is an academic field that researches, documents and disseminates German language, literature, and culture in its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies therefore often focus on German culture, German h ...

and philosophy at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin. In 1932, he followed Ernst Busch and

Hanns Eisler Hanns Eisler (6 July 1898 – 6 September 1962) was a German-Austrian composer. He is best known for composing the national anthem of East Germany, for his long artistic association with Bertolt Brecht, and for the scores he wrote for films. The ...

live on stage and got to know the Dutch art historian Leo Balet and subsequently began to study

Marxism Marxism is a political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyse class relations, social conflict, ...

. He met

Georg Lukács Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) * , a Kriegsmarine coastal tanker * Spiders Georg "Spiders Georg" is an Internet meme that began circulating on the mic ...

and

Andor Gábor Andor may refer to: * ''Andor'' (TV series), a television series in the ''Star Wars'' universe **Cassian Andor, the titular character * Andor (''The Wheel of Time''), a fictional country in Robert Jordan's ''The Wheel of Time'' novels * Andor ...

. In 1933, he experienced the

Reichstag fire The Reichstag fire (, ) was an arson attack on the Reichstag building, home of the German parliament in Berlin, on Monday, 27 February 1933, precisely four weeks after Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. Marinus van der Lubbe, ...

in Berlin and voted for the

Communist Party of Germany The Communist Party of Germany (, ; KPD ) was a major Far-left politics, far-left political party in the Weimar Republic during the interwar period, German resistance to Nazism, underground resistance movement in Nazi Germany, and minor party ...

. He finished his studies in 1935 with a dissertation for the Dr. phil. degree under the direction of

Arnold Schering Arnold Schering (2 April 1877 in Breslau, German Empire – 7 March 1941 in Berlin) was a German musicologist. He grew up in Dresden as the son of an art publisher. He learned violin at the from which he graduated in 1896. Thereafter he studied ...

on ''Die soziologischen Grundlagen der Stilwandlung der Musik in Deutschland um die Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts.''

During the Second World War

In 1936, Rebling emigrated to

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

due to his opposition to the

National Socialism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was frequ ...

regime. In the same year, the book ''Die Verbürgerlichung der deutschen Kunst, Literatur und Musik im 18. Jahrhundert'', written together with Leo Balet, was published in Strasbourg and Leiden. In 1937, he went on a concert tour to

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

and

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

as piano

accompanist Accompaniment is the part (music), musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmony (music), harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in di ...

of a small dance company. In the same year, he met his wife, the Jewish actress, dancer and singer Lin Jaldati in The Hague, with whom he performed

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

songs in the post-war period. Rebling took part in Dutch musical life as a pianist, music critic and musicologist. He attracted attention in 1937 with an article about ''De burgerlijke muziekopvattingen van

Willem Mengelberg Joseph Wilhelm Mengelberg (28 March 1871 – 21 March 1951) was a Dutch conductor, famous for his performances of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Strauss with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest ...

,'' which appeared in the monthly magazine ''Politiek en Cultuur''. Between 1938 and 1940, Rebling gave lectures at the folk universities and at the College of Fine Arts in The Hague. He wrote articles for the music magazine ''Maandblad voor hedendaagse Muziek'' and the daily newspaper ''Vooruit''.K. Hermsdorf, H. Fetting, S. Schlenstedt: ''Exil in den Niederlanden und in Spanien.'' 1981, . In early 1943, Rebling bought a house in the Netherlands under a false name and offered shelter to up to 20 Jewish refugees. The hiding place was betrayed in 1944, he was arrested by the

Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...

and sentenced to death. Rebling was able to flee, but most of the Jews living in the house were arrested and deported to

concentration camps A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploit ...

, among them Lin, who survived the

Westerbork transit camp Camp Westerbork (, , Drents: ''Börker Kamp; Kamp Westerbörk''), also known as Westerbork transit camp, was a Nazi transit camp in the province of Drenthe in the Northeastern Netherlands, during World War II. It was located in the municipality ...

