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Composers persecuted in WWII

During the Second World War, many composers were persecuted by the Nazi’s, because they either had a Jewish background or refused to comply with Nazi rules. Their music was banned from all public performance. The Leo Smit Foundation, founded in 1996, is committed to regain this music.

In more than 200 concerts, we’ve brought to life music that was lost and forgotten. With this website, we share with musicians, programmers and music lovers worldwide what we’ve found, starting with music from composers who lived and worked in the Netherlands.

Here you can search for composers, works for various instrumentations or vocal repertoire. Find scores, look at manuscripts and listen to sound samples.

featured composer

Leo Smit (1900 - 1943)

1900 - 1943 His music sounds thoroughly French, with bright and blithe notes that seemingly flow easily from his pen. In reality, it took many years before his musical ideas were incorporated into his compositions. And however French it may sound, Leo Smit was in heart and soul hooked to Amsterdam and the Netherlands. His song for women's choir, De bruid (The bride), set to words by Jan Prins is a declaration of love: “The groom was the sunlight and Holland was his bride.” It … more

new additions

June 2, 2026

Julius Hijman

Duo voor viool en violoncel
Delen: 1. Prelude 2. Canzonetta 3. Scherzo 4. Romance 5. Finale Amsterdam, 1935
Henriëtte Bosmans

Sonate voor viool en piano
November 1918 Metzelaar, H. Zonder muziek is het leven onnodig; Henriëtte Bosmans (1895-1952) een biografie. 2002, Walburg Pers Zutphen p. 29
Martha Dekker-Belinfante

Aan de stilte
To silence. Words by Martha Belinfante-Dekker Summer evening, 1941. Written between two air fights, Amsterdam, while sitting in a little room in the attick, opposite the meeting hall of the NSB (national socialist party), where leather boots walk in and out, highly overconfident. Published in 1941 by Joh. A. Alsbach, Amsterdam, without 'Kulturkammer', with music.

Serenade voor fluit, viool en altviool - Nico Richter

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I. Allegretto giocoso II. Presto - Adagio

Support this site

Are you happy with the attention we pay to this almost forgotten music? Consider a donation to help us continue and expand this collection.

U.S.-based donors may support our activities in a tax-efficient way through a contribution to the Leo Smit Fund at the Netherland-America Foundation, Inc. Because the NAF is a public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501 (c)(3) and 509 (a)(1) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, donors may claim the tax benefits allowed by U.S. tax law for their contributions.

Please visit http://thenaf.org/leo-smit-foundation for more information.

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Forbidden Music Regained

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