Florida State University Libraries

2016

Celebrating and Preserving Music of JewishPasts: The Holocaust Survivor BandEmily Ruth Allen

Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact lib-ir@fsu.edu

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF MUSIC

CELEBRATING AND PRESERVING

MUSIC OF JEWISH PASTS:

THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND

By

EMILY RUTH ALLEN

A Thesis submitted to the

College of Music

in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

Master of Music

2016

ii

Emily Ruth Allen defended this thesis on April 1, 2016.

The members of the supervisory committee were:

Frank Gunderson

Professor Directing Thesis

Michael Bakan

Committee Member

Douglass Seaton

Committee Member

The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and

certifies that the thesis has been approved in accordance with university requirements.

iii

To my loving friends and family

iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I owe so much to my advisor Dr. Frank Gunderson, who has provided excellent guidance

from the day I first visited Florida State University in October 2013 to the present day. I would

also like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Douglass Seaton and Dr. Michael Bakan for their helpful

feedback and advice on this thesis, my coursework, and other academic affairs. I am thankful for

my student mentor Kate Sutton for providing an excellent example of what it takes to be a top-

notch musicologist. Without all of this guidance, this thesis would not have been possible.

I would next like to recognize my closest friends and family. I am indebted to my local

and extremely supportive colleagues, notably Carrie Danielson, Erica Fedor, McKenna Milici,

and Ryan Whittington. To my family: I owe all of you more than words can express. From

keeping me accountable on writing to ensuring that I make time for self-care, you have helped

me to maintain a balanced lifestyle every step of the way. I love all of you immensely.

This thesis of course would not have been possible without the Holocaust Survivor Band.

I have greatly enjoyed getting to know Saul Dreier, Ruby Sosnowicz, and Chana Sosnowicz.

You are all a tremendous inspiration and example of music’s ability to restore the individual,

culture, and life. In promoting your message of peace, I pray that all of you continue to live well

and succeed in all of your musical endeavors. I look forward to seeing the wonderful music and

projects that you pursue in the future. L’chaim!

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ viii

1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1

Background .................................................................................................................................8

Overview of Holocaust Survivor Band.....................................................................................8

Saul Dreier ..............................................................................................................................11

Reuwen “Ruby” Sosnowicz ....................................................................................................12

Summary of Personal Experiences with the Holocaust Survivor Band .................................13

Purpose and Significance ..........................................................................................................14

Survey of Literature ..................................................................................................................19

Holocaust Survivor Band Literature .......................................................................................19

Holocaust Literature ...............................................................................................................19

Memory, Nostalgia, Commemoration ....................................................................................21

Oral History ............................................................................................................................22

Klezmer Resources .................................................................................................................23

Jewish Music Resources .........................................................................................................24

Methodology .............................................................................................................................25

Background Research .............................................................................................................25

Oral History ............................................................................................................................26

Formulating Interview Questions ...........................................................................................27

Interviewing ............................................................................................................................28

Transcription ...........................................................................................................................29

2. CELEBRATION OF JEWISH PASTS AND COMMEMORATION OF

HOLOCAUST VICTIMS ..............................................................................................................31

3. REFLECTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS ...............................................................................42

July 21, 2015 Recording Session ..............................................................................................42

September 9, 2015 Concert .......................................................................................................45

4. INTERVIEWS WITH SAUL DREIER ....................................................................................51

July 20, 2015 Interview .............................................................................................................51

July 21, 2015 Interview .............................................................................................................52

Perspectives of Saul Dreier .......................................................................................................53

5. CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................................................60

vi

APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................64

A. MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT OF THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND .......64

B. HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND PAMPHLET AND LETTER OF SUPPORT ................66

C. FIRST DREIER INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT ........................................................................69

D. SECOND DREIER INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT ...................................................................78

E. IRB APPROVAL AND CONSENT FORM ............................................................................85

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................88

Biographical Sketch .......................................................................................................................93

vii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1: (L-R) Emily Allen, Saul Dreier, Chana Sosnowicz, Ruby Sosnowicz, Jeff Black

Marquee Studios, July 21, 2015

Photograph by a friend of the band .............................................................................42

Figure 3.2: Emily Allen’s Holocaust Survivor Band Souvenirs

September 9, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen ........................................................................................49

Figure 3.3: (L-R) Saul Dreier, Martin Freid, Chana Sosnowicz, concert organizer, Ruby

Sosnowicz, Jeff Black

The Waterford, September 9, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen ........................................................................................50

Figure 4.1: (L-R) Emily Allen and Saul Dreier

Festival Flea Market Mall, July 20, 2015

Photograph by mall customer .....................................................................................51

Figure 4.2: Band’s Gifts

Photographs by Emily Allen .......................................................................................53

Figure 4.3: Saul Dreier at Marquee Studios, July 21, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen ........................................................................................54

Figure 5.1: (L-R) Ruby Sosnowicz and Saul Dreier at Marquee Studios, July 21, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen ........................................................................................63

viii

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores the experiences of a South Florida klezmer ensemble known as the

Holocaust Survivor Band. The group was co-founded in April 2014 by Saul Dreier, then an 89-

year-old resident of Coconut Creek, Florida, and Reuwen “Ruby” Sosnowicz, 85 years old at the

time, a Delray Beach, Florida, resident. Dreier was inspired to form a musical ensemble of

Holocaust survivors after reading about the death of pianist and fellow Holocaust survivor Alice

Herz-Sommer. Ruby’s daughter Chana Sosnowicz joined the band as lead singer, and Holocaust

survivor descendant Jeff Black joined as a guitar player.

In sum I tell the story of the Holocaust Survivor Band, a contemporary musical ensemble

representative of a historically significant era. I emphasize the group’s ability to represent the

Holocaust era to present-day audiences. To demonstrate this, the ensemble’s experiences are

portrayed through statements and information from the band members themselves, through

descriptions in various articles and media, through my observations of their performances and

rehearsals, and through my interpretations of all these source materials. Based on this content, I

present some generalizations about the band’s significance. The band serves as musical

witnesses to the Holocaust by using their performances to remind people of the period and to

share their life stories. As a result, the group contributes to the historical and collective memory

of the Holocaust. This in turn can evoke nostalgic feelings within the band and audience, thus

further establishing connections to the past. In addition, the ensemble seeks to prevent genocide

from happening again by promoting a message of peace in their music, particularly through their

song “Peace for the World.” Most importantly, Dreier and Sosnowicz are finding joy in music

again after not playing or performing for a very long time. All of this exemplifies how the

ensemble has impacted both its members and those around them.

1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This was the first in-person encounter I had with the Holocaust Survivor Band. The group

was performing at a Nosh & Nachas (“Food & Happiness”) event, sponsored by Ruth & Norman

Rales Jewish Family Services, at the Shirley & Barton Weisman Delray Community Center on

May 12, 2015. After I had explained to the check-in staff that I was invited by Saul Dreier, I was

directed to a large room full of circular tables and several chairs. The room was primarily

occupied by elderly people, most of whom I was told were Holocaust survivors. As I would later

notice, the band seemed to play works that these other survivors would recognize, making me

realize how out of touch I was with the musics of these older generations. They were all there for

common purposes: to celebrate their survival and immerse themselves in shared musicultural

roots. The ensemble sonically transformed this event into a space for both performance and

remembrance.

There were also several volunteers conversing with the survivors and serving them food.

All these people were wearing name tags; I was impressed by the organization and large

attendance of this event. It was clear that the survivors were treated with the utmost respect and

care. This is representative of the types of venues that the band most typically performs in

throughout southern Florida—Jewish-centric events and places.

Upon entering the room, I spotted Dreier just leaving, but I also recognized Ruby

Sosnowicz. I approached him, explaining that I was a Florida State University graduate student. I

told him that I had been speaking with Dreier about writing a master’s thesis on the band.

Sosnowicz and I continued to speak for a few minutes. He introduced me to his wife, Regina

Sosnowicz, who was seated in a wheelchair at a table near the front of the stage. Her presence

2

showed that this band was a full commitment for the entire Sosnowicz family, not just Ruby. I

would later sit at the table with Regina Sosnowicz for the duration of the event, allowing me to

learn more about her and Ruby’s roles in the ensemble.

During our conversation, Ruby Sosnowicz jokingly called me an honorary senior citizen,

demonstrating his goofy and pleasant sense of humor. He pointed out that he speaks five

different languages because of his travels during the Holocaust, and that he “passed” through

various colleges. Since he is musical director of the Holocaust Survivor band, his multilingual

skills had a direct impact on the band’s output, as they performed in various language throughout

the concert. Sosnowicz was beaming with intelligence, joy, and good humor throughout our talk.

It was amazing to me that someone who had suffered so much would be that happy. Ruby’s

attitude seemed to reflect the aura of the band as a whole. I was curious to see how this would

translate into his performance. Joshua Weinstein’s New York Times Op-Doc video had conveyed

some of this joy to me, but I was excited to see the band perform live and experience this for

myself.

My lack of Jewish heritage became clear at some points throughout the event. For

example, when Sosnowicz asked if I spoke Hebrew, I explained to him that I did not and

expressed my desire to learn it. He and a nearby lady joked that I should start with the word

“Shalom” and that I only needed to know approximately six different Hebrew words. I was not

always able to comprehend was I was being told or asked, due to my inability to understand

Yiddish or other languages, the loudness of the band’s music, and the multiple conversations

going on around me. Despite the slight language barriers, people seemed to assume that I was

Jewish (which makes sense given the somewhat private parameters of this event), with some

even asking if I was Dreier’s or Sosnowicz’s granddaughter. My appearance (particularly my

3

brown hair and brown eyes) may have also caused this; I have been told that, in a conventional

sense, I look like I have Jewish roots. These factors made me question how I would have been

received if I was not Caucasian or a brunette. While I was an outsider, I was accepted into the

crowd on a surface level.

Dreier eventually returned to the room, at which point he greeted me and formally

introduced me to Sosnowicz. He asked if he could talk to me more in-depth over lunch. Dreier

first sat next to me near the stage, but he then directed me to sit at a table with Regina

Sosnowicz. Eventually I spotted Jeff Black, the band’s guitarist. He, Dreier, and Sosnowicz

began to set up the stage.

During their preparation for the concert, I noticed the ensemble’s matching attire. Black

was wearing black and white clothing, along with a black cap. Dreier was wearing black pants, a

black vest, a light blue collared shirt, and orange-tinted sunglasses. Sosnowicz was wearing

black pants, a black vest, and regular glasses. The band certainly had a professional, unified

appearance due to their mostly black attire. They had dressed similarly for most of their

photographs and press releases, so it seems the ensemble has found their “image.”

The stage setup consisted of three microphones, one in front of Black, another for Dreier

in front of the drum set, and one for Sosnowicz in front of the keyboard. Dreier had drum sticks

and brushes with him. Sosnowicz, while primarily an accordionist, played on a keyboard labeled

on the front with sparkly stickers that spelled out “Ruby.” Eventually, a woman wearing a pink

shirt and black cap appeared, standing on stage left, who carried reading glasses with her.

Throughout the performance she would either chime in with Sosnowicz over the keyboard

microphone to sing or play tambourine. I would later learn that she was a close friend and

4

supporter of the band named Sheryl Silver. Clearly she was willing to engage with the band both

musically and personally, showing the depth of her relationship with them.

While the band finished setting up, staff from the Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family

Services began to welcome everyone. They introduced any persons of interest, including a

reporter from the Palm Beach Post, who took photographs and would later write an article about

the event.1 While the article does mention the Holocaust Survivor Band, it also references and

shows other Holocaust survivors in the room. All photos display people smiling, dancing, and

engaging with the band’s music. Because of the participation brought about by the music, all

survivors in this event can be seen as musical witnesses. Whether they were singing, dancing, or

simply conversing with one another, they were all there for this concert and had the opportunity

to share their stories with the reporter and others in attendance. The presence of the reporter

reflected the local interest in and support of the band; the fact that the ensemble was performing

for fellow survivors also made this particular concert interesting to cover. During all of this,

Sosnowicz comically interjected with sounds from his keyboard, the most humorous of which

were synthetically-produced cheering and applause noises. I was again drawn to his fun

personality.

After initial announcements the Holocaust Survivor Band members each introduced

themselves and then began to play. They opened with “Hatikvah”2 and continued to perform

between forty-five minutes and an hour, playing everything from more serious, lyrical tunes to

upbeat, cheerful songs. I immediately noticed the versatility of the ensemble, a trait that I will

address throughout the rest of this thesis. The ensemble constantly encouraged interaction from

1 See Alexandra Seltzer, “Holocaust Survivors Find Comfort in Comraderie,” Palm Beach Post, (May 13,

2015), http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/holocaust-survivors-enjoy-nosh-nochas-event-in-

sub/nmFK3/. 2 Israeli national anthem

5

the audience. People clapped, sang, and danced. I was invited to dance and sing on stage, but I

remained at my seat, simply smiling and clapping along. My lack of engagement perhaps made

me stand out, but I wanted to focus on watching everyone else’s actions.

Silver formed a dance line, consisting primarily of ladies, that moved throughout the

building and room. Individual groups also began to dance in circles at the front of the room.

Black occasionally broke out into guitar solos; Dreier steadily provided a groove, occasionally

changing sticks, and providing clear endings to each tune. He dropped his sticks at one point, but

Black, Silver, and Sosnowicz kept going. This was a considerate move on their part, showing

their attentiveness to one another while they performed. The leader throughout all of this was

primarily Sosnowicz, as he seemed the most confident in his musical abilities and was clearly the

lead singer. He had some sheets on his keyboard stand, so he likely had the set list and lyrics in

front of him, thus facilitating his leadership role within the ensemble.

Most of the audience seemed familiar with the Holocaust Survivor Band’s repertoire, as

they typically cover popular songs. Some were in English; from what I understand of their

repertoire, others were in what I would assume to be in Hebrew, Yiddish, and various European

languages. Again, this tied back to Ruby Sosnowicz’s knowledge. The multilingualism of the

performance would seem to indicate that the audience was full of survivors from various cultural

backgrounds, thus demonstrating the global impact the Holocaust had on Jewish peoples. Despite

the diversity of these people, they have been brought together by their support of this band and

association with Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services. This community is actively

taking a stand against the trauma of the Holocaust at this concert; with every lyric sung, every

dance move, and every moment of laughter, they are enjoying the life that was nearly taken from

6

them so many years ago. At the end of the event, the group took requests, one of which was

“Hallelujah.”3 The band then stopped for everyone to eat lunch.

Lunch was served by the volunteers and staff. The Holocaust survivors were served first,

followed by their family members, and then everyone else. Once lunch was served, the band sat

at the front of the room to eat. Dreier initially floated around the room, speaking with several

people at various tables. Black also moved around a good bit initially, as did Silver. I was able to

speak with Sosnowicz more in-depth. He explained to me that, while he does play other

keyboard instruments, his primary and favorite instrument is the accordion. He told me that he

plays in several different styles, not just klezmer. Since the accordion is present in several

musical traditions across the globe, it was not surprising that he is able to play works from

different genres. Sosnowicz’s cross-cultural musical talent explained the band’s variety of song

choices in the first half of the concert. After socializing, Dreier approached me to talk. I gave

him another synopsis of the thesis. We talked for quite some time, and he introduced me to

Black, and finally to Silver.

Once lunch was over, the band continued to play for a while, eventually closing with

“Hatikvah” and “God Bless America.” The fact that both nationalistic songs were performed

back-to-back as the finale seemed to indicate a sense of pride in both countries, which was

appropriate given Israel’s and the United States’ roles in assisting Jews after the Holocaust. They

played both songs with minimal instrumentation; however, everyone’s voices filled out the thin

texture. The unity of the voices reflected their rallying behind both Israel and the United States.

3 “Hallelujah” was penned by Leonard Cohen (who has Jewish roots) and originally released on his album

Various Positions in 1984. It went on to become an international hit and has been covered by many artists, most

notably Jeff Buckley.

7

The side-by-side performances of the two songs was an example of audience-specific

programming, which the band strives to do at every concert.

Performing the two nationalistic works was a nod to balancing Jewish traditions and

cultural adaptation: “Hatikvah” represents Jewish heritage, while “God Bless America”

exemplifies American life. By singing together, the people at the concert are experiencing a

sense of intimacy as all they pay tribute to both countries. This programming choice references

considerations of identity as embodied in Zionism: the dichotomy of the homeland and home.

After performing, the band began to break down their equipment, while the event staff

began to remove table cloths and clean up the rest of the room. I was then approached by Silver

again, and I spoke with her for the next fifteen to thirty minutes. Occasionally Dreier popped into

the conversation to make sure everything was going well, giving me the impression that Silver

had been designated to talk all of this out with me. She and I had a fascinating conversation,

primarily about her work as a journalist and her role in women’s health causes, a topic over

which she and I bonded. Silver determined that our meeting was not an accident, especially after

I indicated that I was a clarinetist interested in klezmer and our common concern for women’s

health issues.

Once he put away his drum set and other equipment, Dreier made his way over, and I

handed him several consent forms and project introductions, asking him to pass them along to

anyone else who might be interested in participating in my research. He explained to Sosnowicz

who I was and the premise of my thesis. Dreier said he would take care of the rest. He seemed to

be in a hurry, so I told him he and the band could read over the paperwork and mail it to me at

the address on my business card. Dreier explained to Silver that I had called him and how the

8

thesis process began. He wrapped his arm around me and described me as a sweetheart,

beautiful, and intelligent. Rapport had been established!

Background

Overview of Holocaust Survivor Band

They never knew each other

But experienced the most horrific atrocities of the 20th century

In all of its magnitude

Saul and Ruby became instant brothers

And a new family was formed.4

The Holocaust Survivor Band was co-founded in April 2014 by Saul Dreier, then an 89-

year-old resident of Coconut Creek, Florida, and Reuwen “Ruby” Sosnowicz, 85 years old at the

time, a Delray Beach, Florida, resident, in April 2014. Dreier was inspired to form a musical

ensemble of Holocaust survivors after reading about the death of pianist and fellow Holocaust

survivor Alice Herz-Sommer.

Herz-Sommer was the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor and concert pianist,5 passing

away at the age of one-hundred and ten. Prior to the Holocaust she had started her career as a

pianist by regularly performing as a soloist for the Czech Philharmonic and by releasing several

commercial recordings. After the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia she and her family were sent to

Theresienstadt. Theatrical and musical performances were allowed in that particular camp; Herz-

Sommer became one of the core pianists of Theresienstadt and performed over one hundred

concerts there. Like Dreier, she found music to be a source of hope within the concentration

camp setting. She went on to be socially and musically active in her later years of life by

4 The Holocaust Survivor Band, accessed January 25, 2016, http://www.theholocaustsurvivorband.com/. 5 Caroline Stoessinger, A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World’s

Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor, first edition (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2012), xiii.

9

practicing piano at 10 a.m. daily and hosting visitors every afternoon.6 Dreier has also remained

quite active in his senior years. Both of them worked hard in all that they did—their experiences

in the concentration camps did not stop them from living life to the fullest. Given their common

background and characteristics, it is no wonder that Herz-Sommer’s story resonated with Dreier

and caused him to form the band. He stated “We can do it in her honor. We want to never forget

what happened to us.”7 Dreier told both his wife and rabbi of these plans; they told him he was

crazy.8 He was undaunted, and after purchasing a drum set, he began to look for fellow survivors

to join his band.

