Press Release

Generational Change at the Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute:  As Part of a Restructuring, the Karajan Institute Initiates a Historical Examination of the Nazi Era Led by Michael Wolffsohn 

The newly installed supervisory board supports the Karajan Institute’s decision to mandate German historian Prof. Dr. Michael Wolffsohn with a comprehensive study on Herbert von Karajan’s role during the Nazi era and his handling of it after 1945.  In this context, Prof. Wolffsohn invites those who were close to Herbert von Karajan, as well as their relatives and descendants, to submit written accounts about Herbert von Karajan to the email address wolffsohn-studie@web.de and to make themselves available for interviews as eyewitnesses. The findings of the study are scheduled for publication in spring 2026.

Prof. Dr. Michael Wolffsohn commented:

“Herbert von Karajan is one of the most influential figures in music history, yet his biography is not without controversy. With this study, I aim to create a fact-based portrayal using existing and newly uncovered sources. A particular focus will be placed on the international reception of Karajan’s career after World War II. Transparency is the highest priority: all key documents will be published to ensure that every claim can be verified.”

Arabel and Isabel Karajan have expressed their acceptance of any scientifically substantiated results.

 

The Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute is committed to preserving and managing Herbert von Karajan’s artistic legacy. In addition to overseeing his musical estate and operating the Karajan Archive, the institute supports and promotes the development and dissemination of alternative forms of music.

 

Prof. Dr. Michael Wolffsohn is one of the leading experts on international politics and, in particular, the relationships between Germans and Jews at the political, cultural, and religious levels. As a historian and public intellectual, Wolffsohn regularly addresses key political, military, historical, and religious questions. His expertise in areas such as the Middle East, global conflicts, German-Israeli relations, and the history and present of Judaism has earned him a reputation for precise analysis and clear viewpoints.

For more information, visit: www.wolffsohn.de

 

Contact for Inquiries:

For Austria:

Dr. Alfred Autischer

Mobile: +43 664 88 44 64 20

Email: office@autischer.at

 

Germany and other countries:

Ralf Geissler / Susanne Jahrreiss

Jahrreiss Communications

Phone: +49 89 30 90 52 950

Email: welcome@jahrreiss.com

 

—  Karajan Institut (Salzburg)