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Talk

The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz

Discover the role of music in an astonishing story of survival with award-winning historian Anne Sebba.

Date
23 January 2026
Location
Online

In 1943, German SS officers in charge of Auschwitz-Birkenau ordered that an orchestra should be formed among the female prisoners. Almost 50 women and girls were assembled to play marching music to other inmates and to give weekly concerts for Nazi officers.

For almost all the musicians chosen to take part, being in the orchestra was to save their lives. Explore how and why the orchestra was formed, its role in the death camps and the inspiring stories of its members.

Event details

Date
23 January 2026, 14:00 to 15:00
Price
Free

Pay what you can

Location
Online, Live-streamed on Vimeo

Dates for this event

23 January 2026

  • 14:00 to 15:00

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How to join online

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This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo.

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Watch after the event

This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated.

Speakers

  • Anne Sebba

    Biographer, historian and author.

    Anne Sebba FRSL is an award-winning biographer, historian and author of books including That Woman: a biography of Wallis Simpson, and most recently The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. She is a former chair of Britain's 10,000 strong Society of Authors and an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society regularly giving talks to audiences worldwide.