History of Sorts

When you first look at the picture, there may seem to be nothing extraordinary about it. However, even a brief glance into its history reveals just how remarkable it truly is.

The photograph shows a Jewish male choir from the Great Synagogue in Amsterdam. It was taken in March 1942. Although the deportations of Dutch Jews had not yet begun at that time, their lives had already been made nearly impossible under Nazi occupation.

And yet, these men carried on. Through their singing, they sought to lift spirits and preserve a sense of hope. In doing so, they heroically upheld their cultural and spiritual legacy despite the ever-present threat of persecution and death.

This image resonates with me on a personal level. Singing is one of my passions, and I once conducted a mixed choir myself. Seeing the style of this choir’s conductor reminds me strongly of my own.

The conductor was Samuel Henri Englander, who was appointed at just 20 years old. Under his leadership, the choir gained a strong reputation and came to be known as “Englander’s Choir.” They performed not only during synagogue services, but also at weddings and concerts, where they sang religious music from Eastern Europe as well as Yiddish folk songs. Some of their performances were even broadcast by the BBC.

I do not know what became of the choir, but it is difficult to imagine that many of its members survived. Samuel Henri Englander himself was murdered in Sobibor on 11 June 1943.

So much talent was destroyed by the Nazis—an immeasurable loss not only to the world, but ultimately even to themselves.

 

 

Source

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137039600/samuel-henri-englander

NIOD