New York Musicians to Toscanini, Jan 1, 1936 - Dec 31, 1936

In spring of 1936 Arturo Toscanini finished his tenure as Music Director at the New York Philharmonic and traveled to Europe, intending to conduct six weeks at the Salzburg Festival. Before the Festival began, however, the Austrian government announced that his concerts would be broadcast over the German radio network into Nazi Germany. Toscanini, a vocal opponent of the Nazi regime, threatened to cancel his concerts under these conditions. His stance prompted Austria to cancel the broadcasts. This letter, signed by hundreds of musicians in the Philharmonic and other New York organizations, applauds Toscanini’s protest against the Nazi regime. Courtesy of Lucy Borodkin, daughter of Mischa Borodkin, New York Philharmonic violinist from 1924-1969