Oj, Madagaskar!
Heil, Sachsenhausen!
In search of satire and song...can you help me?


Dear Friends,

In retracing my mother's footsteps in Siberia, I read in her memoirs that my mother was a huge movie buff, mostly musicals, but she drank in the culture of wherever she was, if only to escape from the reality for an hour or two at a time. Mum even spent a brief period working a mail route in Ust-Kamenogorsk, delivering mail to the local theatre owner. He would give her tickets to shows, and she went to them all. My frustration is that she mentioned the films in passing, as if I were supposed to know what or where they were!

To round out my quest, I am looking for information and leads about the following and would relish any information you may have -- either in English, Polish, or even German or Russian.

Here's my list, with many thanks in advance,
Lynda Kraar


1. Popular music from Russian movies that were in theatres (in Siberia and chiefly -- for my purpose -- in the theatres in Ust Kamenogorsk and Leninogorsk) in the 1940s, particularly from 1940 to 1946.

2. Any other music that is associated with General Wladislaw Anders (such as Oj Madagaskar and Heil Sachsenhausen) that is satirical, possibly religious and definitely political. I am also interested in the composers and the performers; and whether/how they recorded this material.

3. Names of movies (I'm mostly interested in musicals) in Poland that were likely to have been showing in Lodz from 1946 through 1950, and any other info about those movies. Do you know if Andrzej Wajda or the Lodz Film School might have archives of such things?

3a. Looking for copies of the Polish Kino magazine from 1930-1939.

4. The Polish music book which features the music for Oj Madagaskar and possibly name of the publisher.

5. Music of the Chor Dana (Walter Dana – Wladyslaw Dan Danilowski), and where can I find some? I am particularly interested in his work in Poland from 1930 through 1939.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,
Lynda Kraar
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