Alice Herz-Sommer
Encyclopedia
Alice Herz-Sommer, also known as Alice Sommer-Hertz and Alice Sommer, (born 26 November 1903) is a Czech pianist, music teacher and survivor of the Theresienstadt concentration camp
. Herz-Sommer has lived in North London, United Kingdom since 1986, and is the world’s oldest known Holocaust survivor.
Alice was born in Prague
, Austria-Hungary
, along with her twin sister Mariana. She married musician Leopold Sommer in 1931 and had a son, Raphael (1937-2001). After the invasion of Czechoslovakia
, most of her family and friends emigrated to Palestine
via Romania, including Max Brod
and brother-in-law Felix Weltsch
, but Herz-Sommer stayed in Prague. In 1942, her ill mother Sophie was killed. A year later, Herz-Sommer, her husband and son were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp
. Herz-Sommer played at music concerts in the camp along with other musicians. Leopold was later sent to Auschwitz and though he survived the camp, died at Dachau
in 1944. After the Soviet liberation of Theresienstadt in 1945, Herz-Sommer returned to Prague
and in March 1949 emigrated to Israel to be reunited with her family. She lived in Israel
and worked as a music teacher in Jerusalem until emigrating to London
, United Kingdom with her son, an accomplished cellist, in 1986.
Herz-Sommer swam daily until the age of 97. At 104, Herz-Sommer published a bestselling book A Garden of Eden in Hell recalling the events of the concentration camps. In 2010, a television programme was aired on BBC4 to recognise her life story. Herz-Sommer attributes her longevity to her optimism.
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
. Herz-Sommer has lived in North London, United Kingdom since 1986, and is the world’s oldest known Holocaust survivor.
Alice was born in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, along with her twin sister Mariana. She married musician Leopold Sommer in 1931 and had a son, Raphael (1937-2001). After the invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, most of her family and friends emigrated to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
via Romania, including Max Brod
Max Brod
Max Brod was a German-speaking Czech Jewish, later Israeli, author, composer, and journalist. Although he was a prolific writer in his own right, he is most famous as the friend and biographer of Franz Kafka...
and brother-in-law Felix Weltsch
Felix Weltsch
Felix Weltsch , Dr. jur et phil., was a German-speaking Jewish librarian, philosopher, author, editor, publisher and journalist...
, but Herz-Sommer stayed in Prague. In 1942, her ill mother Sophie was killed. A year later, Herz-Sommer, her husband and son were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
. Herz-Sommer played at music concerts in the camp along with other musicians. Leopold was later sent to Auschwitz and though he survived the camp, died at Dachau
Dachau
Dachau is a town in Upper Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany. It is a major district town—a Große Kreisstadt—of the administrative region of Upper Bavaria, about 20 km north-west of Munich. It is now a popular residential area for people working in Munich with roughly 40,000 inhabitants...
in 1944. After the Soviet liberation of Theresienstadt in 1945, Herz-Sommer returned to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and in March 1949 emigrated to Israel to be reunited with her family. She lived in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and worked as a music teacher in Jerusalem until emigrating to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom with her son, an accomplished cellist, in 1986.
Herz-Sommer swam daily until the age of 97. At 104, Herz-Sommer published a bestselling book A Garden of Eden in Hell recalling the events of the concentration camps. In 2010, a television programme was aired on BBC4 to recognise her life story. Herz-Sommer attributes her longevity to her optimism.
Further reading
- Muller, Melissa and Piechocki , Reinhard (2007) A Garden of Eden in Hell: The Life of Alice Herz-Sommer. Macmillan; illustrated edition ISBN 978-0-230-52802-4
Articles
- "Life is beautiful" Guardian article 13 December 2006
- "I look at the good". Haaretz article 21 January 2010
- "I played Chopin as they sent my family to their deaths" Jewish Chronicle article
- "A Life in the Day: Alice Herz-Sommer" The Sunday Times 27 January 2008
Programmes and film
- "Alice Sommer Herz at 106: Everything Is a Present" BBC documentary Made by Christopher NupenChristopher NupenChristopher Nupen is a South African-born filmmaker based in the United Kingdom specialising in biographical documentaries of musicians.Nupen was born in South Africa to a family of Norwegian descent — his father, E. P...
- "Surviving the Holocaust BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Woman's HourWoman's HourWoman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
programme. 27 Jan 2006 - YouTube film "Alice Dancing Under the Gallows". (12 minutes)
- 13 June 2010 Guardian video (3 mins) "Holocaust survivor Alice Herz Sommer playing piano"
- Film - We want the light, featuring Sommer Hertz by Christopher NupenChristopher NupenChristopher Nupen is a South African-born filmmaker based in the United Kingdom specialising in biographical documentaries of musicians.Nupen was born in South Africa to a family of Norwegian descent — his father, E. P...
. - Alice Herz-Sommer tells her life story at Web of Stories (video)