From Berlin to Sydney

“Albrecht Dümling’s rich documentation of this groundbreaking Berlin jazz band with its sensational show power is both a moving testament to the impudent creativity of youth and a warning against timeless strains of bigotry and terror.” — Alan Lareau, Professor Emeritus of German, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, USA

Founded in Berlin in 1924 by the pianist and drummer Stefan Weintraub, the Weintraubs Syncopators were Germany’s most popular jazz band until 1933. They enjoyed success on concert and variety stages, in theatre and film, and in recordings, and were painted by Max Oppenheimer. Forced into exile by the Nazis’ seizure of power, the group, consisting mainly of Jewish musicians, was initially able to continue to perform under difficult conditions in Europe, the Soviet Union and Japan, before temporarily finding a new home in Australia in 1937. The Second World War and internment ended their career. This comprehensive book on the subject, published for the first time in English, traces the fascinating artistic development and moving lives of the Weintraubs Syncopators. The accompanying website brings the versatile art of this jazz band to life in annotated audio and video files.