You are bidding on one typed, signed letter of the opera singer Wilhelm Strienz (1900-1987).

Dated Berlin-Wilmersdorf, 29. Sep 1941.

Addressed to the military writer Gerhard Scholtz (* May 23, 1899 Karlsruhe, † May 22, 1958 Wiesbaden), in the 1st World War II volunteer and reserve officer, after the war with the Silesian border guard, from 1919 studied theology, philosophy and history, from 1923 officer in the Baden police, 1933 doctorate, lectureship for modern military police at the University of Heidelberg; Author of historical short stories and novels as well as military works (including "Diary of a Battery", Potsdam 1939). -- The letter comes from a partial estate of G. Scholtz.

Written on strong paper.

Condition:paper browned and stained; Traces of rust from an earlier binding on the left and upper margin. Please notee also the pictures!

Internal note: Folder 7e/7

About Wilhelm Strienz (source: wikipedia):

Wilhelm Strienz (* 2. September 1900 in Stuttgart; † 10 May 1987 in Frankfurt am Main) was a German opera singer (bass).

Life: After studying singing with Theodor Scheidl and Luise Reuss-Belce, the trained commercial clerk Strienz made his debut in 1922 at the German Opera House in Berlin as a hermit in Weber's Der Freischütz. In the following years he made a name for himself at the opera houses in Wiesbaden, Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart. His roles included Mephisto from Gounod's Margarete and Van Bett in Lortzing's Zar und zimmermann , but also numerous Wagner roles.

Between 1926 and 1933, Strienz worked for the newly founded West German Broadcasting Corporation in Cologne. After the National Socialists "seized power" in 1933, the radio director Ernst Hardt was dismissed, Strienz joined the SA and was engaged to the Berlin State Opera.[1] In 1935 he sang in a recording of the Electrola German be, means to be faithful and fly, German flag fly![1] Subsequently, Strienz developed into a popular interpreter of folk music on the radio. In 1936 he sang in the propaganda film Ewiger Wald commissioned by the National Socialist Cultural Community.[1] In addition, he continued to take on opera engagements and made guest appearances at London's Royal Opera House Covent Garden.[1] In 1937/38 he sang Sarastro in the legendary recording of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Thomas Beecham.

His interpretations of the ballads Der Nöck by August Kopisch and Die Uhr by Johann Gabriel Seidl, set to music by Carl Loewe, are also well known.[2]

Because of his great popularity, after the beginning of the Second World War, the Nazi regime asked him to take part in the radio program "Concert for the Wehrmacht". In it he became known, among other things, with Good Night, Mother by Werner Bochmann. From 1940 he also appeared as a soloist in various war songs such as soldate in Poland, which were recorded on discs.[1] He also appeared in the propaganda films Request Concert (1940) and Fronttheater (1942).[3] In August 1944, in the final phase of the Second World War, Adolf Hitler included him in the God-gifted list of the nine most important concert singers,[3] which freed him from military service, including on the home front.

In the immediate post-war period, the German radio stations boycotted him, especially in the Soviet Zone,[1] because his name was associated with Nazi propaganda during the war years. However, Strienz continued his singing activities: he made successful tours and received a contract with the record company Decca. In 1963 Strienz ended his singing career and withdrew into private life.