Camp music for kids. 50 Fun Camp Songs for Kids: Ultimate Guide to Campfire Singalongs

What are the best camp songs for kids. How can camp songs enhance the camping experience. Which types of camp songs are most popular. Where can you find classic and modern camp songs for children. When should you introduce new songs at camp.

The Magic of Camp Songs: Building Memories and Fostering Connections

Camp songs have been a cherished tradition for generations, bringing campers together and creating lasting memories. These musical moments around the campfire or during group activities serve multiple purposes, from breaking the ice to fostering a sense of community. Let’s explore the world of camp songs and discover why they remain an integral part of the camping experience.

Why Are Camp Songs Important?

Camp songs play a crucial role in the overall camping experience. They:

• Help children feel more comfortable in a new environment
• Encourage social interaction and teamwork
• Boost camp spirit and create a sense of belonging
• Provide entertainment and lighthearted fun
• Aid in memory formation, creating lasting impressions of camp

By incorporating songs into camp activities, counselors and leaders can create a more engaging and enjoyable atmosphere for all participants.

Types of Camp Songs: From Classics to Modern Hits

Camp songs come in various forms, each serving a unique purpose in the camping environment. Understanding these different types can help camp leaders choose the most appropriate songs for their group.

Repeat-After-Me Songs

Repeat-after-me songs are excellent for teaching new tunes to campers. The leader sings a line, and the group echoes it back. This format makes it easy for children to learn lyrics and melodies quickly. Examples include “Boom Chicka Boom” and “Going on a Bear Hunt.”

Action Songs

Action songs incorporate physical movements, making them perfect for energizing a group or helping children expend excess energy. Songs like “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It” fall into this category.

Rounds

Rounds are songs sung in multiple parts, with each group starting at a different time. This type of song helps develop listening skills and teamwork. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “Make New Friends” are popular examples of rounds.

Traditional Camp Songs

These are the timeless classics that have been sung at camps for decades. Songs like “This Land Is Your Land” and “Home on the Range” fall into this category, often evoking a sense of nostalgia and tradition.

Modern Pop Songs

Incorporating contemporary hits can appeal to younger campers and add variety to the song repertoire. Songs like “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift or “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana can be adapted for camp settings.

Top 10 Classic Camp Songs Every Child Should Know

While there are countless camp songs to choose from, some have stood the test of time and become staples of the camping experience. Here are ten classic camp songs that every child should learn:

1. Kumbaya
2. This Land Is Your Land
3. On Top of Spaghetti
4. She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
5. B-I-N-G-O
6. Down by the Bay
7. The Ants Go Marching
8. You Are My Sunshine
9. Home on the Range
10. Make New Friends

These songs are not only easy to learn but also carry a sense of tradition and shared experience across generations of campers.

Incorporating New Songs into Camp Traditions

While classic camp songs have their place, introducing new songs can keep the camping experience fresh and exciting. Here are some tips for incorporating new songs into your camp’s repertoire:

• Choose songs with simple, repetitive lyrics that are easy to learn
• Introduce new songs gradually, mixing them with familiar favorites
• Consider the age group and interests of your campers when selecting new songs
• Use visual aids or hand motions to help campers remember lyrics
• Encourage campers to suggest or create their own songs

By balancing tradition with innovation, you can create a rich and diverse musical experience for your campers.

The Role of Music in Team Building and Social Development

Beyond entertainment, camp songs play a significant role in fostering social connections and building teamwork skills. Group singing activities can:

• Encourage shy children to participate and feel included
• Develop listening and coordination skills
• Promote cooperation and unity within the group
• Boost confidence through public performance
• Create shared experiences that strengthen friendships

By recognizing the social benefits of camp songs, leaders can strategically use music to enhance the overall camp experience and support children’s personal growth.

