Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Zehn Brüder waren wir gewesen,
Haben wir gehandelt mit Wein.
Einer ist gestorben,
sind geblieben neun.
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Sing mir mal ein Liedel(e),
müssen wir ins Ga-a-s!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Sing mir mal ein Liedel(e),
Liedel(e)...
Müssen wir ins Gas!
Ins Gas!
Ins Ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Ein Bruder bin ich nur geblieben,
Mit wem ich weinen soll?
Die and'ren sind ermordet!
Denkt ihr an alle neun?
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Hört mein letztes Liedel(e),
Ich muss auch ins Ga-a-s!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e)
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Hört mein letztes Liedel(e)
...Zehn Brüder waren wir gewesen,
Wir haben keinem weh getan,
Weh getan.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
*Var.: Moyshe
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Zehn Brüder waren wir gewesen,
Haben wir gehandelt mit Wein.
Einer ist gestorben,
sind geblieben neun.
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Sing mir mal ein Liedel(e),
müssen wir ins Ga-a-s!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Sing mir mal ein Liedel(e),
Liedel(e)...
Müssen wir ins Gas!
Ins Gas!
Ins Ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Ein Bruder bin ich nur geblieben,
Mit wem ich weinen soll?
Die and'ren sind ermordet!
Denkt ihr an alle neun?
Yidl mit der Fidel(e),
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Hört mein letztes Liedel(e),
Ich muss auch ins Ga-a-s!
Yidl mit der Fidel(e)
Tevje* mit dem Bass,
Hört mein letztes Liedel(e)
...Zehn Brüder waren wir gewesen,
Wir haben keinem weh getan,
Weh getan.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
*Var.: Moyshe
Language: Italian
Versione letterale di Riccardo Venturi
7 gennaio 2009
7 gennaio 2009
CANTO DI MORTE DEGLI EBREI
DIECI FRATELLI
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Eravamo dieci fratelli,
commerciavamo in vino.
Uno è morto,
siamo rimasti in nove.
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
cantami ancora una canzone,
dobbiamo andare al ga-a-s!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
cantami ancora una canzone,
una canzone...
Dobbiamo andare al gas!
Al gas!
Al ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Sono rimasto l'unico fratello,
con chi devo piangere?
Gli altri li hanno tutti ammazzati!
Ci pensate, tutti e nove!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
ascoltate la mia ultima canzone,
anch'io devo andare al ga-a-s!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
ascoltate la mia ultima canzone
...Eravamo dieci fratelli,
non avevamo fatto del male a nessuno,
male a nessuno.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
DIECI FRATELLI
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Eravamo dieci fratelli,
commerciavamo in vino.
Uno è morto,
siamo rimasti in nove.
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
cantami ancora una canzone,
dobbiamo andare al ga-a-s!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
cantami ancora una canzone,
una canzone...
Dobbiamo andare al gas!
Al gas!
Al ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Sono rimasto l'unico fratello,
con chi devo piangere?
Gli altri li hanno tutti ammazzati!
Ci pensate, tutti e nove!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
ascoltate la mia ultima canzone,
anch'io devo andare al ga-a-s!
Ebreo col violino,
Tevje con il basso,
ascoltate la mia ultima canzone
...Eravamo dieci fratelli,
non avevamo fatto del male a nessuno,
male a nessuno.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Language: Italian
Versione italiana (traduzione e adattamento) di Leoncarlo Settimelli
dal disco Canti dei Lager distribuito con L'Unità il 27 gennaio 2006 in occasione della giornata della Memoria.
dal disco Canti dei Lager distribuito con L'Unità il 27 gennaio 2006 in occasione della giornata della Memoria.
Si tratta in realtà di una autentica riscrittura da parte di Leoncarlo Settimelli, che però sa ben rendere la terribile ironia dell'originale. [RV]
NOTA AL TESTO.
