Interview with VON THRONSTAHL

 

First of all, tell us something about your CDs - "Mutter der Schmerzen" and "Sacrificare". Why did you decide to record such neofolk releases?

Oh , MUTTER DER SCHMERZEN was created for the russian scene and with help of my girlfriend Rada who sang a “Russian Traditional”. Just as a little Overtoure for SACRIFICARE . I was a bit sick of lots of typical german neofolk-stuff which realy realy bored me. So i tryed to do a more not boring neofolk release.

You dedicated your songs "Mutter der Schmerzen" and "Mother of Mercy" to our Holy Virgin Mary. Why is she so important for you?

At first because I was born in the nigth of MARIA LICHTMEß an old catholic Fest (which came from the Pagan IMBOLC) and also because my third name is Maria (Josef Wilhem Maria, and at last because I feel catholic .

It isn't any secret that music of Von Thronstahl is full of religious inspiration. Tell us about your personal way to the roman catholicism. Have you been born in catholic family? Who was Hans Milch for you personally? Are you active in Actio Spes Unica?

I grow up in a catholic Family, a catholic Rhine-Area, catholic little village with deeply catholic Influences. The catholicism in such Wood and Country regions is close to the folk-religious paganism - but not in a pagan way, more in a kind of christian nature religion.

Not easy to explain - but its a deeper believe in the country, closer to spirits nature-spell and old knowledge than in the cities. The Influence was important and there were pictures from my very young childhood in my memories which gaves me a lot and which spare me till today.

Afther my Punk and Freedome-Odysee the priest HANS MILCH ws the one who got the power to lead me and others home . Since we met him, we saw and heard a lot of modern Priests like socialworkers - and we also had our experiences with free evangelic Churches with american style ( Pfingstler ) But all that seemed not realy deep – they've been true and in Christ – but they could not reach me. The return to the old Traditional Thougths and Rituals and everything brougth us closer to the believe and to our selfs and to god. HANS MILCH was avery very charismatic high intelligent warm hearted but autoritär person, very unique. The todays work of Actio Spes Unica is still very good and strong i think,- but im bit Outside from them or the officil church because I’m far from tht what i call a good Christian, I know Christians can be not perfect. I try to be catholic and thats more than just believing. Its not very easy ,- and it shall be not easy. The Easyness leys in the outside world. But ACTIO SPES UNICA is an important work. Good Spirits and men behind.

Do you agree that there is a kind of paradox on the neofolk/military scene? For example, nihilists from Spiritual Front put their song onto the Codreanu Tribute, catholics from VT/TDOTTC dedicate their CD to nihilist Emil Cioran etc. Why is that so? What is the relation between all these things: heroism and decadence, deep faith and nihilism, sacrifice and dandy-pose?

OHHHH YES thats absolutly right. It was my same thougth about SPIRITUAL FRONT and the CODREANU COMPILATION. I like themusic of SF and his musical basics and tastes of Undereground and Punk and so. But im not sure that every artist knew on what kind of CD Compilation they appeared. We has been there because of CODREANU not because of Music , and not because of having a song more on a CD Compilation.
Yes the Paradoxon belongs to the Scene. But about CIORAN its a bit diffrent ,- He may was a nihilist ,- but for me in the same way like Nietzsche was a non-christ. BUT,- thers something in NIETZSCHE and something in CIORAN tht leads to Christ ,-i think !!! , And there is more in CIORAN which I cant describe in my worse english.
Such PARADOXON into the scene i found not negative ,- Such Kosmos of Scene Spirit is always swirling ,- We have no home , and the winds reblowing from every side. A scene cant be a safe home ,- but the Thougths will find homesteads and all such chaos of thougths and styles and spirits will create something good at the end of such strange interesting paradox way.
The SACRIFICE and the DANDY POSE can bevery close together. Catholicism can also mean a good style a good pose and a good taste,- Many great Catholics had their style, their taste and I think in combination with the spiritual heritage of the Occident the question of beautyness and style cant be wrong. Look at our cathedrals and the buildings of Christinity,- all our beautyness is a combination of Style and sacrifice . What i mean with my provocant Dandy Pose Style is more than a look ,- its Believe and Weltanschaung behind.

