Ilse Weber
Ilse Weber was a Czech author and songwriter. She wrote children's fiction, and her most popular book was "Mendel Rosenbusch: Tales for Jewish Children" (1929). She had learned to sing and play guitar, lute, mandolin and balalaika, but she had never sought a career as a musician. When the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, the Webers were able to get their eldest son to safety in Sweden through Kindertransport. Unfortunately, Ilse, her husband, and their younger son Tommy were sent to Theresienstadt in February 1942. She worked in the camp's children's hospital at night, doing all she could for the patients without the help of medicine, as it was forbidden for Jewish prisoners. She wrote many poems while she was there and set a good number of them to music. She would accompany herself on guitar while she sang her lullaby-like songs to children and the elderly of the ghetto. When her husband was deported to Auschwitz two years later, she and Tommy went with him so as not to break up their family. It is said that Ilse sang to her son and many other children as she accompanied them voluntarily into the gas chambers.
"Wiegala" by Ilse Weber
Wiegala, wiegala, weier, der Wind spielt auf der Leier, er spielt so süß im grünen Ried, die Nachtigall, die singt ihr Lied. Wiegala, wiegala, weier, der Wind spielt auf der Leier. Wiegala, wiegala, werne, der Mond ist die Laterne, er steht am dunklen Himmelszelt und schaut hernieder auf die Welt. Wiegala, wiegala, werne, der Mond ist die Laterne, Wiegala, wiegala, wille, wie ist die Welt so stille! Es stört kein Laut die süße Ruh, schlaf mein Kindchen, schlaf auch du. Wiegala, wiegala, wille, wie ist die Welt so stille! |
English Translation:
Wiegala, wiegala, weier, the wind plays on the lyre. It plays so sweetly in the green reeds. The nightingale sings its song. Wiegala, wiegala, weier, the wind plays on the lyre. Wiegala, wiegala, werne, the moon is a lantern. It stands in the darkened firmament and gazes down on the world. Wiegala, wiegala, werne, the moon is a lantern. Wiegala, weigala, wille, how silent is the world! No sound disturbs the lovely peace. Sleep, my little child, sleep too. Wiegala, wiegala, wille, how silent is the world! |