Ghetto Swingers
Encyclopedia
The Ghetto Swingers were a jazz band organised in Theresienstadt.
The original amateur Czech band playing in the Cafe was led by Eric Vogel
and Pavel Lipensky. Vogel petitioned the Kommandant on January 8, 1943. The personnel of The Ghetto Swingers would be Piano: Dr. Brammer, Percussion: Dr. Kurt Bauer, Guitar: Fr. Goldschmidt, Bass: Fasal, Trumpet: Ing. Vogel, Tenor Sax and Clarinet: Langer, Trombone: Fr. Mautner.
When the famous jazz pianist Martin Roman
arrived in the camp he was asked to lead. The band and appeared in the Theresienstadt cabarets, known as the Carousel (Karussell), which performed over fifty times, most frequently during June and July 1944. The cabarets were organised by Kurt Gerron
who could draw upon the best talent in the camp. Both Roman and Gerron had come to Theresienstadt via Westerbork and qualified for entry to Theresienstadt as "artists".
Commandant Rahm instructed Gerron to make a propaganda film for the Red Cross. Gerron's film shows footage of the Martin Roman's jazz ensemble, the 'Ghetto Swingers', playing on the wooden pavilion built for Karel Ančerl
's string orchestra in the town's main square. After the camp closed the members of the jazz band were sent to Auschwitz. Roman and the guitarist Coco Schumann
survived. Gerron and the clarinetist Fritz Weiss
did not.
Coco Schumann's biography (1997) shows a photo of the Ghetto-Swingers with Martin Roman, Coco Schumann, Bedřich "Fricek" Weiss
(clarinet and saxophone), Fritz Goldschmidt (guitar), Nettl (accordion), Jetti Kantor and Ratner (violin), Josef Taussig
(trombone) and others; Kohn, Chokkes and Erich Vogel (trumpet), Donde (tenor saxophone), Pavel Libensky (double bass), Fredy Haber (tenor). Some of the players overlapped with the Jazz-Quintet-Weiss.
The original amateur Czech band playing in the Cafe was led by Eric Vogel
Eric Vogel
Eric Vogel was a Czech jazz trumpeter. In 1938, Vogel played trumpet in a dixieland combo. After being arrested at Brno in 1939 he was made to organize a jazz school in the Jewish ghetto of that city. In Theresienstadt concentration camp he played with Martin Roman's Ghetto Swingers and Fritz...
and Pavel Lipensky. Vogel petitioned the Kommandant on January 8, 1943. The personnel of The Ghetto Swingers would be Piano: Dr. Brammer, Percussion: Dr. Kurt Bauer, Guitar: Fr. Goldschmidt, Bass: Fasal, Trumpet: Ing. Vogel, Tenor Sax and Clarinet: Langer, Trombone: Fr. Mautner.
When the famous jazz pianist Martin Roman
Martin Roman
Martin Roman was a German jazz pianist.At the time of the Reichstagsbrand in February 1933, Martin was stopped by SS men at the entrance to the huge Vaterland emporium in Berlin, where his band, the Marek Weber Band, was employed. He left for Holland. In January 1944 Roman was transported to Terezín...
arrived in the camp he was asked to lead. The band and appeared in the Theresienstadt cabarets, known as the Carousel (Karussell), which performed over fifty times, most frequently during June and July 1944. The cabarets were organised by Kurt Gerron
Kurt Gerron
Kurt Gerron was a German Jewish actor and film director.-Life:Born Kurt Gerson into a well-off merchant family in Berlin, he initially studied medicine but was called up for military service in World War I. Seriously wounded he qualified as a military doctor of the German Army...
who could draw upon the best talent in the camp. Both Roman and Gerron had come to Theresienstadt via Westerbork and qualified for entry to Theresienstadt as "artists".
Commandant Rahm instructed Gerron to make a propaganda film for the Red Cross. Gerron's film shows footage of the Martin Roman's jazz ensemble, the 'Ghetto Swingers', playing on the wooden pavilion built for Karel Ančerl
Karel Ancerl
Karel Ančerl , was a Czech conductor, known for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers...
's string orchestra in the town's main square. After the camp closed the members of the jazz band were sent to Auschwitz. Roman and the guitarist Coco Schumann
Coco Schumann
Heinz Jakob "Coco" Schumann is a German jazz musician.Schumann became passionate about Swing after having heard it during the Berlin Olympics. He was transported first to Theresienstadt, where he became a member of the Ghetto Swingers. Finally he and Martin Roman were transported to Auschwitz,...
survived. Gerron and the clarinetist Fritz Weiss
Fritz Weiss
Fritz Weiss was a jazz musician and arranger, active in the first half of the 20th century. He was an organizer of jazz performances and an important participant in the musical life of the Theresienstadt concentration camp...
did not.
Coco Schumann's biography (1997) shows a photo of the Ghetto-Swingers with Martin Roman, Coco Schumann, Bedřich "Fricek" Weiss
Fritz Weiss
Fritz Weiss was a jazz musician and arranger, active in the first half of the 20th century. He was an organizer of jazz performances and an important participant in the musical life of the Theresienstadt concentration camp...
(clarinet and saxophone), Fritz Goldschmidt (guitar), Nettl (accordion), Jetti Kantor and Ratner (violin), Josef Taussig
Josef Taussig
Josef Taussig was a Czech journalist.Taussig was a journalist with the youth magazine "Hej rup". In 1942 he was transported to Theresienstadt but survived by using his skills as an amateur trombonist to play with Martin Roman's Ghetto Swingers...
(trombone) and others; Kohn, Chokkes and Erich Vogel (trumpet), Donde (tenor saxophone), Pavel Libensky (double bass), Fredy Haber (tenor). Some of the players overlapped with the Jazz-Quintet-Weiss.