Creating Your Own Camp Songs: A Fun Group Activity

Encouraging campers to create their own songs can be a rewarding and memorable activity. Here’s how to facilitate a song-writing session:

1. Divide campers into small groups
2. Provide a theme or topic for the song
3. Offer simple instruments or encourage body percussion for rhythm
4. Guide campers in writing lyrics that rhyme or follow a specific pattern
5. Allow time for practice and rehearsal
6. Organize a performance where each group can showcase their creation

This activity not only fosters creativity but also gives campers a sense of ownership and pride in their musical contributions to the camp community.

The Impact of Technology on Camp Songs and Singing

In the digital age, technology has influenced how camp songs are learned, shared, and performed. Consider these modern approaches to incorporating music into camp activities:

• Use smartphone apps for lyrics and chord progressions
• Create camp playlists on music streaming platforms
• Incorporate karaoke-style singing with lyric videos
• Record and share camp performances on social media
• Utilize online resources for discovering new camp-appropriate songs

While technology can enhance the musical experience, it’s important to balance its use with unplugged, traditional singing sessions to maintain the authentic camp atmosphere.

Adapting Camp Songs for Different Age Groups and Abilities

To ensure that all campers can participate in and enjoy musical activities, it’s crucial to adapt songs for different age groups and abilities. Here are some strategies:

For Younger Children (Ages 5-8):

• Choose songs with simple, repetitive lyrics
• Incorporate more action songs and hand motions
• Use visual aids to help with lyric memorization
• Keep singing sessions shorter to match attention spans

For Older Children and Teens (Ages 9-16):

• Include more complex songs with multiple verses
• Introduce harmonies and rounds
• Incorporate popular music that resonates with their interests
• Encourage leadership by having older campers teach songs to younger ones

For Campers with Special Needs:

• Use visual schedules to prepare for singing activities
• Provide noise-cancelling headphones for those sensitive to loud sounds
• Incorporate sign language or gestures for non-verbal participants
• Adapt lyrics or melodies to suit individual abilities

By tailoring the song selection and presentation to your specific group, you can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and enjoy the musical aspects of camp.

The Educational Value of Camp Songs

While camp songs are primarily associated with fun and entertainment, they also offer significant educational benefits. Many camp songs can be used to reinforce learning in various subjects:

Language Arts:

• Improve vocabulary through exposure to new words
• Enhance rhyming skills and phonemic awareness
• Develop storytelling abilities through narrative songs

Mathematics:

• Practice counting and number sequences (e.g., “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”)
• Learn about patterns and repetition
• Explore rhythm and timing concepts

Science:

• Introduce basic concepts about nature and animals
• Learn about weather patterns and seasons
• Explore sound and acoustics through singing techniques

Social Studies:

• Discover cultural traditions through folk songs
• Learn about historical events mentioned in lyrics
• Explore geography through songs about different places

By selecting songs that align with educational objectives, camp leaders can subtly incorporate learning into the fun of singing around the campfire.

The Future of Camp Songs: Preserving Tradition in a Changing World

As the world evolves, so too does the landscape of summer camps and their traditions. How can we ensure that the cherished practice of singing camp songs continues to thrive? Here are some strategies for preserving and evolving this important aspect of camp culture:

• Document and archive traditional camp songs to preserve their lyrics and melodies
• Create digital resources for sharing camp songs across different camps and regions
• Encourage intergenerational singing events to pass down songs from older to younger campers
• Embrace diversity by incorporating songs from various cultures and languages
• Collaborate with music educators to develop new, camp-appropriate songs
• Use social media and online platforms to create a broader camp song community

By actively working to maintain the tradition of camp songs while also allowing for innovation and cultural relevance, we can ensure that future generations of campers will continue to enjoy the bonding and joy that comes from singing together.

The Therapeutic Benefits of Camp Songs and Group Singing

Beyond their entertainment value, camp songs and group singing activities offer numerous therapeutic benefits for children and adults alike. Research has shown that singing can have positive effects on both physical and mental health:

Physical Benefits:

• Improved lung function and breath control
• Enhanced immune system response
• Better posture and core muscle engagement
• Increased oxygenation of the blood

Mental and Emotional Benefits:

• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved mood and emotional regulation
• Enhanced self-esteem and confidence
• Increased feelings of social connection and belonging

For children attending camp, these benefits can be particularly valuable as they navigate new experiences and social situations. Camp leaders can leverage the therapeutic aspects of singing to create a supportive and nurturing environment for all campers.

