Lot 639
A Photograph of a Concentration Camp Orchestra - Liberated Inmates from the Nuremberg Concentration Camp - March 1946 / Related items
1 . A Photograph of the liberated inmates of the concentration camp orchestra – "Jewish Ex- Concentration Camp Orchestra" - Live at the Opera House in Nuremberg on May 7, 1946. The orchestra members perform on the stage dressed in striped prison uniform underneath which one can see a tie. The setting is comprised of two main elements that symbolize the torn path of the liberated inmates: barbed wire fence and a yellow star of David with the inscription "Jude" stands side by side with a pole out of which grows a palm tree – on it we see another star of David with the inscription "Zion." At the front of the stage there are nine rectangles with blue and white stripes and on them we see the inscription "Am Israel Hai (The Israel People Live)" 20X26 cm. Good condition. There are fastener marks on the back of the photograph.
This photograph appears on the website of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and it says there that the orchestra performs in front of the prosecutors of the “Nuremberg trials”.
2 . A printed program for the said event (English), with the names and the photographs of all the members of the orchestra and the repertoire for the evening: four excerpts from popular operas and seven contemporary songs: two songs from the Vilna Ghetto and folk songs, the final song is "Our Way." On the back of the program appear the printed lyrics of four of the performed songs . [4] pages , 30 cm . Good condition. Folding marks.
3 . An information sheet about the orchestra which was also printed for the event (English). On it there are the details about the orchestra that was founded in Kaunas in 1941, shortly after the establishment of the ghetto in the city. Since the “Nazi murderers” forced the orchestra members to perform for them, the members of the orchestra survived until the annihilation of the ghetto in June 1944. After the obliteration of the ghetto, the 35 orchestra members were moved to concentration camps. Only twelve members survived the war and they met again in St. Ottilien (at first the orchestra was called St. Ottilien Orchestra), Munich , June 1945. The orchestra continued its activity until 1949 . page 31.5 cm .
4. Typewritten letter, sent form the American zone in Germany to the U.S. in March [1946?]. It includes detailed and personal reports regarding the events at the displaced persons camps, the JDC activities and the U.S. military operations as well as the physical conditions of the survivors , and more. [2] leaves (incomplete?).
