The Comedian Harmonists captivated audiences across Europe in the 1930s. Their story, however, is not just one of musical brilliance, but also of resilience in the face of immense adversity. 

Here is a timeline of their time together: 

1927: The seeds are sown with a newspaper ad seeking singers. The six members, a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, come together.

1928 – 1933: Their unique blend of humor, vocal skill, and catchy tunes catapults them to international fame. They tour Europe, record hit songs, and even perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

1934 – 1935: The rise of the Nazi Party casts a dark shadow. Jewish members face discrimination and their music is deemed “un-German.” Public performances dwindle, and pressure mounts.

1935: Forced to separate, the Jewish members flee to Austria and later Australia. The remaining members continue in Germany with limited success.

As a single, unified group, The Comedian Harmonists were together for about 7 years (1928 – 1935). However, their legacy and impact remains undeniable: The Comedian Harmonists paved the way for countless vocal groups and their story serves as a reminder that the power of music can transcend the devastating impact of intolerance.

The Musical about The Comedian Harmonists

Harmony, a new musical about The Comedian Harmonists, is now on Broadway.

The complete Broadway cast includes Chip Zien as Rabbi, Sierra Boggess as Mary, Julie Benko as Ruth, Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, and Steven Telsey as the Comedian Harmonists, Allison Semmes as Josephine Baker, Andrew O’Shanick as Standartenfϋhrer, Zak Edwards, Dan Hoy, Bruce Landry, Rhonni Rose Mantilla, Daniel Z. Miller, Benjamin H. Moore, Matthew Mucha, Constantine Pappas, Kayleen Seidl, Kyla Stone, Bronwyn Tarboton, Kate Wesler, Stuart Zagnit, and Lee Zarrett. 

To learn more about Harmony: A New Musical, click here.