The Violinist of Auschwitz: Based on a true story, an absolutely heartbreaking and gripping World War 2 novel
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Incredible as it sounds, the Music Block was truly given a one-day leave, with the permission to leave the camp’s territory—a thing unheard of prior to that in the camp’s history. It indeed occurred after Eichmann’s visit; in describing it, I relied on the Music Block survivors’ testimonies.
The construction of the second ramp, the new “Mexico” camp that was originally designed to house the Hungarian inmates, but which was never finished, is all based on fact.
There’s still controversy surrounding the circumstances of Alma’s death. Some historians claim that she committed suicide just a few weeks after the Family Camp liquidation, some claim that she contracted a virus or some other disease that killed her almost instantly, some speculate that it was the SS wardens who poisoned her out of jealousy. In my story, I decided to keep with the suicide version as several Music Block survivors testified that Alma spoke of suicide on a few occasions and carried prussic acid on her which she had smuggled from the camp in Drancy. Dr. Mancy, who became very close friends with Alma, also testified to the fact that after the liquidation of the Family Camp, Alma had lost all will to live and often spoke of suicide with her.
Dr. Mengele indeed came into the sickbay to consult on Alma’s case—an extremely rare occasion for that particular SS physician, who was mostly interested in his experiments and not inmates’ well-being. Despite all of the efforts to save her, Alma died on April 5, 1944.
What is even more incredible is the fact that Alma’s body was indeed clothed in a dress and “laid out atop a catafalque fashioned of two stools set side by side in an alcove next to the examining room” (R. Newman). According to the survivors, both the SS and the inmates were allowed to pay their respects to the dead violinist. Maria Mandl, according to Alma’s biographer, mourned her most celebrated mascot’s death openly. Obersturmführer Hössler indeed demanded to dispose of Alma’s body in the most respectful fashion, given the circumstances, and ordered it to be laid out on the gurney alone and still clothed. Szymon Laks reported that after Alma’s death, the SS administration also ordered to hang Alma’s conductor’s baton and a black crepe ribbon on the wall of the Music Block in the violinist’s memory. According to Fania Fénelon, a Music Block survivor, Dr. Mengele also came into the Music Block to pay his respects to the dead violinist: “Elegant, distinguished, he took a few steps, then stopped by the wall where we had hung up Alma’s armband and baton. Respectfully, heels together, he stood quietly for a moment, then said in a penetrating tone, appropriately funereal, In memoriam.”
Not a single prisoner in the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau, before or after Alma Rosé, was treated with such respect after their passing. Alma’s talent and integrity touched many hearts, not only the hearts of the inmates, but, it appears, the SS as well. I feel, Alma’s Auschwitz life and legacy is perfectly summarized in Zippy’s words:
“She was achieving something she could never have achieved in normal life. Nothing became something in her hands. Alma’s genius was that she could bring a group of amateurs to a level where they could perform acceptably. For her, it became the triumph of her career. She never would have believed it possible. She also achieved something no other conductor she had known would have tried. She told me she could never go back to her origins. That Viennese society in which she had grown up was totally destroyed. In Birkenau she was creating something of which she could be proud. A handful of people hated her, but there are many more who loved her then, and still love her. Some could never understand there could be only one leader for the orchestra.”
Thank you so much for reading this amazing woman’s story.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank the wonderful Bookouture family for helping me bring Alma Rosé’s story to light. First of all, huge thanks to my incredible editor Christina Demosthenous for guiding me through the process so expertly, for cheering me along the way, and for all of her insightful suggestions that helped me greatly. I’d also like to thank Sarah Whittaker for the gorgeous cover design that captured exactly what I wanted to deliver through my story. Thank you Kim Nash, Noelle Holten, Ruth Tross and Peta Nightingale for all your help and for making me feel welcome and at home with your amazing publishing team. It’s been a true pleasure working with all of you and I already can’t wait to create more projects under your guidance.
Special thanks to my family for believing in me and supporting me on every step; to my fiancé for being there for me on every step of this journey and for inspiring my best male characters; my two besties, Vladlena and Anastasia, whom I neglected while working on this story and who have been so understanding and incredibly supportive of me; to all of my fellow authors whom I got to know through Facebook and who became my very close friends—you all are such an inspiration! We have never met in real life, but I consider you all a family.
And of course, huge thanks to my readers for patiently waiting for new releases, for celebrating cover reveals together with me, for reading ARCs and sending me those absolutely amazing I-stayed-up-till-3am-last-night-because-I-just-had-to-finish-your-wonderful-book messages, for your reviews that always make my day, and for falling in love with my characters just as much as I do. You are the reason why I write. Thank you so much for reading my stories.
And finally, I owe my biggest thanks to all the brave people who continue to inspire my novels. Some of you survived the Holocaust, some of you perished, but it’s your incredible courage, resilience, and self-sacrifice that will live on in our hearts. Your example will always inspire us to be better people, to stand up for what is right, to give a voice to the ones who have been silenced, to protect the ones who cannot protect themselves. You all are true heroes. Thank you.
Published by Bookouture in 2020
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Copyright © Ellie Midwood, 2020
Ellie Midwood has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-80019-139-6
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.