Musicians and the Buchenwald Band
For many of the survivors of the Holocaust it took "one thing," one distraction from their horrible reality, to help them survive. For many of the prisoners, music played that role. In 1938, by order of the deputy commandant, the Buchenwald Band was formed, although the band did have many jewish performers, it consisting mostly of Gypsies with guitars and harmonicas. The band, with limited numbers and resources, played a thin and shabby sort of music, not refined, but enjoyable nonetheless. As the number of people incarcerated at Buchenwald rose, so did the band, and instruments like a trombone, a drum, and two trumpets were added, all which had to be supplied by the prisoners themselves. (Hackett, 262). The band created and played many songs while incarcerated. Most of the music that was composed in Buchenwald involved themes such as the prisoners experiences in the concentration camp and a hope for the end of the Nazi Regime (World ORT).
While members of the band were sometimes forced to play for hours upon hours in terrible conditions, just to entertain their captors. They would also be ordered to play during the punishment of their fellow prisoners, as to cover up the screams with their music. The musicians in the band carried a large burden, more than the rest.
The musicians and the band were not just for the guards entertainment, or for the distraction of the prisoners and visitors to the camp; in 1941 the band was outfitted with uniforms stolen from the Yugoslovian royal guard, in order to make a better impression on the visitors (Hackett, 263), the band was much more than that. The band and the men in it, like music itself, served as a symbol of hope, and gave them a sense of normality. While the band played the prisoners could imagine themselves somewhere outside the barbed wire fences. Unfortunately for the band, with their music, came punishment as well. Forced to perform in horrible conditions, and until exhausted, members of the band took a lot of the brute force and punishment that the guards had to offer. In some cases, the band members had to deal with the guilt of knowing some of their comrads were being beaten or killed, while they were forced to play their songs and cover up the event. Any imperfections in the music was reason for torture, punishment, or even death. The members of the band knew this, but the hope, joy, and even survival that their music brought to the other prisoners was much more important and memorable than the beatings they took for playing their music.
Many prominent and talented musicians and composers and their careers, and their lives disrupted by the Nazi regime. Some of Jewish Europe's most promising musical careers were ended by the WWII and the Holocaust. Imagine the works that might have been created had Hitler never come to power, and never iniate his final solution, which was the Holocaust.
While members of the band were sometimes forced to play for hours upon hours in terrible conditions, just to entertain their captors. They would also be ordered to play during the punishment of their fellow prisoners, as to cover up the screams with their music. The musicians in the band carried a large burden, more than the rest.
The musicians and the band were not just for the guards entertainment, or for the distraction of the prisoners and visitors to the camp; in 1941 the band was outfitted with uniforms stolen from the Yugoslovian royal guard, in order to make a better impression on the visitors (Hackett, 263), the band was much more than that. The band and the men in it, like music itself, served as a symbol of hope, and gave them a sense of normality. While the band played the prisoners could imagine themselves somewhere outside the barbed wire fences. Unfortunately for the band, with their music, came punishment as well. Forced to perform in horrible conditions, and until exhausted, members of the band took a lot of the brute force and punishment that the guards had to offer. In some cases, the band members had to deal with the guilt of knowing some of their comrads were being beaten or killed, while they were forced to play their songs and cover up the event. Any imperfections in the music was reason for torture, punishment, or even death. The members of the band knew this, but the hope, joy, and even survival that their music brought to the other prisoners was much more important and memorable than the beatings they took for playing their music.
Many prominent and talented musicians and composers and their careers, and their lives disrupted by the Nazi regime. Some of Jewish Europe's most promising musical careers were ended by the WWII and the Holocaust. Imagine the works that might have been created had Hitler never come to power, and never iniate his final solution, which was the Holocaust.
From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall
Marian Filar's 'From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall
Marian Filar was a born in 1917 to a musical Jewish family in Warsaw. By 1941, at the age of 23, Marian was sent to Buchenwald, along with his brother after their parents and sister had been murdered by the Nazis. Filar's story embodies the power of music over one's soul. A trained pianist, Marian's survival in Buchenwald depended entirely on his ability to play music and his ability to get lost in his music and escape the reality that was Buchenwald.
After the camp was liberated, Filar was able to continue his career in music, when he debuted at Carnegie Hall on New Year's Day, 1952. He also went on to become head of the piano department at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, and later a professor of music at Temple University (Filar). Filar later recalled his events at Buchenwald in his memoire, From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall.
The Power of music, during times of desperation can lift even the most beaten and battered of people. For the survivors of Buchenwald, music was a force, one that gave them hope for the future.
After the camp was liberated, Filar was able to continue his career in music, when he debuted at Carnegie Hall on New Year's Day, 1952. He also went on to become head of the piano department at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, and later a professor of music at Temple University (Filar). Filar later recalled his events at Buchenwald in his memoire, From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall.
The Power of music, during times of desperation can lift even the most beaten and battered of people. For the survivors of Buchenwald, music was a force, one that gave them hope for the future.
References
Hackett, David A. trans., The Buchenwald Report. Boulder, CO: Westview Press Inc., 1995.
Filar, Marian, and Charles Patterson. From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall. Jackson, MS: University of Mississippi Press, 2002.
Photo courtesy of http://www.amazon.com/Buchenwald-Carnegie-Hall-Marian-Filar/dp/1578064198 (Accessed 17 March, 2010)
Created By: Tyler Sauther
Filar, Marian, and Charles Patterson. From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall. Jackson, MS: University of Mississippi Press, 2002.
Photo courtesy of http://www.amazon.com/Buchenwald-Carnegie-Hall-Marian-Filar/dp/1578064198 (Accessed 17 March, 2010)
Created By: Tyler Sauther
