Music from the Holocaust and Other Things I Have Learned (So Far)
I was recently watching video's of Holocaust Survivor's via the Sho'ah Foundation Institute and it made me wonder about the music of the times, before the rise of Hitler, and after. I wondered about the musicians, composers, and artists that were famous before they were outlawed and how many made it, and how many were lost to the atrocities. I have done some preliminary research and music was often permitted in the camps, but in twisted, heinous ways. Some works were smuggled out, written on anything they could find; toilet paper for example by one composer who was permitted to have it because he had dysentery.
Other songs were smuggled out in the heads of those who survived. Often by people whom had no musical inclinations of their own. Often was the case that someone would compose a piece and numerous other prisoners would learn the piece as well, and were able to hum it or sing it for someone who could indeed record it with music, onto paper. Nazi's made prisoners play music for other prisoners marching on their way out to perform hard labor.
Some composers(I mean anyone who was able to think of, write, compose, or share their music through those uninitiated in music) would take seemingly "upbeat" compositions and change the lyrics to suit their feelings, the hardships, and rage they felt toward their captors. There was one camp in particular that was a multipurpose compound. Terezin.
Terezin was in Czechoslovakia, and the Nazi's used it as a front to fool the Red Cross, and to impress other Nazi's. Terezin Camp contained mostly artistic, academic, and musical prisoners. I recall watching a survivor speak of being a captive there, and she said she never understood the premise of the camp. Why they were all there, and allowed to be creative. Upon doing this research, I found out what she had not by the time she had filmed her particular interview. Eventually Terezin prisoners would be moved and exterminated much like others in other camps all across the lands back then.
Something I have learned doing this research was that there were actually a few camps in France! No one ever speaks of those. That could be a whole other topic for discussion. The thing that makes me exclaim about it, is we hear about the extermination camps more often than not(Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, Buchenwald, and others. Music was even composed in these havens of hell on earth. There is something compelling in knowing that in the conditions that many lived in, tried to survive daily, someone was able to compose a melody, or think of lyrics, or write a full on opera, if not be prolific. One composer wrote 20 pieces while in captivity before he died in one of the extermination camps.
In all of the horror that prisoners endured in the camps, it brightens my naive heart to realize that people were able to smuggle music out, that the forced songs were often recorded somewhere, through memory, onto paper, or otherwise, and is accessible today. The music that came out of such horror, and any other creation, gives testament to the resilience and persistence of the human spirit.
Another thing I have learned is, there were inmates that had toilet paper. I found this astounding. I can't imagine a luxury like toilet paper was provided. Considering some prisoners were fed sawdust "soup." There were indeed instruments in the camps. Not all camps mind, but there were instruments around. Nazi's would often have prisoners play to humiliate other prisoners, or to accompany the Nazi's while they treated prisoner's horridly. Often music would be played for the humiliation of prisoners by having them sing corrupted versions of important songs to their heritage.
I wanted to provide a glimpse of some of the things I have run across while doing research for this particular piece. I have not managed to compose anything concrete, but wanted to share some insight into what I have stumbled upon. There is a gentleman that has been collecting music for the last 2 decades. He is of Italian descent. He was a music teacher, and his name is Francesco Lotoro. He has searched high and low for music from all forms of camps. Another thing I learned was that camps were in operation as early as 1933. Many I think, erroneously think that camps started when the war started. Either way Hitler, was going to have his way, and started as soon as his mind was made up.
I spoke to a Native American yesterday via an IM, and she told me that Hitler drew his "inspiration" from the decimation of the Native Peoples, but that Hitler felt they did not follow through far enough, hence the camps, and their atrocities. We must not forget that we in America also had internment camps. That begs more research in itself, as to what music our Japanese American's might have composed while they lived in bondage in the internment camps.
Another thing I just thought of is how Hitler designed his "structure" around the Roman model, and the pomp and BS. But it made me think of the Jews that were persecuted under Roman bondage and what music they might have created as well. It also brings to mind music that might have been created in Russian Gulags as well.
It begs a further depth of consideration of those that create music due to talent, and what happens when music is born of circumstance of the most heinous proportions.
Other songs were smuggled out in the heads of those who survived. Often by people whom had no musical inclinations of their own. Often was the case that someone would compose a piece and numerous other prisoners would learn the piece as well, and were able to hum it or sing it for someone who could indeed record it with music, onto paper. Nazi's made prisoners play music for other prisoners marching on their way out to perform hard labor.
Some composers(I mean anyone who was able to think of, write, compose, or share their music through those uninitiated in music) would take seemingly "upbeat" compositions and change the lyrics to suit their feelings, the hardships, and rage they felt toward their captors. There was one camp in particular that was a multipurpose compound. Terezin.
Terezin was in Czechoslovakia, and the Nazi's used it as a front to fool the Red Cross, and to impress other Nazi's. Terezin Camp contained mostly artistic, academic, and musical prisoners. I recall watching a survivor speak of being a captive there, and she said she never understood the premise of the camp. Why they were all there, and allowed to be creative. Upon doing this research, I found out what she had not by the time she had filmed her particular interview. Eventually Terezin prisoners would be moved and exterminated much like others in other camps all across the lands back then.
Something I have learned doing this research was that there were actually a few camps in France! No one ever speaks of those. That could be a whole other topic for discussion. The thing that makes me exclaim about it, is we hear about the extermination camps more often than not(Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, Buchenwald, and others. Music was even composed in these havens of hell on earth. There is something compelling in knowing that in the conditions that many lived in, tried to survive daily, someone was able to compose a melody, or think of lyrics, or write a full on opera, if not be prolific. One composer wrote 20 pieces while in captivity before he died in one of the extermination camps.
In all of the horror that prisoners endured in the camps, it brightens my naive heart to realize that people were able to smuggle music out, that the forced songs were often recorded somewhere, through memory, onto paper, or otherwise, and is accessible today. The music that came out of such horror, and any other creation, gives testament to the resilience and persistence of the human spirit.
Another thing I have learned is, there were inmates that had toilet paper. I found this astounding. I can't imagine a luxury like toilet paper was provided. Considering some prisoners were fed sawdust "soup." There were indeed instruments in the camps. Not all camps mind, but there were instruments around. Nazi's would often have prisoners play to humiliate other prisoners, or to accompany the Nazi's while they treated prisoner's horridly. Often music would be played for the humiliation of prisoners by having them sing corrupted versions of important songs to their heritage.
I wanted to provide a glimpse of some of the things I have run across while doing research for this particular piece. I have not managed to compose anything concrete, but wanted to share some insight into what I have stumbled upon. There is a gentleman that has been collecting music for the last 2 decades. He is of Italian descent. He was a music teacher, and his name is Francesco Lotoro. He has searched high and low for music from all forms of camps. Another thing I learned was that camps were in operation as early as 1933. Many I think, erroneously think that camps started when the war started. Either way Hitler, was going to have his way, and started as soon as his mind was made up.
I spoke to a Native American yesterday via an IM, and she told me that Hitler drew his "inspiration" from the decimation of the Native Peoples, but that Hitler felt they did not follow through far enough, hence the camps, and their atrocities. We must not forget that we in America also had internment camps. That begs more research in itself, as to what music our Japanese American's might have composed while they lived in bondage in the internment camps.
Another thing I just thought of is how Hitler designed his "structure" around the Roman model, and the pomp and BS. But it made me think of the Jews that were persecuted under Roman bondage and what music they might have created as well. It also brings to mind music that might have been created in Russian Gulags as well.
It begs a further depth of consideration of those that create music due to talent, and what happens when music is born of circumstance of the most heinous proportions.
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