Dreier was referred to Sosnowicz, a keyboard and accordion player who is also a

survivor. In a phone conversation they discussed the possibility of forming a band and agreed to

meet at Sosnowicz’s home. After talking and playing together at this meeting, they decided to

co-found a band. Sosnowicz’s daughter, Chana Sosnowicz, was also present at the meeting and

agreed to sing for the band.9 According to Dreier, they have each taken on different roles within

the band:

I’m very, very friendly with Ruby. He’s strictly a musician. I am both. I’m a little

musician and a big businessman. So I handle the Holocaust Survivor Band out of

my business experience, plus I play the drums. Ruby has strictly been a musician

for many years. He takes care of the music as much as he can. Of course, we are

getting older, so we’re a little slow. Chana is our soloist and also the … how you

call it … separate … I don’t know the name of it … she speaks for us and

everything.10

6 Malcolm Clarke, The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life (Reed Entertainment, Media Verite,

Bunbury Film, 2013). 7 David A. Schwartz, “Survivor Plays Music to Remember Shoah,” Sun Sentinel, May 5, 2014,

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-05-05/florida-jewish-journal/fl-jjbs-yomband-0508-20140505_1_alice-herz-

sommer-klezmer-terezin. 8 Louie Lazar, “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas,” Tablet

Magazine, December 23, 2014, http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/187865/holocaust-

survivor-band-vegas. 9 Ibid. 10 Saul Dreier, interview by Emily Ruth Allen, July 20, 2015, Festival Flea Market Mall, Pompano Beach,

FL.

10

British-born guitarist Jeff Black, also a descendant of Holocaust survivors, later joined the

group.11 Since it is becoming more difficult to find Holocaust survivors who could perform in

this ensemble, they occasionally hire additional performers on an as-needed basis as well.12

The band’s first concert was on July 27, 2014, at Temple Haim in Margate, Florida.13

Since that time they have completed a first series of performances, which lasted from July 2014

to May 2015, and began their second string of performances in September 2015. The band

typically takes time off in July and August.14 While the Holocaust Survivor Band has primarily

played at synagogues and retirement homes throughout southern Florida, they have also played

in Las Vegas, New York, and other cities across the United States. In addition to performing they

have been involved in other projects as well, including recording an album, participating in Lipa

Schmeltzer’s15 music videos for “Shain Vi Di Levone”16 and “Belz,”17 serving as ambassadors

for the Embassy for Global Peace, and participating in Holocaust education and memorial

events.

The Holocaust Survivor Band has had many significant musical achievements. The group

released a single titled “Peace for the World” with Survivor Records on September 23, 2015.18

11 Lois K. Solomon, “The Chords That Bind - Music of the Past Provides a Form of Healing for Members

of Holocaust Survivor Band,” Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), February 7, 2015, Palm Beach edition. 12 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 13 David A. Schwartz, “Spirited Performance - Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band’s First Concert a Hit,”

Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), August 24, 2014, North West Broward edition. 14 Saul Dreier, interview by Emily Ruth Allen, July 21, 2015, Wynmoor Village, Coconut Creek, FL. 15 Elazar Lipa Schmeltzer is an American Hasidic singer known for blending traditional Hasidic songs with

contemporary styles such as rock, jazz, and rap. His lyrics are in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. Schmeltzer has

released over thirteen solo albums. 16 Lipa Schmeltzer, LIPA Feat. The Holocaust Survivor Band “Shain Vi Di Levone,” accessed February 12,

2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3MRgBfwsP0. 17 Lipa Schmeltzer, BELZ - Lipa Feat. the Holocaust Survivor Band, accessed February 11, 2016,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkpbWado-so. 18 Shari Rose, “Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band,” Facebook, (August 29, 2015),

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=698420700290668&id=511085479024192.

11

They have also collaborated with the Israeli singer DuDu Fisher19 at a concert in the Grand

Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

Saul Dreier

Saul Dreier was born in Kraków, Poland.20 Throughout his life he has had intermittent

experiences as a performing musician. When he was seven years old, he received a clarinet as a

gift from his father.21 Dreier recalls taking the clarinet to school one day in second grade and

playing a Polish song from memory.22 Once the Second World War began, the clarinet was

sold.23 His sadness at losing the instrument was but the first in an escalating series of ultimately

tragic losses that would mark his life during this calamitous period. Thirty of Dreier’s relatives

were sent to Nazi camps, including his father, sister, mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and

cousins.24 Dreier was the only one of his family who survived, apart from one cousin with whom

he reconnected in 2010.25 He went through three concentration camps: Plaszow, Auschwitz, and

Mauthausen.26

19 David “Dudu” Fisher is an Israeli cantor and performer best known for his performances in Israel and

New York as Jean Valjean in the musical Les Misérables. Prior to his Broadway performances, he studied at the Tel

Aviv Academy of Music. At the age of twenty-two, Fisher was invited to serve as cantor of Tel Aviv’s synagogue. Fisher has performed for professional symphony orchestras, theater productions, Broadway productions, and films.

He has also done one-man productions such as “Never on Friday” and “Something Old, Something New.” To date, Fisher has recorded over twenty albums.

20 The Holocaust Survivor Band. 21 Lazar, “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas.” 22 Ibid. 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. 25 Lisa J. Huriash, “Six Decades after Holocaust, Cousins Reunite,” Sun Sentinel, December 2, 2010,

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-12-02/news/fl-holocaust-reunite-20101202_1_cousins-concentration-camp-

holocaust-museum. 26 Lois K. Solomon, “Holocaust Survivor Band Travels South Florida Music Circuit,” Sun Sentinel,

February 6, 2015, http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-holocaust-survivor-band-

20150206-story.html.

12

In the Plaszow concentration camp, Dreier learned to play drums by tapping two spoons

grandparents together to accompany a choir that he and some other boys from the barrack

formed.27 After the war he was sent to a displaced persons camp in Italy.28 In this camp a truck

arrived with a piano and a set of drums; he then volunteered to play the drums in the camp’s

resident band.29 Dreier went on to perform dance music each night with other survivors at the

camp.30 Once he was liberated, he traveled to Linz, Austria, and, in 1949, to the United States,

where he became a real estate developer.31 Dreier married a fellow survivor, Clara Brill, in

1957.32 Dreier never played again until sometime in 2014, when he discovered a drum set at

Temple Haim in Margate, Florida.33 Since founding the Holocaust Survivor Band, he has been

an active drummer and business person within the ensemble.

Reuwen “Ruby” Sosnowicz

Ruby Sosnowicz was born in Warsaw, Poland, to a musical family. 34 His family had

attempted to flee to Russia, but they were held in the Warsaw Ghetto. 35 Sosnowicz escaped the

ghetto and was found by a Polish farmer, who hid him in a barn and fed him.36 After the war he

ended up in a displaced persons camp in Germany, where he acquired his first accordion.37

Sosnowicz then journeyed to Israel, where he joined the army.38 He eventually married Regina

27 Joshua Z. Weinstein, “‘Holocaust Survivor Band,’” The New York Times, March 3, 2015,

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/opinion/holocaust-survivor-band.html. 28 Lazar, “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas.” 29 Ibid. 30 Ibid. 31 The Holocaust Survivor Band. 32 Lazar, “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas.” 33 Solomon, “Holocaust Survivor Band Travels South Florida Music Circuit.” 34 Lazar, “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas.” 35 Ibid. 36 Ibid. 37 Weinstein, “‘Holocaust Survivor Band.’” 38 The Holocaust Survivor Band.

13

Moustaki and went on to become a hairdresser, photographer, and professional musician.

Sosnowicz has performed in France, Canada, and the United States. In New York he performed

at Studio 54, the Jacob Javits Convention Center, and the Workman's Circle/Arbeter Ring; he

also played in bands on cruise ships.39 He has played with stars such as Alan King and Carol

Channing40 and now serves as the musical director of the Holocaust Survivor Band.

Summary of Personal Experiences with the Holocaust Survivor Band

Throughout my time as a musicologist, I have explored different resources about Jewish

music and music from the Holocaust. My interest in klezmer as a performer has factored into

this, as I played clarinet in ensemble performances of several klezmer chamber works during my

undergraduate years. I have also taken into account my more personal motivations, including my

status as a non-denominational Christian, my curiosity about Judaism, and my interest in

interfaith relations through music. Because of these experiences, I was drawn to Jewish music.

In March 2015 my friend and fellow graduate student Carrie Danielson sent me a New

York Times article about a klezmer band of Holocaust survivors in South Florida. Thinking about

the research I had been doing, I immediately became interested in the Holocaust Survivor Band.

Additionally, I liked the idea of doing a local project. As an introvert I struggled as to whether I

should approach the band or not.

Around that time the musicologist and Holocaust music researcher James Grymes came

to The Florida State University, his alma mater, as a guest scholar. During a one-on-one meeting,

Dr. Grymes encouraged me to take advantage of the opportunity and contact the band. He had

heard of the group, as well, and seemed to think the band members would be approachable due

39 Ibid. 40 Ibid.

14

to their previous interview experience. Having noticed that Dreier’s phone number was listed on

the bottom of an online article, I called him, and the research process began.

Dreier and I agreed to meet for the first time at the concert that the Holocaust Survivor

Band held on May 12, 2015. After meeting Sosnowicz and Dreier at that concert, I corresponded

with Dreier’s lawyer, Jillene Doolkadir, throughout the summer to work out the details

concerning the band’s participation in this project. Following much correspondence throughout

June and July, I finally set up two interview meetings with Dreier, which were scheduled for July

20 and July 21, 2015. He later invited me to Marquee Studios on the evening of July 21 to hear

the band work on their single “Peace for the World.” There I also met Chana Sosnowicz for the

first time.

After these experiences I wished to become better acquainted with the Sosnowicz family

and also wanted to attend a performance featuring the whole band, as Chana Sosnowicz had not

been at the concert I had gone to in May. On September 9, 2015, I attended the band’s concert at

The Waterford, a senior living community, in Juno Beach, Florida. I have immensely enjoyed

my experiences with the Holocaust Survivor Band and will regularly reference and discuss these

events throughout the thesis.

Purpose and Significance

The purpose of this thesis is to consider the mission and reception of the Holocaust

Survivor band, both as an active musical ensemble in the present and a referent for historical

engagement with one of the darkest episodes in human history, the Holocaust. Many people,

including myself, have been captivated by the fact that this is a band comprising various

generations of Holocaust survivors. Historical monographs, psychological studies, memoirs, and

other types of Holocaust literature have referred to multi-generational survivorship.

15

Those who actually lived through the Holocaust are considered to be first-generation

survivors; in this case, Dreier and Sosnowicz. The children of these survivors (e.g., Chana) are

often called second-generation survivors or the second generation. The phrase second-generation

Holocaust survivor is often used in studies of transmitted or intergenerational post-traumatic

stress disorder.41 The identifier “second generation” seems to be more commonly used in

Holocaust literature. Second generation implies that children of Holocaust survivors “are also in

one way or another both victims and survivors of the Holocaust … [T]he phrase seems to suggest

a fundamental continuity between first and second generation.”42

The continuity is an important part of the survivor lineage. The family line has thrived

because of the existence of the first-generation survivor. Second- and third-generations have

heard the stories of their survivor-parent or grandparent and can also serve as witnesses, adding

their memories to those of the first-generation survivor. While Dreier and Sosnowicz are able to

share their own stories and music, Chana and Black are helping them, thus also serving as

musical witnesses. The multigenerational survival and witness legacy is clearly a crucial aspect

of the group.

My study is different from other projects about the band because of my ability to relate to

Sosnowicz and Dreier as a fellow musician. While I am not Jewish or fluent in Yiddish or

Hebrew, I understand the experiences of making music, performing music, and expressing

oneself through music. I portray the ensemble’s musical experiences through statements and

information from the band members themselves, through descriptions in various articles and

41 See Juni, Samuel. “Second-Generation Holocaust Survivors: Psychological, Theological, and Moral

Challenges.” Journal of Trauma & Dissociation 17, no. 1 (2015 2016): 97. Another example is Scharf, Miri, and

Ofra Mayseless. “Disorganizing Experiences in Second- and Third-Generation Holocaust Survivors.” Qualitative

Health Research 21, no. 11 (2011): 1539–53. 42 Ernst van Alphen, “Second-Generation Testimony, Transmission of Trauma, and Postmemory,” Poetics

Today 27, no. 2 (2006): 474, doi:10.1215/03335372-2005-015.

16

media, through my observations of their performances and rehearsals, and through my

interpretations of all this information.

One of the key goals of the Holocaust Survivor Band is to promote peace. Despite the

hardships that Dreier and Sosnowicz have faced, this is a group of “Holocaust survivors playing

music for world peace.”43 They have been able to do so by performing for fellow survivors and

other Jewish people, releasing the single “Peace for the World,” and speaking with the Embassy

for Global Peace. The ensemble conveys this perspective by appealing to various audiences and

playing in several musical styles, as suggested by their former Facebook fan page name,

“Holocaust Survivor Klezmer & Multicultural Band.” Peace advocacy is one of the core

components of the group’s performances and activities.

The band’s activities contribute to the historical memory of the Holocaust as well, and

this is also central to their mission. They accomplish this by playing in concerts and sharing their

life stories in interviews. In addition to performing the Holocaust Survivor Band adds to

Holocaust studies by speaking with reporters and others, including me, who can create a

permanent record of their experiences both during the Holocaust and as members of the

ensemble up through the present day. Other interviewers, the band, and I are doing oral history, a

prominent methodology in Holocaust studies. Lynn Abrams provides an excellent explanation of

oral history that is applicable here:

Oral history is a catch-all term applied to two things. It refers to the process of

conducting and recording interviews with people in order to elicit information

from them about the past. But an oral history is also the product of that interview,

the narrative account of past events. It is then both a research methodology (a

means of conducting an investigation) and the result of the research process; in

other words, it is both the act of recording and the record that is produced.44

43 “The Holocaust Survivor Band.” 44

Lynn Abrams, Oral History Theory (New York: Routledge, 2010), 2.

17

I have used oral history as a core methodology for this project.

The band also stimulates historical memory through its musical performances. Since it is

a klezmer ensemble, the group plays music that was especially prominent before the Second

World War. They reference pre-war times as they celebrate and preserve klezmer. In doing so

they are honoring the memory of earlier generations of klezmorim who were almost completely

lost in the Shoah. Shoah, meaning “calamity,” is a Hebrew word that has become a standard term

within Jewish communities for the Nazi-led genocide more commonly known as the Holocaust.

Historian Shirli Gilbert describes music’s role in memory: “Music is not only itself a subject of

historical memory, but also a vehicle for the transmission of memory. Since the immediate post-

war years, it has played an important part in commemoration ceremonies, both those organized

by survivors and those instituted later by second- and third-generation communities.”45 By

performing for Jewish and non-Jewish audiences alike, the Holocaust Survivor Band pays tribute

to people and musical traditions lost during the Holocaust. The ensemble’s engagement with the

past has resulted in a contemporary musical response. As well-known Holocaust survivors, both

direct and through descent lines, the ensemble’s members serve as a reminder of those who

perished in and survived the Holocaust.

When the band plays for fellow survivors, its performance can be seen as a nostalgic

event. This nostalgia does not diminish the horrors of the Holocaust but rather serves as a

connection between the past and present—the Holocaust Survivor Band is a testament to earlier

generations of Jewish musicians. The group is playing the music of the members’ and audience’s

ancestors and referencing their lost families; they are longing for lost communities and culture.

While nostalgia is not typically associated with the Holocaust, it is a term that adequately

45

Shirli Gilbert, Music in the Holocaust: Confronting Life in the Nazi Ghettos and Camps (Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 2005), 196.

18

describes the attachment that survivors can have to their pre-war “homes,” whether that be a time

period itself, people, or a place. This nostalgia does not undermine the current experiences of the

ensemble or imply that their present circumstances are unfortunate. On the other hand, the band’s

reminiscence is not without negative aspects either—it emphasizes the Holocaust and the loss

and pain resulting from it. Nostalgia, because it indicates an interest in former times, has

motivated the band to preserve, restore, and build upon klezmer, the music of their Jewish pasts.

Their nostalgia has served as an incentive to make music and to enjoy their time together as a

band, thus allowing for a more positive reaction to negative past experiences.

In addition to the group’s message of peace and its historical contributions, I have also

noticed how the Holocaust Survivor Band has been beneficial for its members. Dreier and

Sosnowicz have had the opportunity to make wonderful memories despite the challenges that

come with later years in life. Chana Sosnowicz is spending more time with her father by working

with him in the band. They have all bonded over their Jewish heritage and Holocaust

experiences. Dreier and Ruby Sosnowicz have found refuge in music again and are bringing to

life their passion for performing.

While this project is about the band, I, too, am contributing to this story through my

questions posed to Dreier. Even though the interview process was only one component of this

project, it is worth addressing because of the personal connection between Dreier, the informant,

and me, the researcher. This thesis, to my knowledge, includes the first Dreier interview

conducted by a musician and, most notably, for an academic endeavor. Both of these

components set this thesis apart from other projects about the band.

In sum the Holocaust Survivor Band has impacted both its members and those around

them through their musical performances, community and historical activism, and involvement

19

in various media and academic endeavors, including the interviews they granted me for this

thesis. While they are still not widely known, I hope to follow their continuing success in their

performances and other activities. I have enjoyed becoming acquainted with Dreier, Ruby

Sosnowicz, and Chana Sosnowicz, and I appreciate being their “official” groupie.

Survey of Literature

Holocaust Survivor Band Literature

The Holocaust Survivor Band has been the subject of many articles and different types of

media. The best sources of information are their website (theholocaustsurvivorband.com) and

their main Facebook fan page, “Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band” (previously listed under

“Holocaust Survivor Klezmer & Multicultural Band”). The band posts articles, photos, videos,

and interviews to both forums. Most of the articles come from the local newspaper, the South

Florida Sun-Sentinel. There are several isolated articles46 that address individual performances

by the group. The ensemble has also participated in radio interviews, podcasts, and

documentaries. All these resources about them have provided factual information, additional

statements from the band, and perspectives from other people who have encountered this group.

These materials contextualize the activities of the band and help explain how they are honoring

Holocaust victims and how they are using music as a means to share their stories.

Holocaust Literature

Since the Holocaust much primary and secondary literature about the era has surfaced.

While there are some books by survivors, there has also been much secondary literature about

46 These articles are by locals who attended their concerts, particularly their performances in southern

Florida and Los Angeles. There are also many social media posts praising or criticizing them; most of these posts

are from people sharing the New York Times Op-Doc.

20

the Shoah. Secondary sources are readily available in online databases, libraries, and other

research institutions. Testimonies and other primary sources can be accessed through

organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the University of

Southern California Shoah Foundation.

There is, of course, literature that discusses music from or inspired by the Holocaust.

Shirli Gilbert’s Music in the Holocaust contextualizes musical life in Nazi camps. Gilbert argues

that the tendency to view music from the Holocaust as a means of commemoration and spiritual

resistance can diminish the actual horrors that took place in the Nazi camps. This applies to the

Holocaust Survivor Band. The press often frames the group in a positive and inspirational

manner, but this perspective does not take into full account what they went through as teenagers.

There are also texts that summarize Holocaust art, music, and literature. Bearing Witness: A

Resource Guide to Literature, Poetry, Art, Music, and Videos by Holocaust Victims and

Survivors, compiled by Philip Rosen and Nina Apfelbaum, lists several notable composers,

authors, artists, and projects about the Holocaust. Susan Willoughby’s Art, Music, and Writings

from the Holocaust discusses select Holocaust works. Both of these resources demonstrate the

vast amount of Holocaust literature and help their readers to understand how the Holocaust

Survivor Band compares to other musical responses to the Shoah. All these texts show that art

has been a significant topic of secondary Holocaust literature and historical memory.

