Hi all! I’m a recent college grad. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on jazz in Nazi Germany, specifically on a few jazz musicians who used music as a form of resistance. I read countless books while researching, but I still can’t get enough. I’m still adding to my thesis for fun while working on grad school applications.

I’m interested in learning more about Catholicism in WWII, specifically in Germany, in addition to finding more books about Jewish musicians in the concentration camps and the ghettos. I’m primarily focused on jazz musicians, but suggestions about all musicians and artists are more than welcome! As a side note, I’m hoping to study the relationship between politics and the arts in grad school. If anyone has suggestions for books on that topic, I would appreciate it!

As a starting point, here are some of the books that I’ve already read or have on my list:

1. Michael Haas, The Jewish Composers Banned By the Nazis

2. David G. Dalin, The Myth of Hitler’s Pope

3. Mark Riebling, The Church of Spies

4. Bergmeier and Lotz, Hitler’s Airwaves (read)

5. Michael Kater, Different Drummers (read)

6. Ken Shuldman, Jazz Survivor

7. Nikolaus Wachsmann, KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps (read)

8. Will Studdert: The Jazz War (read)

9. Coco Schumann: The Ghetto Swinger (read)

Thanks in advance!