Hans-Otto Borgmann

Who was Hans-Otto Borgmann?

Hans-Otto Borgmann was a German film music composer during the Third Reich.

He joined UFA as a silent film music conductor in 1928, and became head composer by 1931. A melody he had composed for a documentary on Svalbard island and had become well known was taken up by Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach who wrote new lyrics as "Our flag flutters before us", becoming one of the Hitler Youth's anthems.

In 1938 he composed a Großdeutsche Hymne for Schirach which coincided with the Anschluss of Austria.

From 1937 to 1951 he collaborated on a series of films with Veit Harlan. From 1959 to 1971 he withdrew from film popular music to lecture at the Max Reinhardt Theatre and privately compose difficult atonal music.