Some works have also critically evaluated secondary Holocaust memorials and literature.

Nicole Hoekstra’s 2010 Florida State University master’s thesis, “Never Forget: How Public

Memory of the Holocaust is Displayed in Holocaust Museums and Memorials in Florida,”

summarizes the surrounding Holocaust memorials around the Holocaust Survivor Band in

Florida. This shows the commemorative process at a more local level, provides some context of

21

the large Jewish population in Florida, and presents possible motivation behind and influences on

the band. Amy Lynn Wlodarski’s Musical Witness and Holocaust Representation discusses well-

known responses to the Shoah in European art music. Through her evaluations of such works,

she provides excellent insight into music’s role in memory of the Holocaust and into concepts of

survivors’ expression through music that are applicable to the band. Robert M. Ehrenreich and R.

Clifton Spargo’s After Representation?: The Holocaust, Literature, and Culture is a collection of

essays that addresses trauma, testimony, memory, historiography, and other themes in Holocaust

literature. All three of these books discuss concepts that apply to the case of the Holocaust

Survivor Band and were used for theoretical approaches to this thesis.

Memory, Nostalgia, Commemoration

To better understand the historical significance of this band, it was necessary to study

literature on memory, commemoration, nostalgia, and other forms of recalling, reconstructing, or

representing the past. Two texts were particularly helpful in the research process. Svetlana

Boym’s The Future of Nostalgia has been useful in understanding both the positive and negative

connotations of the term nostalgia. Boym emphasizes two types of nostalgia: restorative and

reflective nostalgia. Dreier and Sosnowicz can be seen as undergoing restorative nostalgia,

because they are performing again and have reconnected with their previous musical

experiences. On the other hand, they can evoke reflective nostalgia by playing music and

performing for audiences to encourage contemplation of the Holocaust. Niamh Moore and

Yvonne Whelan’s Heritage, Memory, and the Politics of Identity contains a collection of essays

that each offer different perspectives on historiography, memory, and memorialization that apply

22

to my thesis. This text was especially helpful in developing the commemoration and

memorialization discussion in Chapter 2.

Oral History

While many resources are available on the topic of interviewing and writing oral history,

I have attempted to understand both the theoretical and practical aspects of oral history. By doing

so, I have been able to engage better with the Holocaust Survivor Band. Oral history has been an

integral part of Holocaust studies, so thorough reading on the subject was essential for this

project.

Regarding developing theoretical frameworks for this thesis, I found the most useful

resource to be Oral History Theory, by Lynn Abrams. This work is beneficial for those not

traditionally trained in the field of oral history. Abrams discusses topics that are relevant to this

project, including oral history interviews, narrativity, life stories, and memory. After reading this

text, I was able to conduct my research with a more in-depth understanding of my conversations

with the band.

To address the more practical side of oral history, I referred to the Handbook of Oral

History, edited by Thomas L. Charlton, Lois E. Meyers, and Rebecca Sharpless. While covering

similar topics to those dealt with by Abrams, this text incorporated more examples and

interviewing approaches for each theoretical concept. The book offers some different

perspectives on oral history, including legal and ethical issues, archiving, and transcribing. This

comprehensive text was one of my frequent go-to resources throughout the research process.

Both of these resources were useful for my interviews with Dreier and the interactions I

had with the other band members. This literature also allowed me to understand how oral history

contributes to the collective and historical memory of the Holocaust.

23

Klezmer Resources

Books about klezmer illuminate the origins and fundamental principles of this musical

tradition and thus help to understand the music of Dreier and Sosnowicz’s heritage. Additionally,

they help to illuminate how the Holocaust Survivor Band is reviving and celebrating the music of

their ancestors.

Klezmer!: Jewish Music from Old World to Our World, by Henry Sapoznik, provides a

historical overview of klezmer, starting with its roots in Jewish liturgical music and early

development in Europe. Sapoznik tries to make klezmer accessible by including an appendix on

modes and scales, an appendix on dances, and a bibliography. I found this work to be helpful in

learning about klezmer history and terminology. A second useful text is The Essential Klezmer:

A Music Lover’s Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music, from the Old World to the Jazz Age to

the Downtown Avant-Garde, by Seth Rogovoy. The discography in this book allowed me to refer

to different albums and to immerse myself in the sounds of klezmer in order to learn who the

most well-known artists are in this genre, providing a better framework through which to process

the music of the Holocaust Survivor Band.

Joel Rubin’s works are also useful in terms of becoming aurally prepared for the genre.

He has released many records with the Joel Rubin Klezmer Band, Brave Old World, and Rubin

and Horowitz that are worth listening to. His recording efforts were one of the main reasons for

the revival of klezmer in the late twentieth century. In terms of his publications, I have primarily

worked with his essay “‘Like a String of Pearls’: Reflections on the Role of Brass

Instrumentalists in Jewish Instrumental Klezmer Music and the Trope of ‘Jewish Jazz’” in Of

Early Twentieth-Century Brass Idioms: Art, Jazz, and Other Popular Traditions. This chapter

sheds light on klezmer’s crossover with jazz, a regular occurrence in the United States during the

24

early twentieth century; it helped me understand the history of the American klezmer scene in

which the Holocaust Survivor Band exists.

Mark Slobin’s Fiddler on the Move describes klezmer’s development as a transnational

genre; in terms of American klezmer, he explains how it has become viewed as distinctly

American music that is performed by both Jews and non-Jews. Slobin’s text demonstrates how

klezmer can appeal to people from various cultural backgrounds, making it an efficient tool for

the Holocaust Survivor Band to build a stronger following.

Jewish Music Resources

Given the rich and complex history of Judaism, it was necessary to read literature that

surveys Jewish music history. Doing so establishes context for the tradition that Dreier and

Sosnowicz are representing and continuing. Such resources also clarify some of the music

terminology and more traditional or religious aspects of Jewish music.

The Music of Israel: From the Biblical Era to Modern Times, by Peter Gradenwitz,

provides a broad historical perspective of Judaic musical traditions. This comprehensive text

explains the musical heritage that the Holocaust Survivor Band celebrates. Another helpful

resource is Philip Bohlman’s Jewish Music and Modernity. Bohlman discusses brief histories of

Jewish modernity and topics including the lack of documented Jewish music history, Eastern

versus Western Jewish traditions, the establishment of “Jewish” music conceptually, and other

elements of Jewishness in music. This text presents issues pertinent to the band that

contextualize the ensemble within a historical ethnographic framework. Bohlman further

explains this approach in his chapter “Returning to the Ethnomusicological Past” in Shadows in

the Field. Finally, another useful text has been Discovering Jewish Music, by Marsha Bryan

Edelman. This book functions as a listening guide to Jewish music. By becoming aurally

25

accustomed to various types of Jewish music, the scholar can better understand idioms,

references, or quotations in the band’s music.

While I do not have a strong background in Judaism, these books helped me to learn

about Jewish music history to work on this project. This knowledge has allowed me to appreciate

the historical significance of the Holocaust Survivor Band and the lineage from which the band

comes.

Methodology

Background Research

The Holocaust Survivor Band’s public Facebook page has been useful in learning about

their concerts and personal triumphs and in obtaining videos, articles, and other types of media. I

have used that content as a basis for my online research and have found additional online

materials as a result. Having collected over three hundred examples of media about the band, I

try to remain up-to-date on their media coverage. In addition to talking with the band and

following their Facebook page, I receive Google alerts via email when new online content about

them surfaces. I made flow charts about the band’s performances, each band member’s life, and

more, using the Cmap Tools software.47 Performances and other events are arranged either

chronologically or thematically. I extracted relevant quotations or facts from articles and my own

experiences and put them into these flow charts. The various articles, videos, and pictures

contextualize statements that Dreier made in his interview and have provided points of

discussion for the thesis.

47 CmapTools software was created by the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC). It

allows users to create concept maps to construct visually thought processes, timelines, and other forms of

brainstorming. CmapTools is a free program that can store these concept maps on personal computers,

CmapServers, or anywhere else on the Internet. For further information about this software, consult

http://cmap.ihmc.us/.

26

Oral History

The advantage of performing oral history versus other methodologies is that it provides a

personal touch to history. Stories are told directly by the witnesses of the events and contribute

testimonial support to historical events. The human voice, or a transcription of it, conveys the

emotional aspects and perceptions of the events that have taken place in each interviewee’s

lifetime. Beyond simple factual presentation of information, Dreier and Sosnowicz provide

personal reflection and opinions about events. Oral history empowers the respondent since he or

she can contribute to his or her history. Lynn Abrams describes the process as follows:

Oral history exists in four forms: the original oral interview, the recorded version

of the interview, the written transcript and the interpretation of the interview

material. These are distinct from one another with the recording, transcript and

interpretation mediated and edited versions of the real-time interview. Thus, the

historian hears and reads different versions of the narrative using each to create

another – the interpretation – in a chain of versions. At each link of the chain a

number of practical issues arise which have implications for the interpretation to

be undertaken.48

As Abrams describes, oral history is a complicated process. While this aspect of my thesis has

not been without challenges, I have thoroughly enjoyed not only the process of getting to know

the Holocaust Survivor Band but also of learning to conduct interviews.

I wanted to incorporate interviews into this project because they are “practical means of

obtaining information about the past … [and are] event[s] of communication” that allow us to

find ways of “comprehending not just what is said, but also how it is said, why it is said and what

it means.”49 While I wanted to interview all members of the band, I was not able to do so, due to

scheduling conflicts and time constraints. I was able to conduct two extensive interviews with

48

Abrams, Oral History Theory, 9. 49

Ibid., 1.

27

Dreier. I have also had several informal conversations with Chana Sosnowicz and Ruby

Sosnowicz that inform the findings of this thesis.

I decided to hold conversation-style interviews with Dreier, rather than more formal

question-and-answer based ones, in order to create a comfortable environment. This also allowed

for a more natural flow of conversation that let Dreier dictate the narrative of the interview.

While I realize that my own questions and involvement inherently influenced his narrative, the

conversational method of interviewing likely helped to lessen my impact on Dreier’s responses.

Formulating Interview Questions

In preparation for my field interviews, I developed four sets of questions: one for Dreier,

another for Ruby Sosnowicz, one for Chana Sosnowicz, and a last set for a group interview. Due

to scheduling conflicts, however, I have only interviewed Dreier thus far. For my meetings with

him, I developed an interview guide, adhering to the following advice from Valerie Raleigh

Yow:

An interview guide (sometimes referred to as the interview format) is a plan for

an interview. The guide contains the topics the interviewer will pursue but does

not limit the interview to those topics because the narrator will have the freedom

to suggest others. The guide will have specific questions phrased in an open-

ended way as much as possible—that is, there will often be no stated limit to the

number of ways the narrator may answer. An order strictly following the guide

will not be imposed on the narrator who may wish to follow a different order that

makes more sense to him or her. However, the guide provides a strategy for

following a line of questioning.50

I wrote open-ended questions that were designed to contain as little bias or direction as possible.

Such questions fostered a conversation-style, relaxed interview. There were some exceptions to

this in the actual interview. I did provide some “lead-ins” by mentioning several relevant names

50

Valerie Raleigh Yow, Recording Oral History: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists (Thousand Oaks,

CA: Sage, 1994), 36.

28

and concepts that could potentially help Dreier understand the question. Additionally, I did ask

some finite questions to obtain factual information.

For questions about the band’s biography, music, performances, etc., I intentionally used

the simplest wording possible. I listed two or three variations of each question on my interview

guide so that I could provide different ways for Dreier to understand what I was asking. This

proved to be quite helpful since Dreier does not have the best hearing. Because I also likely

suffer from hearing loss, I was glad to be able to restate the question in various ways so that I

could have him repeat his answer for me to hear clearly.

Interviewing

I was able to interview Dreier since he is fully retired and therefore more available to do

interview than other band members. Both Ruby and Chana Sosnowicz are employed, so I have

had to work around their schedules to meet and talk to them, and opportunities have been

limited.

While both of my interviews with Dreier went well overall, some of my interview tactics

were poor due to lack of experience. I was able to detect some of these issues during the

interviews and managed to reduce or eliminate some bad habits as our conversations went on.

However, I discovered some of the weaknesses in my interview techniques only when I listened

to the recordings. One of the first issues I noticed was my excessive amount of laughter. Out of

nervousness, I laughed at subject matter that was not intended to be humorous. There were also

moments in which my laughter overlapped with Dreier’s responses. I was also irritated by my

small phrases of acknowledgment, including quietly saying “Mm-hm” and other such responses

while he was talking. Lastly, and most problematically, I often anticipated what Dreier was

going to say and interrupted him by completing his sentence or posing a follow-up question in

29

advance of his completing his response to the present one. I feel that I did not always give him

the opportunity to speak freely. Many of these issues probably stemmed from my intention of

having a more relaxed, less formal interview session. We were perhaps too comfortable in

talking freely, resulting in a discontinuous and less structured conversation, which makes it

challenging to retain and collect valuable data for projects like this thesis. Despite all of this

Dreier was still able to do most of the talking and answer my questions thoroughly.

The interview locations also proved to be problematic. My first interview with Dreier

took place at the Festival Flea Market Mall. He had requested that I meet him there while he was

out shopping. Since I was determined to conduct a summer interview, I agreed to the location. I

also figured that it would be best to meet in a location in which he was comfortable. Dreier and I

were distracted by the sounds of people and background music in the mall; additionally, these

sounds are prominent throughout the recording of this interview. Our second meeting at the

clubhouse in his retirement community was much quieter. Unfortunately, towards the end of the

interview, Dreier and I were approached by a staff member and asked to move outside so others

could use the table. The challenges of these interview locations did not prevent Dreier and me

from having good conversations.

Transcription

I repeatedly listened to my recorded interviews with Dreier and typed out all content by

hand. To make the process easier, I used the audio-editing program Audacity to reduce

background noise and slow down the recording. One benefit of listening to the interviews a

number of times was the opportunity to reflect on the subject matter. Lynn Abrams describes this

reflection as follows: “Most practitioners will also say that the experience of transcribing one’s

own interviews is invaluable; it brings the interview back to life, and it identifies aspects of the

30

interview that went unnoticed at the time.”51 I would certainly agree with this, since I was no

longer burdened by nervousness or fatigue while listening to the recordings.

I initially accounted for various aspects of speech in my transcriptions to convey the

mood and flow of the conversation. In doing so, I hoped to begin my thesis with a “raw”

transcript. I recognize that the transcript cannot fully convey all aural aspects of my conversation

with Dreier. However, to convey his words as accurately as possible, I wrote down stuttering,

filler words (“ums” and “uhs”), and other inflections of speech that took place in the interviews. I

also noted interruptions and any actions on our part in brackets. For the published transcript I

have removed distracting grammatical errors, interjections, stuttering, and most filler words to

present a comprehensible, clear perspective of the interviews.

With Dreier’s approval I have offered quotations from the interview transcripts in this

thesis. I connected core keywords and concepts from the interviews to my arguments and

perspectives. I also compared my interviews to other interviews that the band has done. In doing

so, I have looked for consistency and determined what information is addressed in the media.

51 Abrams, Oral History Theory, 13.

31

CHAPTER 2

CELEBRATION OF JEWISH PASTS AND

COMMEMORATION OF HOLOCAUST VICTIMS

Here I emphasize the Holocaust Survivor Band’s ability to represent the Holocaust era to

present-day audiences. Most contemporary musical responses to the era are from people who are

not survivors. This ensemble is a testament to the Shoah, providing “musical witness” to the era.

Musicologist Amy Lynn Wlodarski describes this process as follows:

[M]usical witness infers this “possibility of immediate contact” with historical

materials or voices from the Holocaust … Its artistic voice is as varied and diversified as historical witness itself, as both are conditioned by the same

qualities of individual voice and experience, cultural context, and language that

critics have observed in other memorial accounts. The works therefore

communicate less about the Holocaust as a historical event and more about the

“memory-artists’ time, their place in aesthetic discourse, their media and

material.”52

Since this is a band of Holocaust survivors, they represent both primary and secondary

musical witnesses to the era. According to Dreier, finding fellow survivors was not easy:

“You have to understand, in this age, the Holocaust survivors are dying out. So it’s very

hard for us to find Holocaust survivor musicians. Because either their hand shakes, or

either their mouth … they don’t sing, because they’re old people. So, we’re trying to get

at least two first-generation Holocaust survivors to help us, to play with us.”53 Despite the

initial challenges of forming this group, these “memory-artists” use their positions to

share their life stories and to remind people that they should “Never Forget.”

52

Amy Lynn Wlodarski, introduction to Musical Witness and Holocaust Representation, Music Since

1900 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015), 1-2. Wlodarski quotes Berel Lang and James E. Young here. 53 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015.

32

For instance, at the band’s concert in September 2015, the ensemble performed as

part of The Waterford Round Table concert series, which is apparently intended to both

entertain and educate the Waterford’s residents. Between songs, Chana Sosnowicz

provided commentary on Dreier’s and Sosnowicz’s stories, the origin of each work, and,

occasionally, the instrumentation for a particular piece (e.g., Sosnowicz’s accordion).

They, of course, played music for this audience, but they took the opportunity to share

their stories and provide historical context for their music. Additionally, that particular

concert was being filmed by a documentary crew, so the band’s knowledge and music

will eventually be shared on a wider scale.

By collecting documents and speaking with the band, I am presenting a portion of

the Holocaust Survivor Band’s life story. Here I would like to use historian Lynn

Abrams’s explanation of a life story as a “narrative device used by an individual to make

sense of life or experiences in the past” that is an “interpretive, creative and changing

entity rather than a fixed description of life based on the facts.”54 The band members

present their stories, especially as they pertain to music, when speaking to the press and

institutions like the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Their stories are

becoming more widely known through documentaries like the New York Times Op-Doc

with Joshua Weinstein and the Nomadic Pictures film that is in-progress. Because of

increasing attention to the band, they now have more opportunities to discuss their

experiences. Chana Sosnowicz has mentioned that the band regularly receives emails

with offers to perform or speak at events. By using oral history and document-based

research, I am contributing to the ensemble’s life story with this thesis.

54

Abrams, Oral History Theory, 40–41.

33

In performing for memorialization events, performing for other survivors, and

telling their life story to the media, the Holocaust Survivor Band contributes to the

collective living memory of those who survived the Shoah. Contributions to this memory

are diminishing as survivors continue to pass away, which makes this ensemble all the

more significant. Collective memory is “memory as directly experienced on the one hand,

and memory as indirectly stimulated and mediated through wider agencies and

ideologies.”55 Both perspectives are applicable here. Dreier and Sosnowicz, of course,

offer their individual memories of the Holocaust through interviews, videos, and music.

They can also stimulate collective memory as others become aware of this band and

participate as audience members listening to their performances. For example, at the

concert in May, in a room mostly full of Holocaust survivors, the band and audience

members were all experiencing the same music, but they surely recalled various

memories and emotions from their past. The Holocaust Survivor Band served as the

facilitator for its own and the audiences’ memories by playing such music. People

danced, sat, talked, or did nothing; there was a wide variety of responses within the room.

By evoking such memory the ensemble becomes part of a commemorative

process, creating a musical contribution to the memorialization of the Holocaust. The

Holocaust Survivor Band contributes to the historical and collective memory of the

Shoah by working with established institutions, sponsors, and audiences to honor fellow

victims. They are commemorating the victims, an important element in Holocaust studies

and memorials. I use the word commemoration to mean the “coordination of individual

55

Iain Robertson and Tim Hall, “Memory, Identity and the Memorialization of Conflict in the Scottish Highlands,” in Heritage, Memory and the Politics of Identity: New Perspectives on the Cultural Landscape, ed.

