History of Sorts

An instrument is not just a thing used to create music. Anyone who owns and plays an instrument knows that at some stage it becomes a part of you.

It is no longer just a physical entity but it becomes filled with a bit of your soul.

I do not know who owned this violin which survived one of the death camps. I don’t even know in which death camp it was found.

But I do know that a part of the soul of its owner is linked to the instrument.

It probably was played when innocent victims were taken from the trains, often close to death. Only to become witness to even more violence which they were subjected to.

The violin undoubtedly broke the sounds of the violence,albeit for a split second.

Or it could have been played when women and children were paraded to the gas chambers. Although the sound of the violin was used in a cynical way it was also a distraction for a short time.

I can imagine the tears of a young virtuoso playing a piece of music knowing that those who passed him by were destined for a certain death. But he also knew that the same fate would await him too.

Despite that and despite the fact that the criminals who forced him to play, only wanted to create a false illusion, pretending all would be fine, he still played and tried to play his instrument in the most pleasing manner.

He’d use his violin to silence the violence, even if it was for a fleeting moment.

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