Kurt Heinitz

Kurt Heinitz was born on 28 July 1889 in Zug near Freiberg (Germany). I have no information about his musical education, but it is very likely that he studied music. In World War I Kurt Heinitz had the rank of an assistant sergeant. After the war he married Johanna Siegemunde (*27.08.1893 in Dresden) and they got a daughter named Elly Johanna (*24.09.1921 in Pirna).

Kurt Heinitz settled in Pirna and tried to earn a living from music. He founded a band, known as the "Heinitz-Kapelle" that performed at local festivals and in taverns of the region. Kurt Heinitz joined the Nazi movement in the early 1930s and became the "Musikzugführer" (music platoon leader) of the "Standartenkapelle 177", a military band located in Pirna. During the 1930s Kurt Heinitz and his military band were a regular and important part of the music scene in the region around Pirna. For example the "Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk" (Central German Broadcasting) broadcasted parts of the 700th anniversary of the city of Pirna in 1933, among them the concert of the Standartenkapelle 177 under the direction of Kurt Heinitz.

Kurt Heinitz also received some success as a composer during the Nazi regime. The "Sächsische Elbzeitung" reports on 21.09.1940 that Hermann Müller-John, music director of the music corps of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (the personal bodyguard unit of Adolf Hitler), sent a letter to Kurt Heinitz. The article quoting a letter from the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (roughly translated): "The supreme bandmaster [i.e. Müller-John] especially appreciates these two brisk marches. Our music corps performs them many a time, because they are enjoyed by the audience with applause and enthusiasm." The letter refers to the two marches "Die Legion Condor" and "Großdeutschlands Wehrmacht". A few other compositions by Kurt Heinitz were also broadcasted, among them the marches "Heil Pirna", "Heil Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler", "Die deutsche Ostmark" and "Die Sachsen auf Höhe 108".

Beside his musical activities Kurt Heinitz was also a tobacconist. During his lifetime he lived in Pirna in the Schulgasse 4, later Klostergarten 4 and finally in the Gartenstraße 5. In 1947 he was still active as a tobacconist, but no later biographical information about him was found.

In my possession are three autograph manuscripts of compositions by Kurt Heinitz:

• Suite in 4 movements for orchestra (1939)
• Valse-Capriccio for orchestra (1953)
• Grosses Potpourri aus der Operette "Liebe ohne Grenzen", for orchestra