CHURCH’S LITTLE RIOT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 956, 26 April 1930, Page 15

CHURCH’S LITTLE RIOT

TRAGI COMEDY IN VIENNA GRAMOPHONE MUSIC A small riot arose from a ridiculous cause at a memorial service, held before the Votive Church in Vienna. It was all due to the use of the wrong side of a gramophone record. A former Vienna Mayor, Dr. Karl Lueger, was the subject of the memorial service and in his honour it was decided to play the music which, after a number of years, has been legally re established as the Austrian National Anthem. This music is the tune known in England as “Deutschland Ueber Alles." It has been said that “Deutschland Ueber Alles” always means “Germany Over Everybody.” and a Jingo cry: but its defenders rightly point out that its patriotic meaning in Germany is the same as “My country above all " Rival Themes But because of its association with the late Monarchy, it was cast into discard by the post-war Socialist revolution. In its stead another anthem, by the Socialist leader Dr. Karl Rener, was used for a number of years. Because feeling between Socialists and anti-Socialists runs very high on this question, a gramophone company —wishing to show neutrality in fin matter —recently placed on sale a record which on one side contained the Rener anthem, and on the other the rehabilitated Monarchy music. At the memorial service they wished to play the old Monarchy music. But the man at the machine placed the wrong side up. Out through the loud-speakers came the wrong “anthem”—the Socialist ienderipg of Rener which so many people hate. There was a rush to storm the loudspeakers and break them down; but the police held the crowds back until the error was explained and the record was changed. Then all was peace and patriotism.