art during war time

As many of you know, I often struggle with the relevance of music in times of conflict: something I love so dearly can seem so tone deaf when times are hard or people are suffering. This story made me think many times over of music as a necessity for tough times when the supposed silver bullet of commerce tastes like dust in the mouth of the soul. And it makes me wonder how many of those GIs became donors 20-30 years later. 

victory VERTICALS

During World War II, STEINWAY AND SONS produced specially-built pianos for the American troops.  Called the Victory Vertical or G.I. Steinways, the pianos were sometimes airdropped onto battlefields to provide a bit of relaxation.  They were manufactured in STEINWAY’S Queen-based factory and mostly sold to the U.S. government. 

At first, STEINWAY was prohibited from building pianos due to government restrictions on iron, copper, brass, and other raw materials. The factory bided its time producing coffins and parts for troop transport gliders, until it was granted a contract to send specially designed pianos to commissioned war soldiers. STEINWAY proceeded to make over 3,000 "Victory Vertical" pianos designed specifically for troops in battle between 1942 and 1953. The pianos came in olive, blue, and gray drab. In 1942, the first "Victory Vertical" was dropped by parachute, complete with tuning equipment and instructions.

For American troops in a faraway country during World War II, music was an excellent way to give them a peace of mind and remember why they were fighting. One soldier wrote home to his family, "Two nights past we received welcome entertainment when a jeep pulling a small wagon came to camp. The wagon contained a light system and a STEINWAY piano. It is smaller and painted olive green, just like the jeep. We all got a kick out of it and sure had fun after meals when we gathered around the piano to sing... I slept smiling and even today am humming a few of the songs we sang."

The pianos provided an excellent camaraderie and created a strong appreciation on the battlefield for not only the music, but the STEINWAY name. 

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