LINKING THE MEMORY OF THE WORLD
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The Collections of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum have been enriched with a unique object - the baton of Franciszek Nierychło, the conductor of the first prisoner orchestra established in the autumn of 1940 at the German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz.
"The camp orchestra aroused controversy among the inmates. Although it saved many outstanding musicians from hard labour and provided emotional experiences during rehearsals and Sunday internal concerts; it was, however, an element of humiliation and terror, especially upon return of the commandos from work, when the completely exhausted prisoners had to enter the camp in the rhythm of military marches or other lively melodies. Several accounts also show that the presence of the orchestra mislead people brought for selection and extermination in Jewish transports from all over Europe, as to the true nature of Auschwitz," the director of the Museum, Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński, emphasised.