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On January 27, 1945, Soviet forces liberated the Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Among the survivors was Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a young Jewish woman who narrowly escaped death because the camp’s orchestra required a cello player.
At 99 years old, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch is the last surviving member of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. When the Bergen-Belsen camp was liberated on April 15, 1945, almost six months after her transfer, she spoke to the BBC in German, her native tongue. She expressed concern that the world might not believe the horrors she witnessed at Auschwitz.
She described the brutal selection process at the Auschwitz ramp: “A doctor and a commander would decide who lived or died based on appearance and health. Reporting any illness was often a death sentence. Children and the elderly were prioritised for the gas chambers.”
Anita’s life took a drastic turn when she mentioned her cello skills to another prisoner at the Auschwitz ramp. This casual comment saved her, as she was chosen to play in the camp orchestra.
Her parents, Edith and Alfons, were talented musicians and professionals. Anita pursued music despite the escalating antisemitism in Nazi Germany. In 1938, under the horrific pogrom known as Kristallnacht, her family faced intense persecution.
Even as tensions rose, they continued to educate Anita and her sisters about culture and the arts. Tragically, this idyll ended when Anita was ordered to report to the Nazi authorities in 1942, never to see her parents again.
Arriving in Hell
Anita’s arrival at Auschwitz was chaotic and terrifying. She found herself in a place where sounds of screaming and the stench of despair filled the air.
She was immediately stripped and tattooed. In this state of helplessness, Anita’s comment about her cello playing to a fellow prisoner changed her fate. This woman approached Alma Rosé, the orchestra conductor, who offered Anita a chance at survival.
Alma Rosé, niece of Gustav Mahler and daughter of the Vienna Philharmonic’s leader, ran the orchestra with remarkable discipline. Anita credits Rosé’s professionalism for allowing the musicians to momentarily escape the despair of their surroundings.
The orchestra played military marches, accompanying the daily routines of prisoners and guards. Despite the horrific circumstances, music played a role in maintaining some semblance of humanity.
Speaking on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1996, Anita described Rosé’s impact: “She maintained high standards, not out of fear of punishment, but as a way to find solace amidst the atrocities.”
From Auschwitz to Belsen
When Rosé passed away in 1944 from suspected botulism, Anita feared for her own life. The orchestra ceased operations in 1944, and she was transferred to Belsen, a camp with even more dire conditions.
Belsen lacked gas chambers, but its prisoners faced a relentless nightmare of starvation and disease. Anita’s survival depended on luck and the efforts of British troops who liberated the camp in April 1945.
In the years following the war, Anita reunited with her surviving sister, Renate, in Britain. Renate went on to write and report, eventually moving to France. Sadly, Anita’s eldest sister, Marianne, died in childbirth shortly after emigrating to the UK.
Music continued to play a significant role in Anita’s life. In 1955, she became a principal cellist with the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. She met and married Peter Wallfisch, a fellow refugee musician, in 1952. Together, they raised two children, Raphael and Maya, both of whom followed in their mother’s musical footsteps.
For years, Anita avoided German soil, fearing she might encounter former Nazis. However, her perspective evolved, and in 2018, she was invited to speak in Berlin’s Bundestag. This historic address reflected her journey toward forgiveness and understanding.
“Hate is poison,” she told the politicians, “and ultimately, it poisons you.” This statement encapsulates her transformation from survival to advocacy for reconciliation and the preservation of her family’s legacy.
Anita Lasker-Wallfisch’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of music to provide solace amidst unfathomable suffering. Her journey from a concentration camp cello player to a prominent musician and advocate for Holocaust remembrance continues to inspire and educate.
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