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Modern Nazis and Pop Culture: Cabaret (01-16-19)

Cabaret the movie musical may take some liberties from its source material, but it certainly doesn’t shy
away from the anti-fascist themes of the original. One of the more remembered scenes is Tomorrow
Belongs to Me. A soft ballad about the promise of a brighter future.

Sung by an actual Nazi.

 As the song continues, the audience joins the choir and supports the now darker lyrics. Tomorrow
belongs to the white children. Tomorrow belongs to those in power. They stand and salute the idea.
The stand and salute the Nazi party. It’s an evocative image that uses the earnest patriotism to paint a
unique picture of pre WWII Germany. Make no mistake, the rest of the show uses the romance
centered plot to condemn this behavior. Nazis are the evil in Cabaret, the evil in WWII, and an evil
force now.

 Despite this irrefutable fact, Alt-Right groups adopted Tomorrow Belongs to Me as an anthem. The
comment section of the video is rife with awful
[ID: A Youtube comment reading “Is there any gesture more pure and masculine than the Roman
Salute?” End ID]
Awful
[ID: A Youtube comment chain reading “The wrong side won.” followed by “And what is that suppose to
mean?” then “It’s suppose to mean he’s a Neo-Nazi racist who would like to murder lots of people.”
End ID]
Awful
 
[ID The young men of the alt-right are singing this and it will grow louder and louder - and then, we
shall take BACK what is ours, the United States, Great Britain, France… and Germany! Tomorrow
belongs to us!!!!” End ID]
Awful
[ID: “A Youtube comment reading “187 Jews disliked this video.” End ID]
Neo-Nazi comments.

There is a sinister undertone to these events. Even text with an anti-fascist message can be used as
part of the alt-right propaganda machine. From what it seems any depiction of Nazis could result in
praise and worship from the alt-right, those attempting to condemn Nazis could be an unwilling
participant in a new trend. Tomorrow Belongs to Me was written by gay Jewish man, but Nazis still use
it. How can we defame Nazi ideals when there is no certainty in the interpretation? Creators can never
be sure that their work will remain as they intended.

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