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PEACE THROUGH THE ARTS Music Streets of Berlin 1939 In 1939 the Olympic Games took place in Berlin. In 1933 The National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party, had come to power and its leader, Adolf Hitler, was responsible for the building of the first concentration camp. It was called Sachsenhausen and situated 35km north of Berlin. Initiated by the desire for the world to see Berlin in its pure and Arian light the streets of Berlin where ‘cleared’ of all ‘undesirables’ and placed in the camp. On their prison uniforms, prisoners had to wear different colour triangles for identification. RED Communists GREEN criminals BROWN gypsies PURPLE Jehovah Witnesses PINK homosexuals YELLOW Jews Streets of London in 1969 In 1969 Ralph McTell first recorded ‘Streets of London’ reflecting on the plight of the homeless and those on the margins of society. In the lyrics he suggests that we hardly notice, let alone see and empathise with: ‘Have you seen the old man?’, ‘Have you seen the old girl?’ and in the chorus; So how can you tell me you’re lonely, and say for you that the sun don’t shine? Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London. I’ll show you something to make you change your mind.
Streets of London in 2011 What is your experience of walking the streets of London? For good and ill, what have you seen this summer and autumn? What are your thoughts? What are your hopes and dreams for the streets of London or your home town? ‘Last night I had the strangest dream’ Another famous song of the 1960s was Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Last night I had the strangest dream’ written by Ed McCurdy in 1950 and more recently recorded by Serena Ryder in 2006. Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war I dreamed I saw a mighty room The room was filled with men And the paper they were signing said They’d never fight again And when the papers all were signed And a million copies made They all joined hands and bowed their heads And grateful prayers were prayed And the people in the streets below Were dancing round and round And guns and swords and uniforms Were scattered on the ground Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war • Sing these songs • Act them out • Reflecting on the streets of London and the conflicted world we live in; compose a song, rap or video message featuring your own vision for 2011-12