, the

Auschwitz Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...

concentration camp and

Bergen-Belsen Bergen-Belsen (), or Belsen, was a Nazi concentration camp in what is today Lower Saxony in Northern Germany, northern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen, Lower Saxony, Bergen near Celle. Originally established as a prisoner of war camp, ...

concentration camp. They met again in 1945. However, six of the hidden Jews did not survive the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. On 11 October 2007, Rebling was honoured by the Israeli Holocaust memorial

Yad Vashem Yad Vashem (; ) is Israel's official memorial institution to the victims of Holocaust, the Holocaust known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (). It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the ...

in Jerusalem with the title "

Righteous Among the Nations Righteous Among the Nations ( ) is a title used by Yad Vashem to describe people who, for various reasons, made an effort to assist victims, mostly Jews, who were being persecuted and exterminated by Nazi Germany, Fascist Romania, Fascist Italy, ...

" for helping the refugees. Rebling met Otto Heinrich Frank, the father of

Anne Frank Annelies Marie Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – February or March 1945)Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new li ...

in 1945. He gave him a copy after the publication of ''

The Diary of a Young Girl ''The Diary of a Young Girl'', commonly referred to as ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', is a book of the writings from the Dutch language, Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Neth ...

''. Rebling and his wife toured West Germany, France, Israel and the USA on an Anne Frank programme.

After the war

After the German occupation of the Netherlands ended, Rebling first became music editor of the daily newspaper of the Dutch Communist Party, ''

De Waarheid ''De Waarheid'' (literally 'The Truth') was the newspaper of the Communist Party of the Netherlands. History It originated in 1940 under the History of the Netherlands (1939–1945), German occupation as a Dutch resistance, resistance paper, the ...

''. He joined the Dutch Communist Party (CPN) in 1946. In 1951, Paul Wandel convinced him to come to the GDR. In 1952, he moved with Lin Jaldati and his two daughters Kathinka and

Jalda Jalda is a census town in Sundargarh district in the Indian state of Odisha. Demographics India census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population inform ...

to Berlin (GDR), where he became a member of the

Socialist Unity Party of Germany The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (, ; SED, ) was the founding and ruling party of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from the country's foundation in 1949 until its dissolution after the Peaceful Revolution in 1989. It was a Mar ...

in 1960. From 1952 to 1959, he was editor-in-chief of the newspaper ''

Musik und Gesellschaft ''Musik und Gesellschaft'' was a music magazine in the German Democratic Republic. It was published monthly from 1951 to 1990 in East Berlin by . History The journal was published from the first issue in March 1951 onwards by Ernst Hermann Mey ...

'', from 1957 co-editor-in-chief of the music magazine '' Melodie und Rhythmus'' and from 1959 professor and rector of the

Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" ' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right to ...

, which was named "Hanns Eisler" on his initiative. Rebling was interested in

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

. After several journeys and his retirement in 1976, he wrote comprehensive works on the dance art of India and Indonesia. In 2002, he handed over his archive to the

Academy of Arts, Berlin The Academy of Arts () is a state arts institution in Berlin, Germany. The task of the Academy is to promote art, as well as to advise and support the states of Germany. The academy's predecessor organization was founded in 1696 by Elector F ...

. In 1959, he accompanied

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for h ...

on the piano. In 1960, he was one of the co-founders of the . In 1976, he performed with Ernst Busch and

Gisela May Gisela May (31 May 1924 – 2 December 2016) was a German actress and singer. Early life May was born in Wetzlar, Germany. Both her mother, Kate May, and her father, Ferdinand May, were writers. She studied at the drama school in Leipzig from 19 ...

at the Filmtheater Kosmos. Rebling had been a member of the

Volkskammer The Volkskammer (, "People's Chamber") was the supreme power organ of East Germany. It was the only branch of government in the state, and per the principle of unified power, all state organs were subservient to it. The Volkskammer was initia ...

and the Research Council for Vocational Training in Music at the East-German Ministry of Culture since 1963. He was a member of the and the Presidential Council of the

Cultural Association of the GDR The Cultural Association of the GDR (, KB) was a federation of local clubs in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It formed part of the Socialist Unity Party-led National Front, and sent representatives to the Volkskammer. The association had ...

