Ilse Weber

Ilse Weber (11 January 1903 – 6 October 1944), née Herlinger, was born in Witkowitz near Mährisch-Ostrau. A Jewish poet, she wrote in German, most notably songs and theater pieces for Jewish children. She married Willi Weber in 1930. She was voluntarily transported to Auschwitz with the children of Theresienstadt and murdered in the gas chambers, along with her son, Tommy. Her most popular book was "Mendel Rosenbusch: Tales for Jewish Children".

Life Weber was born on 11 January 1903 in Vítkovice and she learned to speak Czech and German.

Her mother taught her about music and their Jewish religion and her father died when she was ten. Within a few years her writing was being published in the magazine Das Kränzchen. She had written for children's periodicals and became a producer for Czech Radio.

When her husband was deported to Auschwitz in October 1944, Ilse Weber volunteered to join him with their son Tommy because she didn't want to break up the family. She and the boy were murdered in the gas chamber on arrival. It was reported that she sang her lullaby to her child as they went to be murdered. Willi Weber survived them by 30 years.

Writings Her first book was "Mendel Rosenbusch: Tales for Jewish Children" (1929).

Her song "Wiegala" is used in Paula Vogel's play, Indecent.

Works Writing Märchen (Fairy Tales), 1928 Die Geschichten um Mendel Rosenbusch: (Mendel Rosenbusch: Tales for Jewish Children), 1929 Das Trittrollerwettrennen (The Scooter Race), 1936 In deinen Mauern wohnt das Leid: Gedichte aus dem KZ Theresienstadt (Inside These Walls, Sorrow Lives: Poems from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp), 1991 Wann wohl das Leid ein Ende hat (When Will Suffering End), 2008; ed. Ulrike Migdal, "Dancing on a Powder Keg": Ilse Weber's Letters and Poems; Translated from the German, and foreword by Michal Schwartz, Ruth Bondy on Theresienstadt, Afterword by Ulrike Migdal; Bunim & Bannigan, Ltd, in association with Yad Vashem, 2017, „Es war einmal, es ist noch gar nicht lange her“. Erzählungen für Kinder 1928–1935 [includes Jüdische Kindermärchen, Die Geschichten um Mendel Rosenbusch, Das Trittrollerwettrennen and Der blaue Prinz], ed. by Wolfgang Rathert, with a greeting by Daniel Hope and a postface by Theresia Dingelmaier. Hentrich & Hentrich, Leipzig 2023,

Selected recordings The Songs of Holocaust : "Und der Regen rinnt". "Wiegala". "Denn alles wird gut". "Dobrý den". "Ade, Kamerad!". "Ukolébavka". "Kleines Wiegenlied" "Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt" Rachel Joselson (soprano), Rene Lecuona (piano), Scott Conklin (violin), Hanna Holman (cello) Albany 2016 Terezín - Theresienstadt (Anne Sofie von Otter album) "Wiegala" (Lullaby) "Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt" (Wandering Through Theresienstadt) "Ade, Kamerad" (Goodbye, Friend) "Und der Regen rinnt" (And the Rain Falls) Deutsche Grammophon complete songs [15 minutes] Ich wand're durch Theresienstadt; Ukolebavka; Dobry den; Wiegenlied; Ade, Kamerad; Und der Regen rinnt: Wiegala; Denn alles wird gut Specials: 8 Lieder von Ilse Weber Timotheus Maas (Bass-Baritone), Johann Jacob Nissen (Guitar ) Label: Ears Love Music, DDD, 2021