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The Children of the Terezin Ghetto 

One of the most famous cases in history occurs during the Holocaust (a time in the 1940’s in Europe when the Nazis killed many Jews). During this time, the Nazis rounded up the Jews from their own homes and made them live in very uncomfortable, overcrowded neighborhoods called “ghettos”. The Jews could not escape these ghettos, and disease, starvation and fear of death was everywhere. The Nazis would not even allow the Jewish children to play or go to school! One of these ghettos was in Czechoslovakia, and it was called “Terezin”. Terezin was a different sort of ghetto because the Nazis used it as a propaganda source to show the Red Cross and the rest of the word how wonderful and enriching ghetto life was. So, the arts flourished within the walls of Terezin, as well as misery. So, when the children of Terezin were offered the opportunity to audition for a new opera called “Brundibar” by a Jewish composer of the ghetto, they jumped at the chance to break from the tedium of their day.

“Brundibar”, written by Hans Krasa is a children’s opera that tells the tale of the brother and sister duo Annika and Pepicek, who ultimately defeat the greedy villain Brunibar by rallying the children of the village to help them. The opera, with a steadfast theme of “united we prevail” was performed regularly by the Czech children of Terezin on the roofs of buiuldings, in courtyards and corridors. It gave the children a reason for hope, and was a much-needed escape from their daily suffering. 

Even the Nazis loved the opera, and in 1944 they requested a special performance that was attended by top members of the Nazi party and was videotaped. After the filming of “Brundibar”, most of the children in the opera, and all of the musicians where sent to the gas chambers in Aushwitz where they were killed.