A special relationship
Mahalia Jackson's reputation preceded her in Europe even before she set foot on German soil. In early 1951, she received an award from the Charles Cros Academie in France for her recording of "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus." The influential French jazz critic Hugues Panassie played her records repeatedly on French radio, which led to the release of her music by Vogue Records in Europe.
Mahalia embarked on her first European tour in 1952, and Berlin was firmly on her itinerary. However, a concert in the Festhalle am Funkturm, organized by the Blache-Mey agency, was canceled at the last minute. The reason: Mahalia became seriously ill. Doctors diagnosed uterine growths that required a hysterectomy. After collapsing on stage in Paris, doctors advised her not to travel any further. Despite her critical condition—she had lost a lot of weight and suffered from an irregular heartbeat—she returned to Chicago for the operation because she did not want to have the procedure performed in Europe. It is remarkable that she found the respectful treatment she received in Europe, especially from white people, invigorating.
Germany was once again a stop on her European tour in 1961.
This year, Mahalia was in particularly good form—perhaps even at the peak of her vocal and musical development. In addition to concerts in Frankfurt and Munich, she gave a highly acclaimed concert at the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg. This was also recorded for television. I consider this concert to be one of the best ever recorded! See for yourself. I am making the entire (!) concert available to you for the first time.
The year 1967 was supposed to bring another European tour, but tragically it had to be canceled due to Mahalia's illness. While some media outlets reported a heart attack, doctors at the hospital diagnosed stress, exhaustion, and previous illnesses as the cause. Her longtime organist Charles Clency and Edward Robinson remained on standby in Berlin for two weeks before the tour was canceled. Mahalia herself was treated in a Berlin hospital, where the two musicians took turns visiting her.
The medical diagnoses were alarming
The doctors suspected that 45% of Mahalia's illnesses were psychosomatic in nature. Dr. Schroeder in Berlin strongly advised postponing the tour indefinitely, as the performances were putting immense strain on her heart and could have triggered a heart attack. Mahalia cried bitterly in her hotel room. After returning to the US, she wrote to Dr. Schroeder to ask if he had found any traces of "Sercois" (sarcoidosis) during his examinations – an indication of her ongoing search for the cause of her ailments.
Despite the health setbacks, there were big plans
Kurt Collien acted as her German sponsor, and CBS/Columbia Records planned a big television show in Berlin on August 26, 1967, to celebrate the launch of color television in Germany, which went ahead as planned. This was a sign of the immense popularity she enjoyed in Germany.
The 1969 tour marked a triumphant high point in Mahalia Jackson's relationship with Germany.
It began with a sold-out concert in Frankfurt, in the modern congress hall. Despite the difficult director, the concert ended in "rousing, stomping, whistling, cheering, never-ending applause." The audience shouted "Mah-hahl-ya!" and stamped in unison—a testament to the deep emotional connection she had built with her listeners.
The tour took them on to Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Nuremberg. More than a third of the entire tour was booked by the German sponsor, and every seat in the five German cities was sold out well in advance. The rush for tickets to the Berlin Sportpalast was described as unprecedented since "Hitler's mass rallies." Mahalia herself said that her heart would lead her to peace. In Hamburg, the audience did not want to let her go. Mahalia noticed that she sang differently abroad than she did in American churches. She had to "teach" European audiences to clap on beats 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3—a small but significant difference in rhythmic perception.
Personal encounters
In Berlin, a blonde child, also named Mahalia, presented her with flowers. She received a 24-karat gold medallion from Heinz Wipperfeld from Germany. German tax lawyer Reiner Schroeter even wanted to establish "Hallelujah Records" for Germany – a sign of the commercial potential of her music. (Note: Mahalia wanted to establish her own label under the name "Halleluja Records." However, this did not come to fruition.)
Her husband, Minters Galloway, accompanied her. In Berlin, he got into a conflict with the production crew, who demanded a contract for filming their concert. Later, the producer presented Mahalia and Minters with beautiful watches to show the country's appreciation. Mahalia herself refused to fly for these engagements, as this was stipulated in her contracts. She was accompanied on this tour by Charles Clency and Gwendolyn Lightner.
The fall of 1971 was to be Mahalia Jackson's last European tour.
After only three performances, including an "astonishing performance" in Gütersloh, where hundreds of students poured onto the stage and swept her away in a sacred dance, she had to be taken off the stage. Mahalia was admitted to hospital in Munich. Her condition was critical; she was weak and suffering from persistent heart pain, although her ECG was normal. Doctors at the U.S. Army Hospital in McGraw Barracks, including Major Santos (chief cardiologist from Frankfurt) and Major Foster from Heidelberg, were involved in her treatment. The problems were mainly attributed to exhaustion.
Once again, Charles Clency and Edward (Eddie) Robinson took turns at her bedside. Paul Siegel from Radio-TV Berlin even smuggled a steak into the hospital for Mahalia, as she had requested. She received get-well wishes and messages of prayer from soldiers and schoolchildren from various countries, including Germany, in a variety of languages. High-ranking figures such as Mayor Daley of Chicago and US President Richard Nixon also sent telegrams – an expression of worldwide sympathy.
Despite her condition, Mahalia was concerned about her business and the high hospital costs. She asked her visitors to leave to save her money—a touching insight into her financial responsibility.
She returned to the US on a military transport aircraft. The journey included a helicopter flight to the Rhein-Main Air Force Base near Frankfurt for an overnight stay and examination, followed by flights to Andrews Air Force Base and finally to Great Lakes Naval Hospital, from where she was taken by ambulance to Billings Hospital in Chicago. She landed in Chicago on October 23, 1971.
Mahalia Jackson's story in Germany is a moving tale of artistic triumph, unwavering faith, and human fragility. Despite recurring health setbacks, she left a lasting impression on German audiences and the European music scene. Her concerts, especially those in 1961 and 1969, were marked by a unique enthusiasm.
©Thilo Plaesser