Polenblut. Images of Poland and the Poles in German operetta

Golianek, Ryszard Daniel (2016) Polenblut. Images of Poland and the Poles in German operetta. Studia Musicologica, 57 (3-4). pp. 427-439. ISSN 1788-6244

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Abstract

Among the wealth of German operettas, an important place is occupied by works referring to Polish subjects in their plots, or featuring Polish characters. The moral judgments passed on the persons of the drama frequently reveal generalisations concerning large communities or even entire nations. At the present stage of research, I can confirm the existence of about a dozen German operettas containing Polish motives. For my analysis, I have selected three operettas: Polnische Wirtschaft, Polenblut and Die blaue Mazur, composed in more or less the same period – the 1910s. An analysis of characters and topics recurring in these operettas proves that certain prejudices and stereotypes play a major role in the construction of events and the characterisation of dramatis personae. An important role in the creation of national stereotypes is also played by musical categories associated with Polish culture, mainly national dances – the krakowiak and the mazur. The three stage works discussed in this paper, created in a period of historical transformation associated with Poland’s rebirth as an independent country, appear to offer excellent arguments in the ongoing debate on the role of national stereotypes in communication between neighbouring nations.

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