MUSIC UNDER THE SWASTIKA – The Maestro and the Cellist of Auschwitz

A film by Christian Berger

Why was classical music so important to Hitler and Goebbels? The film centers around two people who represent musical culture during the Third Reich – albeit in very different ways. Wilhelm Furtwängler was a star conductor; Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the cellist of the infamous Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. Both shared a love for the classical German music. The world-famous conductor made a pact with Hitler and his henchmen. The young woman, brought to Auschwitz for being Jewish, was spared death for her musical talent. German music was used to justify the powerful position the Third Reich claimed in the world, and to distract listeners from Nazi crimes. This music documentary by Christian Berger features interviews with musicians like Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann; the children of Wilhelm Furtwängler; and of course 97-year-old survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Her memories are chilling. Archive film footage, restored and colorized, brings the story to life, and bears witness to an agonizing chapter in history.

with
Anita Lasker-Wallfisch
Kathrin and Thomas Ackermann
Daniel Barenboim
Albrecht Dümling
Sven Friedrich
Shirli Gilbert
Norman Lebrecht
Tobias Reichard
Christian Thielemann
Simon Wallfisch
Teresa Wontor-Cichy

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: Dolby Digital 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Audio languages: English, German, Spanish
Subtitles: English, German, French, Korean, Japanese
Booklet notes: English, German
Running time: 86 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)