Jewish String Musicians Throughout the Holocaust (2025)

Music played a complex role in the Holocaust, serving as a source of solace, survival, and suffering. While Nazi policies sought to eradicate Jewish music, Jewish musicians in internment, concentration, and death camps were often forced to perform for both prisoners and guards. Some composed music under inhumane conditions, while others played in camp orchestras for survival. This project examines five Jewish musicians—Hans Krása, Gideon Klein, Viktor Ullmann, Szymon Laks, and Hans Gál—whose experiences intersected with music and the Holocaust. Krása, Klein, and Ullmann composed in Terezín before being murdered, while Laks and Gál survived and later reflected on their musical experiences. This research explores how these men created music amid persecution, how anti-Semitism shaped their careers, and how we interpret music made under such conditions. Their stories reveal the resilience of artistic expression, even in the face of unimaginable horrors.