This week on The Big Bandstand (Saturdays at 9 a.m.) we'll take a look at German Swing music produced during World War II.  Everyone knows the music of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Ray Noble and Benny Goodman, but have you heard of Willy Berking, Willi Stank, Teddy Kleindin and Charlie & His Orchestra? 

Charlie (real name Karl Schwedler) was commissioned by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels to head up a Swing band aimed at demoralizing Allied radio listeners.  You'll hear Charlie and some other "Verboten Swing" on the next Big Bandstand, Saturday 9/26 from 9 - 11 a.m. on KSER.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_his_Orchestra
http://www.amazon.com/Swing-Tanzen-Verboten-Music-Propaganda/product-reviews/B0000918PJ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_Kids
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108265/

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