Niamh Moore and Yvonne Whelan, Heritage, Culture, and Identity (Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2007), 21.

34

and group memories.”56 Both of the concerts I attended demonstrated this. Even though

the September concert was in a more public venue, people still understood the

significance of the Holocaust Survivor Band. The ensemble was acting as spokespersons

for Holocaust education, human survival, and peace.

In doing so the band can participate in several forms of memorialization through

organizations such as the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation and the

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. While memorialization often frames the

Holocaust as a distant memory and event of the past, the presence of survivors like Dreier

and Sosnowicz can add a more personal touch to recalling the era. Memorial events are

communal activities consisting of survivor and non-survivor participants, allowing the

Holocaust Survivor Band to contribute their experiences as musicians to the greater

public’s understanding of the Shoah. Since there are several forums for this collective

remembrance, the band has many performance opportunities to commemorate Holocaust

victims.

Through commemoration the Holocaust Survivor Band contributes to the contemporary

understanding of the Holocaust, or historical memory, as well. Historical memory stems from

present-day people who did not experience the Holocaust, consisting of their knowledge and

perceptions of that time. The band reminds us of the Holocaust not only by the fact that they are

survivors but also because they are playing klezmer, the music of their ancestors. They explain

this in the “Mission and Vision Statement” on their website: “Music heals the soul! Saul, Ruby

and Chana Rose are trying to impact as many people of the world to understand that they must

56

Abrams, Oral History Theory, 101.

35

push the lessons of the past into the understanding of now. Humanity must prevail for the future

of our next generations.”57

Both historical and collective memory are particularly important aspects of Holocaust

studies. Lynn Abrams summarizes these two types of memory as they pertain to the Holocaust:

Historical memory … is a memory (or a representation) of a past that is lost,

whereas collective memory is anchored in the social group that actively preserves

and reinterprets the past via the consciousness of those who are still alive. The

distinction might be illustrated in the context of the Holocaust. A collective

memory exists amongst the few survivors who can still remember based on their

lived experience. A historical memory of the Holocaust also exists amongst later

generations for whom the events are a “learned historical experience” informed

by a variety of narratives portrayed in the printed and visual media.58

Memory helps the ensemble understand their status as some of the few remaining

survivors and the significance of their current performances. It connects their past with

present circumstances.

This process involving memory, commemoration, and memorialization is best

summarized as follows:

Collective memory “does not preserve the past but reconstructs it with the aid of

the material traces, rites, texts and traditions left behind” … This reconstruction, however, is always undertaken in the context of the present. Memorials and the

process of memorialization are important means to this, as commemorative

activity is one of the principal ways by which “historical memory” is stimulated.59

In doing all this, the Holocaust Survivor Band functions as an evocation of the past.

Such a commemorative process calls for reflection upon the past by its participants. By

playing klezmer and recalling pre-war times, the band is faced with losses from the Holocaust,

which can result in feelings of nostalgia. They play many “hit tunes” of Dreier and Sosnowicz’s

57 The Holocaust Survivor Band. 58

Abrams, Oral History Theory, 101. 59

Robertson and Hall, “Memory, Identity and the Memorialization of Conflict in the Scottish Highlands,” 21.

36

generation. Their longing to connect with the past has resulted in an ensemble that honors the

music of their ancestors. In this case, nostalgia has functioned in a positive manner, acting as a

catalyst and inspiring the band to musically respond to the Holocaust. Because nostalgia is

measured by time, Dreier’s and Sosnowicz’s lifetimes of memories largely inform their music.

Herz-Sommer had a similar past to Dreier, which led him to form the ensemble. Dreier’s and

Sosnowicz’s experiences inform their selection of repertoire, instrumentation, and venue. They

are Jewish and therefore perform klezmer at synagogues in southern Florida; both of them are

well-traveled and have assimilated musical styles they learned from places like Italy, Israel,

Poland, and various European nations that are now a part of the band’s varied repertoire. The

Holocaust Survivor Band is the capstone of Dreier’s and Sosnowicz’s musical pasts.

As can be seen, the negative and positive emotions associated with nostalgia have

manifested themselves into a beautiful artistic response to one of the darkest time periods in

history. This response was in full force at the band’s concert in May in the room full of

Holocaust survivors, people who would best recognize the nostalgic value of the musical

traditions to the ensemble. The audience members clapped, danced (including the Hora), and

sang to the songs that the band performed. Many requested songs, and the group played the

pieces that were requested. With so much engagement it is clear that they all shared an

understanding of or appreciation for their musical traditions. Despite the Holocaust this music

carries on through survivors like Dreier, Sosnowicz, and their descendants.

This ensemble is living proof that the “Final Solution” failed. Given that the Holocaust

ended seventy-one years ago, they can particularly impact millennials who are far removed from

that period of history. Since they are based in Florida, the band will also be particularly effective

in sharing this message to Americans, as many of them have not seen genocide first-hand.

37

Reminding the people of Holocaust allows audiences to make connections to contemporary

widespread persecution and find individual meaning in the band’s performances. They celebrate

the survival of their people, music, and culture through by serving as performers and

spokespersons. While they are doing this in the present, they can have long-term impact through

the preservation of the activities via musical recordings, articles, etc. The band is doing this as

means to take back their lives, conquering not only the possible trauma of Holocaust, but also the

physical restraints and expectations of old age. Their musical activism emphasizes humanity’s

resilience and ability to survive. A precious and fascinating phenomenon in the twenty-first

century, this group offers a contemporary musical contribution to Holocaust commemorative,

memory, and nostalgic literature.

In addition to their historical significance, they serve as musical advocates for peace by

writing accessible music on the subject in various languages (Jewish, Polish, Hebrew, Russian,

Spanish, and English) and genres and by adapting their sets according to their audiences. Dreier

explained to me the band’s motivation behind releasing their single “Peace for the World”: “So,

all the young people, all the people who are educated, who know about the Holocaust should

continue to think about it because something like this happens only once in a lifetime. And, with

the way the world is now, we’re trying to somehow prevent it through our music, through our

explanations … that’s why we are composing a song, ‘Peace for the World,’ for everybody.”60

Their efforts go offstage as well, including Dreier’s and Sosnowicz’s pledges to be ambassadors

of peace for the Global Embassy for World Peace.

The band’s spreading a message of peace is especially effective because they are

Holocaust survivors. A clip from one article says the following:

60 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015.

38

While Dreier believes his band plays pleasingly, he admits it is not the music that

is driving the band’s popularity, but its name, the “Holocaust Survivor Band,” and the novelty of a band of Holocaust survivors (and children of Holocaust

survivors), spreading a message of peace, tolerance and forgiveness through its

music. Dreier said: “We are concerned about hatred in the world, so our band’s mission is to play music for world peace.”61

Given what Dreier and Sosnowicz obviously suffered through, it is admirable that they seek to

promote such messages in their music. They boldly claim this stance in the previously mentioned

“Mission and Vision Statement” page of their website: “They play Yiddish and Hebrew songs,

klezmer music, old songs and current songs in every style. They are bringing joy and astonishing

1,000’s of people with an outpouring of LOVE reaching across the world to ‘PLAY MUSIC

FOR WORLD PEACE.’”62

The band has been recognized for their efforts on behalf of peace and historical memory

of the Holocaust as well. Their main Facebook page from July 2015 reported,

The Holocaust Survivor Band Founder Mr Saul Dreier and Co Founder Musical

Director Mr Reuwen Sosnowicz are being honored for their Courage, Resilience

and their pledge as Ambassadors for Peace on the steps of the Massachusetts State

House. Dignitaries, Congressman, Senators and groups of all faiths will all be in

attendance. Their message “Hatred and Genocide are Unacceptable actions! We have witnessed first hand these acts of evil and it must be stopped! We are

concerned about the world today. Never Again should not be Again and Again.

Please support our cause.63

This demonstrates how music can be used to stand against genocide and advocate human

rights.

61 Randall P. Lieberman, “Dreier, 90, Leads Holocaust Survivor Band,” South Florida Sun-Sentinel,

Florida Jewish Journal, Palm Beach Jewish News, June 8, 2015, http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-

journal/news/palm/fl-jjps-goldensurvivorband-0610-20150608-story.html. 62 The Holocaust Survivor Band. 63 Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band, “The Holocaust Survivor Band Founder Mr Saul... ,” Facebook,

posted on July 10, 2015,

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=677370155729056&id=511085479024192.

39

To spread this message as efficiently as possible, the band tries to make their

music accessible. They have taken klezmer and adapted it to various styles. Here is one

article quote that summarizes the band’s stance on klezmer:

The Holocaust Survivor Band plays an assortment of tunes, including klezmer,

the joyous Jewish folk music. Many Jews and non-Jews recognize the spirited

dance song, “Hava Nagila,” from bar mitzvahs and weddings, but in recent years,

klezmer has proven its flexibility by combining with rap, bluegrass and swing,

said Aaron Kula, director of music performance and education at Florida Atlantic

University's Libraries. “It's ever-changing and evolving,” Kula said. “Every

generation has changed it to fit their taste.””64

As previously mentioned their former Facebook page name identified them as a klezmer and

multicultural band.

Dreier commented on this during one of my conversations with him:

Well, all the songs that we used to sing before the war and during the war, they’re being repeated now usually, but not all of them. We are trying to accommodate

everybody. To accommodate everybody, we’re trying to sing the old songs, the now songs, and some future songs. We want to sing for the old people that are

still alive, and we want to sing for the young people that are growing up. It is very

tough, but we’re trying, you understand? And also, now, we will try to compose

certain songs that are going to make us play. But the music, the melodies—the old

melodies and the new melodies—are almost compatible. Except, we sing and play

in different languages, too. We play in Jewish, Polish, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish,

and English.65

They perform a variety of works, often covering various international hits. The band has been

reported to perform “Hatikvah,” “God Bless America,” and Yiddish songs.66 I myself have seen

them perform “Hava Nagila.” They generally play fun, upbeat music, which has been noted here:

With that mind, it might seem strange to hear of a new klezmer act, founded just a

year ago, calling themselves the “Holocaust Survivor Band.” After all, mentioning one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century seems conspicuously out

of place, if not entirely inappropriate altogether for music intended for jubilant

dancing. However, as octogenarians Saul Dreier and Ruby Sosnowicz

demonstrate in this short film, shot for the New York Times’ Op-Docs series, the

64 Solomon, “Holocaust Survivor Band Travels South Florida Music Circuit - Sun Sentinel.” 65 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 66 David Volz, “Holocaust Survivor Band Performs,” magazine, Pompano Today, (February 17, 2015),

http://pompanotoday.com/2015/02/holocaust-survivor-band-performs/.

40

founding of their Holocaust Survivor Band is less about dwelling in the horrors of

the past, than is it about defiantly overcoming them.67

The joyous aura that emanates from this music is an admirable trait of the ensemble.

Perhaps one of the main songs in their repertoire that best captures the essence of the

Holocaust Survivor Band is Fiddler on the Roof’s “To Life” (L’chaim). Here is a synopsis of the

song, which has served as a primary theme of the band:

There is, it should be pointed out, an irony in the [Op-Doc] film’s final moments,

as Dreier and Sosnowicz sing “to life!” on a Pompano Beach pier: Those words

are not, in fact, part of the classic klezmer songbook of pre-20th century Eastern

Europe. They come instead from Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s 1964

soundtrack to the Broadway classic Fiddler On The Roof, composed long after

World War Two had ended.

And yet, irony or not, there’s something equally wonderful about two men, both having survived unspeakable horrors, singing klezmer-style music written after

the communities that birthed that very style were destroyed. It’s a triumphant

declaration, and a tribute to both their indomitable spirits and wry senses of

humor. And for that, the celebratory melodies and rhythms of klezmer make the

perfect soundtrack.”68

The festive character of klezmer music provides an appropriate way to celebrate survival.

The Holocaust Survivor Band has begun to gain many fans, both in South Florida and

abroad, thanks to the press and online media. The group apparently performs regularly “for large

audiences of their peers—including many older Jewish women.”69 When I asked Dreier about

the band’s fan mail, he began to describe the status of their followers as of July 2015:

What about the letters we got … actually, Chana got some. I got some, too. I get a

lot of fan calls. Those people are just interested in coming to our concerts. So

we’ve got them on a list. I’ve got a woman—she works part-time for us, but now

it’s summer time. Everything is slow. Whenever we’ve got a concert, we’re going

to notify them. Either they come, they want to listen, or they want to know if we

are on the computer or television. That’s how they follow us. It’s building up. It’s

67 Rafi Schwartz, “These Two Incredible Octogenarians Just Formed The ‘Holocaust Survivor Band,’”

News, GOOD Magazine, (March 4, 2015), http://magazine.good.is/articles/holocaust-survivor-band. 68 Ibid. 69 Gabriela Geselowitz, “Crowd Goes Wild For Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band,”

Tablet Magazine, March 4, 2015, http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/189385/crowd-goes-wild-for-holocaust-

survivor-band.

41

very possible that we have hundreds and thousands of fans. Who knows? It starts

with a few people, and they are being notified every time. Either they call me—for example, for July and August, I told them we’ve got nothing. I told them that the first one’s going to start in Juno Beach on the ninth of September. Every time

something comes up, I call them. Some of them I give notice only the months

before, you understand? I don’t want to load them up with all my gigs and bad

business, you understand? So that’s how … yeah, wait, and we’re building a fan

club. It’s going to take a little time; you understand? The fan club’s going to be

huge because a lot of people still want to listen to this music.70

Their popularity is increasing as a result of interview and performance opportunities.

Dreier tries to maintain close relations with fans by sending out emails or calling people

when they are performing close to their area.71 When I attended their concert in

September 2015, they had CDs, t-shirts, and other souvenirs to sell to their fans.

To conclude, the Holocaust Survivor Band uses its music to contribute to Holocaust

commemorative events and share their “Music for World Peace” with audiences of various

backgrounds. They cater to these audiences by playing in different styles and languages. As the

ensemble becomes more famous, they will find more people to listen to and enjoy their stories

and music. Through the assistance of media, this group will continue to become better known.

70 Dreier, interview, July 21, 2015. 71 Ibid.

42

CHAPTER 3

REFLECTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

July 21, 2015 Recording Session

While media and articles can attest to the joyous nature and historical significance of this

band, I had the opportunity to see many of this ensemble’s characteristics and performance

tendencies in two concerts (including the one described in the introduction) and a recording

session. After the second interview with Dreier (to be discussed in the next chapter), I went to

Marquee Studios in Deerfield Beach, Florida, on the evening of July 21, 2015. I was to observe

the band working on their single “Peace for the World.” There I met Chana Sosnowicz for the

first time.

Figure 3.1: (L-R) Emily Allen, Saul Dreier, Chana Sosnowicz, Ruby Sosnowicz, Jeff Black

Marquee Studios, July 21, 2015

Photograph by a friend of the band

43

When I arrived, Ruby and Regina Sosnowicz were gathered at the front of the studio. We

talked while waiting for Chana and Dreier to show up. Chana pulled up later and sat in the car

for a few minutes with her phone. I then introduced myself to her, explaining that I was the

Florida State student she had conversed with over the phone. The Sosnowicz family and I then

went into the studio and sat in the waiting area. Ruby disappeared to the back of the studio,

leaving me with Regina and Chana Sosnowicz.

Eventually Dreier and Black arrived, so we all made our way to the back of the studio

where the band would rehearse and record. While they were getting ready, I sat on a couch next

to Regina Sosnowicz. The band was preparing to make decisions regarding lyrics, melodic

changes, and other details of the latest version of “Peace for the World.” Ruby and Chana

seemed to have the most control over musical decisions. At one point I heard the band discuss

the possibility of putting the lyrics in Yiddish, but they decided against it; they determined that

most people no longer speak Yiddish. This speaks to their concerns of musical accessibility,

which they felt could be accomplished through the English language in this case. Since klezmer

has changed and adapted to geographical, social, and other influences across the world, the

band’s musical choices are “typical” of the genre.

At some point Dreier and Ruby Sosnowicz started playing alone together on keyboard

and drums. That moment particularly showed that Dreier and Sosnowicz are truly the core of this

band; they are two brothers at heart making music together. They then talked about other

changes to make to the single. Later, the whole band went into a nearby recording booth to lay

down several repetitions of the chorus for “Peace for the World.” Eventually, they came out and

went into the control room to listen to the recordings of the chorus. There the band and sound

engineer began to make changes to the track. Dreier and Sosnowicz were the most attentive

44

during this process, but all four members of the ensemble gave input on various elements of the

track—including the balance of voices, the chorus, the timbre and rhythm of the drum set, and so

on. The track was mostly complete; they were simply refining smaller details.

I was surprised by how cheerful “Peace for the World” was given the serious subject

matter. The single is in a major key for its entirety. Dreier and Sosnowicz introduce themselves

and state that they are Holocaust survivors at the beginning of the track. Then the first musical

section begins, consisting of accordion playing a simple step-wise melody that concludes with a

descending glissando, accompanied by keyboard, drum kit, and bass. The rest of the song is

repetitive, as both the verses and chorus use the same melody. This core melody begins with two

consecutive descending lines, each spanning the range of a fifth and concluding with a slightly

sustained final note, followed by a third line consisting of notes moving from G-A-B-C-C-D-B-

C. All notes are played in a staccato manner, further contributing to the light-hearted nature of

the song. The first section in which Sosnowicz sings includes the words “We are the Holocaust

Survivor Band” sung to this melody, therefore creating a clash between the negative connotation

of the word “Holocaust” and the joyful nature of the song. These same unexpected moments

arise when the phrases “witnessed hell” and “witnessed killing” are sung; however, the

descriptions of what they witnessed are leading up to their present happiness “to be alive,”

therefore contextualizing the darker subject matter. Each occurrence of the chorus concludes

with the vocables “la-la-la” sung to the same melody. At the end the famous phrase “Never

Again” is repeatedly sung to the same melody. While the topics being addressed throughout the

single are serious, they are housed within a fun, catchy song. “Peace for the World” demonstrates

how the members of the band are “memory-artists”; this is one of many materials they use to

share their experiences.

45

It was clear that the band was eager to put out a quality single; they were hoping that this

single would be considered for a Grammy. Such an opportunity would provide a platform for

Dreier and Sosnowicz to talk about their experiences to a greater number of people. The editing

process was fun for the group—they even started dancing to the recording at one point. All

members of the ensemble had equal input and made decisions as they went along. Much like the

manner in which the band quickly shifts gears while performing, they are also flexible with their

non-musical decisions as well. As a result, the recording session was not organized, but the

process was fun, joyful, a little bit chaotic, and an overall enjoyable experience to observe.

Regina and Chana Sosnowicz were able to tell me more about themselves. Ruby Sosnowicz was

extremely focused on the music-making process. Dreier was very friendly, of course.

September 9, 2015 Concert

During my interview with Dreier on July 21, 2015, he mentioned an upcoming concert:

“As a matter of fact, we’ve got a concert booked in Juno Beach. I just booked it today. They’re

going to be a completely mixed concert. There’s going to be more Gentiles than Jews. And they

want to do Jewish music.” This particular concert took place at The Waterford (a nursing home)

in Juno Beach, Florida. Martin Freid played clarinet and saxophone, Jeff Black played rhythm

guitar, Saul Dreier was on drum set, Ruby Sosnowicz on keyboard, Chana Sosnowicz on vocals,

and a woman waved different flags (including one embroidered with the Star of David) and

played melodica, recorder, and two shofars.

