{{Short description|German violinist (1928–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Hellmut Stern | image = stern harbin.jpg | alt = | caption = In a 2011 lecture, Stern points on a map to Harbin, China, to which his family escaped | birth_date = {{birth date|1928|05|21|df=y}} | birth_place = Berlin, Germany | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|03|21|1928|05|21|df=y}} | death_place = Berlin, Germany | occupation = Classical violinist | organizations = Berlin Philharmonic | awards = Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany }} '''Hellmut Stern''' (21 May 1928 – 21 March 2020) was a German violinist who played principal violin with the Berlin Philharmonic. He published his autobiography in 1990, narrating his life in exile in China from 1938, Israel from 1949, and the U.S. from 1956, and his return to Berlin in 1961. Through his membership of the board of the Berlin Philharmonic, he initiated the orchestra's first tour to Israel.
== Biography == Hellmut Stern was born in Berlin into a Jewish family. His father, Dittmar Stern, was a voice teacher, and his mother, Ilse Rose Stern, was a pianist.<ref name="Fetthauer" /> His mother taught him to play the piano from age five.<ref name="Seelye" /> He attended a Jewish school in Wilmersdorf, where a patron donated a violin to the most gifted pupil, which he received at age nine.<ref name="Benz" /> The family tried to emigrate beginning in 1933.<ref name="Benz" /> After the November Pogrom in 1938, they escaped from Berlin to Harbin, now in China, where his mother had received a fictitious contract as a pianist.<ref name="Benz" /> In exile, Stern helped the family income as a pianist and violinist, playing in bars, nightclubs and hotels.<ref name="rbb24" /> In 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.<ref name="Peitz" /> As a bar pianist at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in 1951, he met Isaac Stern,<ref name="Peitz" /> who arranged for him audition for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv. He won his first orchestral post as a second violinist.<ref name="Fetthauer" /><ref name="rbb24" />
His parents were unable to make a living in Israel, and in spring 1956 moved to the U.S.<ref name="Benz" /> Although Stern had planned to stay in Israel, when his father became seriously ill, he followed his parents to the U.S., in December of the same year.<ref name="Benz" /> Without a work permit, he again had to take occasional jobs. In 1958, he was taken on by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and later played with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra<ref name="Benz" /> and the New York State Orchestra.<!-- Of course, there's no such thing, and we don't know what the source meant, but several sources mention him playing in NY. --><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/grapevine-april-12-2020-a-time-to-remember-624348|access-date=20 February 2024|title=Grapevine April 12, 2020: A time to remember|author=Greer Fay Cashman|date=11 April 2020|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref><ref name="JA" />
In 1961, Stern returned to (then West) Berlin, which he still regarded as his home.<ref name="Peitz" /><ref name="Seelye" />
Stern joined the Berlin Philharmonic as a first violinist, and remained with the orchestra for 34 years; he became principal violinist in 1986.<ref name="JA" /> He was a member of the orchestra's board ({{lang|de|Orchestervorstand}}) from 1969.<ref name="Benz" /> He played with many leading conductors of the time, especially with Herbert von Karajan.<ref name="rbb24" /> He participated in many recordings and was a soloist in several concerts, like the {{lang|de|Humoristisches Festkonzert}} celebrating the orchestra's centenary in 1982, conducted by Vicco von Bülow (Loriot). He was part of efforts to organize a tour of the orchestra to Israel, first beginning in 1967, when the orchestra would have been welcome, but not Karajan. In 1990, with the orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim, his dream came true.<ref name="Benz" /><ref name="DF" /><ref name="DIG" /> The orchestra played several concerts, especially a joint concert with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta.<ref name="Benz" /><ref name="DF" /><ref name="DIG" /> Stern was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1993 by Richard von Weizsäcker.<ref name="DF" /> He retired in 1994.<ref name="Peitz" />
After his retirement, Stern worked in schools to teach young people about the dangers of fascism and dictatorship, describing himself as a "professional witness" (''Zeitzeuge'').<ref name="rbb24" /><ref name="Seelye" />
Stern published his autobiography, ''Saitensprünge'' in 1990.<ref name="Fetthauer" /> He died in Berlin on 21 March 2020 at the age of 91.<ref name="Peitz" /><ref name="Seelye" />
== Published works == * ''Saitensprünge – Erinnerungen eines leidenschaftlichen Kosmopoliten''. Aufbau Verlag, Berlin 2000. {{ISBN|978-3-7466-1684-1}}.<ref name="Peitz" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Hellmut Stern|title=Saitensprünge: Erinnerungen eines Kosmopoliten wider Willen|language=de|year=2000|isbn=978-3-7466-1684-1|location=Berlin|publisher=Aufbau Verlag|url=https://www.aufbau-verlage.de/aufbau-taschenbuch/saitensprunge/978-3-7466-1684-1}}</ref> * ''Weil ich überall auf der Welt zu Hause bin'' by David Dambitsch, audio book, memories of Stern and Barenboim, Airplay-Entertainment, 2007. {{ISBN|978-3-935168-64-9}}.<ref name="Peitz" /><ref>Carola Kessler: [https://dasorchester.de/artikel/weil-ich-ueberall-auf-der-welt-zu-hause-bin/ "''Weil ich überall auf der Welt zu Hause bin'' / Das Leben des Berliner Philharmonikers Hellmut Stern. Mit Erinnerungen von Hellmut Stern und Daniel Barenboim"], dasorchester.de</ref>
== References == <references>