Integrating Camp Songs into Daily Camp Routines

To maximize the benefits of camp songs, it’s important to integrate them throughout the daily camp routine, not just during designated singing times. Here are some creative ways to incorporate songs into various camp activities:

• Use wake-up songs to start the day on a positive note
• Sing transition songs when moving between activities
• Incorporate songs into mealtime routines (e.g., grace or clean-up songs)
• Use call-and-response songs during hikes or nature walks
• Create special songs for camp ceremonies or rituals
• Use lullabies or calming songs at bedtime

By weaving songs into the fabric of daily camp life, you create a more cohesive and memorable experience for campers, reinforcing the sense of community and shared tradition.

The Role of Camp Songs in Cultural Exchange and Diversity

Camp songs offer a unique opportunity to celebrate diversity and promote cultural exchange. By incorporating songs from various cultures and traditions, camps can broaden children’s horizons and foster a sense of global citizenship. Consider these approaches:

• Include songs in different languages, teaching basic phrases and pronunciation
• Introduce folk songs from various countries, explaining their cultural significance
• Celebrate holidays and festivals from around the world with appropriate songs
• Encourage campers from diverse backgrounds to share songs from their own cultures
• Use music as a starting point for discussions about cultural differences and similarities

By embracing a diverse repertoire of camp songs, you can create a more inclusive environment that celebrates the rich tapestry of human culture and experience.

Camp Songs for Kids of All Ages

Are you looking for some fun camp songs for kids to sing around the campfire? Pitch your tent, roast your s’mores, and warm up your singing voice. There’s a toe-tapping tune here for everyone in your bunk!

Old-School Camp Songs

1. Lean On Me by Bill Withers
2. Take Me Home Country Road by John Denver
3. Yellow Submarine by the Beatles
4. This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
5. Home on the Range by Brewster Higley
6. Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
7. American Pie by Don McLean
8. All Together Now by the Beatles
9. The Times They Are a Changin’ by Bob Dylan

Camp Songs for Group Singing

10. Down by the Bay by Raffi

11. Five Little Speckled Frogs by Kaboogazoo

12. Ants Go Marching by Robert D. Singleton

13. B-I-N-G-O by Unknown

14. If You’re Happy and You Know It by Datia Ben Dor

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15. Baby Bumble Bee by Stanley Murphy

16. Frog Went A-Courtin by Unknown

17. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes by Unknown

18. On Top of Spaghetti by Tom Glazer

19. She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Carl Sandburg

20. The Song That Doesn’t End by Shari Lewis

21. Do Your Ears Hang Low? by Unknown

22. Ain’t No Bugs on Me by John Carson

23. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by The Kiboomers

24. A-Camping We Will Go by The Kiboomers

25. Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun by Raffi

26. Herman the Worm by The Learning Station

27. Alice the Camel by Unknown

28. The More We Get Together by Raffi

Classic Camp Songs

29. This Little Light of Mine by Harry Dixon Loes

30. A Hole in the Bucket by Harry Belafonte and Odetta

31. Camp Granada by Allan Sherman and Lou Busch

32. Take Me Out to the Ballgame by Albert Von Tilzer and Jack Norworth

33. The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Unknown

34. Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Thomas d’Urfey

35. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean by Unknown

36. You Are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell

37. Make New Friends by Joseph Parry

38. Oh Susanna by Stephen Foster

39. The Green Grass Grew All Around by William Jerome and Harry Von Tilzer

40. Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary

Camp Songs for Dancing

41. Baby Shark by Pinkfong

42. Boom Chicka Boom by Unknown

43. Campfire Pokey by preschooleducation.com

44. Peanut Butter in a Cup by GoNoodle

45. How Far I’ll Go by Lin-Manuel Miranda

46. Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay

47. Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

48. Hello My Name Is Joe by Peter and Ellen Allard

49. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

50. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

Want more songs for kids? We’ve got kid-friendly songs for the classroom, phonics songs, winter songs, and  number songs.