The band retained their usual clothing style. Black was wearing black slacks, a black

vest, a white collared shirt, and a black cap. Dreier was wearing a red collared shirt, black pants,

a black vest, and sunglasses. Sosnowicz’s attire matched Dreier’s, with the only difference being

46

a piano-themed belt. Freid was wearing a white collared shirt and black pants. The woman doing

flag routines wore a white shirt and black pants, also closely matching the band.

The concert began with Chana Sosnowicz talking about the Holocaust, the band’s

promotion of peace, their respect for survivors and war veterans, the ensemble’s historical

significance, and an overview of klezmer before and after the Second World War. She provided

similar commentary throughout the concert. In doing so, Chana showed that they are informed,

intelligent performers—they do not play repertoire without understanding its cultural and

historical context. Because of this, they can utilize music as a teaching tool and as an aural

mnemonic device to evoke historical memory of the Holocaust.

Chana next explained that they had signed a five-year contract with Nomadic Pictures.

There were two people from Nomadic Pictures, one man and one woman, filming the band and

taking pictures. Chana went on to explain that the ensemble was also working on a book and a

musical. She also thanked Dreier for all his investment in the band. Chana mentioned that Freid

plays clarinet, saxophone, and flute; however, he only played clarinet and saxophone at this

concert.

Throughout the performance I observed some of the band’s behavioral tendencies. They

remained fairly engaged with the audience. Chana repeatedly asked if everyone was having a

good time. She and Ruby always tried to get everyone to sing and clap. There were moments of

sentiment throughout as well; Chana regularly expressed how proud she is of her dad. The

familial connections are one of the reasons for the band’s success; it also helps better unify the

ensemble as a whole, particularly as it pertains to my multigenerational discussion in the opening

chapter. When Ruby played the keyboard, he used synthetic organ or trumpet sounds, often

doubling the clarinet. This was an efficient way to create a fuller sound, as it is more cost

47

efficient and easier than hiring more performers. It also demonstrates Sosnowicz’s keen ear for

addressing timbral needs throughout the performance. Dreier just played the drums, smiling; as

he stated in my interview, he played “without notes” and just followed with his beat.72 Black

stood behind Ruby on stage, playing, dancing, and moving to the tempo of each song. Chana

Sosnowicz sang and played tambourine.

For the first half of the concert, the band played songs with lyrics in various languages.

They started taking requests after two songs or so. Dreier explained to me that the band enjoys

taking requests during the performances: “And we also invite the audience—if somebody’s got

maybe a suggestion of a song, we’re more than willing to play it because we’re playing all

languages, we’re playing all tunes. So, sometimes we may invite somebody from the audience to

sing with us. So it’s very interesting.”73

They sang what I believe was “As Time Goes By” from Casablanca. At one point a lady

from the audience came on stage and sang “Hava Nagila.” Both of these selections are famous

enough for most of the audience to have recognized. Yet the audience was fairly unresponsive to

this first part of the set, so the band shifted to a set of works that were primarily in English. I was

very impressed by this, especially once I found out that they had not rehearsed for this concert.

This shift reflected a statement that Dreier offered during one of his interviews:

Ruby selects it; he picks the program. I check it out. And Chana will check it out.

And then another thing: we look in the audience. We might switch according to

the audience at the concert. We might not do our prepared repertoire; we might

switch it. It helps because, right away, when we see the audience wants to dance,

we’ll play dance music. If they want the Hora, the Israeli music, whatever they want, we test them out right away. Sometimes, many times, we switch. We

continue without what we had planned for the concert, and this gives us so much

courage because the people are surprised, too.74

72 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 73 Ibid. 74 Ibid.

48

Interestingly, when the Holocaust Survivor Band switched to the English set, a lady approached

me, asking “Are you with them?” “Yes,” I said. She responded, “Well, they need to know that

there’s only about six Jews in the room.” The band seemed to have figured this out for

themselves. They then went on to sing songs like Guy Lombardo’s “Enjoy Yourself” and

“Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof. Since Lombardo spent much time in New York

City, it is not surprising that Sosnowicz chose the song since he, too, performed in the area and

was likely influenced by Lombardo and other big band artists. Fiddler on the Roof is regularly

referenced by the band; since it is a staple work within American Jewish theater repertory, it can

be easily recognized by both Jewish and non-Jewish Americans, therefore increasing the band’s

accessibility. The ensemble also played a tarantella, showing their instrumental capabilities and

familiarity with Italian music.

All of this repertoire points to Sosnowicz’s life experiences. His time in Italy was likely

the inspiration behind the tarantella; additionally, since he played quite a bit in New York, he

probably performed in live productions of Fiddler on the Roof and was exposed to popular tunes

like “Enjoy Yourself” and “As Time Goes By” due to the thriving music scene in the region.

Because Sosnowicz is primarily responsible for the band’s programming, he is telling the

audience bits and pieces about his life through his selection of songs. Again, his nostalgic

feelings for past musical experiences inform his current experiences in the Holocaust Survivor

Band.

Ruby eventually played an accordion that had reportedly survived Nazi Germany. The

instrument seemed to represent Sosnowicz himself; it is his favorite instrument, and it, too, is

still involved in musicking after having survived the Shoah. Both Sosnowicz and the accordion

had been exposed to the gentle touch of time; yet, despite the external appearance of old age,

49

they were just as alive as ever in the way they made music. They are both thriving despite having

faced death and destruction over seventy years ago.

While Ruby was leading on the Holocaust accordion, Chana mentioned that they were

performing a well-known Russian song. Ruby also played a melody from Fiddler on the Roof on

the accordion and sang “Hallelujah” while playing the instrument. It was interesting to see him

play his primary instrument, as opposed to the electronic keyboard he usually played. Chana

stated that it was not easy to sing while on accordion, expressing how impressive it was. The

Holocaust Survivor Band closed the concert with “Peace for the World.” The program was about

an hour long.

After the event was over, I noticed a merchandise table, where I met Chana Sosnowicz.

She reported that all proceeds went to Saul and Ruby. At first I tried to buy a CD and t-shirt, but

Figure 3.2: Emily Allen’s Holocaust Survivor Band Souvenirs

September 9, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen

50

after I ran out to the car to get my checkbook, Chana insisted that I take a pin, CD, and shirt as a

gift. She explained that she would pass that information to Dreier, who was in charge of the

merchandise. That was an example of Dreier’s control of the financial components of the band. I

did not get to speak to Dreier and the rest of the group much, as they were busy packing up. At

Chana’s request I took a picture of the band standing with the concert’s organizer.

Figure 3.3: (L-R) Saul Dreier, Martin Freid, Chana Sosnowicz, concert organizer, Ruby

Sosnowicz, Jeff Black

The Waterford, September 9, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen

51

CHAPTER 4

INTERVIEWS WITH SAUL DREIER

July 20, 2015 Interview

On July 19, 2015, I arrived in Deerfield Beach, Florida. After getting settled into my

hotel room, I nervously prepared for my interview with Dreier. The next day, Dreier and I met in

the dining area of the Festival Flea Market Mall around 2 p.m., where we began with an informal

conversation. I explained to him potential topics we could address throughout the interview; he

agreed with topics of my choosing. He had brought with him a lot of documents, one of which he

immediately showed me. It was a scrapbook of articles, photos, and documents about the

Holocaust Survivor Band—his birthday gift from Chana.

Figure 4.1: (L-R) Emily Allen and Saul Dreier

Festival Flea Market Mall, July 20, 2015

Photograph by mall customer

52

Dreier had just gone to New York the week before to participate in a ceremony with the

sons of David Werdyger, a cantor and leading member of the boys’ choir in which Dreier had

participated during his time in the Plaszow concentration camp. He showed me a video of the

ceremony on his phone, featuring the four sons performing, as a quartet, one of their father’s

compositions, a prayer song.75 After showing me the video, he told me that he and Ruby were

writing a song (“Peace for the World”) with hopes that it would be considered for a Grammy

award. Dreier then explained that he could give me any documentation that I needed. Other parts

of the discussion included a letter and brochure (presented in Appendix B) that he gave me and a

quick overview of his family.

We then moved to a quieter part of the dining area for the interview proper. While we

conversed, Dreier encountered an acquaintance who sold fruit at the flea market. He also

received a phone call in the middle of the interview; clearly this was a busy and well-known man

within the Pompano Beach area. While we were sitting, Dreier pointed out a nearby corner

where he and the band had performed. Waving his arm along to emphasize the size of the

vicinity, he explained that the mall had been filled with many people, possibly hundreds, during

their performance. At the conclusion of the interview, I presented an FSU-themed gift to Dreier:

a hat and glass labeled with FSU logos.

July 21, 2015 Interview

For our next interview Dreier and I met in the clubhouse of Wynmoor Village, his

neighborhood. I brought along my backpack full of notes, notebooks, recording equipment,

computers, and the extra Florida State University gifts for Ruby and Chana Sosnowicz. Dreier

75 Gidon Orman, Reunion with Saul Drier and Werdyger Family, YouTube video, accessed March 23,

2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzlSxb0TxHw.

53

asked why I had brought the extra gifts that were supposed to be for Chana and Ruby. I

explained that I was not sure if I would be able to meet with them this week. He then mentioned

that I could meet the band at Marquee Studios at 6:30 pm.

Once those plans were set, Dreier and I walked into the clubhouse. We sat inside to

reduce the amount of background noise and talked for approximately twenty-five minutes.

Toward the end of the conversation, Dreier answered a phone call from Sosnowicz. After we

were done, as we walked to the front, he said something along the lines of “Goodbye darling,”

and kissed me on the cheek.

Perspectives of Saul Dreier

Between the two interviews, I was able to glean certain themes and perspectives from

Dreier. Since he has a background in real estate, he has utilized his business skills for the

Figure 4.2: Band’s Gifts

Photographs by Emily Allen

54

Holocaust Survivor Band. He described the process of developing the ensemble; it was a rather

sudden idea:

Well, I like it very much, because when, out of over three hundred fifty million

citizens and non-citizens in the United States, Saul Dreier, me, came up with this

idea. So, something happened—somebody told me to do it. I’ll tell you the truth: I don’t know who. If it was a god, my wife, or my…my life be…I don’t know. I’m just guessing. It came to me some morning while I was reading the article about

the woman who was a hundred and ten years old and passed away. And somehow

it got to me, and I came out with it.76

As a result of pursuing his idea, he formed a brother-like with relationship with Ruby and

found an extended family in the Sosnowicz clan.

76 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015.

Figure 4.3: Saul Dreier at Marquee Studios, July 21, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen

55

While the group seems to be very close, they do not carry on without their

struggles. Dreier regularly expressed the need for the financial support for the band. He is

retired and capable of sustaining himself, but he can no longer fully support the

ensemble. He expressed that they have no primary spokesperson and that they have

logistical needs that have not been met, including adequate transportation for their

equipment.77

Dreier acknowledges that they do get some support, but he is a driven man who seeks to

take his band to bigger venues and shows. The Sosnowicz family has their own struggles, and,

therefore, must contribute most of their finances toward day-to-day living. Here are a few

perspectives from Dreier on these matters:

Except, you see, my head should have worked when I was forty-five or fifty years

old, not now. It’s too late for this. But, I’m going to try to do the best I can. The news video’s going to say, I say I’m going to try to do this still to the last minute I can. I got a chance to see Spielberg in California. I got a chance to see Holocaust,

with Spielberg, the whole thing, the Shoah.

I don’t have the money to do it. I don’t have the money to do it, you know, so I’m sitting here like a dead pigeon. Somebody calls me for a concert, so we go. And

we’re trying through you, through advertisement, through this, through that,

trying to see what’s going to happen. The letter and everything I just printed, you see. I’m going to have to get started in putting them in envelopes and getting them out to people. I’ll give you an example: we went to a concert in the polo club. So,

at this concert, there had to be maybe seven, eight hundred people. And

everybody gave a donation to the organization. We got nothing. But, I saw the

donors. They were listed. Big donors, not the, you know, from thousand dollars

five hundred thousand. And then we took the list, and we’re trying to find out where these people are from and send them those letters. Maybe they will donate

to us. And then we’re going to advertise for donation on every…how you call it…you see the brochure. We’re asking for money. Sometimes I get tired of it.

You know why? You see, Emily, I was retired for seventeen years. So, you see,

this was my life here: books, reading, going to the pool. Now, I’m stuck. I’m back in. Did you ever see a man get out of retirement at ninety years old and work? I’m working. Look at this: you see, this is a list of today. Already, I was calling

77 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015.

56

people, you understand? You’re here. I’ve got Joe Carter, a commissioner; I want to get a concert. Here, this is what I did yesterday. This is Monday—every day. I

cannot expect this from Chana. Ruby is not for that; you understand? Ruby wants

to sit down and play, and, you know, listen, help somebody, people. But, he’s not a business man. This is a business. And it’s getting very tiring for me. You see, in

any business I participated, I had a secretary. I had a bookkeeper. I had a desk. I

had a telephone. You know, I want entertainment, I want to go to eat, I want to

eat, I want to…you understand? People were working, I had a foreman, I had a partner. We had trucks.78

While Dreier is clearly very dedicated to the ensemble, he acknowledges the challenges

of his age, hit-or-miss funding, and emotional stress. The fact that Dreier and Sosnowicz

are older makes the ensemble all the more impressive. They are proof that making music

can truly be a life-long activity.

His idea of founding the band was undoubtedly brilliant, but the project has begun

to take its toll. Dreier made it clear that he has considered the pros and cons of this

ensemble:

Now, you have to understand, Emily, I was seventeen years retired before I even

started to dream about this orchestra I put together. Now, if you know the story of

how I did it, what happened—you know that, so I don’t have to repeat it, right? And this gave me, with my sick wife (she’s got five different sicknesses), and with my cancer—now we’re looking at over twenty-three years since the

operation—in remission (without using any medication), this gave me so much

power, so much enthusiasm, that I love what I do. No, it’s the true story—it’s true. So, whenever I play my drums, whenever I play with Ruby, whatever, I

just…it’s for me. This is like a new life, even though I am ninety-years-old, you

understand? 79

It is clearly challenging for him to balance his personal life with his activities as a

musician; yet he still finds the task to be worth doing. He discusses the differences

between his challenges and those that Sosnowicz faces: “Ruby has to make sacrifices.

That’s why we’re doing it. He’s doing a lot of things to get paid. I don’t care. I don’t care

78 Dreier, interview, July 21, 2015. 79 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015.

57

for me. I hire a guy that drives me, I come. I don’t need…but Ruby’s got the problem, big

problem.”80 Yet, despite all the setbacks, the ensemble has initiative and is very goal-

oriented.

In addition to performing Dreier has an interest in educational outreach. While the

band’s peace advocacy has previously been addressed, it is worth mentioning the

potential for colleges as venues for this ensemble. Dreier expressed interest: “You see,

this is what we want to do now. We’re talking to a man who is a little producer. He came

up with idea because of anti-Semitism in the colleges. He’s going to try to book us in the

colleges for concerts.”81 When we discussed the general idea of the band coming to

Florida State University, he seemed quite interested. I have also come across online

media82 that describes them performing at intermediary and secondary schools, so they

are open to performing and reaching out to various age groups.

Educational outreach is just one way that the band attempts to perform for a wider variety

of audiences; most of the performances in their first year took place in South Florida in the

presence of fellow Jewish audiences. Dreier describes the ensemble’s desire for expansion:

Well, most of the people we were playing for…for certain…mostly we were playing...I would say…seventy percent of the time…we were playing for the Jewish…eh…audience. Thirty percent of the time we were playing for mixed

audiences. And that’s how it’s been until now. Now we’re trying to play more for mixed audiences because I want the whole world to understand what happened

and why we want to keep this thing going. It’s a disaster in the world. And somehow everybody has to chip in so this ceases and so that we can live in a

normal peace in which everybody’s happy. I don’t care if it’s in the United States, if it’s in South America, if it’s in Europe, if it’s in East Asia, if it’s in the Middle

80 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 81 Ibid. 82 See TrumpetManTzvi, “Holocaust Survivor Band Show @ St. Andrews School, Boca Raton, FL 4/8/15,”

YouTube video (St. Andrews School, Boca Raton, FL, 2015), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi2iBiVIdb8.

Also refer to ryork, “Students Showed Lynn at Its Best,” Itemlive.com, January 28, 2016,

http://www.itemlive.com/opinion/students-showed-lynn-at-its-best/#.Vqv0dP3J8LE.facebook.

58

East, or if it’s in Asia. Whatever. I want to make sure that the whole world thinks the same about peace, because it’s a shame to be killing innocent people all over the world. That’s it.83

Dreier is already taking practical steps toward these goals. He plans to work with his son

in Israel to spread the word about the group.84 Additionally, Dreier and Sosnowicz are

currently attempting to raise funds to return to Poland for a performance. Such an

endeavor would not only be a big first step toward greater international support, but it

would be a significant personal triumph for the two.

On a more personal level, Dreier has indicated that he is an all-around music lover. When

asked about his favorite genre, artist, or song, he explained that he does not have a favorite—he

simply loves fast music.85 This perhaps reflects his active personality; I have never seen a ninety-

year-old so physically and energetically active, as he described in the interview: “Maybe I’m

alive because I’m so active, I’m so hyper. I’m hyper, and I’m emotional. I’ve got two things that

help me stay healthy. I don’t know. You have to understand that my wife has already been sick

for the last nine years. Very sick. And God help us both. She’s alive, and I am alive. I’ve got four

children; I’ve got six grandchildren. They’re all here.”86 Despite the Holocaust, Dreier has lived

to see multiple generations of his family, a source of fundamental support for the nonagenarian.

It seems remarkable that despite having suffered through the Shoah, and with having to

put so much work into this project, Dreier would continue performing with the ensemble. Yet,

his determination and experiences are driving factors behind the band’s growth and impact. It

seems to be his calling. He is full of energy both on and off the stage, making for a contagiously

83 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 84 Dreier, interview, July 21, 2015. 85 Dreier, interview, July 20, 2015. 86 Ibid.

59

fun experience. He has invested money, energy, hard work, and passion into this band, and I look

forward to seeing how his and the rest of the band’s efforts pay off.

60

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS

In the preceding chapters I have emphasized the Holocaust Survivor Band’s musical

activism, historical significance, evocation of historical and collective memory of the Holocaust,

and ability to stir nostalgic feelings within the ensemble and in their audiences. These broader

conclusions were derived from the two concerts, recording session, and interviews with Saul

Dreier described throughout the thesis. In doing this I sought to understand the mission and

reception of the ensemble as a nostalgic musical ensemble in the present and as a means to

commemorate the Holocaust.

The middle chapters address the different ways in which the band accomplishes my two

primary frameworks: nostalgia and the commemorative process. Chapter 2 established the

overall theoretical approaches of the band’s musical engagement with the past as supported by

quotes from Dreier, articles, and my own observations. There I described the various components

of the commemorative process, including collective memory, historical memory, and

memorialization. Nostalgia is both an emotional stimulus and outcome of this process. Chapter 3

and the first section of Chapter 1 described my first-hand observations of the ensemble to

demonstrate the descriptions from Chapter 2. Finally, Dreier’s commentary in Chapter 4 and

throughout the thesis contextualize the band’s activities, making his interviews the foundation of

this study.