Il testo della canzone di D'Arguto è in tedesco, ma il tedesco raffazzonato e pieno di yiddishismi che gli ebrei riuscivano a parlare (ricordiamo che lo yiddish è comunque un antico dialetto medio-alto tedesco). Così l'uso costante dei tempi composti ("waren wir gewesen" ecc.) al posto di quelli semplici del passato (lo yiddish non conosce il passato semplice del tedesco, tipo "ich war", e dice sempre "ikh bin gwesn", cioè "ich bin gewesen"), i tipici diminutivi in "-l(e)" (corrispondente al "-lein" tedesco: "Yidl", "Liedele", "Fidele"), assieme a parole tipiche). Da qui la scelta del traduttore di rendere il testo in un italiano che imita il tedesco ("erafamo" ecc.).
Il testo della canzone di D'Arguto è in tedesco, ma il tedesco raffazzonato e pieno di yiddishismi che gli ebrei riuscivano a parlare (ricordiamo che lo yiddish è comunque un antico dialetto medio-alto tedesco). Così l'uso costante dei tempi composti ("waren wir gewesen" ecc.) al posto di quelli semplici del passato (lo yiddish non conosce il passato semplice del tedesco, tipo "ich war", e dice sempre "ikh bin gwesn", cioè "ich bin gewesen"), i tipici diminutivi in "-l(e)" (corrispondente al "-lein" tedesco: "Yidl", "Liedele", "Fidele"), assieme a parole tipiche). Da qui la scelta del traduttore di rendere il testo in un italiano che imita il tedesco ("erafamo" ecc.).
DIECI FRATELLI
Erafamo dieci fratelli
tutti musicisti e suonatori di gran qvalità
si suonafa sotto ad un lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
funzionante a gas
Erafamo nofe fratelli
anche senza uno sempre orchestra di gran qvalità
si suonafa sotto qvel lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
che puzzava gas
Erafamo otto fratelli
sempore grande orchestra ma con un po' meno qvalità
si suonafa sotto qvel lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
che perdefa gas
Erafamo dieci fratelli
tutti musicisti e suonatori di gran qvalità
son rimasto io da solo
oi oi oi o-i
Niente più fiolino
e nemmeno bass
merda di lampione
che perdefa gas
Si aprirà la porta
grideranno... RAUS
Tutti a fare doccia
Funzionante a gas
Hevenu Shalom Aleichem... (La pace sia con te)
Erafamo dieci fratelli
tutti musicisti e suonatori di gran qvalità
si suonafa sotto ad un lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
funzionante a gas
Erafamo nofe fratelli
anche senza uno sempre orchestra di gran qvalità
si suonafa sotto qvel lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
che puzzava gas
Erafamo otto fratelli
sempore grande orchestra ma con un po' meno qvalità
si suonafa sotto qvel lampione
oi oi oi oi
Jidl con fiolino
Moishe col suo bass
sotto qvel lampione
che perdefa gas
Erafamo dieci fratelli
tutti musicisti e suonatori di gran qvalità
son rimasto io da solo
oi oi oi o-i
Niente più fiolino
e nemmeno bass
merda di lampione
che perdefa gas
Si aprirà la porta
grideranno... RAUS
Tutti a fare doccia
Funzionante a gas
Hevenu Shalom Aleichem... (La pace sia con te)
Language: English
Versione inglese dal libretto dell'album / English version from the album booklet:
JEWISH DEATHSONG
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Ten brothers were we together,
All of us merchants of wine
One brother died one day
Now we're only nine
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
Play oh sing a little
We're bound for the gas!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
Play oh sing a little
We're bound for the gas!
For the gas!
For the ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
One brother now alone I remain
With whom shall I whine?
Nine brothers murdered all,
Remember all nine!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
The last, I'll sing a little
Now I'm bound for the ga-a-s!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass,
The last, I'll sing a little
...Ten brothers were we together,
We never hurt another soul,
another soul.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
*Var.: Moyshe
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom...bom...bom...bom
Ten brothers were we together,
All of us merchants of wine
One brother died one day
Now we're only nine
Oy-yoy!...Oy...yoy!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
Play oh sing a little
We're bound for the gas!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
Play oh sing a little
We're bound for the gas!
For the gas!
For the ga-a-s!
Bom bom bom bom...bom bom bom bom
One brother now alone I remain
With whom shall I whine?