. Until his death, he was a member of the Party of Democratic Socialism and later the

Die Linke Die Linke (; ), also known as the Left Party ( ), is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The party was founded in 2007 as the result of the merger of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and Labour and Social Justice – The ...

and lectured at political events on his time and situation during the Second World War. He was a member of the party's "Council of Elders". Rebling died in

Königs Wusterhausen Königs Wusterhausen (; , ) is a town in the Dahme-Spreewald district of the state of Brandenburg in Germany a few kilometers outside Berlin. Geography Geographical location Königs Wusterhausen – locally known as "KW" () or "KWh" ()– lie ...

at the age of 96 and is buried on the Dorotheenstadt Cemetery. His younger daughter

Jalda Rebling Jalda Rebling (born 1951) is a German hazzan. A year after birth, she and her parents moved to East Germany in 1952. Her parents survived the Holocaust, and Rebling's mother and aunt, Janny Brandes-Brilleslijper, were the first to tell Otto Frank ...

is a singer, the older Kathinka Rebling is a violinist and music professor.

Awards

* 1929 1. Preis beim "Interpretenwettbewerb des Deutschen Künstlerverbandes" in Berlin * 1954

Nationalpreis der DDR The National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) () was an award of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR) given out in three different classes for scientific, artistic, and other meritorious achievement. With scien ...

III. Klasse für Kunst und Literatur (im Kollektiv des Beethoven-Films) * 1956 in Gold * 1958 (with Lin Jaldati) * 1959 * 1960 Friedensmedaille * 1961

Patriotic Order of Merit The Patriotic Order of Merit (German: ''Vaterländischer Verdienstorden'', or VVO) was a national award granted annually in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was founded in 1954 and was awarded to individuals and institutions for outstanding ...

in Bronze * 1971 in Gold * 1972 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Gold * 1976 * 1976 Ehrenspange zum Vaterländischen Verdienstorden in Gold * 1977 Ehrennadel des in Gold * 1979 Medaille des

World Peace Council The World Peace Council (WPC) is an international organization created in 1949 by the Cominform and propped up by the Soviet Union. Throughout the Cold War, WPC engaged in propaganda efforts on behalf of the Soviet Union, whereby it criticize ...

es für den hervorragenden Beitrag für Frieden und Völkerfreundschaft * 1981

Star of People's Friendship The Star of Peoples' Friendship (), Star of Nations' Friendship, was an order awarded by the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Established 20 August 1959, it was given to individuals of exceptional merit who had contributed to the "understandi ...

in Silver * 1985 * 1986

Order of Karl Marx The Order of Karl Marx () was the most important order in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The award of the order also included a prize of 20,000 East German marks. The order was founded on May 5, 1953 on the occasion of Karl Marx's 135th ...

* 2007

Publications

* ''Die soziologischen Grundlagen der Stilwandlung der Musik im 18. Jahrhundert.'' 1935 (Dissertation). * Leo Balet and E. Gerhard . i. Eberhard Rebling ''Die Verbürgerlichung der deutschen Kunst, Literatur und Musik im 18. Jahrhundert.'' ** 1st edition: Heitz, Straßburg/Leiden, 1936. ** 2nd edition durch : Ullstein, Frankfurt/Berlin/Vienna 1973; 2., erweiterte Auflage, 1979. ** 3rd edition: (''.'' 61/62). , Dresden 1979. * ''Revolutionnaire Liedern uit Nederlands Verleden.'' Amsterdam 1938. * ''Den lustelijken Mai – Musik im 17. Jahrhundert in den Niederlanden.'' Amsterdam 1948. * ''Een Eeuw Danskunst in Nederland.'' Querido, Amsterdam 1950. * ''Johann Sebastian Bach en de overwinning van de barok.'' Arnhem 1951. * ''Ballett Gestern und Heute.'' Henschel, Berlin 1956. * Hans Joachim Moser, Eberhard Rebling (eds.): ''Robert Schumann, aus Anlass seines 100. Todestages.''

Breitkopf und Härtel Breitkopf may refer to: * Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf, (1695-1777) founder of Breitkopf & Härtel * Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf, (1719-1794) son of Bernhard Cristoph Breitkopf * Michael Breitkopf, member of German band Die Toten Hosen * Breit ...

