She herself orchestrated Fryderyk Chopin’s Etude in E major, Op. Apart from the official activity, she had the band rehearse and play forbidden music by Polish and Jewish composers to boost the spirits of band members and fellow inmates they trusted. Rosé conducted, orchestrated and sometimes played violin solos during its concerts. The orchestra's primary function was to play at the main gate each morning and evening as the prisoners left for and returned from their work assignments the orchestra also gave weekend concerts for the prisoners and the SS and entertained at SS functions. Singers and music-copyists rounded-out the membership of the Music Block. The ensemble consisted mainly of amateur musicians, with a string section, but also accordions, percussion, guitars, flute, recorder and mandolins, but lacked a brass section. Before Rosé, the orchestra was conducted by Zofia Czajkowska, a Polish teacher. The orchestra had been in existence before Rosé's arrival, a pet project of SS-Oberaufseherin (" SS chief supervisor") Maria Mandel. She assumed leadership of the Mädchenorchester von Auschwitz ( Girls Orchestra of Auschwitz). Upon arrival in Auschwitz, Rosé was quarantined and became very ill, but eventually recovered. After several months in the internment camp of Drancy, she was deported in July 1943 to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. She fled to France, but in late 1942 when she tried to escape to neutral Switzerland, she was arrested by the Gestapo. A fictitious marriage to a Dutch engineer named August van Leeuwen Boomkamp did not protect her nor did her nominal status as a Christian convert. When the Germans occupied the Netherlands, she was trapped.
She went on her own to the Netherlands where she believed she could resume her musical career. Escape from the Nazis and final arrest Īfter the annexation of Austria with Germany in 1938 Alma and her father Arnold, also a famous violin virtuoso, managed to escape to London. The ensemble played to a very high standard, undertaking concert tours in Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. The concertmistress was Anny Kux, a friend. In 1932 she founded the woman's orchestra, Die Wiener Walzermädeln ( The Waltzing Girls of Vienna). In 1930 she married the Czech violinist Váša Příhoda (1900–1960). Alma was named for her uncle Gustav's wife, Alma Mahler (née Schindler).Īlma grew up to be a violinist. Her mother, Justine (died 22 August 1938), was Gustav Mahler's sister. Her experiences in the camp were depicted in Playing for Time.Īlma Rosé's father was the violinist Arnold Rosé (né Rosenblum 1863–1946) who was the leader of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for 50 years: from 1881 to 1931 as well as leader of the Vienna State Opera orchestra and leader of the legendary Rosé String Quartet. Rosé died in the concentration camp of a sudden illness, possibly food poisoning. As director, Rosé held the status of kapo of the music block.
There, for 10 months, she directed an orchestra of female prisoners who played for their captors to stay alive. She was deported by the Nazis to the concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her uncle was the composer Gustav Mahler. JSTOR ( April 2011) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Īlma Maria Rosé (3 November 1906 – 4/5 April 1944 ) was an Austrian violinist of Jewish descent.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
0 kommentar(er)
