A violin steeped in heartbreaking history has arrived at The Repair Shop for restoration. Once owned by Siegmund Feitl, a Jewish musician imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt during World War II, the instrument carries a story of survival, propaganda, and deep sorrow.
Born in Vienna in 1876, Siegmund was a talented violinist who entertained nightclub audiences before the German invasion of Austria. During the war, he and 140,000 other Jews — many artists and intellectuals — were sent to Theresienstadt in what is now the Czech Republic. There, the Nazis formed an orchestra of prisoners, including Siegmund, to perform concerts for visiting Red Cross officials as part of a cruel deception masking the camp’s brutal conditions.
Of those imprisoned, approximately 33,000 died from harsh camp conditions, and 90,000 were sent to extermination camps. Siegmund, forced to assemble and conduct the orchestra, survived but was left emotionally scarred. After liberation, he never played the violin again. The instrument itself was left damaged — dried out, cracked, and with loose strings — a silent witness to tragedy.
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Decades later, the violin was inherited by Siegmund’s granddaughter, Margaret Gibson. Following her passing, her widower Peter, from Blackpool, brought the fragile violin to The Repair Shop, hoping the team could restore it in her memory. Peter shared his wish to hear “The Blue Danube,” Margaret’s favourite piece, played once more on the instrument.
Violin restorer Becky Houghton expressed the weight of responsibility she felt handling the instrument, saying, “I don’t think I have ever held anything with such poignant and sad history. I want it to have a really happy future.” She carefully noted the delicate condition, particularly preserving the fingerboard where Siegmund’s hands once played, emphasizing the importance of retaining its emotional connection.
Peter recounted the harsh realities of Theresienstadt, describing how the camp operated as a “show camp” for the Red Cross while masking the suffering inside. He became emotional recalling Siegmund’s ordeal and his refusal to play the violin after the war, citing arthritis though it was clear his trauma prevented him from touching the instrument again.
The violin’s restoration is part of a broader project commemorated in the recently published book, The Repair Shop World War II, released for the 80th anniversary of the war’s conclusion. The book collects stories of wartime artifacts imbued with personal histories of bravery, loss, and remembrance.
Woodwork expert Will Kirk reflected on the significance of such items, saying, “For many, WWII is a powerful link to family stories—tales of tragedy and heroism passed down through generations. At The Repair Shop, we are honoured to preserve these memories.”
The Repair Shop’s moving restoration of the violin stands as a tribute to Siegmund Feitl’s legacy and the countless lives touched by history’s darkest chapter.