The article recounts the harrowing experience of 13-year-old Pearl Pufeles upon her arrival at Auschwitz in 1944, where initial impressions of music ironically contrasted the horrors of the camp. Pearl and her sister were tragically selected for Dr. Josef Mengele's inhumane medical experiments. The article highlights the existence of orchestras within the camp, detailing Alma Rose's role in leading the women's orchestra. Most players were amateurs, offering a glimpse into the complex human experience amidst dire circumstances, showcasing both artistic resilience and the brutal reality of life in the concentration camp.
"Pearl and her twin sister Helen were swiftly selected as laboratory fodder for Dr Josef Mengele's grotesque medical experiments."
"By far the likeliest music to be heard around the camps, though, was jaunty military marches, played loudly every morning as the prisoners set off for work."
"Alma Rose, a virtuoso violinist and niece of Gustav Mahler, set to her task with obsessional energy, recruiting the best players from among the vast prison population."
"Rose didn't bother to conceal her contempt for having to work with amateurs, screaming at anyone who played a wrong note: Du blode Kuh (You stupid cow)."
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