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50 camp songs every kid will love to sing

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Good camp songs help kids loosen up around the campfire, build camping spirit and make great memories.

Camp songs help build camping spirit, let the kids loosen up and make great memories. The best part about fun camp songs is that you don’t have to worry about staying on key. You don’t need a guitar to accompany you either although it can help. But to get everyone singing together, you have to pick the right song.

Types of camp songs

Most camp songs for kids are ones that children already know with a repetitive chorus. These are the most popular kinds.

Repeat-after-me songs

Repeat-after-me camp songs are just like they sound. The leader calls out a line from the song, and the rest of the group repeats it back. If you are introducing a new song to the group, using this style is a great way to help kids learn the campfire song lyrics and actions.

Songs with actions and motions

Songs that include some physical movement also work well for getting kids involved. Any camp song can be an action song — just add some arm motions or act out some of the lyrics physically. Get kids to help create the motions.

Songs in a round

Another fun type of camp song is one sung in a round. Everyone sings the same melody and lyrics but starts at different times. Separate kids into two or more groups and have one group sing the first verse before the next group starts the song. Rounds are fun and a great way to build camaraderie with the others singing your part.

Many popular camp songs are classics that have been around forever. Many songs are historically based while others are just plain silly. And with kids being your audience, the sillier the better. 

So gather around the campfire and sing loud and proud and just have some fun! Here are 50 camp songs for kids and adults alike.

List of camp songs for kids

1. Camp Granada
2. This Land Is Your Land
3. Ain’t No Flies on Us
4. I Like Bananas
5. Hey Ho Nobody Home
6. Do Your Ears Hang Low
7. Down by the Riverside
8. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
9. You’re A Grand Old Flag
10. Home on the Range
11. Going on a Bear Hunt
12. Baby Shark
13. Kumbaya
14. The Happy Wanderer
15. Little Bunny Foo Foo
16. Oh! What a Beautiful Morning
17. Peanut Butter
18. I’m a Nut
19. Molly Malone (a. k.a. Cockles and Mussels)
20. On a Bicycle Built for Two
21. When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again
22. Bed Bug Song
23. On Top of Spaghetti
24. Oh Susanna
25. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
26. B-I-N-G-O
27. I’m Being Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor
28. Kookaburra
29. The Ants Go Marching
30. Camptown Races
31. Underwear
32. Baby Bumble Bee
33. Oh, I Wish I Were
34. Did You Ever See a Lassie?
35. Dem Bones
36. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
37. If You’re Happy and You Know It
38. Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder
39. Paw-Paw Patch
40. Five Little Speckled Frogs
41. There’s a Hole in the Bucket
42. I Like to Eat
43. Boom Chicka Boom
44. Frog Went A-Courtin’
45. The Hokey Pokey
46. Little Red Wagon
47. The More We Get Together
48. Wheels on the Bus
49. Alice the Camel
50. Make New Friends

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Songs of alteration about the summer camp

Song about the summer camp, alteration to the tune of “Chung-Chang”

Miracle camp – there is no worse place,
Miracle Camp – Fig for Lunch
Miracle Camp – Quiet Time Again
And the leader ran away from us.
Our grief is constant:
Pop semolina, drink cocoa,
Pop semolina, drink cocoa!
– Miracle camp.

Song about the camp to the tune of “The Chase” from Elusive Avengers

And the pasta in your pocket and you have to be on time
Spread the boys and warm them with a mop.
And there is no rest for us night or day.

Chase, chase, chase, chase
Leader with a belt.
Catch up, catch up, catch up, catch up
And twist your neck.

