Alma Rosé

Alma Maria Rosé (3 November 1906 – 4/5 April 1944) was an Austrian violinist of Jewish descent. Her uncle was the composer Gustav Mahler. She was deported by the Nazis to the concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. There, for 10 months, she directed an orchestra of female prisoners who played for their captors to stay alive. As director, Rosé held the status of kapo of the music block.

Rosé died in the concentration camp of a sudden illness, possibly food poisoning. Her experiences in the camp were depicted in Playing for Time.