Thursday, 17 July 2025

The Nazis Banned Jazz

 In 1935, the Nazis banned broadcasting jazz music and swing music, claiming it was degenerate music created by Jews and black people (The Nazis despised both). The Nazis also banned the saxophone. In 1939, they made it illegal to listen to foreign radio stations. Yet, some brave young people known as 'swings' continued to listen to jazz.



The Nazis also strongly discouraged make-up. While not actually illegal lipstick, hair dye and painted nails were frowned upon. Girls in the Hitler Youth were forbidden to have them.

In contrast, in Britain using make-up was encouraged with slogans like ‘beauty is your duty’. Like most things, cosmetics were in short supply but women improvised, dying their legs brown to make it look as if they were wearing stockings and using boot polish as mascara.