Standing on the ruler and looking around
The chief is smeared, the fizruk is smeared.
And there is no rest for us…

Green cones are flying into the wards.
To the girls, the boys knock on the wards.
And there is no rest for us…

The wind is swaying, there is a quiet hour
And again the boys in the ward we have
And there is no rest for us…

The counselor comes in – the pillow flies.
A second passes – the counselor lies.
And there is no rest for us…

The boss comes in – the pillows are silent.
The boss leaves – the pillows fly.
And we have no peace…

We go into the canteen – the boys are sitting
And our potatoes are cheekily eaten.
And we have no rest…

Song about the camp “Socks” alteration of the song of the group Status quo “Army”

You didn’t wash yours during the whole change of legs
And poisoned the atmosphere of friendship
You didn’t change your socks ooo you didn’t change your socks

The cockroaches and bedbugs are already dead
Sniffing the high that you sniffed
You didn’t wash your socks o… you didn’t wash your socks.

Mad camel ran into the sands,
When he sniffed your socks
You did not change your socks …..

The director crushed his leg into pieces
When I tripped over your socks
You didn’t wash your socks ….. (losing)

The counselor clamped his head in a vise
The counselor clamped his head in a vise
Code he saw your socks
You did not change your socks . …

In the ward from socks there is dope
When will you leave, talk-si-ko-man!
You didn’t wash your socks …..

A loud swearing came from distant stars
Looks like they got your fragrance
You didn’t wash your socks …..

Really threw away your socks,
Oh no, they hang over there in the distance
You washed your socks oh-oh-oh…

A song about a summer camp to the music of the Moomin troll group “Leaving”

With ticket in pocket, bag in hand
You came to the children’s camp with a dream in your head.
That you’re going to have fun for the whole school year,
But it was certainly a deceptive move.
When the fog melted and only 3 days had passed
You realized that your parents set you up.
You will be built in pairs, go to bed at a quiet hour
Came to summer camp
You are with us, with us, with us!

– Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha
The time of counselors has come.
You are rushing home, dreaming about your mother
Clamped in our hands!

In the arms of a friend you while away the day,
But you will not die of boredom, because the counselors are with you!
They will wake you up for exercises, take you to breakfast,
They drive across the field, and they will be carried away into the competition.
Maybe they will pump it out in a couple of weeks,
And this rigmarole may repeat itself again.
But do not be upset, because life is given once.
Again take a ticket – you will see us again!

– Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha!
The times of counselors have come
You are rushing home dreaming about your mother,
Clamped in our hands….

Song adaptation of “The Best Camp” to the motive of Khavtan’s song “The Best City”

This camp is the best camp on earth,
It is not painted on glass at all.
He helps the guys find friendship
All girls and boys to keep their childhood.
This camp, waking up, looks into the clouds
And the attendant announces that it’s time to get up.
It is necessary to do exercises for everyone – there is no life in the morning
Let go better to eat – it’s time to eat.
And then Aroma is waiting for us and Chizhevsky is waiting for
Soon we will run to the field – maybe we will be lucky.
We visit karaoke, exercise therapy, massage
This camp is the coolest!
This camp is ours!

Chorus:

We don’t know where else in this world
There are similar places.
Of course we want to come here
And stay forever.
This camp is unlike anything around:
The director smiles and for the summer here
Gives children joy and comfort every shift,
Children here live like in a fairy tale, make friends and sing.

Chorus.
And the leaders of the detachments want to help everyone.
Offer children games,
Never sleep!

Song about farewell to the camp on the motive of Verka Serduchka “Festivalim”

The camp loves us, we love the camp
We fall in love 10 times a day.
You cry at the window and you can’t believe in leaving.
You want to stay here, but it does not stick.

We know it all, we’ve seen it,
We, like you, leave the camp.
We won’t cry, we’ll leave the numbers to our friends,
And today we are walking, we are extending the disco.

You dream of the camp from night to morning.
Everything seems to be fine, but life is not the same.
And tears in my eyes and my heart hurts so much,
But the campfire in the soul is still burning.

Don’t be sad and wave your hand sadness,
Better yet, sing this song along with us.

Song about the camp on the motive “What is autumn” group DDT

What is the camp – this is summer,
Holidays with true friends,
With the best counselors and super-physical teachers,
There is no better holiday in the world.

Chorus:
We love to play and joke here,
We will not be bored and sad.
We are greeted with joy here,
We won’t get sick.

