Music and the Holocaust
@holocaustmusic.bsky.social
Reflecting the Music and the Holocaust website from World ORT. Posting music and history news, performances and remembrance events. Suggestions welcome.
Composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik was born #OTD in 1914. An anti-Nazi, he left his studies when Austria was annexed and performed in cafes with Witold Lutosławksi, composing resistance songs and raising money for the resistance and Jewish artists.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik was born #OTD in 1914. An anti-Nazi, he left his studies when Austria was annexed and performed in cafes with Witold Lutosławksi, composing resistance songs and raising money for the resistance and Jewish artists.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik was born #OTD in 1914. An anti-Nazi, he left his studies when Austria was annexed and performed in cafes with Witold Lutosławksi, composing resistance songs and raising money for the resistance and Jewish artists.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik was born #OTD in 1914. An anti-Nazi, he left his studies when Austria was annexed and performed in cafes with Witold Lutosławksi, composing resistance songs and raising money for the resistance and Jewish artists.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
German harpsichord and recorder player, editor and composer Walter Bergmann was arrest by the Gestapo in Jun 1938 and suffered 3 months of imprisonment. He emigrated to London in Mar 1939 but was interned from Jul 1940 on the Isle of Man.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 24, 2026 at 5:13 PM
German harpsichord and recorder player, editor and composer Walter Bergmann was arrest by the Gestapo in Jun 1938 and suffered 3 months of imprisonment. He emigrated to London in Mar 1939 but was interned from Jul 1940 on the Isle of Man.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
Gertrud Rittmann (born #OTD in 1908) was a German Jewish composer and music arranger who lived and worked for much of her life in the United States.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 24, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Gertrud Rittmann (born #OTD in 1908) was a German Jewish composer and music arranger who lived and worked for much of her life in the United States.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
The Berlin Judische Kulturbund management had a hall built for chamber concerts next to the Herrnfeld Theatre, which began showing films #OTD 1939.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 2:47 PM
The Berlin Judische Kulturbund management had a hall built for chamber concerts next to the Herrnfeld Theatre, which began showing films #OTD 1939.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
German harpsichord and recorder player, editor and composer Walter Bergmann was arrest by the Gestapo in Jun 1938 and suffered 3 months of imprisonment. He emigrated to London in Mar 1939 but was interned from Jul 1940 on the Isle of Man.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 24, 2026 at 1:28 PM
German harpsichord and recorder player, editor and composer Walter Bergmann was arrest by the Gestapo in Jun 1938 and suffered 3 months of imprisonment. He emigrated to London in Mar 1939 but was interned from Jul 1940 on the Isle of Man.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
Gertrud Rittmann (born #OTD in 1908) was a German Jewish composer and music arranger who lived and worked for much of her life in the United States.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 24, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Gertrud Rittmann (born #OTD in 1908) was a German Jewish composer and music arranger who lived and worked for much of her life in the United States.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
The Berlin Judische Kulturbund management had a hall built for chamber concerts next to the Herrnfeld Theatre, which began showing films #OTD 1939.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 11:11 AM
The Berlin Judische Kulturbund management had a hall built for chamber concerts next to the Herrnfeld Theatre, which began showing films #OTD 1939.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Max (Salomon Meyer) Kannewasser was Jones of the Amsterdam jazz-duo Johnny & Jones. He was born #OTD 1916. While incarcerated in Westerbork the duo managed to clandestinely record the song "Westerbork Serenade".
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 9:04 AM
Max (Salomon Meyer) Kannewasser was Jones of the Amsterdam jazz-duo Johnny & Jones. He was born #OTD 1916. While incarcerated in Westerbork the duo managed to clandestinely record the song "Westerbork Serenade".
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Max (Salomon Meyer) Kannewasser was Jones of the Amsterdam jazz-duo Johnny & Jones. He was born #OTD 1916. While incarcerated in Westerbork the duo managed to clandestinely record the song "Westerbork Serenade".
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 24, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Max (Salomon Meyer) Kannewasser was Jones of the Amsterdam jazz-duo Johnny & Jones. He was born #OTD 1916. While incarcerated in Westerbork the duo managed to clandestinely record the song "Westerbork Serenade".
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Conductor, composer and piano teacher Günther Berent (born #OTD 1902 in Gdańsk) studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Berlin. He was included in the anti-Semitic text, Lexikon der Juden in der Musik and took exile in NY.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 23, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Conductor, composer and piano teacher Günther Berent (born #OTD 1902 in Gdańsk) studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Berlin. He was included in the anti-Semitic text, Lexikon der Juden in der Musik and took exile in NY.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Educationist and conductor, Rudolph Freudenfeld was born #OTD 1921 and lived in Prague before deportatation to Terezin. He worked on Brundibar while there. Having survived the camp he changed his name to Franek and started teaching again in Prague.
www.holocaust.cz/dej...
www.holocaust.cz/dej...
September 23, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Educationist and conductor, Rudolph Freudenfeld was born #OTD 1921 and lived in Prague before deportatation to Terezin. He worked on Brundibar while there. Having survived the camp he changed his name to Franek and started teaching again in Prague.
www.holocaust.cz/dej...
www.holocaust.cz/dej...