, 1956. * ''Musikbücherei für Jedermann – "Ballett".'' Reclam, Leipzig 1963. * with Lin Jaldati: ''Es brennt, Brüder, es brennt. Jiddische Lieder.'' Berlin 1966. * ''Ballett heute.'' Henschel, Berlin; Heinrichshofen, Bremerhaven 1970. * ''Tanz der Völker.'' Berlin, Henschel; Bremerhaven, Heinrichshofen 1972. * ''Ballettfibel.'' Henschel, Berlin 1974. * ''Marius Petipa, Meister des klassischen Balletts.'' Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven 1980. * ''Das grosse Ballettlexikon. Ein Führer durch die Welt des Balletts von A bis Z.'' 4th edition. Heyne, Munich 1980, . * ''Ballett A–Z.'' 4th edition. Henschelverlag Kunst und Gesellschaft, Berlin 1980. ** ''Ballett A–Z. Ein Führer durch die Welt des Balletts.'' 4th edition. Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven 1980, . ** ''Ballett A–Z.'' 5th edition, Henschelverlag Kunst und Gesellschaft, Berlin 1984. * ''Die Tanzkunst Indiens.'' Henschel, Berlin 1981; wieder Heinrichshofen, Wilhelmshaven 1982, . * ''Die Tanzkunst Indonesiens.'' Noetzel, Wilhelmshaven 1989, . * with Lin Jaldati: ''„Sag nie, du gehst den letzten Weg!“ Lebenserinnerungen 1911 bis 1988.'' Der Morgen, Berlin 1986, ; wieder (''Sammlung.'' 1). BdWi-Verlag, Marburg 1995, . * Eberhard Rebling im Gespräch mit Peter Schleuning: ''Entstehung und Wirkung des frühen Versuchs einer marxistischen Kunst- und Musikhistoriografie.'' In Wolfgang Martin Stroh, Günter Mayer (ed.): ''Musikwissenschaftlicher Paradigmenwechsel? Zum Stellenwert marxistischer Ansätze in der Musikforschung.'' BIS, Oldenburg 2000, , , .

Work

* ''Vier Nigunim.'' 1943; Druckfassung: ''Vier Nigunim.'' Ostjüdische Volksmelodien für Klavier zu zwei Händen (''Coll. Litolff.'' Nr. 5261). Peters, Leipzig; Litolff, Leipzig 1960, (Partitur). * ''Für Kathinka.'' 12 Kinderstücke (1960).

Recording

* Lin Jaldati singt Lieder von Louis Fürnberg,

and Mordechaj Gebirtig. Piano: Eberhard Rebling, 1957–1961, Hastedt 2008.

Radio

*
''Lin und Eberhard – Geschichte einer großen Liebe.''

Deutschlandfunk Deutschlandfunk (DLF, ''Broadcast Germany'') is a public-broadcasting radio station in Germany, concentrating on news and current affairs. It is one of the four national radio channels produced by Deutschlandradio. History Broadcasting in t ...

, 8 February 2013.

Filmography

* Friedrich Schiller, Dokumentarfilm, DDR 1955, director: Max Jaap * Lin Jaldati singt, Kurz-Dokumentarfilm, DDR 1962, director: Eberhard Rebling on Filmportal
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References

External links

* * * * Eberhard Rebling
Autobiographische Skizze
for the {{DEFAULTSORT:Rebling, Eberhard 1911 births 2008 deaths Musicians from Berlin Socialist Unity Party of Germany members Cultural Association of the GDR members Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany) politicians Die Linke politicians Members of the 4th Volkskammer Members of the 5th Volkskammer Members of the 6th Volkskammer Members of the 7th Volkskammer Members of the 8th Volkskammer Members of the 9th Volkskammer 20th-century German musicologists German music historians German classical pianists German music publishers (people) Emigrants from Nazi Germany Dutch resistance members Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit (honor clasp) German Righteous Among the Nations Musik und Gesellschaft editors East German musicians East German journalists Anne Frank