What is a camp – it’s children,
Children who are doing well,
Children who love porridge and exercises,
We are the best children, believe me.

Chorus:
What is camp is a song,
It’s just a song about boys,
This camp is our best in the world,
Because it’s so interesting here.

Chorus:

Song about the camp on the motive of Gena the crocodile? ?

Let them run clumsily,
Children falling into puddles
And the counselor follows them. ?
And it is not clear to passers-by?
This day is not the same. ?
Why am I so funny!!!?

Chorus:
And I’m playing, everyone’s on the nerves. ?
The counselors in sight!!!
Unfortunately, this shift…
Only once a year!!!

The camp is a small life! – farewell song to the motive “Summer is a small life” by Oleg Mityaev

Look what a wonderful world we live in!
Take, for example, our detachment, it is the most shebut.
Today we sing so cheerfully by the fire,0007
Well, we’re heading home tomorrow morning.

Chorus:
Everyone is suddenly quiet now, but still a reason
Although today is our holiday, but the soul is cold.
Tomorrow we part, and suddenly everyone understands,
That the camp is a small life.

Camp means warm summer days,
Quiet sunsets, bright sunrises…
New friends and old songs,
Camp is a small life!

It is a pity that the summer days passed quickly.
By autumn, the sun-wheel is still rolling.
We will remember the smoke of the fire and the songs by the river.
It will not be easy for us to part with friends.

Chorus:
Everyone is suddenly quiet now, but still a reason
Although today is our holiday, but the soul is cold.
Tomorrow we part, and suddenly everyone understands,
That the camp is a small life.
Camp is the warm days of summer,
Quiet sunsets, bright sunrises…
Old friends and new songs
Camp is a small life!

Song about a summer camp based on the song “Bird of Happiness”

It’s summer time.
Children are leaving the yard.
They go to the camps, they go to the camps,
So that time is not wasted.
There they will rest from school.
Find a job to your liking.
They will play, run, sunbathe there.
Nobody will infringe on them.

Chorus:
Summer has come for joy.
It brought days of summer holidays.
We love to live in the camp.
Stay away from school and home.

We know that we will all rest here.
And, of course, we will find friends.
New friends, new friends!
You can’t live a day here without a friend.
And we love to go hiking,
And it’s great to live in tents.
Come to the camp, relax with us,
And don’t miss the house too much.

Chorus.

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Music in the Nazi camps and ghettos

After coming to power, the Nazis set about creating an extensive network of various institutions for internees. During the twelve years of the Nazi regime, millions of men, women, and children of various backgrounds and nationalities ended up in camps for political, religious, national, social, and ideological reasons. The range of correctional institutions was very extensive: prisons (German: Haftanstalten), labor camps (German: Arbeitslager), transit camps (German: Durchgangs), internment camps (German: Internierungslager), forced labor camps (German: Zwangsarbeitslager), camps for criminals (German Strafgefangenenlager), special camps (German Sonderlager), ghettos (German Ghetto), concentration camps (German Konzentrationslager) and prison camps. Germanization camps for children and youth (German: Germanisierungs), youth internment camps (German: Jugendschutzlager) and special boarding schools for children of foreign citizens (German: Ausländerkinderpflegestätten) were established. Death camps were also set up, the sole purpose of which was the mass extermination of people.

Almost 10,000 Nazi camps have been found to have used music in one way or another. The Spanish writer Jorge Semprun in his book of memoirs “Write or live” (German: Schreiben oder Leben ) says that in all Nazi camps there was “the same important component”, namely

daily routine and work rhythm, hunger , sleep deprivation, the constant persecution and sadism of the SS, the madness of the old people and the bloody clashes of prisoners for minimal power over other prisoners.

He also recalled that “different categories of prisoners were deported to special camps of the corresponding categories.” In the end, the conditions of life and death of prisoners, as well as the presence or absence of cultural life in them, depended entirely only on the specific conditions of each individual camp.