Interview with VON THRONSTAHL...

Ciąg dalszy...

Do you consider your art as a manifestation of "conservative revolution" - new technologies with eternal message? Did you meet with opinions that it is impossible to spread traditional values using so "harsh" or "modern" music as industrial, rock, EBM etc.?

There is problem with theCONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION is that thers much Conservatie and not much Revolution. It’s a great Slogan - I love and enjoy him but our substances are not the best quality ,- Maybe were only here to proclaim ,-and to have a good will. Our Art is not realy Art – it’s a LONGING a deeply longing which shows the figths of paradoxons the figthing of two worlds the figthing and faustian feelings in our souls.

What about "Credo In Unum Deum"? Could you tell our readers something more about this concept CD? Is it true that you've tried to contact with polish groups when you were looking for bands interested in this release?

Oh yes but if i remember rigth ,it was not easy ,- and in lots of countrys it seemed easyer to form a army of christian HARDROCK musicians and Bands than to find one catholic oriented Gropu or project in the wy we searched. The idear behind was to create the first Catholic Underground CD. But I must say we had some technical problems with the realisation.

It seems that you are interested in so-called "tribute CDs" because you've put your tracks on Evola tribute, Codreanu tribute, Riefenstahl etc. Why is that so?

No,- its not my absolute Intersting in doing tributes ,- but i was asked for this and for that. But Artistsand Thinkers like RIEFENSTAHL , Evola and others are worth to be tributed and honored. Wewill appear also on the SATRI DEVI Cd Compilation,- Im not into Buddhism,- but the highest Reason for me to be also into this project was the Fact that a German Bnd with martial Name once made a Music and gavethe music an SATRI DEVI Title ,- and as theyve been asked to appear on the CD with this Track , they denyed ,- (because of Fear or whatever) Thats the reason because I appear on this Compilation and I worked out a music with the SACRIFICE Theme , which fits to the spirit o the official CD.

By the way, what about Julius Evola... Are you inspired by his conception of integral traditionalism?

In many ways he was rigth ,- a great philosopher,- a unique occidental profile ,- but didnt red too many of him.

Von Thronstahl, HERR, Kriegsfall U, Lonsai Maikov... Do you think that you fight together for ideas, that you "walk in line"?

Its more that everybody stands alone , each on his lost posittion in nowhereland ,- in some facettes the spirit is close to the other, but in the end everybody stands and falls alone. Great sounds from everybody. HERR is deeply european but not in a christian or catholic way.

Who is Josef Maria Klumb in his private life? (you may not answer... ;-) ). Do you consider your music as personal or inspired by your life?

I think i bring my soul into the music ,- and this is a very private thing,- Personal and Inspiration of life ,- for me its the same ,- My intensions are true ,- im not faking like others in the scene ,- i cant excuse my provocations with NIHILISM ,- becuse im not nihilistic . Its the big Excuse for those with nothing behind. Nihilism of today is easy as mainstream. And im not mainstream. I’m totaly Underground.

Poland and Germany... Long history of war, conflicts, hate... What do you think about our relations as German patriot but also as European traditionalist?

Hitler on the one side and the whole bunch of german policians of today on the other ,- in front of Polands relationship to Germany, both are wrong. I think Carol Woytila and Pope Benedikt has built a better bridge. Keep all yours and our politicians out and let us come closer. The VBelieve , the catholic seems here stronger andmore true than Business and politics.

Thank you very much and last words from Josef Maria Klumb to the polish readers!!!

Thanks a lot from Bavariae and know,- that the EU is nothing else than the same farce as the youngest eurovision song contest !