Albert Eckstein (musician)

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Grave of Albert and Berta Eckstein with a memorial cross for the family;
"Old Cemetery" in Vöhringen

Albert Eckstein (born on 25. March 1913 in Mannheim , died on 3. June 1992 ) was a Sinti - violinist and violin collector. His collection formed the basis of the foundation named after him.

Life

Albert Eckstein came from a famous family of musicians from Zeilhard near Darmstadt , who were mentioned there in the 17th century. He was the first son of Friederika and Johannes Eckstein, who was a violinist and head of a respected Sinti band in Mannheim . At the age of six he learned to play the violin and often played in secret with his father's violin. At the age of seven he performed as a child prodigy in his father's chapel and became the star of the troupe. Eckstein never learned notes, but played by ear. When he heard a piece, he could act it out.

In 1935 the family moved to Vöhringen near Ulm . Her musical reputation spread until she was banned from performing by the Reich Chamber of Music in 1939 . Albert Eckstein had already been drafted into the Wehrmacht in 1938 and participated as a soldier in the attack on Poland and the French campaign . Nevertheless, on April 19, 1941, he was declared a “Gypsy hybrid” and declared “unworthy of defense”. Since he had married an "Aryan" woman with Berta Kropp, a merchant's daughter from Vöhringen, he escaped deportation and was employed as a forced laborer at the Wieland works . His parents and nine siblings were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp on March 8, 1943 and murdered there .

Shortly before the official end of the war, Eckstein was appointed mayor of Vöhringen for a few days by the Americans, as he and a clergyman had gone to meet the liberators with a white flag. He stayed in Vöhringen permanently and started his own business as a horse dealer. In the following decades he made regular trips to Italy and visited violin makers and collectors there. From these trips he always brought back valuable instruments. He died in a car accident in 1992.

Albert Eckstein Foundation

In May 2005 the Albert Eckstein Foundation was established, which lends first-class string instruments to highly talented young musicians. Eckstein's son Rolf is the founder and board member of the foundation, who continues the family tradition and runs a violin-making studio in Ulm. The basis of the foundation is his father's extensive collection of instruments. After the decision of an advisory board, almost 30 scholarship holders, including winners of national and international competitions, receive a high-quality instrument for a year or more and present their skills every year at a foundation concert.

On the occasion of his 100th birthday, Albert Eckstein was honored with a memorial concert in Vöhringen, the chamber orchestra of the scholarship holders gave concerts.

Web links

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Walter Wuttke: Fremdrassig - und zu Destroy ( Memento from December 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), Südwest Presse , October 31, 2011
  2. ^ A b c Albert Eckstein , Albert Eckstein Foundation
  3. ↑ Ursula Katharina Balken: Memorial plaques commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime , Augsburger Allgemeine , September 4, 2013
  4. ↑ Veit Feger: Stumbling blocks for the Eckstein family in Vöhringen ( Memento of the original from August 27, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Ulm freethinkers, September 10, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.ulmer-freidenker.de
  5. ↑ Gustav Moré: Verfluchte Uniform - When we marched young and believing into a lying future , Klemm and Oelschläger, Ulm 1992, ISBN 393257740X , chapter " Never again with bag and pack"
  6. ↑ Impressions from the violin making studio , with the coat of arms of the Eckstein family, geigenbauatelier-ulm.de
  7. ↑ a b Homage to Albert Eckstein , Augsburger Allgemeine , February 20, 2013
  8. ^ The Foundation , Albert Eckstein Foundation
  9. ↑ Elisa Sowieja: Wunderkind against Will , Volksstimme , October 17, 2013
  10. ^ Otto Mittelbach: Young artists and valuable violins: On the 100th birthday of Albert Eckstein in the cultural center , Augsburger Allgemeine , March 5, 2013
  11. ↑ Burkhard Schäfer: Scholarship holders congratulate virtuoso , Südwest Presse , March 4, 2013
personal data
SURNAME Eckstein, Albert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German violin player and violin collector
DATE OF BIRTH March 25, 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH Mannheim
DATE OF DEATH 3rd June 1992