The Buchenwald Tigers

The Buchenwald concentration camp, one of the largest Nazi camps, was established in July 1937. By the time of its liberation by American troops on April 11, 1945, over 50,000 people had died there and in its numerous satellite camps. Amid the horrors of starvation, forced labour, executions, and medical experiments, a remarkable musical tradition emerged that some survivors would later carry forward.

Initially known as the "Polish Orchestra," a group of imprisoned musicians performed in the camp during its later years. These performances included variety shows featuring music, singing, skits, and jokes, typically staged on Sundays. More than 25 such concerts were held, drawing large audiences of both prisoners and camp personnel, including guards and the camp commander.

Following liberation in April 1945, many prisoners remained in Buchenwald, which was temporarily designated as a Displaced Persons Camp before being transferred from American to Soviet control in July 1945. It was during this transitional period that the former prisoner musicians reorganized themselves.

The group, which had begun performing immediately after liberation at various celebrations, rallies, and events organized by former prisoners of different nationalities, soon formalized their ensemble. They adopted the name "Tigers of Buchenwald" and began what would become a two-year musical journey through Germany.

The ensemble was led by Eugeniusz Towarnicki, who had previously been a member of the Lviv theatre orchestra. Born in 1904, Towarnicki was an accomplished flutist and teacher who had graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Lwów (Lviv). He had studied under A. Spat and S. Szer, with additional studies in Paris under Marcel Moyse in 1927. Before the war, Towarnicki had established himself as a professional musician, serving as a flutist at the Municipal Theater Orchestra since 1928 and later as a soloist with the Polish Radio Orchestra in Lwów from 1938. He had also worked as a professor at the Conservatory in Lwów.

During World War II, before his imprisonment, Towarnicki had fought in the branches of the 1st Division of the Polish Army formed in France. After surviving the Nazi concentration camp system and his time with the Tigers of Buchenwald, he would eventually return to Poland and become the first flutist in the Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra in Kraków from 1947 to 1970. Throughout his post-war career, he participated in numerous concerts and archival recordings as both a soloist and chamber musician, while simultaneously teaching flute at the State College of Music in Kraków. Towarnicki, who died in 1971, left a lasting impact on Polish music as the author of the most famous Polish flute instructional texts and studies, including works for piccolo. Jerzy Wochnik served as the group's conductor, while Vladislav Bruehl was described as the "convener and strong singer" of the ensemble.

The group travelled with an extensive collection of instruments and equipment, including three pianos, timpani, four saxophones, microphone equipment, sheet music, and promotional materials such as posters, signs, and photographs. Their professional approach and extensive preparations indicated their serious commitment to continuing their musical careers after their imprisonment.

Between May 1945 and their eventual repatriation, the Tigers of Buchenwald embarked on an extensive tour through Germany. Their performances took them through numerous cities including Weimar, Jena, Darmstadt, Wiesbaden, Mannheim, Regensburg, and Wildflecken, among many others.

According to their records, they performed for approximately 500,000 listeners during their two years of touring. Their performances were not only entertainment but also served humanitarian purposes. Proceeds from their concerts supported people living in displaced persons camps awaiting repatriation, the Polish Red Cross, the Polish Education Fund in Germany, the National Endowment Fund, and organizations for former political prisoners.

The Tigers of Buchenwald compiled a memorial book documenting their work, which included press reviews, photographs, program printings, and memorial entries written in multiple languages. This collection, which began in the Buchenwald hospital, contained signatures from prominent figures including Eleanor Roosevelt, Karol Rozmarek (President of the Polish American Community), and Colonel Arecen, described as "the liberator of Buchenwald."

The ensemble received recognition for their cultural contributions. The Polish Repatriation Mission in Frankfurt am Main characterized their work as "one of the monuments of positive and reliable work of Polish education abroad." After a performance in Ratysbon (Regensburg), they received thanks from the Polish Gymnasium, Lyceum, and Comprehensive School for providing "a wonderful concert of Polish music."

The Tigers of Buchenwald eventually returned to Poland as part of a transport of more than 300 people arriving at the Dziedzice staging point from Gein Mill in the American occupation zone. Upon arrival, they gave their first concert on Polish soil at Dziedzice.

Following repatriation, members of the ensemble dispersed to rebuild their lives and careers. Eugeniusz Towarnicki, for instance, established himself in Kraków where he joined the Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra as first flutist in 1947, a position he would hold until 1970. His musical contributions extended beyond performance, as he applied his pre-war teaching experience to become an instructor at the State College of Music in Kraków. Towarnicki's experiences before, during, and after the war culminated in his authorship of influential instructional materials that would shape flute education in Poland for generations to come.

The reception of the ensemble in Poland appears to have been mixed. While recognized for their musical talent, there were concerns expressed in some quarters about former camp prisoners commodifying their suffering. One commentator, while acknowledging their musical abilities, suggested they should "go on a relaxed holiday" and consider changing their name to distance themselves from their concentration camp experience.

The Tigers of Buchenwald existed within a complex post-war environment where former concentration camp prisoners faced significant challenges. Many survivors had lost their families and property during the Nazi occupation and struggled to rebuild their lives with limited government support.

Some observers were uncomfortable with what they perceived as the commercialization of camp experiences. One commentator described this phenomenon as a "crude trade in suffering" and a "martyrdom fair," suggesting that former prisoners should find "another way to claim their sacred right to life" rather than capitalizing on their camp experiences.

Despite these criticisms, the Tigers of Buchenwald represented one way in which survivors attempted to rebuild their lives and create meaning from their experiences through artistic expression. Their performances served both practical purposes—generating income and support for displaced persons—and cultural ones, preserving and sharing Polish music during a time of immense displacement and loss.

The story of the Tigers of Buchenwald highlights the complex ways in which concentration camp survivors navigated their post-war experiences, using music not only as a means of survival but also as a way of maintaining cultural identity and building community in the aftermath of genocide.

Sources

Powrét »Tygrysow Buchenwaldu« (Return of the ‘Tigers of Buchenwald’), Dziennik Zachodni (Western Daily) page 5, 18 April 1947

TOWARNICKI Eugeniusz, German Flute Society (www.floete.net), accessed May 2025

Tygrysy Buchenwaldu, Przekrój  No. 110, 1947 (accessed May 2025)