This coming Monday, January 20, marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Nazi’s most infamous extermination camp was home to at least six orchestras made up of prisoners that the SS commissioned during World War 2.
And now a special documentary on rediscovering the music composed amid the Holocaust horrors there is set to debut next week.
According to Sky Arts: “The Lost Music of Auschwitz, tell[s] the remarkable story of British composer and conductor Leo Geyer’s eight-year mission to piece together a treasure-trove of forgotten fragments of music manuscripts found in the archives of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.
“Now, he and his orchestra will finally play the music he has painstakingly uncovered, exactly as it would have sounded at Auschwitz, in some cases for the first time in 80 years.
“The film follows Leo on this musical journey as he discovers how the musicians rebelled with secret performances, and weaving forbidden melodies into concerts. [The 90 minute documentary] is interwoven with powerful interviews with some of the last remaining survivors, and special performances from Leo’s orchestra.”
Geyer shared: “After many years of research, I’m pleased to be able to share this music with the public to commemorate 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. The Holocaust should never be forgotten. Through this music, I hope to bring everyone together to remember not only those whose lives were saved due to their musical talents but also all those who suffered and perished during the Holocaust.”
Dan Kendall, Executive Producer, Windfall Films added: “This is a powerful and important film, and we are so proud to bring such a remarkable story to the screen through Sky Arts.”
The Lost Music of Auschwitz will air on Sky Arts at 9pm on January 20, which is available to everyone on Freeview and will almost be streaming on NOW and Sky On Demand.