Nine brothers murdered all,
Remember all nine!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass
The last, I'll sing a little
Now I'm bound for the ga-a-s!
Yidl with your fiddle,
Tevje* with your bass,
The last, I'll sing a little
...Ten brothers were we together,
We never hurt another soul,
another soul.
Li-lay, li-lay...li-lay
*Var.: Moyshe
Language: French
Version française – CHANSON DE MORT JUIVE ou LES DIX FRÈRES – Marco Valdo M.I. – 2021
Chanson de langue allemande (Yiddish) – Jüdischer Todessang, oder Zehn Brüder – Aleksander Kulisiewicz – 1942
[1942]
Texte : Rosebery D’Arguto (Martin Rozenberg)
Musique : From a Yiddish Folksong (“Tsen Brider”)
Da una canzone popolare yiddish (“Tsen Brider”)
Aleksander Kulisiewicz : Songs From The Depths Of Hell
Folkways Records Album N° FSS 37700 (1979)
PDF Booklet Available
Annotated by Peter Wortsman
La couverture de l’album, inspirée de cette chanson, est de Gertrude Degenhardt, femme de Franz-Josef Degenhardt.
Aleksander Kulisiewicz (1918-1982) était étudiant en droit dans la Pologne occupée par l’Allemagne lorsque, en octobre 1939, il a été dénoncé pour des écrits antifascistes, arrêté par la Gestapo, et envoyé au camp de concentration de Sachsenhausen, près de Berlin. Chanteur et auteur-compositeur amateur, Kulisiewicz a composé 54 chansons pendant près de six ans d’emprisonnement à Sachsenhausen. Après la libération, il se souvint de ses chansons, ainsi que de celles apprises de ses compagnons de prison, dictant des centaines de pages de texte à son infirmière d’assistance dans une infirmerie polonaise.
Kołysanka dla synka w krematorium
Chorał z piekła dna
Jüdischer Todessang, oder Zehn Brüder
Hekatomba 1941
Dziesięć milionów
Konzentrak
Szymon Ohm
Das Todestango
Hymne
Graue Kolonnen
Stoi nocka
Im Walde von Sachsenhausen
Bergen-Belsen moje
Heil, Sachsenhausen!
Lichtenburger Lagerlied
En septembre 1939, le compositeur et chef de chœur juif de Berlin, Rosebery D’Arguto (né Martin Rozenberg) fut envoyé au camp de concentration de Sachsenhausen (juste au nord de Berlin). En 1940, il organise clandestinement un chœur de camp à quatre voix, composé de 25 à 30 prisonniers. Quand en 1942, les Juifs de Sachsenhausen découvrirent qu’ils seraient bientôt “transférés” à Auschwitz-Birkenau, D’Arguto composa son terrible « Chant de la Mort juive », sur la musique d’un vieux chant folklorique yiddish, « Dix Frères ». Il a intentionnellement écrit les paroles en allemand pour que les autres prisonniers puissent comprendre l’accusation portée par sa chanson. Fin octobre 1942, 454 prisonniers juifs, dont D’Arguto et tout son chœur, furent envoyés à Auschwitz-Birkenau. Le compositeur a été tué en 1943.
Chanson de langue allemande (Yiddish) – Jüdischer Todessang, oder Zehn Brüder – Aleksander Kulisiewicz – 1942
[1942]
Texte : Rosebery D’Arguto (Martin Rozenberg)
Musique : From a Yiddish Folksong (“Tsen Brider”)
Da una canzone popolare yiddish (“Tsen Brider”)
Aleksander Kulisiewicz : Songs From The Depths Of Hell
Folkways Records Album N° FSS 37700 (1979)
PDF Booklet Available
Annotated by Peter Wortsman
La couverture de l’album, inspirée de cette chanson, est de Gertrude Degenhardt, femme de Franz-Josef Degenhardt.