In the information about the music of the Holocaust period that has come down to us, a special place is occupied by Yiddish songs that were composed and performed in the ghetto, as well as the musical life in Theresienstadt. Theresienstadt should not be classified as a concentration camp; it is officially classified as an Eastern European ghetto. No special barracks were built for Theresienstadt, it was created on the site of urban areas in which Jews lived; to protect and maintain order in the territory of the ghetto, the internal police and the Jewish Council were created “ Judenrat ” ( German . Judenräte). The Judenrat was subordinate to the SS, but had much more influence than the organization of camp self-government of prisoners (German: Häftlingsselbstverwaltung). Music-making in the concentration camps took place under the most difficult conditions of confinement, while the conditions for music-making in the ghetto were more “favorable”. The Nazis showed Theresienstadt to the world community as a “model ghetto”, which created more acceptable conditions for musical life. Both quantitatively and qualitatively, the musical life of the prisoners of Theresienstadt surpassed everything else and occupied a special place in the system of Nazi camps and ghettos.

We find evidence of this assertion not only in the testimonies of surviving prisoners, but also in numerous documents: concert programs, posters, tickets, prisoners’ drawings, and surviving musical scores. The musicians of the Terezin ghetto have left us such works as the opera The Emperor of Atlantis or the Fall of the Antichrist (German Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab ) by Viktor Ullman and the children’s opera Brundibar (Czech Brundibár ) Hans Kras – it was performed 55 times in the ghetto. These pieces of music, an example of music persecuted and hated by the Nazis, were performed all over the world. Thanks to their worldwide success, interest in other works of Nazi prisoners flared up, and the musical history of the ghetto gained some mystery. This may hinder historians who would like to present the real conditions of life and musical creativity in Theresienstadt and other Nazi camps and ghettos.

Beneficial cultural life was organized by prisoners in other Nazi camps as well. For example, in the Gurs camp in southwestern France, soloists, choirs, chamber music ensembles and small orchestras performed at concerts, cabaret performances, musical evenings and other cultural events. In the Dutch transit camp Westerbork, there were several choirs, camp orchestra (German kamporkest) of 30-40 musicians, concerts, cabaret performances, cafes with entertainment music programs were organized, which included soloists and chamber music orchestras. For the so-called Westerbork Camp Theater (head Bühne Lager Westerbork ) many ironic and satirical songs were written in German. This criticism from the prisoners was possible, since the camp commandant, who considered himself an all-powerful patron of the arts, often sat among the audience in the theater hall and enjoyed the performance of the camp artists.

Concerts of a symphony orchestra of 80 musicians were held in the Warsaw Ghetto. There were also chamber music evenings and concerts of religious music in synagogues, entertainment evenings and variety shows, choral performances and musical performances in cafes, traditional Singspili (German Singspiel, literally – “playing with singing”, from singen “to sing” and Spiel – “play”) on Jewish subjects. Similar performances were held in the Lodz and Vilna ghettos. In the Lodz ghetto, the most grandiose musical events were symphony concerts, and in the Vilna ghetto – theatrical performances. All three listed ghettos were formed in cities that were Jewish cultural centers, so among the prisoners were numerous creative people: writers, poets and songwriters. The inhabitants of the ghetto maintained their cultural traditions and preserved their national and cultural identity. As for the songwriters, only a few names can be mentioned: Smerke Kacherginsky spent some time in the Vilna ghetto, the outstanding poet Mordechai Gebertig was killed in the Krakow ghetto, the Jewish poet Hirsch Glik spent a long time in Vilna, and then was transferred to a Nazi camp. Songs written by ghetto prisoners became unique Jewish folklore and were passed from camp to camp and ghetto to ghetto. Some songs became hymns of Jewish resistance and have retained their popularity to this day. Song by Hirsch Glick Don’t Say It’s the Last Journey (Id. Transl. Zog nit keynmol ) became the legendary anthem of the Jewish partisans.