<ref name="Benz">{{cite book | last = Benz | first = Wolfgang | author-link = Wolfgang Benz | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZLpW33lWr_YC&pg=PT253 | chapter = 21. Philharmoniker und Zeitzeuge / Hellmut Stern | title = Deutsche Juden im 20. Jahrhundert: Eine Geschichte in Porträts | publisher = C. H. Beck | date = 2011 | language = de | isbn = 978-3-40-662293-9 | pages = 253–260 }}</ref>
<ref name="Fetthauer">{{cite web | last = Fetthauer | first = Sophie | url = https://www.lexm.uni-hamburg.de/object/lexm_lexmperson_00001058 | title = Hellmut Stern | website = lexm.uni-hamburg.de | date = 2006 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name="Peitz">{{cite news | last = Peitz | first = Christiane | url = https://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/zum-tod-des-geigers-hellmut-stern-der-musizierende-weltbuerger/25669952.html | title = Der musizierende Weltbürger | newspaper = Der Tagesspiegel | date = 22 March 2020 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name="Seelye">{{cite news | last = Seelye | first = Katharine Q. | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/arts/music/hellmut-stern-dead.html | title = Hellmut Stern, 91, Dies; Violinist Returned to Germany After Fleeing | newspaper = The New York Times | date = 31 March 2020 | access-date = 9 April 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name="DF">{{cite web | url = https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/musik-geiger-hellmut-stern-mit-91-jahren-gestorben.2849.de.html?drn:news_id=1113004 | title = Musik / Geiger Hellmut Stern mit 91 Jahren gestorben | website = Deutschlandfunk | date = 22 March 2020 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2020 | archive-date = 22 March 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200322220412/https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/musik-geiger-hellmut-stern-mit-91-jahren-gestorben.2849.de.html%3Fdrn:news_id%3D1113004 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
<ref name="DIG">{{cite web | url = http://www.digberlin.de/anlasslich-125-jahre-berliner-philharmoniker-sprach-hellmut-stern-am-17-dezember-2007-uber-die-historische-israel-reise-des-orchesters-im-april-1990/ | title = Anlässlich 125 Jahre Berliner Philharmoniker sprach Hellmut Stern am 17. Dezember 2007 über die historische Israel-Reise des Orchesters im April 1990 | website = {{ill|Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft|de}} | date = 2 December 2007 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name="JA">{{cite news | url = https://www.juedische-allgemeine.de/kultur/hellmut-stern-ist-tot/ | title = Hellmut Stern ist tot | newspaper = {{ill|Jüdische Allgemeine|de}} | date = 22 March 2020 | language = de | access-date = 23 March 2020 }}</ref>
<ref name="rbb24">{{cite web | url = https://www.rbb24.de/kultur/beitrag/2020/03/berliner-philharmoniker-hellmut-stern-geiger-gestorben.html | title = Ex-Konzertmeister der Berliner Philharmoniker Geiger Hellmut Stern ist im Alter von 91 Jahren gestorben | website = {{ill|rbb24 Inforadio|de}} | publisher = Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg | date = 22 March 2020 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2020 | archive-date = 9 August 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200809061343/https://www.rbb24.de/kultur/beitrag/2020/03/berliner-philharmoniker-hellmut-stern-geiger-gestorben.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>
</references>
== Further reading == * Berliner Philharmoniker: ''Variationen mit Orchester – 125 Jahre Berliner Philharmoniker'', vol. 2, ''Biografien und Konzerte''. Verlag Henschel, May 2007, {{ISBN|978-3-89487-568-8}}
== External links == * {{cite news|title='Musik hat uns das Leben gerettet' – Interview|periodical=Die Tageszeitung|url=https://taz.de/!348001/|access-date=|last=Lee |first=Felix |date=27 November 2006|page=28|language=de|ref=none}} * {{cite web|title=Die lange Nacht der Zeitzeugen: Hellmut Stern|periodical=BR-Fernsehen-Sendung "Gespräche gegen das Vergessen": Jüdische Porträts|publisher=Bayerischer Rundfunk|url=https://www.br.de/br-fernsehen/sendungen/gespraeche-gegen-das-vergessen/zeitzeugen-hellmut-stern-100.html|url-status=|format=mp4-Video, 755 MB, 58:43 Minuten|access-date=|archive-url=|archive-date=|last=Schuster |first=Jacques |date=9 November 2012|language=de|ref=none}} * {{cite web|title='Weil ich überall auf der Welt zu Hause bin' – Hellmut Stern: Berliner und Kosmopolit wider Willen|periodical=Jüdische Zeitung|url=http://www.j-zeit.de/archiv/artikel.934.html|url-status=|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827155922/http://www.j-zeit.de/archiv/artikel.934.html|archive-date=27 August 2011|last=Bomhoff|first=Hartmut|date=January 2008|language=de|ref=none}} * [https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/film/227 "Cathedrals of Culture"], Wim Wenders's film portrait of the Philharmonie (2014) / Sir Simon Rattle, Hellmut Stern, Berliner Philharmoniker, digitalconcerthall.com * [http://www.erinnern.at/app-fliehen/downloads/downloads/Hellmut%20Stern_LHB.pdf Hellmut Stern]{{Dead link|date=April 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (in German) erinnern.at
{{Portal bar|Biography|Classical music}} {{Authority control|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stern, Hellmut}} Category:German male classical violinists Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Category:1928 births Category:2020 deaths Category:German emigrants to Israel Category:20th-century German male musicians Category:21st-century German male musicians Category:Jewish classical violinists Category:Musicians from Berlin Category:Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States Category:Jews and Judaism in Harbin Category:Players of the Berlin Philharmonic Category:Players of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Category:20th-century German classical violinists