Only Known Violin Made Inside Dachau Uncovered in Hungary

A remarkable discovery in Hungary has brought new life to a rare artifact from one of the darkest chapters of history: a handmade violin, crafted inside Dachau concentration camp by a Jewish prisoner during the Holocaust.

The violin, believed to be the only known instrument built within the walls of Dachau, was made in 1941 by Franciszek “Franz” Kempa, a skilled violin maker imprisoned by the Nazis. Despite the brutal conditions, Kempa managed to create the instrument using salvaged materials and no proper tools, an act of quiet resistance and survival.

Before sealing the violin, Kempa slipped a note inside: “Trial instrument, made under difficult conditions with no tools and materials. Dachau. Anno 1941, Franciszek Kempa.”

After the war, Kempa survived and returned to Poland, where he continued his craft until his death in 1953. The violin eventually surfaced in Hungary, unrecognized for years as it sat among old furniture until art dealers came across it and sent it for repairs.

Szandra Katona, one of the dealers, said the instrument’s structure revealed a master craftsman, but the unusual wood raised questions. During restoration, the note was discovered, untouched since the war.

“We called it the ‘violin of hope,’” said Tamas Talosi, another dealer involved. “Because in a place like Dachau, having a purpose, something to build, something to focus on, could mean the difference between giving up and getting through.”

Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp, established in March 1933 just outside Munich. Originally created for political prisoners, it quickly grew into a model for the entire concentration camp system. Over the years, it held Jews, Roma, clergy, gay men, and others persecuted by the Nazi regime. Conditions were brutal. Prisoners endured forced labor, starvation, disease, and executions. At least 40,000 people died there before the camp was liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945.

While music was sometimes used by the Nazis in the camps, often as a form of propaganda during Red Cross visits, the instruments were typically brought in by prisoners. Kempa’s violin is unique because it's the only one known to have been constructed inside Dachau itself.

The instrument was unveiled at a press conference on May 4 at the former camp, as part of the 80th anniversary of Dachau’s liberation.

Jewish Breaking News contributed to this article.