Beethoven’s Symphony No.9

Japan participated in World War I in 1914, attacked Qingdao, which used to be a German concession, and captured approximately 4,700 German soldiers. Among them, approximately 1,000 German soldiers were sent to the Bando prisoner-of-war camp (the address at that time was Bando-cho, Itano-gun, Tokushima Prefecture). The director of the camp, Matsue Toyohisa and other staff, who looked after the camp, respected German prisoners’ human rights and allowed their autonomy as much as possible; therefore, the prisoners could have a free and relaxed life in the camp. In the camp, various activities such as music, sports and drama were carried out, and interaction with local residents was actively conducted.

Local residents learned stock-farming, confectionery, cultivation of Western vegetables, architecture, music, sports, etc. from German prisoners in order to gain the knowledge of their advanced technology and culture. In Bando, local residents called the Germans “Doitsu-san” (Mr. Germany) friendlily, and the sight of Germans and local residents fraternizing with each other could be seen in everyday life.

The prisoners’ life was amazingly vigorous. They created more than 80 facilities including shopping streets, restaurants, printing offices, libraries, concert halls, science laboratories, parks and areas of villas, and implemented mutual aid activities including health insurance associations and post offices in the camp. Cultural activities such as learning, lectures, sports, music and dramas were also conducted. Especially, music activities were carried out enthusiastically: more than 100 performances were provided by a variety of orchestras. Even though it was the war time, local people’s deep-rooted instinct to respect and welcome others helped encourage their interaction.

There are two memorial monuments located in the uptown of German Village Park. One has 11 people’s names engraved and was built by German soldiers. Another memorial monument built in 1976 is a joint memorial monument for the whole of Japan, and 87 German soldiers’ names, who died in the camps in Japan, are engraved. The monuments have been preserved by local people.

The interaction between German soldiers, captured in the Bando prisoner-of-war camp, and local residents developed a sister city relationship between Naruto City and Lunenburg Town. It then expanded to the relationship between Tokushima Prefecture and Niedersachsen State.

Tokushima Prefecture and Niedersachsen State signed the “Joint Declaration of

Interaction” in September 2007, and since then both have been engaging in exchange in wide areas such as economy, culture, sports and education.

In May 2017, the 10th anniversary of friendship-city relationship, both have decided to apply materials related to the “Bando prisoner-of-war camp” (the foundation of their relationship) for the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme. Tokushima Prefectural Governor Mr. IIzumi, Niedersachsen State Mayer Mr. Weil, Naruto City Mayer Mr. Izumi and Lunenburg Town Mayer Mr. Mädge signed a joint application agreement.

The whole of the Ninth Symphony, which Beethoven composed by depicting “human love” with Schiller’s poem, is said to have been played for the first time in Japan on June 1, 1918. The background of the first performance was reflected by some historical facts filled with the spirits of human love as depicted in the Ninth Symphony: humanitarian attitudes of the director of the camp, Matsue Toyohisa, and his staff towards the prisoners; and warm interaction between the prisoners and local residents regardless of the nationality.

Tokushima Prefecture considers Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 as one of the main four themes of “Awa Culture” and has been disseminating the attraction of the Ninth Symphony through the National Cultural Festival. The festival is going to take place for the second time in Tokushima, which will be the first time it has been held in the same prefecture.

The year 2018 is the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the Ninth Symphony in Asia. We have been disseminating the attraction of Tokushima Prefecture’s Ninth Symphony in Japan and the world by holding concerts under the project “Hop Step Jump”.

This year, as the year of “Jump”, the concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the Ninth Symphony in Asia will be hold on Monday (holiday in lieu), February 12, 2018.

The place where Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 was first performed—Ode to Joy echoing in Tokushima (4K)