Berta Geissmar

Who was Berta Geissmar?

Berta Geissmar was the secretary and business manager for two prominent orchestral conductors, Wilhelm Furtwängler and Sir Thomas Beecham. From 1922 until 1934, Geissmar worked for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Furtwängler, including planning and organising foreign tours for the orchestra. Because of her Jewish heritage, she was forced to leave the post and her native Germany in late 1934. Fleeing to London, she gained a similar position with Thomas Beecham and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She continued in this position until shortly before her death.

Geissmar's autobiography, The Baton and the Jackboot gives an account of the personalities of these two musicians, and provides a personal insight into the lives and persecution from 1933 of German people who, like her, were Jews or who opposed Nazi ideas.