Fania Fénelon, 74; Memoirs Described Auschwitz Singing

New York Times - WorldEN 2 min read 100% complete by The New York TimesFebruary 17, 2026 at 10:27 PM

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Fania Fénelon, a Holocaust survivor who recounted her experiences in the memoir "Playing for Time," died of cancer in Paris at age 74. Her memoir detailed how singing in an all-female orchestra at Auschwitz saved her life during the Nazi regime. The orchestra, led by Alma Rosé, performed for SS officers, including Heinrich Himmler, for 11 months in 1944. The memoir was published in France in 1976 and later adapted into a controversial television movie starring Vanessa Redgrave, which sparked protests due to Redgrave's political views. At the time of her death, Fénelon was working on a book about her post-liberation experiences.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kremlin Bicêtre Hospital 40% Palestine Liberation Organization 40% Arthur Miller 40% Gustav Mahler 40% Paris ×240% United States ×250% Heinrich Himmler 50% France ×250% Vanessa Redgrave ×260% Alma Rosé 60% Auschwitz ×280% Fania Fénelon ×8100%

Keywords

fania fénelon 100% auschwitz 90% concentration camp 80% memoir 70% playing for time 70% orchestra 60% television movie 50% world war ii 50% vanessa redgrave 40%

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Negative

Score: -0.30

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Source

New York Times - World

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90%

Geographic Perspective

Auschwitz

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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fania fénelon auschwitz concentration camp memoir playing for time orchestra television movie world war ii vanessa redgrave

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