The Vilna ghetto was liquidated #OTD in 1943, its last survivors either killed or sent to camps. When the city was liberated by the Soviet army in July 1944, there were only a few hundred Jewish survivors left.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 23, 2026 at 1:14 PM
The Vilna ghetto was liquidated #OTD in 1943, its last survivors either killed or sent to camps. When the city was liberated by the Soviet army in July 1944, there were only a few hundred Jewish survivors left.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
The premiere of the Terezín version Brundibar took place on 23 September 1943 in the hall of the Magdeburg barracks.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 23, 2026 at 10:43 AM
The premiere of the Terezín version Brundibar took place on 23 September 1943 in the hall of the Magdeburg barracks.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Conductor, composer and piano teacher Günther Berent (born #OTD 1902 in Gdańsk) studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Berlin. He was included in the anti-Semitic text, Lexikon der Juden in der Musik and took exile in NY.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 23, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Conductor, composer and piano teacher Günther Berent (born #OTD 1902 in Gdańsk) studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Berlin. He was included in the anti-Semitic text, Lexikon der Juden in der Musik and took exile in NY.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Israel Alter was born #OTD in 1901 and was last chief cantor in Hanover. In 1935 he immigrated first to Johannesburg where he became cantor of the largest synagogue then in 1961 he moved to New York.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 23, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Israel Alter was born #OTD in 1901 and was last chief cantor in Hanover. In 1935 he immigrated first to Johannesburg where he became cantor of the largest synagogue then in 1961 he moved to New York.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Because of overcrowding in Dachau, composer, conductor and teacher Herbert Zipper was transferred together with Jura Soyfer to Buchenwald #OTD in 1938. Although he was released in Feb 1939 this was not his final internment.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
September 23, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Because of overcrowding in Dachau, composer, conductor and teacher Herbert Zipper was transferred together with Jura Soyfer to Buchenwald #OTD in 1938. Although he was released in Feb 1939 this was not his final internment.
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
holocaustmusic.ort.o...
Kapellmeister, musicologist and composer Robert Hernried was born #OTD in 1883. He fled to Vienna in 1935 and went into exile to the US in 1939 where he was professor of music theory, composition and orchestration at the Detroit Institute of Musical Art.
musiklexikon.ac.at/m...
musiklexikon.ac.at/m...
September 22, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Kapellmeister, musicologist and composer Robert Hernried was born #OTD in 1883. He fled to Vienna in 1935 and went into exile to the US in 1939 where he was professor of music theory, composition and orchestration at the Detroit Institute of Musical Art.
musiklexikon.ac.at/m...
musiklexikon.ac.at/m...
In 1943, the piano prodigy Mischa Hillesum arrived in Westerbork with his family. He died under forced labour in Warsaw. Only a few of his compositions are known.
www.forbiddenmusicre...
www.forbiddenmusicre...
September 22, 2026 at 8:20 AM
In 1943, the piano prodigy Mischa Hillesum arrived in Westerbork with his family. He died under forced labour in Warsaw. Only a few of his compositions are known.
www.forbiddenmusicre...
www.forbiddenmusicre...
Alice Goldschmidt-Metzger (born #OTD in 1876) was a state approved piano teacher in Wiesbaden. In the late 1920s she turned down an offer for a position at the Julliard School in NY but was forced into exile there in April 1938.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 21, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Alice Goldschmidt-Metzger (born #OTD in 1876) was a state approved piano teacher in Wiesbaden. In the late 1920s she turned down an offer for a position at the Julliard School in NY but was forced into exile there in April 1938.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Musicologist and university lecturer Leo Schrade (1903-1964) had his license to teach withdrawn in June 1937 then was dismissed a month later from @UniBonn. He left Germany in March 1938 for New Haven and eventually became Professor of Musicology @Yale.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 21, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Musicologist and university lecturer Leo Schrade (1903-1964) had his license to teach withdrawn in June 1937 then was dismissed a month later from @UniBonn. He left Germany in March 1938 for New Haven and eventually became Professor of Musicology @Yale.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Pianist, piano teacher and music critic Martha Mayer-Reinach (born #OTD in 1901), her husband and the conservatoire she directed were subject to antisemitic attacks from 1933. In Sep 1936, she fled with her husband to Sweden, where they settled.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
September 21, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Pianist, piano teacher and music critic Martha Mayer-Reinach (born #OTD in 1901), her husband and the conservatoire she directed were subject to antisemitic attacks from 1933. In Sep 1936, she fled with her husband to Sweden, where they settled.
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
www.lexm.uni-hamburg...
Composer Leo Justinus Kauffmann was born #OTD in 1901. He taught at the Rheinische Musikschule in Cologne and conducted the Düren choir and orchestra. He was denounced by the Nazis for his "New Music" in 1933 and died in an aerial bombing attack in 1944.
de.wikipedia.org/wik...
de.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 20, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Composer Leo Justinus Kauffmann was born #OTD in 1901. He taught at the Rheinische Musikschule in Cologne and conducted the Düren choir and orchestra. He was denounced by the Nazis for his "New Music" in 1933 and died in an aerial bombing attack in 1944.
de.wikipedia.org/wik...
de.wikipedia.org/wik...
German jazz trumpeter Hans Berry left Germany for Belgium but was dragged back and drafted into the Wehrmacht. He was captured by the Russians and interned in Focsani camp in Romania where he composed "Focsani Melody" of which a recording survives.
www.deutsches-tanzar...
www.deutsches-tanzar...
September 20, 2026 at 10:48 AM
German jazz trumpeter Hans Berry left Germany for Belgium but was dragged back and drafted into the Wehrmacht. He was captured by the Russians and interned in Focsani camp in Romania where he composed "Focsani Melody" of which a recording survives.
www.deutsches-tanzar...
www.deutsches-tanzar...
Composer, conductor and music writer Rikard Schwarz (born #OTD in 1897) was arrested and taken to the Zagreb Fair, then days later to Gospić, then Slana and finally to Krapje (Jasenovac I), where he died of starvation and exhaustion before the end of 1941.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
September 20, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Composer, conductor and music writer Rikard Schwarz (born #OTD in 1897) was arrested and taken to the Zagreb Fair, then days later to Gospić, then Slana and finally to Krapje (Jasenovac I), where he died of starvation and exhaustion before the end of 1941.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...