To understand the preceding content of this thesis, it is necessary to revisit the theoretical

approaches within this thesis as they compare to literature from relevant fields of study. My

perception of this band as being “nostalgic” is rather unusual for describing an ensemble founded

on Holocaust survivorship. While some might find such a label contentious, it is a term that can

61

be utilized beyond the typical negative connotations associated with it, as demonstrated in

Boym’s The Future of Nostalgia. It is also not unheard of to use nostalgia in Holocaust studies;

Sara R. Horowitz discusses this in “Nostalgia and the Holocaust” in After Representation?: The

Holocaust, Literature, and Culture. My descriptions of the commemorative process are

consistent with literature on memory—I used Heritage, Memory, and the Politics of Identity and

Holocaust literature for those discussions. It was particularly interesting to compare Dreier’s and

Sosnowicz’s agency in directly responding to the Holocaust through music, as this was not the

case with most survivors’ art described in Bearing Witness: A Resource Guide to Literature,

Poetry, Art, Music, and Videos by Holocaust Victims and Survivors. Finally, this study fits well

with other literature about the band, while taking the discussion of the ensemble a bit further

because of my discussions about the group’s historical significance.

Since there were several possible discussion points for this rich topic, it was necessary to

narrow the scope of this project. The two concerts discussed in this study were selected because

of the different audience types: a Jewish audience and a mixed audience. As a result, I was able

to observe the reactions of the band and audiences in two different social contexts. Attending the

recording studio allowed me to better understand how they work in a private setting. Finally, the

interviews with Dreier helped me better coordinate my other materials by connecting them to his

statements, therefore keeping the study consistent and focused.

Although a narrow study was appropriate for a master’s thesis, it would be interesting to

pursue a full biography of the members of the band. Even though much of their biographical

information will likely be addressed in the upcoming documentary, there is no indication that an

authoritative biographical text of this ensemble is underway. While oral history was the most

important methodology for this thesis, follow-up interviews would be necessary for a more

62

comprehensive text. Interviews present an interesting way of retelling stories; the subject is

creating a permanent record of his or her experiences in a biography. Testimonies are

particularly important when it comes to recalling the Holocaust, as they can serve as a reminder

of the period and help descendants of the survivors understand what their ancestors went

through. I would thoroughly enjoy pursuing a more extensive oral history project, as I have

found that I thoroughly enjoy simply listening to people. I will use the experience from this

thesis for future oral history projects throughout the southeastern United States.

Based on what I learned from my interviews with Dreier and from reading corresponding

literature, I believe that the Holocaust Survivor Band will be remembered as one of the last

Holocaust musical responses coming from a group featuring individuals who actually lived

through the Holocaust. Dreier has demonstrated and explained to me that the band is aiming

high. The ensemble has gone to great lengths to promote themselves and their perspectives

through musical and non-musical presentations. They are influencing younger generations

through their talks and performances in schools. The band members are taking pride in their

musical traditions and using them to share a message of peace. Because of their versatility and

accessibility as an ensemble, they have the potential to influence people of various backgrounds.

Dreier and Sosnowicz are making some of their final memories by participating in this

group. After confronting unspeakable horrors in their early lives, they more than deserve the

chance to find refuge and enjoyment in music once again. They are overcoming the physical and

emotional challenges that come with being seniors. Their joy is apparent in the energetic nature

of their performances and in their willingness to share their stories. In my interviews with Dreier,

this positivity was particularly evident when he described the band as the beginning of a new life

63

for him and when he told me about his large family. He displayed much pride in both his own

family and in the extended family he has found in the Holocaust Survivor Band.

Figure 5.1: (L-R) Ruby Sosnowicz and Saul Dreier at Marquee Studios

July 21, 2015

Photograph by Emily Allen

64

APPENDIX A

MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT

OF THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND

‘We don’t want anyone to ever forget the Holocaust!

We need to do something as the world is in trouble.

If not us … then who’?

‘So sorry to know that never again has become again and again’!

The presence of the witnesses … those who with resilience and triumph have survived the

world’s most horrific events against the Jewish people … the most wondrous survivors and their

next generations have created some of the most incredible miracles of the world.

THIS IS A MIRACLE … Who could ever imagine that in their 90’s and late 80’s, Saul Dreier and Ruby Sosnovicz [sic], 2 men with a mission along with the inspirational energy of a most

powerful force are able to be a “ray of light” for humanity. Out of the ashes in their earlier years to this stage in their life … they have built an overnight sensation … a beautiful most fantastic

Holocaust Survivor Band. Including Ruby’s daughter Chana Rose Sosnovicz, who sings like an

angel.

They play Yiddish and Hebrew songs, klezmer music, old songs and current songs in every style.

They are bringing joy and astonishing 1,000’s of people with an outpouring of LOVE reaching across the world to “PLAY MUSIC FOR WORLD PEACE.”

They have witnessed firsthand what it is like to be hunted, hated and singled out because they are

Jewish. On the edge of death witnessing terrible atrocities towards mankind, a horrendous

genocide where anti-Semitism reached into the darkest evil … In the depths of millions of hearts.

Who could ever imagine that 2 very courageous men from this dark era, now with a global

presence are playing beautiful music to teach that from evil there can be a way to accomplish so

much glory even at their age? They have found the most beautiful tribute for Tikun Olam

(healing the world). They touch the hearts of so many people with joy. A world without hate is

what they want to achieve!

Saul and Ruby receive 100’s of calls to play at events. They have transferred the silence of the

world into the glorious sounds of their heartfelt songs. They have lost their families and were left

alone to survive the hell of concentration camps … wandering in the wilderness, starving and sick … they survived ... asking not WHERE IS GOD … asking WHERE IS MAN?

Now here they are … Saul, Ruby and Chana Rose … they are shocked that the words NEVER

AGAIN … have become AGAIN AND AGAIN. They are witnessing the evilness of mankind

now and take so much to heart. IF NOT THEM …THEN WHO? Who could know so well how

prejudice and hatred and ignorance can destroy our world.

IT IS HAPPENING NOW!!!!!!

65

Their mission is to demonstrate what survival means and to send the message to the world that

we are all the children of a loving god. Life is so precious. It is a gift. They play the music of the

past and present and remember that the evil of the past must not come to be part of our world

now. They want to shake up the world with the power of music so that this consciousness for

peace is expressed through their very being and this is the inspiration of their music.

Music heals the soul! Saul, Ruby and Chana Rose are trying to impact as many people of the

world to understand that they must push the lessons of the past into the understanding of now.

Humanity must prevail for the future of our next generations.

IF NOT THEM … WHO? IF NOT YOU … WHO? IF NOT NOW … WHEN? LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED!!!

Their tremendous musical creation and the depth of their understanding can transform the world

and they implore you to know that peace must reign now!

The Holocaust Survivor Band was created for this purpose. It is a spiritual revelation and Ggd

[sic] has sent them to be the messengers for the world to hear their music and listen to their

voices to STOP THE SILENCE!

STAND UP AND SAY I WILL HELP YOU TO DO SOMETHING!

STOP DOING NOTHING!

THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT!”87

From the Holocaust Survivor Band’s website, theholocaustsurvivorband.com, accessed January

20, 2016.

87 The Holocaust Survivor Band.

66

APPENDIX B

HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BAND PAMHPLET

AND LETTER OF SUPPORT

67

68

69

APPENDIX C

FIRST DREIER INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Interview with Saul Dreier - July 20, 2015, 2 p.m.

Festival Flea Market Mall, Deerfield Beach, Florida

Allen: All right. So, basically, can you describe to me how your experiences

during the Holocaust affect your performances now? And what I mean by that is,

are there certain songs that are inspired by those experiences? How do those

experiences affect your mood when you’re performing (e.g. flashbacks when

you’re performing and so on)?

Dreier: Well, all the songs that we used to sing before the war and during the war,

they’re being repeated now usually, but not all of them. We are trying to

accommodate everybody. To accommodate everybody, we’re trying to sing the

old songs, the now songs, and some future songs. We want to sing for the old

people that are still alive, and we want to sing for the young people that are

growing up. It is very tough, but we’re trying, you understand? And also, now, we

will try to compose certain songs that are going to make us play. But the music,

the melodies—the old melodies and the new melodies—are almost compatible.

Except, we sing and play in different languages, too. We play in Jewish, Polish,

Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, and English.

Allen: Okay, got it.

Dreier: Now, you have to understand, Emily, I was seventeen years retired before

I even started to dream about this orchestra I put together. Now, if you know the

story of how I did it, what happened—you know that, so I don’t have to repeat it,

right? And this gave me, with my sick wife (she’s got five different sicknesses),

and with my cancer—now we’re looking at over twenty-three years since the

operation—in remission (without using any medication), this gave me so much

power, so much enthusiasm, that I love what I do. No, it’s the true story—it’s

true. So, whenever I play my drums, whenever I play with Ruby, whatever, I

just…it’s for me. This is like a new life, even though I am ninety-years-old, you

understand?

Allen: Yeah, you’ve overcome a lot. Dreier: Right, but I am afraid I’m going to slow down a little bit, but I’m going to

try to do my best until the last day of my life. So, all the young people, all the

people who are educated, who know about the Holocaust should continue to think

about it because something like this happens only once in a lifetime. And, with

the way the world is now, we’re trying to somehow prevent it through our music,

through our explanations…that’s why we are composing a song, “Peace for the

World,” for everybody. Now, that’s the answer. Allen: Yup. So, basically you tried to spread this message to…

Dreier: All over the world.

Allen: Right, to anyone…

70

Dreier: To anyone.

Allen: Accessibility is a key part of your…

Dreier: We want anti-Semitism throughout all the regions to cease, and we

should have peace among all the people in the world, because it’s terrible now. It started back home in 1933. I remember when I went to the first class of school, or

second class, when the Germans already started with the Nazi thing. And you see

what happened? We lost over twelve million people for no reason. Innocent

people. Jews and non-Jews. And we want to—with our music, with our

inspiration, with our know-how—stop it.

Allen: Yeah, and music transcends so many issues that it’s a very brilliant way to

convey this to reach the masses. Yup. Yup. Yup. Got it.

Dreier: So you got your second one.

Allen: And so, throughout this process, you’ve obviously been working with

Ruby and Chana…

Dreier: Yeah, I’ve been working with Ruby and with Chana. You have to

understand, in this age, the Holocaust survivors are dying out. So it’s very hard

for us to find Holocaust survivor musicians. Because either their hand shakes, or

either their mouth…they don’t sing, because they’re old people. So, we’re trying to get at least two first-generation Holocaust survivors to help us, to play with us.

And we got the people who we can get, but we have to pay them because those

people make a living!

Allen: Yup.

[Dreier pats table for emphasis]

Allen: A musician’s life is a tough life. Dreier: You’re right. Allen: Heh. So, over the last year, when you’ve been working with Ruby, Chana,

and those other people, how would describe your relationship with Ruby? How

would you describe your relationship with Chana?

Dreier: I’m very, very friendly with Ruby. He’s strictly a musician. I am both.

I’m a little musician and a big businessman. So I handle the Holocaust Survivor

Band out of my business experience, plus I play the drums. Ruby has strictly been

a musician for many years. He takes care of the music as much as he can. Of

course, we are getting older, so we’re a little slow. Chana is our soloist and also

the…how you call it…separate…I don’t know the name of it…she speaks for us

and everything.

Allen: Kind of a manager?

Dreier: No, we don’t. Allen: A spokesperson?

Dreier: No, we don’t. Chana is the spokesperson. Or me. We have no one. We’re trying to create a grant to get some donations from people so we can have money.

Maybe we’d be able to open a little office or hire some people. I want to buy a

mini or a big bus for the whole orchestra very badly, so that I can advertise

Holocaust survivors. Whenever they hire us out of state, we’d like to go by bus—with equipment, with everything. Right now, this is very hard for us. We have to

rent the equipment, and it’s tough.

71

Allen: Yeah, you have to make it work with the resources you have. So it sounds

like all of you take on different roles and work together really well to make this

project happen, which is great. I mean, I think that’s good. Dreier: You saw at our concert how we do things and what we do.

Allen: Yeah, I mean, y’all just went on stage and set everything up. So, as you

were saying, you’re trying to get your image out there, trying to get…spread this out to the world, and obviously the press has been a large part of that. I looked at

all those articles. I found over two hundred… Dreier: The press, with the Las Vegas concert, with everything that we do—people are calling us. But, the way I personally see it, maybe one one-hundredth

of one percent of people in the United States know about us.

Allen: Okay.

Dreier: So, you have to understand, we have lots to do. This has to be spread all

over the world. That’s why we’re trying to bring our case forward. On many,

many, many occasions, we would like to go on the Today Show, on television, all

over. But it’s hard. We have no one to take care of it. You understand? So, it’s tough. That’s it. Allen: Okay, so it sounds like you’re very much embracing this media and press

coverage because, you know, it’s helping you spread this message of world

peace…

Dreier: And at any concert we get, I always show someone else from an

organization who wants to hire us for the concerts. So, we always get some work,

but we want some big stuff so can put together…we need money. Let me put it

this way: that’s the main thing. Not only are we spreading the music for peace,

but we need the money to do it.

Allen: Right. I mean, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Dreier: Free lunch—exactly.

Allen: So, you just have to—I understand as a musician myself, you just kind of

have to make do. Okay. So, what would you say, in terms of the type of press,

what type of media, or press, has been the most beneficial for you?

Dreier: Well, the people that helped us to go to Las Vegas were very big. The

man that put us on the New York Times was very big. The…

[Dreier’s phone starts ringing] Dreier: ...Jewish paper, the local Jewish paper, the Sun Sentinel was very good.

Yeah.

[Dreier answers phone and hangs up after conversing for a few minutes]

Allen: See? Busy man!

[Allen laughs]

Dreier: No, this is charity. The woman is homeless. She lost everything. She

works a little bit, but she’s got no money. I’m going to give her my car. I told her

to come. She’s single. She’s got her daughter, but the daughter and her husband in

the Navy live someplace, you know? So I told her I’m going to help her with the

gas. So I’m going to give her my car and put twenty dollars’ worth of gas in it for

her. This is my side work.

72

Allen: Yeah, sounds like it. So, that’s the background of the band, in general.

Obviously everything else I can contextualize with the articles and follow up with

you on stuff. Looking at…

Dreier: You see, this is what we want to do now. We’re talking to a man who is a

little producer. He came up with idea because of anti-Semitism in the colleges.

He’s going to try to book us in the colleges for concerts. But, we’re starting it now. I don’t know. The man is in California. He took my brochures; he took my

letters. And he’s going to come back. We’re going to see how he made out.

Allen: Okay! Well, hopefully that’ll lead to stuff. I mean, that would be great.

Dreier: Yeah, that would be great.

Allen: That’s one thing I’m actually…I’m about to start volunteering with the

Holocaust Education Resource Council up in Tallahassee. And it seems like that

this music is a good way to educate people in the colleges and that kind of stuff.

Dreier: If you could, with your college, put an event together so that you can

bring the Holocaust orchestra to the college and bring all the students, I would try

to work something out with you so that, instead of paying for tickets, they could

give donations as they walk-in. Donations would be enough to cover us, and we

could have a beautiful concert.

Allen: Yeah, I know that (it’s called HERC for short; you know, Holocaust

Education Resource Council) Barbara Goldstein had mentioned she was thinking

about trying to get y’all to come up to Temple Israel. So…

Dreier: We’re going to try to come out and give you a nice concert, and

everybody’s going to be happy.

Allen: Yeah, I’ll talk to her about that. I’m working with her on a few things this

fall. So obviously we’ve talked about, you know, you guys trying to generate

donations, spread world peace, you’re musicians. In what other ways does this

band mean to you? Like, obviously it was a means for you to find music again

because you didn’t play drums for many years.

Dreier: We’re trying all kinds of music to satisfy everybody under the

sun…under the stars. But you have to understand that this takes time and takes a

lot of things. We’re trying every day. We’re going to study, and we’re trying to

develop a CD. But everything takes time. We’re, you’re dealing with two. old.

men.

Allen: Right. You have to overcome the restrictions that come with age, and you

know…

Dreier: You see, I…Ah…

[Dreier’s friend walks up and converses for a few minutes; interview resumes

after the friend walks away]

Allen: See? Obviously people have respect for you…

Dreier: Everybody knows me.

Allen: And what you do…and…

Dreier: Everybody. I buy fruit, and he’s got a fruit stand here. Allen: Oh my gosh.

Dreier: So, after I’m finished with you, I have to bring some fruit home. So that’s when I’m going to go and talk to Thomas88. And then I have to get the big car,

88 Any italicized names within the transcripts are pseudonyms for persons not directly involved in this study

73

and I’m going to meet Mary. She’s an Egyptian girl who lived in Israel alone. She

sleeps in the car. Cold story. And she works in education, you understand? So I

feel pity. She lost a lot of money. She was a gambler. So I feel pity for her. So

now she needs a few dollars for gas. I don’t want to give her money. Because,

yes, I’m going to give it to her. So long as I can put in commodities, I don’t care. Allen: Yeah, that’s what I do, too. Like, just buy someone a gift or, you know,

something that will benefit them…

Dreier: In case they use it for three things: drinking, gambling, or drugs.

Allen: Exactly. Yup. It’s better to just buy the food or buy the gas directly. So we

talked about what the band means to you in a broader context and overcoming,

boundaries as an elder. It’s a means of escape. Obviously you were saying from

your current circumstances that playing the music brings you joy. And it keeps

you active and healthy, too.

Dreier: It happens. Maybe I’m alive because I’m so active, I’m so hyper. I’m hyper, and I’m emotional. I’ve got two things that help me stay healthy. I don’t know. You have to understand that my wife has already been sick for the last nine

years. Very sick. And God help us both. She’s alive, and I am alive. I’ve got four

children; I’ve got six grandchildren. They’re all here. I’ve got one son who just

moved to Israel. You know, he was a pilot—a chief pilot—and a captain for major

airlines. And he moved to Israel. And he’s teaching English because he speaks

Hebrew. He went to college in Israel. So that’s what he does. He teaches English because in Israel there is a need. You have to have English language. You have to

take English, you have to speak it. So, that’s the story. I’ve got my children: one

lives in Eustace, one lives in Boca, and one lives in Coral Springs. I’ve got two

granddaughters: one lives in Washington DC and works for BBC television. She

is an editor. And one lives in Portland. She is a postgraduate up at Northwestern

University. And she is a…the…how you...she’s a writer. And she’s got a wonderful job with…she writes for the…

Allen: So seeing all of this must be [Dreier: Single…] such a blessing for you. Dreier: One is single, but the one in Washington is not married.

Allen: Okay, gotcha. So, that’s wonderful that you’ve gotten to see all these, you know, your family succeed…

Dreier: Two are here with my daughter, and the other two are in Eustace and live

close. Once in a while they come and see us. Like, with my party, they were here.

They came to my party. It’s tough; my wife can’t travel. That’s my problem. Allen: Right, so you can’t just leave her…

Dreier: I can’t go anyplace. I can go by myself. See, if I go to New York, like, if I

go someplace to perform, I go by myself.

Allen: Yeah, that’s tough, I’m sure, to balance, you know, your personal life and

now your professional musician life/business life. It’s a lot to juggle, you know?

It’s completely understand…

Dreier: What else do you want?

Allen: I guess, obviously you’ve experienced, some difficulties and benefits,

along the way, but have you discovered any unexpected benefits or difficulties?

Like, for example, you were saying the physical and emotional toll…

74

Dreier: Well, we’ve got unexpected difficulties. Not so much me, but Ruby’s got

big problems. Ruby’s wife had a stroke. She is paralyzed. Ruby is financially

strapped because of her. And Chana had to move to their house to keep it from

going under. And this is a big problem. It is a big problem.

Allen: How much sacrifice they have to make to do this band…

Dreier: Beg your pardon?

Allen: I was just saying they have had to make a lot of sacrifices.

