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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

Wilhelm Rettich (1892 - 1988)

Wilhelm Rettich belonged to that generation of those whose work and life was deeply affected by the First and Second World Wars. Captivity, persecution, hiding and losses scarred his life. In 1933, he emigrated to the Netherlands, where he survived the war in hiding. Rettich worked a great deal for the radio, a young and progressive medium at that time. Although he became a Dutch citizen after the World War II, he returned to Germany in 1964. by Diet Scholten more

new additions

January 29, 2026

Henriëtte Bosmans

Poème
26 March 1920
January 23, 2026

Paul Hermann

Deuxième Quatuor à cordes
à Monsieur le chanoine Louis Ollier en hommage profondement respectueux I. Moderato assai - Toulouse, 13 July 1941 II. Presto - Toulouse, 19 July 1941 III. Lento ma non troppo - Toulouse, 1 July 1942 IV. Allegretto - Toulouse, 14 July 1942 V. Allegro vivo - Toulouse, September 1942
January 21, 2026

Géza Frid

Duo für Violine und Violoncelle Kan-Ti

Sinfonie No. 2 in Es-dur. (Sinfonische Fantasie für grosses Orchester.) - Jan van Gilse

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In E flat major (Symphonic fantasy for large …

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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