Harmonica

The harmonica was once the best-selling musical instrument in the world. It met the demand for a cheap instrument that could be learned quickly and without any knowledge of sheet music. It meant that private music-making was no longer the exclusive preserve of the middle classes, but was also available to poorer working-class families. The small instrument was robust and could easily be taken anywhere. These characteristics made the harmonica very popular with soldiers and manufacturers produced special military designs with names such as “Fight for the Fatherland”, especially during the world wars. The harmonica companies used every opportunity to market their product and also published their own songbooks. The book “Du und deine Harmonika, Soldatenlieder mit einer Spielanleitung für deine Harmonika” by the Hohner company contained folk songs and propaganda songs such as “Ich bin des Führers Frontsoldat”.

This harmonica by the Saxon company F.A. Rauner was manufactured between 1935 and 1943 and was supplied in a decorated box. It is decorated with a picture of a marching Wehrmacht music corps. However, the harmonica was less suitable for marching music. It was more of a solo instrument. The harmonica was particularly popular with soldiers and was considered a “worry buster”. Its playing was intended to provide a distraction from everyday life in the war, offer comfort and allow the soldiers to engage in musical activities.

The Wehrmacht leadership and the Ministry of Propaganda were also keen to influence the soldiers “leisure activities according to their wishes. Suppressing the war in their leisure time was intended to relieve the soldiers” mental strain and maintain their fighting strength. In addition to film and music screenings, field libraries and competitions, music-making was also a promoted leisure activity.

In 1943, the Reich Ministry of Armaments and War Production under Albert Speer took over the central coordination of the economy. It shut down almost all companies that were not essential to the war effort or obliged them to produce armaments, including the company F. A. Rauner. However, after repeated protests from the Wehrmacht and the Ministry of Propaganda, the ban on the production of musical instruments was repeatedly suspended, which is why a small number of harmonicas could still be produced until the end of the war.

Object of the month

(short) stories from the depot

Unfortunately, many objects cannot currently be shown in the exhibition for conservation reasons. Here you will find unusual objects and exciting stories of special pieces from the depot