Friday, May 30, 2008

Putzi, Putzi - So Ein Kerl! (What a Guy!)

Ernst (lovingly called Putzi) Hanfstaengle was a Harvard grad, and the only guy I know of from Harvard to work for both President Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler.
You don't believe that? Well, if you 'google' Putzi's last name, the above statement may show up.
At any rate, Hanfstaengle was a member of a powerful and aristocratic German family; came to America, went to Harvard, and at least minored in music. He actually wrote tunes for the Harvard band when it came to football time.
Upon returning to Germany, he became swept up by the tide of Nazism, joined the party, and eventually entered the hallowed Hitler inner circle, becoming essentially Hitler's aide, and has been photographed many times at the tyrant's side.
The story that tantalizes me the most is the one that deals with Hitler's asking Putzi to compose a new march for one of the Nuremberg rallies, only about three days hence.
Hanfstaengle was in a state of panic, as he had other duties always at hand, and knew that there would simply be no time to construct a melody and orchestrate it for the Nazi bands who were to play at the rally, only hours away, AND - one does not say "no" to Hitler.
And so Putzi, knowing full well how insular Hitler was as regards cultures outside his own, felt the dictator could not possibly be familiar with ANY Harvard march; the result being that Hanfstaengle took a healthy portion of one of the Harvard marches, orchestrated it, and offered it to the Nuremberg rally.
A truly unique tale; however, I have come across it more than once from different sources. One source claimed that this story was related by Putzi's son Egon, about whom I know veritably nothing - I do believe that Egon had something to do with Harvard after the war. What the role was, I do not know.

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