In the walls of the Dachau concentration camp during World War II, a Jewish prisoner managed to hide a shocking message. He secretly wrote a note and concealed it in a violin he had crafted under appalling conditions, leaving a testament to hope and resistance that remained buried for more than eight decades.

The note, written on worn paper, stated: “Experimental instrument, made under difficult conditions without tools and materials. Dachau. Year 1941, Franciszek Kempa,” according to the Associated Press. Franciszek “Franz” Kempa, a distinguished instrument maker, had been imprisoned in Dachau, southern Germany, and despite the inhumane conditions, he created this violin with whatever materials he could find.

The instrument’s story remained unknown for decades until art dealers in Hungary sent the violin for repair, having found it stored among furniture they had purchased. It was then that its shocking origin came to light.

The Violin from the Dachau Camp – The Story of Franciszek Kempa and the Message Discovered After 84 Years

The Violin

The craftsmanship of the violin impressed experts, as despite the excellent technique, the wood and tools used were of low quality. “If you look at the proportions and the structure, you can see that it is the work of an experienced craftsman,” noted Szandra Katona, one of the dealers who uncovered the story of the violin. “However, the choice of materials was truly incomprehensible.”

This contradiction prompted the professional restorer to disassemble the violin, revealing Kempa’s hidden note—a heart-wrenching apology for the conditions under which he worked. It was a silent scream from the confines of captivity.

Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, was established in 1933 near Munich. Initially intended for political prisoners, it quickly became a model for the imprisonment of Jews, Roma, clergy, homosexuals, and others persecuted by the regime. During its operation, it became a place of forced labor, medical experiments, and mass deaths, with at least 40,000 people dying there before its liberation by American forces in 1945.

The presence of musical instruments in concentration camps was known, as the Nazis allowed—and in some cases encouraged—the creation of musical ensembles for propaganda purposes. However, Kempa’s violin is a unique case: the only known instrument created entirely within the camp.

It remains unknown how the violin left Dachau and reached Hungary. However, according to documents from the Dachau memorial museum, Kempa survived the war and returned to Poland, where he continued to make musical instruments until his death in 1953.

The same documents state that the Nazis were aware of his status as an instrument maker, a fact which, as noted by Hungarian art dealer Tamas Talosi, likely saved his life. “We named it the ‘violin of hope,’” Talosi said.

“Because when you have a project or a challenge in front of you, you can overcome even the most extreme situations. This project gave Kempa an outlet and perhaps saved his life.”