Deutsche Welle

Music under the Swastika – The Maestro and the Cellist of Auschwitz

For the first time, the documentary tells the story of classical music in the “Third Reich” from an overall perspective. The focus is on the fates of two protagonists: Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Wilhelm Furtwängler. Anita Lasker-Wallfisch survives as a cellist in Auschwitz, while the famous conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler tries in vain to preserve his integrity and finally surrenders in a pact with the devil. The footage is high-resolution scanned, digitally restored and carefully colorized for the first time to make history tangible and bear witness to a dramatic time.

Cinematographer: Johannes Imdahl
Editor: Janine Dauterich
Archive: Linn Sackarnd
Restauration: Helden der Geschichte
Colorization: ImaginColor
Production-Management: Mária Géczi
Commissioning Editor: Frauke Sandig
Executive Producers: Tim Klimeš, Rolf Rische
Producer: Maria Willer, Bernhard von Hülsen

A coproduction of Deutsche Welle and 3B-Produktion

Awards:

FIPADOC 2023: Official selection
FIFA 2023: Competitioninter & Meilleur portrait
Deutscher Dokumentarfilmpreis 2023: Nominated
Master of Art Filmfestival 2023: Special Jury Mention & Best documentary in Art and Power
Music Film festival 2023: Official selection & Best documentary about music

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Maria Willer

is music journalist and was formerly, before founding the “3B-Produktion GmbH”, editor and presenter at the radio broadcaster “Klassik Radio” since 2003. Apart from her journalistic activities she has founded the “Musikkindergarten Hamburg”. Before working for the radio she was trainee as print journalist. In this way Maria Willer’s train of medial thinking spreads from the reader to the listener as well as to a film audience. Important for her is that stories reach out to human beings – whichever media is used.

Bernhard von Hülsen

Hat vor Gründung der „3B-Produktion GmbH“ ein knappes Jahrzehnt für die „AVE Gesellschaft für Fernsehproduktion“ Magazine, Talks, Dokumentationen, Reportagen und zunehmend junge Formate produziert. Vor seiner Produzentenlaufbahn promovierte er als Kollegiat der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft zu deutsch-französischem Kulturtransfer und volontierte am Deutschen Historischen Museum. Er ist stark in der Musikszene verankert und hat hier über Jahre Akzente gesetzt.

Music under the Swastika – The Maestro and the Cellist of Auschwitz

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