CHANT DE MORT Félix Nussbaum – 1944
Aleksander Kulisiewicz (1918-1982) était étudiant en droit dans la Pologne occupée par l’Allemagne lorsque, en octobre 1939, il a été dénoncé pour des écrits antifascistes, arrêté par la Gestapo, et envoyé au camp de concentration de Sachsenhausen, près de Berlin. Chanteur et auteur-compositeur amateur, Kulisiewicz a composé 54 chansons pendant près de six ans d’emprisonnement à Sachsenhausen. Après la libération, il se souvint de ses chansons, ainsi que de celles apprises de ses compagnons de prison, dictant des centaines de pages de texte à son infirmière d’assistance dans une infirmerie polonaise.
En septembre 1939, le compositeur et chef de chœur juif de Berlin, Rosebery D’Arguto (né Martin Rozenberg) fut envoyé au camp de concentration de Sachsenhausen (juste au nord de Berlin). En 1940, il organise clandestinement un chœur de camp à quatre voix, composé de 25 à 30 prisonniers. Quand en 1942, les Juifs de Sachsenhausen découvrirent qu’ils seraient bientôt “transférés” à Auschwitz-Birkenau, D’Arguto composa son terrible « Chant de la Mort juive », sur la musique d’un vieux chant folklorique yiddish, « Dix Frères ». Il a intentionnellement écrit les paroles en allemand pour que les autres prisonniers puissent comprendre l’accusation portée par sa chanson. Fin octobre 1942, 454 prisonniers juifs, dont D’Arguto et tout son chœur, furent envoyés à Auschwitz-Birkenau. Le compositeur a été tué en 1943.
CHANSON DE MORT JUIVE
ou LES DIX FRÈRES
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
Bom bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Dix frères, nous étions
Avec le vin, nous trinquions
L’un d’entre nous est mort,
Nous sommes neuf encore.
Aie, aie, aie !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Chantez-moi une petite chanson,
Nous devons aller au ga-a-s !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Chantez-moi une petite chanson,
Nous devons aller au ga-a-s !
Au gaz,
Au Gaaazz !
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
Bom bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Le seul frère je suis resté,
Avec qui pleurer ?
Les autres sont tués !
Les neuf, imaginez ?
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Écoutez ma dernière petite chanson,
Moi aussi, je dois aller au ga-a-s !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Écoutez ma dernière petite chanson,
Nous étions dix frères,
Nous n’avons commis aucun crime,
Aucun crime.
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
ou LES DIX FRÈRES
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
Bom bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Dix frères, nous étions
Avec le vin, nous trinquions
L’un d’entre nous est mort,
Nous sommes neuf encore.
Aie, aie, aie !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Chantez-moi une petite chanson,
Nous devons aller au ga-a-s !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Chantez-moi une petite chanson,
Nous devons aller au ga-a-s !
Au gaz,
Au Gaaazz !
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
Bom bom bom bom bom…bom bom bom bom
Bom bom bom bom…bom bom…bom bom
Le seul frère je suis resté,
Avec qui pleurer ?
Les autres sont tués !
Les neuf, imaginez ?
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Écoutez ma dernière petite chanson,
Moi aussi, je dois aller au ga-a-s !
Judas au violon,
Moïse à la basse,
Écoutez ma dernière petite chanson,
Nous étions dix frères,
Nous n’avons commis aucun crime,
Aucun crime.
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
Li-lay, li-lay…li-lay
Contributed by Marco Valdo M.I. - 2021/8/10 - 21:17
Language: Yiddish
צען ברידער (Tsen Brider), la canzone popolare yiddish originale / The original Yiddish folksong
Riproduciamo da Musique dans les Camps de Concentration et les Camps d'Extermination un'immagine .gif contenente il testo originale della canzone popolare yiddish Tsen Brider (in alfabeto ebraico e in trascrizione) utilizzata da Rosebery D'Arguto per la sua Jüdischer Todessang.
We reproduce here from Musique dans les Camps de Concentration et les Camps d'Extermination a .gif image including the original lyrics of the Yiddish folksong (in Hebrew and Latin characters) used by Rosebery D'Arguto for his Jüdischer Todessang
We reproduce here from Musique dans les Camps de Concentration et les Camps d'Extermination a .gif image including the original lyrics of the Yiddish folksong (in Hebrew and Latin characters) used by Rosebery D'Arguto for his Jüdischer Todessang
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2009/1/7 - 15:17
Language: English
La versione inglese della canzone popolare yiddish
English translation of the Yiddish folksong
English translation of the Yiddish folksong
TEN BROTHERS
We were ten brothers,
We dealt in wine.