Dreier: Ruby has to make sacrifices. That’s why we’re doing it. He’s doing a lot of things to get paid. I don’t care. I don’t care for me. I hire a guy that drives me, I come. I don’t need…but Ruby’s got the problem, big problem. That’s why I need

money. And I need money for the orchestra. I have to prepare every move I make;

I have to get paid. So that’s why we want to get some grants. I’m trying to work and to find people that’re going to give us grants to keep us going. And this is the

very tough because we just started. Until now, I was supporting myself, and I was

supporting it. But, now, I’m choked. Everybody’s choked. Allen: Yeah, it’s tough. Dreier: So that’s the answer for you with the financial thing. Allen: Right. You already talked about balancing your personal life with your

professional musician life. In terms of what’s driven the success of the band, I

think I read in an interview that you mentioned that the novelty of being in a band

of Holocaust survivors has helped you be successful on top of, you know, your

music itself. So, how do you seek to convey this idea of music for world peace

musically?

Dreier: Well, I like it very much, because when, out of over three hundred fifty

million citizens and non-citizens in the United States, Saul Dreier, me, came up

with this idea. So, something happened—somebody told me to do it. I’ll tell you the truth: I don’t know who. If it was a god, my wife, or my…my life be…I don’t know. I’m just guessing. It came to me some morning while I was reading the

article about the woman who was a hundred and ten years old and passed away.

And somehow it got to me, and I came out with it.

Allen: Yeah. And now here you are a year later still, you know, going along.

Dreier: I was retired. I wouldn’t dare dream about doing anything. Now I’m busier, like I was in business. I didn’t work nearly as hard as I’m working now. Allen: Yeah. That’s crazy how much your life has changed since then. I know

that you were saying that you tried to accommodate different generations, you try

to write different styles for the elderly…

Dreier: Yeah, we’re trying to accommodate the middle age and the young ones.

We try the best we can so that everybody understands the Holocaust of 1930 until

1945…whatever.

Allen: Yeah, so that’s your reason for the blended sound. In general, what types

of music have been your favorite to work with?

Dreier: Well, I’ll tell you the truth. There’s no such thing as a favorite. Every

music, every song we sing, every tune we play, it gives us all the pleasure. But I

personally love fast music, you understand? Everybody loves something else, but

this doesn’t interfere with my expressions. Everything works.

75

Allen: All right. And on a personal basis, are there any specific musicians, artists,

or tunes that inspire you the most?

Dreier: No, everything to me is—you understand, I like music. Period. So

nothing inspires.

Allen: Well, there you go. Big time music lover. Thinking back, like, having

finished the first year as a band, what types of music or specific works have

gotten the most response from people?

Dreier: Well, most of the people we were playing for…for certain…mostly we

were playing...I would say…seventy percent of the time…we were playing for the

Jewish…eh…audience. Thirty percent of the time we were playing for mixed

audiences. And that’s how it’s been until now. Now we’re trying to play more for mixed audiences because I want the whole world to understand what happened

and why we want to keep this thing going. It’s a disaster in the world. And

somehow everybody has to chip in so this ceases and so that we can live in a

normal peace in which everybody’s happy. I don’t care if it’s in the United States,

if it’s in South America, if it’s in Europe, if it’s in East Asia, if it’s in the Middle

East, or if it’s in Asia. Whatever. I want to make sure that the whole world thinks

the same about peace, because it’s a shame to be killing innocent people all over

the world. That’s it. Allen: All right. And obviously you just showed me the tune that Ruby’s working

on. Do you write any of your own music?

Dreier: I don’t. Allen: Okay, so Ruby’s the musical director in general.

Dreier: Chana helps him. We help, we all help each other. But he’s the musical director. Yeah.

Allen: Okay, and then, also, if you do select music that someone else has already

written, what’s your selection criteria? Do you meet together and talk about what

kind of music you want to perform for a certain concert?

Dreier: Ruby selects it; he picks the program. I check it out. And Chana will

check it out. And then another thing: we look in the audience. We might switch

according to the audience at the concert. We might not do our prepared repertoire;

we might switch it. It helps because, right away, when we see the audience wants

to dance, we’ll play dance music. If they want the Hora, the Israeli music,

whatever they want, we test them out right away. Sometimes, many times, we

switch. We continue without what we had planned for the concert, and this gives

us so much courage because the people are surprised, too.

Allen: Got it. Well, that’s very smart of you guys. You definitely engage with the

audience and read them, and like you said, you’re really trying to reach out so you

just kind of …

Dreier: And I play without notes. I just follow, you understand? With my beat.

Did you see it?

Allen: You just kind of go with it.

[Allen laughs.]

Allen: And, yeah, because I remember at the concert I came to, it seemed like

Ruby was guiding things along on the keyboard, and you were just going for it,

and going all out, and having a good time.

76

Dreier: Yeah, that’s what we do. And we also invite the audience—if

somebody’s got maybe a suggestion of a song, we’re more than willing to play it

because we’re playing all languages, we’re playing all tunes. So, sometimes we

may invite somebody from the audience to sing with us. So it’s very interesting. Allen: Yeah, I remember that y’all were taking requests at the end of that one

concert.

Dreier: Now, my English…you better correct everything because, you know, I

never went to college to learn how to speak English. I learned from my…

Allen: No, that’s fine! You’re doing a fantastic job. I’m very impressed. So

obviously you were saying when you’re performing you’re trying to engage with

the audience and see what they want, but along with that, what else is on your

mind when you’re performing? Dreier: Oh, heh. That’s a very interesting question and very tough to answer. At

every concert I go to, there are different things that are on my mind. I go to a

concert, I want to make sure that the music is correct. I go to a concert, I want to

be sure that we can give, sell or give away our…how you call it…those little tchotchkes, eh, souvenirs! Or sell it. So, you know, every concert speaks for itself.

As a matter of fact, we’ve got a concert booked in Juno Beach. I just booked it

today. They’re going to be a completely mixed concert. There’s going to be more

Gentiles than Jews. And they want to do Jewish music. So…

Allen: All right. Well, that’s one step in the right direction. Heh. Reaching

different audiences.

[Dreier shows me an example of a Holocaust Survivor Band souvenir]

Allen: Oh my gosh. That is so cool. And I think I also read that in Las Vegas you

guys had fan shirts? Holocaust Survivor Band shirts up there? I bet that’s a really

cool feeling to have.

Dreier: We sold out! I have nothing left. [Allen laughs.] We sold this out; we

sold the pins. You know, the power pins. But there’s going to be new ones. So, if

you have a chance, I’m going to give you everything. I’m going to give you

souvenirs, but I have nothing with me.

Allen: Yeah! I mean, I consider myself to basically be a professional groupie at

this point.

Dreier: Correct.

[Allen laughs.]

Dreier: I’m just going to give you my brochure. I want to give it to you. So if

you’ve got something to do right now, go ahead, because I don’t want to go

through that since I have to shop when I’m finished with you. So let me run to the car and bring you the brochure. It’s very important. Allen: Yeah, and I think we’re…yeah, we can be done for today. And then we

can talk about it tomorrow.

Dreier: Right, okay. If we’re done for today, we can go. I can put this in my car

and come back to shop.

Allen: Sure. And I have something for you…

Dreier: Like what?

Allen: Just a little thank you gift for meeting me.

Dreier: Aw, come on.

77

[Allen laughs.]

Dreier: Should I open it?

Allen: Yeah! Go for it.

78

APPENDIX D

SECOND DREIER INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Interview with Saul Dreier - July 21, 2015, 10:40 a.m.

Wynmoor Village Clubhouse, Coconut Creek, Florida

Allen: So I saw on the fan page that you and Ruby got a couple of letters,

fanmail?

Dreier: Yeah.

Allen: What was that about?

Dreier: What about the letters we got…actually, Chana got some. I got some, too.

I get a lot of fan calls. Those people are just interested in coming to our concerts.

So we’ve got them on a list. I’ve got a woman—she works part-time for us, but

now it’s summer time. Everything is slow. Whenever we’ve got a concert, we’re

going to notify them. Either they come, they want to listen, or they want to know

if we are on the computer or television. That’s how they follow us. It’s building up. It’s very possible that we have hundreds and thousands of fans. Who knows?

It starts with a few people, and they are being notified every time. Either they call

me—for example, for July and August, I told them we’ve got nothing. I told them

that the first one’s going to start in Juno Beach on the ninth of September. Every

time something comes up, I call them. Some of them I give notice only the

months before, you understand? I don’t want to load them up with all my gigs and

bad business, you understand? So that’s how…yeah, wait, and we’re building a fan club. It’s going to take a little time; you understand? The fan club’s going to

be huge because a lot of people still want to listen to this music.

Allen: Mhm, that’s for sure. I know were saying you are trying to accommodate

all kinds of people to build that fan base.

Dreier: Now, in Juno Beach, there’s going to be a mixed crowd. We’re going to

play everything, whatever our heart desires. On the ninth of September is our first

gig for this season. Our season starts in September and goes until May, about

June. Yeah, the summer. We take two months off, July and August. Forget it.

Allen: Oh yeah. Understandable. Got to catch a break sometime. Okay,

throughout your process of building a fan base, are there some instances that stand

out to you the most? Like certain people or…

Dreier: Well, whoever calls, you know, I ask them, “Where are you from?” because I want to make sure that they don’t travel too far. If somebody’s from Miami, I don’t ask them to come to Tallahassee. I mean, it’s ridiculous, you

understand? But the first thing I ask them is, “Where are you from?” so they don’t come up here. So I look them up and tell them, “Okay, my next gig’s going to be

in Margate on the third of August, you understand?” And that’s how I explain it to them.

Allen: So you really do go out of your way to connect well with these people and

make things work for them…

Dreier: And then, on every gig we go, I take a blank…uh…board? And we spell out the gig, and people put in their email addresses. When we’ve got a gig, they’re

79

automatically going to get the email. Same thing as what we’re going to do for

different things with those people, you understand? And also, we’re trying to get some donors. So, maybe this is going to help, too.

Allen: Yeah. Word of mouth definitely helps. So, also, the Facebook page I’m sure has been tremendously helpful, too, in terms of getting…

Dreier: Yeah, we’re waiting for the website…. Allen: That’s just what I was going to ask.

Dreier: The website is completely screwed up. And somebody’s working on it. We’re going to get it as soon as possible. But here’s how you can get to our

Facebook: “Holocaust Survivor Band.” Facebook, that’s it. Allen: Yeah, and y’all have two. You have your main one and then there’s the second one.

Dreier: Yeah, I’ve got my own, and Chana’s got her own. I’ve got it under

“Saul,” and then I’ve also got also the…only one, you understand? But, mostly,

it’s the “Holocaust” whatever; you go and see it then when she fits it. If can you

go onto “Holocaust Survivor Band” to see what she fit in yesterday or this

morning.

Allen: Yeah, she just posted that video, I think.

Dreier: Yeah, I want to see what she put in. Because she put mine, too; you

know, that video I gave you yesterday. I want to make sure you look at it because,

I don’t know, you know this telephone’s too smart for me. [Dreier and Allen use Dreier’s phone to see if the video was uploaded to the

band’s Facebook pages] Dreier: The whole world’s going to see it now. You know how many calls I get

from Israel and all over? My son sent it out, maybe, to Israel, to my

granddaughter. Now, I sent it to him, but he picked it up, and he sent it out right

away.

Allen: Oh my gosh. That’s great. Dreier: Yeah, I know.

Allen: I know that’s exciting for you and your…

Dreier: But I’m going to get calls, trouble. They’re going to drive me bananas.

Allen: I know. They’re just a big fan of that. And so, okay, and in terms of your

fans, like, from what you’ve seen, you have mostly fans here in the United States, or, you said you have a fan base working in Israel, too…

Dreier: My son is going to start working in Israel. But I have to give him the

directions, so I want to wait until he moves into his house. He’s going to be

moving in October. I don’t want to bother him now, you know, since it’s summer time and very hard in Israel. So I told him, “When it gets cooled off, when you

move to your house (he’s moving in October; they’re finishing the house), then

we will sit down, and I’m going to give you a directive, and I will follow.”

Allen: Okay, and that right there will help you build a more international fan base.

Bringing this back in to the more local level, as we saw yesterday, at the flea

market, you know a lot of people around here, and they’ve been supportive of

you. How has this whole band experience been affecting the local community?

Are they excited about it?

80

Dreier: Well, a lot of people are excited. They love to come to the concerts, but

we don’t get any…you have to understand that we already accommodated a lot of

people last year. We gave them five, six concerts here. Now, we want to

accommodate more people outside of the area we live. We want to go to other

states, other cities. Like, for example, we’re going to Boston with the thing, and that’s how we’re trying to expand. We’re working on a concert in Cleveland, and

then we’re going work. We’re working on certain things with certain artists.

We’re going to be in New York and going to be all over the YouTube. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, and we’re trying all over. You have to

understand, it’s a business. And it is a cut. throat. business. Not only this, but they

want you to play for nothing. And I don’t mind. I don’t need the money. But, you have to understand, a band’s got expenses. Last week I went and broke

something. My drums cost me forty-seven dollars. Thank God I can afford to

spend. But…we’re stuck. I have forty-seven dollars to pay for it.

Allen: Yup. And we people hire bands, they don’t realize…

Dreier: They don’t want it; they don’t want to pay. They want to…I’ll give you an example. The Jewish organizations, they’re getting grants from New York, from all over. They’re getting grants from Germany. But when it comes to

entertainment, they don’t want to spend money.

Allen: Okay, because they see it as an extra…

Dreier: They don’t want to do it for nothing, for love. For love, I can do it for

somebody else, not to them.

Allen: Mhm.

[Allen laughs.]

Allen: Yeah. Oh Geez.

Dreier: You understand what I mean? That’s what we do…

Allen: Yeah, because they don’t realize when they hire a band, it’s paying not only for you playing, but all the equipment, the time you have to take to go out

there…

Dreier: I want to buy a bus so badly; you know? A bus today would be at least

seventy, eighty thousand. If I get a bus, I’ll put a big, you know, banner, sign on

it. We’ll have all the equipment inside. All the musicians that want to play will

take the bus. We’ll hire a driver part-time; we don’t need a driver who would

require us to pay a big salary. Wherever we go, we will get a guy who is

available, semi-retired. We’ll go to Tallahassee, we’ll go here, we’ll go to Orlando. Not here, but to Georgia, Alabama, to any place.

Allen: Hit the road!

[Allen laughs.]

Dreier: Hit the road. You understand? And then I’ll stay in the hotels, maybe, because seven people can sleep in our trailer. Like the police, we’ll advertise

ourselves. We’ll travel like the big people, like the big singers; that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s going to help. Somebody has to come out and, I’ll tell you what,

if you can rob a bank…

[Both laugh.]

Allen: Money is always an issue, for sure.

Dreier: Money makes the tricks, but what can you do?

81

Allen: Mhm. So that’s a big thing to deal with.

Dreier: Today, we’re going to refine one song in the studio. I’m already carrying

two blank checks. Yeah, you have to pay on the spot. Here are the two checks so I

don’t forget. You see it? Allen: Just to record today, yeah.

Dreier: I don’t know how much it’s going to be.

Allen: So you just have the check, right?

Dreier: Who knows? We don’t know how long we’re going to be there.

Allen: That’s crazy. Have you enjoyed your time in the studio? Like working

on…

Dreier: Oh, I love it there! I like the people. There’s two partners, a Gentile, and,

as a matter of fact, one partner, the Jewish guy, gave me a donation. A hundred

dollars. Yeah. Last time we were there. When I paid him the bill, he says, “Saul, this is for the band.” He wrote a check from his private…he’s a wealthy man, you

know. You’re going to see a beautiful studio. Everybody practices there. You’re going to see some famous bands, maybe. Whether they’re going to be there

tonight, I don’t know. Allen: Okay, got it.

Dreier: I’m going Saturday night. I’m going to Ft. Lauderdale with Steven, my

neighbor’s daughter, who’s a renowned drummer; they’ve got a concert. I’m going to go listen to them. Steven’s taking me at night. Yeah. I’ve got only one

hurdle to kick off: if my wife says I can go. With my wife, she’s got a problem, you see. Some days she doesn’t want to stay that long. And my granddaughter, Saturday night, I can take a young girl who, you know, wants to go out to the

movies with her boyfriend or whomever. So my wife’s going to say, “Go ahead,” and I’m going to go to sleep, because I’m going to have to back by at least twelve,

twelve thirty. And, a funny thing, that I got a problem yet she’s not prepared for it, she knows I’m going away for one night to Boston, but we’re flying home very late, I’ll be home at maybe twelve o’clock at night. So, now I have to prepare for

it. So, everybody’s got a little package, you understand? Ruby, they have a

problem. Whenever they travel, they have to have an aid for twenty-four hours.

She can’t even go to the bathroom by herself. She has to be picked up. Mrs. Sosnowicz, you understand? This costs money. Thank God, during the day I have

no problem; I am insured. But for the evening, I have to leave, hire a woman, I

have to pay.

Allen: And, you know, plan your time well…

Dreier: So, that’s what we’re trying, so now, we’re going to Boston, I agreed to

pay a little bit for both of us for the babysitting. We’re going to come out on top. I

don’t know…we’re not getting one red cent from them. Everything was for free.

They’re just paying for the hotel, the travel, the food. And maybe they’re going to give us something for the babysitting, for the woman. Chana’s going to have to

get more mirrors, because they’re going to have twenty-four hours. Me, I just

need it for twelve hours; you know, for the night. It’s a problem, darling! Except, you see, my head should have worked when I was forty-five or fifty years old, not

now. It’s too late for this. But, I’m going to try to do the best I can. The news

video’s going to say, I say I’m going to try to do this still to the last minute I can.

82

I got a chance to see Spielberg in California. I got a chance to see Holocaust, with

Spielberg, the whole thing, the Shoah. I don’t have the money to do it. I don’t have the money to do it, you know, so I’m sitting here like a dead pigeon.

Somebody calls me for a concert, so we go. And we’re trying through you, through advertisement, through this, through that, trying to see what’s going to

happen. The letter and everything I just printed, you see. I’m going to have to get

started in putting them in envelopes and getting them out to people. I’ll give you

an example: we went to a concert in the polo club. So, at this concert, there had to

be maybe seven, eight hundred people. And everybody gave a donation to the

organization. We got nothing. But, I saw the donors. They were listed. Big

donors, not the, you know, from thousand dollars five hundred thousand. And

then we took the list, and we’re trying to find out where these people are from and

send them those letters. Maybe they will donate to us. And then we’re going to advertise for donation on every…how you call it…you see the brochure. We’re asking for money. Sometimes I get tired of it. You know why? You see, Emily, I

was retired for seventeen years. So, you see, this was my life here: books, reading,

going to the pool. Now, I’m stuck. I’m back in. Did you ever see a man get out of

retirement at ninety years old and work? I’m working. Look at this: you see, this

is a list of today. Already, I was calling people, you understand? You’re here. I’ve

got Joe Carter, a commissioner; I want to get a concert. Here, this is what I did

yesterday. This is Monday—every day. I cannot expect this from Chana. Ruby is

not for that; you understand? Ruby wants to sit down and play, and, you know,

listen, help somebody, people. But, he’s not a business man. This is a business.

And it’s getting very tiring for me. You see, in any business I participated, I had a

secretary. I had a bookkeeper. I had a desk. I had a telephone. You know, I want

entertainment, I want to go to eat, I want to eat, I want to…you understand? People were working, I had a foreman, I had a partner. We had trucks.

Allen: Now it’s just you doing this. Dreier: Me! Saul. Number one. That’s the point.