Whether by personal desire or by order of the camp guards, Jewish prisoners performed their musical works in front of prisoners of other, for example, criminal or labor camps. Unfortunately, this topic has been little explored. Even in the death camps, where the life span of prisoners depended on the wishes of the SS, concerts were held and camp orchestras were created. Without taking into account the historical context and the special category of this or that camp, the musical side of whose life is being discussed, it is difficult to imagine the degree of musical freedom that the prisoners enjoyed. Considering the music of the Nazi camps and the ghetto as a whole, we can note individual camps in which music was practically absent and others in which there were more conditions for cultural life. The decisive difference lies in the use of music in a particular camp or ghetto. In Theresienstadt and other Nazi ghettos, prisoners led an independent and self-sufficient musical life, in which the Nazis hardly interfered. The music of the concentration camps and death camps had a dual character: the prisoners secretly played it to maintain morale, and the SS used the music as a particularly sophisticated torture. The camp administration often used musicians for their own purposes: to suppress the will of prisoners, to depersonalize prisoners and deprive them of human dignity through forced music playing. This fact is often forgotten, but music was used in the camps for a variety of purposes: as a survival incentive for prisoners and as a criminal tool for executioners.

Dr. Guido Fackler

Ausländer, Fietje / Brandt, Susanne / Fackler, Guido: „O Bittre Zeit. Lagerlieder 1933 to 1945″. Ed. by Dokumentations- und Informationszentrum (DIZ) Emslandlager, Papenburg, in cooperation with musik archive of Akademie der Künste, Berlin, and Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv (DRA), Potsdam-Babelsberg/Wiesbaden. Papenburg: DIZ Emslandlager, 2006 (http://www.diz-emslandlager.de/cd03.htm, mail(at)diz-emslandlager. de). – This new collection offers a wide range of camp songs on three cd’s and two booklets.

Dutlinger, Anne Dobie (Ed.): Art, Music and Education as Strategies for Survival: Theresienstadt 1941–1945. New York 2000.

Fackler, Guido: “Des Lagers Stimme” – Musik im KZ. Alltag und Häftlingskultur in den Konzentrationslagern 1933 bis 1936. Mit einer Darstellung der weiteren Entwicklung bis 1945 und einer Biblio-/Mediographie (DIZ-Schriften, Bd. 11). Bremen: Edition Temmen, 2000, S. 437-457.

Flam, Gila: Singing for survival. Songs of the Łódź Ghetto 1940–45. Urbana/Chicago 1992.

Gilbert, Shirli: Music in the Holocaust: Confronting Life in the Nazi Ghettos and Camps. Oxford University Press 2005.

Heuberger, Georg (Ed.): “Schtarker fun asjn”. Konzert- und Theaterplakate aus dem Wilnaer Getto 1941–1943. Frankfurt a.M. 2002.

Karas, Joža: Music in Terezín 1941–1945. New York 1985.

Kuna, Milan: Musik an der Grenze des Lebens. Musikerinnen und Musiker aus böhmischen Ländern in nationalsozialistischen Konzentrationslagern und Gefängnissen. 2. Aufl. Frankfurt a.M. 1998.

KZ Music. Music composed in concentration camps (1933–1945). Dir. by Francesco Lotoro. Rome: Musikstrasse, starting 2006 with 4 CDs (http://www.musikstrasse.it). – This cd-collection tries to record all compositions and songs created in the different nazi camps.

Lachen in het donker. Amusement in Camp Westerbork. Hooghalen/Assen 1996 (= Westerbork Cahiers, Heft 4).

Mittag, Gabriele: “Es gibt Verdammte nur in Gurs”. Literatur, Kultur und Alltag in einem französischen Internierungslager 1940–1942. Tubingen 1996.

Schwarz, Gudrun: Die nationalsozialistischen Lager. 2., uberarbeitete Aufl. Frankfurt a. M. 1996.

Semprún, Jorge, Schreiben or Leben. Aus dem Französischen von Eva Moldenhauer, Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp, ​​1995, quote on 284.

Wlaschek, Rudolf M. (Hg.): Kunst und Kultur in Theresienstadt. Eine Documentation in Bildern. Gerlingen 2001.

Verdrängte Musik. NS-verfolgte Komponisten und ihre Werke” – Schriftenreihe der Berliner Intitative „musica reanimata.