[HANASHIR:6778] Re: Holocaust music

[Shemesh96 <Shemesh96...>]

In a message dated 8/24/00 7:54:56 PM, NBudin (at) aol(dot)com writes:

<< I'm looking for music related in any way to the Holocaust (besides Ani 
Maamin). This could be music to teach and sing, recorded music to listen to 
and discuss, scenes in films depicting Jews forced to form musical ensembles 
and play for the guards, stories about music in the camps, etc. suitable for 
grades 7-9.  >>

Dear Noah.
Hey dude!

Try my "Playing for Time" off of the B'shert - Midrashir CD. It tells the 
story of the Jazz orchestra that was put together for the 1943 Red Cross 
visit to Terezinstadt.

 In the early days of the Third Reich, jazz was officially outlawed as 
"degenerate Negroid-Judeo music" and unfit for Aryan ears. Jazz musicians 
were beaten in the streets, clubs raided and shut down, a few musicians were 
even sent briefly to Dachau for re-education. 
So jazz went far underground. Most musicians found work in classical 
orchestras. Jewish musicians of course had great difficulty finding any work 
as musicians until they were deported to the camps and found their way into 
the camp orchestras. Jazz, however, was still verboten. Then in 1943 with the 
impending visit of the Red Cross to Terezin, the Nazis decided to show the 
world how enlightened they were and put out a call within the "model" ghetto 
for musicians to form a Jazz orchestra. No one came to the audition. The 
re-education program had done it's work too well.

So the word was sent out that those who joined the jazz orchestra would 
receive extra rations, better quarters, etc. Sure enough, the musicians came 
forth to form a band and performed an evening of songs by Bix Bierdecke, 
Eubie Blake, Paul Whiteman and others. Dressed in black tie the orchestra 
played and received warm applause. 
Within 48 hours after the Red Cross departed, every member of the orchestra 
was shipped to Auschwitz.
True story.

I do this song and story every year here in DC at the community Yom Hashoah 
observance to a good response. Hope it works for you.

Many blessings,
Sunny
 

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