Allen: Yeah. And, I mean…

Dreier: You see, now we’re trying to go to colleges, where we can have a few concerts, different colleges. They come out with a few dollars to help us, you

understand? Now, the colleges are very stingy, too.

Allen: Yeah, I understand that, especially with the arts.

[Allen laughs.]

Dreier: I know. So, we need some big donors there. The guy that went to

California, the one I told you, that he was a best man? He married Tony Bennett’s daughter; she became Jewish. His friend, he’s here. So he took some stuff, he

wants to see some people and see what he can do for us. He’s not doing for nothing. He has to make a living. He’s calling himself a producer. So he went,

and he’s in California now. I won’t even call him. I’m waiting until he gets back. He wants to stop in Las Vegas and see Sheldon, the guy, the owner of the

Venetian Hotel for us. So maybe he can do it. I have no one to write letters, to

make telephones. I have a woman who lives far away. I am too lazy to drive to

her, to see her. So nothing is being done. Nothing.

Allen: Yeah. It’s a lot. It’s very tiring.

83

Dreier: I thought, “This Friday, we’re going to spend a good day. Chana, Ruby,

and me, we’re going to clean up a lot of stuff. We’re going to sit.” Chana’s working. If she doesn’t work…she has to. She’s got bills to pay. You know, she, we’re going to New York. Chana has to take two days off. Who’s going to pay for

her? For it? So, the business has to pay. If I’ve got the money, she’s going. If I

don’t have the money, what am I going to have to give up? My skin?

Allen: Yeah. It’s a lot to account for, a lot to plan for.

Dreier: Yeah. Did you notice that we don’t do any gigs during the day? Ruby has

to sleep. His wife, you were sitting next to her, with the woman. Thank God for

the gigs during the day; they’re getting to be three days a week because Ruby is

working, you know. They’re getting a woman, so that whenever we have a gig,

she brings the woman and sits with her. We’re very busy. You were there, so you

saw that. She dreads the lunch. I couldn’t eat that garbage. All right, what else,

darling?

Allen: Let’s see. That covers the audience and what you have to account for and

plan for with this band. Regarding the music itself, we talked about how you play

all kinds of styles, all kinds of different languages, and you try to engage with the

audience.

Dreier: Right. That’s automatic. I mean, there’s nothing new we have coming out. We’re coming out with a new song. It has to do with Holocaust Survivors. Because we want to have a hymn. You know what a hymn is. Every time we

come to a concert, we want to sing this song, so that people know who we are,

why we are doing it.

Allen: Yeah. And, looking at the other side of that, has there ever been a specific

song or type of music that you’ve regretted performing at a concert?

Dreier: Regret? No. I never regret whatever I do on a concert. To me, every song,

every music, every melody makes sense.

Allen: Okay. Because you plan it out so well. Okay.

Dreier: You understand?

Allen: Yes, that makes sense. All right. And you already talked about some

different concerts you’re doing in the coming months, starting in September in Juno Beach.

Dreier: That’s when we’re going start to trying to travel more. Because, you

know, how many times can you bring the same audience? But, even though—I

got news for you—the percentage of the people who don’t know nothing about us

is so big, we can still pull from over, but we have to have the know-how. We’ve

got the know-how, but we have to have the finances to do it. Then, we advertise.

You know every page in the paper costs money. Then we can still get plenty of

people, and many come twice; they love it. If you play every two months, three

months in the place, they’re going to come back like going to a movie. Same

thing.

Allen: Got it. Having a solid fan base or audience. One thing I read in an article—and it didn’t go into a lot of detail—said something about a Broadway show that’s going to possibly…

Dreier: Yeah, but no, it didn’t work out.

84

Allen: It didn’t work out. Okay, that’s what I was just wondering. Okay, because

there was a lot of stuff in the different articles about things in progress. Got it.

Dreier: So for me it didn’t work out. It may happen because I’m still waiting. I

gave them a proposition; they’re supposed to come back to me.

Allen: So, that’s the status you’re in right now, just a lot of waiting and getting

the funds.

Dreier: Yes, everything. So you know, we’re talking big money. And somebody

that started this that has nothing to do with Aaron. He wants to be the producer

and to keep us on the side. And I refuse that. I want to be the producer.

[Allen laughs.]

Allen: Of course you do. I mean, why not?

Dreier: And why not?

[Allen laughs.]

Allen: Understandable. Okay.

Dreier: Wait a second. Maybe I’ve got it here. I’m going to show you something.

Allen: Sure.

[Dreier digs through portfolio.]

Dreier: And I never had an office like this.

Allen: Mm. Portable office.

Dreier: Here. This is the final version. This is going to be on the heads. One is

mine. And one is Ruby’s. I can’t give it to you; only if I make copies. I can give it

to you tonight if you want it. You’re going to get a copy. So you’re going to

be…when you’re going to be…you know, so don’t worry about it. But I’ll show you. I finalized it and okayed it already.

Allen: Yeah.

Dreier: This is about me.

Allen: Yeah.

[Dreier’s phone rings.]

85

APPENDIX E

IRB APPROVAL AND CONSENT FORM

Human Subjects Application ‐ For Full IRB and Expedited Exempt Review

PI Name: Emily Ruth Allen

Project Title: Celebrating and Preserving Music of Jewish Pasts: The Holocaust Survivor Band

HSC Number: 2015.15491

Your application has been received by our office. Upon review, it has been determined that your

protocol is an oral history, which in general, does not fit the definition of "research" pursuant to

the federal regulations governing the protection of research subjects. Please be mindful that there

may be other requirements such as releases, copyright issues, etc. that may impact your oral

history endeavor, but are beyond the purview of this office

86

Consent Form

I, _______________________, voluntarily consent to participate in the research project (master's thesis),

"Celebrating and Preserving Music of Jewish Pasts: The Holocaust Survivor Band."

Background: This research is being conducted by Emily Allen, a Master's student in Historical Musicology at

the Florida State University. I understand that the purpose of her research is to explore and better understand

the connection between myself and the Holocaust Survivor Band’s music. I understand that if I agree to

participate in this research project, I will be asked questions about my inspirations, performance experiences,

and music that I perform. I understand that all comments I make will be attributed to me in writing.

Procedures: I understand that I will be contacted several times over the next year, both spontaneously through

e-mail and in planned interviews by phone or in person. These planned interviews will be scheduled in

advance and I may cancel if necessary. I may decline to answer any question, and I may stop any interview at

any time without any penalty.

With my permission, I understand that Emily Allen may video record, audio record, and take photographs

throughout these interviews. I also understand that I am allowed to participate in this study if I do not wish to

be taped or photographed.

Confidentiality: I will be invited to review recordings, the nature of the use of the final recordings, and the

final thesis. I will be allowed to edit these materials as I see fit. Recordings will not be erased, but may be

archived at the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University. I will be allowed to approve or disapprove

such licensure of these recordings to the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University. The thesis will

be published by ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing and Florida State University.

I understand that all e-mails and recordings will be stored on Emily Allen's password-protected computer. All

phone or in-person conversations will be audio or video recorded and transcribed by Emily Allen. I understand

that these recordings and transcripts will exist so that I will be cited and quoted accurately in the thesis and will

only be used for educational purposes. These audio recordings and transcripts will be stored on Emily Allen's

computer. Transcripts and e-mails may be printed verbatim in the final thesis with my approval. I understand

that copies of transcripts, recordings, and e-mails will be provided to me.

Risks and Benefits: There are no risks to participating in this research project. While there are no specific

benefits, the printed transcripts and e-mails will provide a record of my thoughts and will benefit future

historians and musicians.

Compensation: I understand that I will not be compensated for participating in this research project.

Voluntary Nature of the Study: My participation in this study is voluntary. I understand that my decision

whether or not to participate will not affect my current or future relations with the Florida State University. If I

decide to participate, I am free to not answer any question or withdraw at any time without affecting this

relationship.

Contact Information: I understand that I may contact Emily Allen by e-mail, era14@my.fsu.edu or

emily.ruth.allen@gmail.com, or phone, (409) 549-1548, with questions or comments about the project at any

time. I may also contact her faculty advisor, Dr. Frank Gunderson, at fgunderson@fsu.edu or (850) 644-6106.

If I have further questions or concerns about the project or my rights as a participant, I may contact the

Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Florida State University through the Human Subjects Office at (850) 644-

8633.

I have read and understand the consent form.

________________________________________

Subject's signature Date

87

I agree to have these conversations recorded and stored on Emily Allen's computer.

________________________________________

Subject's signature Date

88

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, Lynn. Oral History Theory. New York: Routledge, 2010.

Alphen, Ernst van. “Second-Generation Testimony, Transmission of Trauma, and Postmemory.” Poetics Today 27, no. 2 (2006): 473–88. doi:10.1215/03335372-2005-015.

Barz, Gregory F., Timothy J. Cooley. Shadows in the Field: New Perspectives for Fieldwork in

Ethnomusicology. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Bennett, Bruce. “Delray Holocaust Survivors: ‘We Come to Have Fun.’” Photo taken May 12,

2015. The Palm Beach Post.

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/photo/news/local/holocaust-survivors-enjoy-nosh

-nachas-event-in-sub/pCd6cR/.

Berger, Alan L. Children of Job: American Second-Generation Witnesses to the Holocaust.

SUNY Series in Modern Jewish Literature and Culture. Albany, NY: State University of

New York Press, 1997.

Bohlman, Philip Vilas. Jewish Music and Modernity. AMS Studies in Music. New York: Oxford

University Press, 2008.

Boym, Svetlana. The Future of Nostalgia. New York: Basic Books, 2001.

Charlton, Thomas L., Lois E. Myers, and Rebecca Sharpless, eds. Handbook of Oral History.

Lanham, MD: Altamira Press, 2006.

Clarke, Malcolm. The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life. Reed Entertainment, Media

Verite, Bunbury Film, 2013.

Dreier, Saul, Ruby Sosnowicz, and Chana Sosnowicz. “Holocaust Survivor Band Celebrates Life.” Interviewed by Rick Sanchez. NewsRadio WIOD. Posted on April 24, 2015.

http://www.wiod.com/articles/wiodam-local-news-122821/audiovideo-holocaust

-survivor-band-celebrates-life-13533839/.

Dreier, Saul, Ruby Sosnowicz, and Joshua Z. Weinstein. “Holocaust Survivor Band: ‘Music Saved Our Lives.’” Interview by CBC Radio. Aired on March 27, 2015.

http://www.cbc.ca/1.3011826.

Edelman, Marsha Bryan. Discovering Jewish Music. First edition. Philadelphia: Jewish

Publication Society, 2003.

Fass, Paula S. Inheriting the Holocaust: A Second-Generation Memoir. New Brunswick, N.J:

Rutgers University Press, 2009.

89

Geselowitz, Gabriela. “Crowd Goes Wild For Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band.” Tablet Magazine. Posted on March 4, 2015.

http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/189385/crowd-goes-wild-for-holocaust-survivor-band.

Gilbert, Shirli. Music in the Holocaust: Confronting Life in the Nazi Ghettos and Camps. Oxford

Historical Monographs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Gradenwitz, Peter. The Music of Israel: From the Biblical Era to Modern Times. Second edition.

Portland: Amadeus Press, 1996.

Grimwood, Marita, and Inc. Holocaust Literature of the Second Generation. First edition. New

York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.

Hoekstra, Nicole. “Never Forget: How Public Memory of the Holocaust is Displayed in

Holocaust Museums and Memorials in Florida.” Electronic Theses, Treatises and

Dissertations, June 11, 2010. http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/etd/3998.

The Holocaust Survivor Band. Accessed January 20, 2016.

http://www.theholocaustsurvivorband.com.

“The Holocaust Survivor Band.” The Last Survivor. Accessed June 21, 2015.

http://www.thelastsurvivorevent.com/concert/.

“Holocaust Survivor Band Keeps Going.” Coral Springs Homes. Posted on January 21, 2015.

http://coralspringshomes.brgrealestate.com/uncategorized/holocaust-survivor-band

-keeps-going/.

“Holocaust Survivor Band to Perform Thursday in Muhlenberg Township.” Reading Eagle.

Posted on April 12, 2015. http://readingeagle.com/news/article/holocaust-survivor-band

-to-perform-thursday-in-muhlenberg-township.

“Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band.” Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Holocaust-Survivor

-Klezmer-Band-511085479024192/?fref=ts.

“Holocaust Survivors Bring Big Band Music to South Florida.” Daily News. Posted on February

16, 2015. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/holocaust-survivors-bring-big

-band-music-south-florida-article-1.2116951.

Jay. “The Last Survivor Weekend to Honor Holocaust Survivors on 75th Anniversary of the

Nazi Invasion of Poland at The Venetian.” Vegas24Seven.com. Posted on December 4,

2014. http://www.vegas24seven.com/?p=42735.

Jewish Federation of Reading. “Community Yom Hashoah (Day of Calamity) - Annual

Holocaust Remembrance.” BCTV.org. Posted on April 14, 2015.

http://www.bctv.org/special_reports/community/community-yom-hashoah-day-of

-calamity---annual-holocaust/article_96a33f24-e2b2-11e4-9396-3b59e9654d27.html.

90

Jilovsky, Esther. Remembering the Holocaust: Generations, Witnessing and Place. London:

Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.

Lazar, Louie. “The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band Does Las Vegas.” Tablet Magazine. Posted on December 23, 2014. http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts

-and-culture/music/187865/holocaust-survivor-band-vegas.

Lieberman, Randall P. “Dreier, 90, Leads Holocaust Survivor Band.” South Florida Sun-

Sentinel. Florida Jewish Journal. Palm Beach Jewish News. Published on June 8, 2015.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/palm/fl-jjps

-goldensurvivorband-0610-20150608-story.html.

———. “Holocaust Survivor Band Plays Vegas.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Florida Jewish

Journal. Palm Beach Jewish News. Published on December 22, 2014. http://www.sun-

sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/palm/fl-jjps-klezmer-1224-20141222

-story.html.

March, Eric. “His Wife Said He Was Crazy. His Rabbi Said He Was Too Old. But His Friend

Said, ‘Let’s Do It.’” Upworthy. Posted on April 3, 2015. http://www.upworthy.com/his-

wife-said-he-was-crazy-his-rabbi-said-he-was-too-old-but-his-friend-said-lets-do

-it?c=ufb1.

Moore, Niamh, and Yvonne Whelan, eds. Heritage, Memory and the Politics of Identity: New

Perspectives on the Cultural Landscape. Heritage, Culture, and Identity. Aldershot,

England: Ashgate, 2007.

Oral History Association. “Principles and Best Practices for Oral History.” Last updated October 2009. http://www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-and-practices/.

Orman, Gidon. “Reunion with Saul Drier and Werdyger Family.” YouTube video. Accessed March 23, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzlSxb0TxHw.

R., Lee. “LOL – Jews Form Holocaust Hoaxer Music Band.” Daily Slave. Posted on December

24, 2014. http://www.dailyslave.com/lol-jews-form-holocaust-hoaxer-music-band/.

Rabinovitch, Israel. Of Jewish Music, Ancient and Modern. Translated by Abraham Moses

Klein. Montreal: Book Center, 1952.

Rogovoy, Seth. The Essential Klezmer: A Music Lover’s Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music, from the Old World to the Jazz Age to the Downtown Avant-Garde. 1st ed. Chapel Hill:

Algonguin Books of Chapel Hill, 2000.

Rosen, Philip, and Nina Apfelbaum. Bearing Witness: A Resource Guide to Literature, Poetry,

Art, Music, and Videos by Holocaust Victims and Survivors. Westport, CT: Greenwood

Press, 2002.

Rubin, Ruth. Voices of a People: The Story of Yiddish Folksong. Philadelphia: Jewish

Publication Society of America, 1979.

91

Sapoznik, Henry. Klezmer!: Jewish Music from Old World to Our World. New York: Schirmer

Books, 1999.

Schwartz, David A. “First Holocaust Survivor Band Concert a Hit.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida Jewish Journal. Broward Jewish News. Published on August 11, 2014.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/broward/fl-jjbs-klezmer-0814-

20140811-story.html.

———. “Survivor Plays Music to Remember Shoah.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Published on

May 5, 2014. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-05-05/florida-jewish-journal/fl-jjbs

-yomband-0508-20140505_1_alice-herz-sommer-klezmer-terezin.

Schwartz, Rafi. “These Two Incredible Octogenarians Just Formed The ‘Holocaust Survivor Band.’” GOOD Magazine. Published on March 4, 2015.

http://magazine.good.is/articles/holocaust-survivor-band.

Seltzer, Alexandra. “Delray Holocaust Survivors: ‘We Come to Have Fun.’” Palm Beach Post.

Published on May 13, 2015.

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/holocaust-survivors-enjoy-nosh

-nochas-event-in-sub/nmFK3/.

Slobin, Mark. Fiddler on the Move: Exploring the Klezmer World. American Musicspheres.

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

———. Tenement Songs: The Popular Music of the Jewish Immigrants. Music in American

Life. University of Illinois Press, 1982.

Solomon, Lois K. “Holocaust Survivor Band Plays the Music of Their Youth.” South Florida

Sun-Sentinel. Published on February 6, 2015. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm

-beach/delray-beach/fl-holocaust-survivor-band-20150206-story.html.

Spargo, R. Clifton, and Robert M. Ehrenreich, eds. After Representation?: The Holocaust,

Literature, and Culture. Published in association with the United States Holocaust

Memorial Museum. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2010. ProQuest ebrary.

Stoessinger, Caroline. A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the

World’s Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor. First edition. New York: Spiegel & Grau,

2012.

Volz, David. “Hollywood Residents Perform in Holocaust Survivor Band.” Hollywood Gazette.

Published on February 18, 2015. June 21, 2015.

http://hollywoodgazette.com/FL/index.php?view=item&id=290:hollywood-residents-

perform-in-holocaust-survivor-band&option=com_k2&Itemid=333.

———. “Holocaust Survivor Band Performs.” Pompano Today. Published on February 17,

2015. http://pompanotoday.com/2015/02/holocaust-survivor-band-performs/.

92

Weiner, Howard T. Early Twentieth-Century Brass Idioms: Art, Jazz, and Other Popular

Traditions. Presented by the Institute of Jazz Studies of Rutgers University and the

Historic Brass Society, November 4-5, 2005. Studies in Jazz 58. Lanham, MD:

Scarecrow Press, 2009.

Weinstein, Joshua Z. “‘Holocaust Survivor Band.’” The New York Times. Published on March 3,

2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/opinion/holocaust-survivor-band.html.

Willoughby, Susan. Art, Music, and Writings from the Holocaust. Holocaust. Chicago:

Heinemann Library, 2003.

Wlodarski, Amy Lynn. Musical Witness and Holocaust Representation. Music Since 1900.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.

Yiddish Book Center. “Holocaust Survivor Band: The Power of Music.” Online Audio. Tune In! The Yiddish Book Podcast. Posted on June 11, 2015.

http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/audio/holocaust-survivor-band-power-music.

Yow, Valerie Raleigh. Recording Oral History: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994.

93

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Emily Ruth Allen hails from Cleburne, Texas. As a member of a military family, Ms. Allen

grew up in Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, and Alabama. She is a graduate of the University

of South Alabama, where she received a Bachelor of Music degree with honors. Her research

interests include Jewish music, Hector Berlioz, and British culture. She is an active clarinetist

and crumhorn player, performing regularly throughout the Tallahassee area. When she is not

drowning in books, Ms. Allen enjoys running, drinking Dr. Pepper, and being a part of various

fantasy and science fiction fandoms.