One of us died,
Nine of us remained.
We were nine brothers,
We dealt in freight.
One of us died,
Eight of us remained.
Yidl with your fiddle,
Gedalye with your bass
Play a little tune for me
In the middle of the street.
We were eight brothers,
We dealt in beets.
One of us died,
Seven of us remained.
We were seven brothers,
We dealt in baked goods.
One of us died,
Six of us remained.
We were six brothers,
We dealt in hose.
One of us died,
Five of us remained.
We were five brothers,
We dealt in beer.
One of us died,
Four of us remained.
We were four brothers,
We dealt in tea.
One of us died,
Three of us remained.
We were three brothers,
We dealt in lead.
One of us died,
Two of us remained.
We were two brothers,
We dealt in bones.
One of us died,
I am left alone.
I remain the only brother,
I deal in candles.
I die every day
Because I have nothing to eat
We were ten brothers,
We dealt in wine.
One of us died,
Nine of us remained.
We were nine brothers,
We dealt in freight.
One of us died,
Eight of us remained.
Yidl with your fiddle,
Gedalye with your bass
Play a little tune for me
In the middle of the street.
We were eight brothers,
We dealt in beets.
One of us died,
Seven of us remained.
We were seven brothers,
We dealt in baked goods.
One of us died,
Six of us remained.
We were six brothers,
We dealt in hose.
One of us died,
Five of us remained.
We were five brothers,
We dealt in beer.
One of us died,
Four of us remained.
We were four brothers,
We dealt in tea.
One of us died,
Three of us remained.
We were three brothers,
We dealt in lead.
One of us died,
Two of us remained.
We were two brothers,
We dealt in bones.
One of us died,
I am left alone.
I remain the only brother,
I deal in candles.
I die every day
Because I have nothing to eat
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2009/1/7 - 15:33
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Lyrics/Testo: Rosebery D'Arguto (Martin Rozenberg)
Music/Musica: From a Yiddish Folksong (“Tsen Brider”)
Da una canzone popolare yiddish (“Tsen Brider”)
Folkways Records Album N° FSS 37700 (1979)
PDF Booklet Available
Annotated by Peter Wortsman
La copertina dell'album, ispirata a questa canzone, è di Gertrude Degenhardt, moglie di Franz-Josef Degenhardt.
The album cover, inspired by this song, is by Gertrude Degenhardt, Franz-Josef Degenhardt's wife.
Aleksander Kulisiewicz (1918-1982) was a law student in German-occupied Poland when, in October 1939, he was denounced for anti-fascist writings, arrested by the Gestapo, and sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, near Berlin. An amateur singer and songwriter, Kulisiewicz composed 54 songs during nearly six years of imprisonment at Sachsenhausen. After liberation he remembered his songs, as well as those learned from fellow prisoners, dictating hundreds of pages of text to his attending nurse at a Polish infirmary.
German - Music: Melody of a Yiddish folksong, "Zehn Brüder"
Words: Rosebery D'Arguto (Martin Rozenberg)
In September 1939 the Jewish composer and choral conductor from Berlin, Rosebery D'Arguto (born Martin Rozenberg) was sent to the concentration camp Sachsenhausen (just north of Berlin). In 1940 he organized a clandestine, four-voice camp chorus which consisted of 25 to 30 prisoners. When in 1942 the Jews in Sachsenhausen found out that they were soon "transferred" to Auschwitz-Birkenau, D'Arguto composed his terrible "Jewish Deathsong", based on the tune of an old Yiddish folksong, "Ten Brothers". He intentionally wrote the lyrics in German so that other prisoners could understand the accusation that his song embodied. At the end of October 1942,454 Jewish prisoners, among them D'Arguto and his whole chorus, were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The composer was killed in 1943.