He was a patriot of Germany and could not put up with the way Hitler mocked his Fatherland. His weapons in the battle against the Nazis were songs, works in the theater and cinema, a rifle and faith in victory.
The names of many talented Germans who fought for the liberation of Germany from the brown plague are inscribed in gold letters in the history of art. Those who emigrated to other countries were "appropriated" by the new Fatherland. Our hero did not leave his native land and withstood many difficult trials with honor.
Childhood
The builder Friedrich Busch lived in the port city of Kiel. In January 1900, his wife gave him an heir, who was named Ernst. The family was not rich, but friendly and cheerful. Its head sang in the choir. In order not to give up his hobbies and spend more time with the child, he took the boy to rehearsals.
In addition to creativity, Ernst's father was interested in politics. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party. When the First World War broke out, and this political force supported the Kaiser, Fritz left its ranks. He did not hide his views from his son. The teenager got his own opinion about the situation in the country when in 1915 he got a job as a locksmith's apprentice at a shipyard. Social injustice outraged our hero.
Riot
The war only exacerbated the problems of the working class. The Bush family took part in the uprising that broke out in Kiel in 1918. The following year they joined the newly formed German Communist Party. Ernst was fond of music and acting. Together with his comrades, he staged performances calling to fight for their rights.
In 1921 the director of the City Theater noticed the talented young man and invited him to the professional stage. The debutant quickly won the love of the audience, he was promised a brilliant career. The young rebel did not want to turn into a man in the street, he refused seductive invitations to famous acting groups. In 1924 he dropped everything and fled to Italy in the company of two friends. Itinerant troubadours attracted the attention of the police. They were captured, accused of espionage and deported to Germany.
Theater and cinema
The unsuccessful journey did not kill the thirst for travel. True, now Bush traveled to different cities of his native country and took part in performances. In 1926 he joined the troupe of the Pomeranian Traveling Theater, whose repertoire included both classics and works of contemporary authors. The lack of special education and radical views did not interfere with the brilliant actor and singer.
Sound came to the cinema, and the search began for those who could not only convey the image of the hero, but also beautifully pronounce the text, and even sing. The filmmakers drew attention to Ernst Busch. One of the first films where the artist appeared was "The Threepenny Opera" by Georg Wilhelm Pabst. The daring director more than once invited his friend to the shooting.
Politics
On the screen, in songs and from the stage, Ernst Bush urged people not to succumb to the propaganda tricks of the Nazis. At rallies, he spoke no less often than on stage. After the fire in the Reichstag, the talented anti-fascist narrowly escaped arrest. In Berlin, where he lived, leaflets appeared with calls to crack down on him, his songs were no longer broadcast on German radio, the records were withdrawn from sale.
The Soviet Union supported the German communists. In 1935 Ernst was invited to Moscow. There he took part in the filming of the film "The Fighters", recorded several musical compositions, and met with like-minded people. Soon, the artist enrolled in the international brigade, which went to Spain. In 1937 he left the Land of the Soviets, a year later his Russian friends received the news that the German hero had died. His songs, which were broadcast on the front line, fought for him.
War
Bush was alive. He could not leave Spain with his fellow soldiers, he had to hide in Belgium. There Ernst continued the battle, giving concerts of Soviet and anti-fascist songs. The government of the country was dissatisfied with this behavior of the guest. To avoid arrest and continue his work, the artist was going to leave for the United States, but German troops entered Belgium and the path across the ocean was cut off.
In 1940, the Belgians caught the communists hiding with them and sent them to a concentration camp in France. Ernst Busch was among the captives. After 2 years, he managed to escape. The fighters of the French resistance saved the comrade. They were familiar with the biography of Bush, they understood that this man needed to be taken to a safe place. An attempt to cross the border with Switzerland ended in failure - he was detained and sent to prison. The antifascist sentenced to death was saved by an American bombing raid. Our hero was seriously injured, but was able to get out of the destroyed barracks and find shelter with the underground.
Troubled Veteran
After the end of the war, Ernst Busch returned to Berlin. His contribution to the victory over the Third Reich was highly appreciated, however, he was listed as a favorite of the officials until he finally recovered from his wounds. A number of theatrical performances in the Federal Republic of Germany led to the fact that the artist was recommended to move to the German Democratic Republic. There, the freedom fighter distinguished himself with harsh criticism of the bureaucracy. In 1960 he left the stage.
There was no peace in the personal life of our hero either. He was married twice, but was never able to acquire an heir. In 1964, Ernst met the one who agreed to go down the aisle with him and in the same year gave her husband a son. The family moved to Bernburg. Ernst Bush passed away in June 1980.
