26 X 1908 Kristiania (Oslo) – XII 1942 Auschwitz-Birkenau
Biography
Jacob Scharff was a violinist and composer. His orchestra „Scharff’s orchestra” held several concerts. He also played radio concerts and contributed to gramophone recordings.
Jacob Scharff, born in Oslo, was the eldest of five siblings. His parents, Gjertrud Gitel and Alexander Moses Scharff, both born in Latvia, moved the family to Hønefoss in 1915.
Like the rest of the family, Jacob had an ear for music. His specialty was the violin, which he both taught and composed music for. Jacob was the only violin teacher in Hønefoss, and when a city orchestra was put together, Jacob was the concertmaster. He had his own orchestra, „Scharff’s orchestra”, and he shared his music both in hotels and when visiting relatives. He also played with the accordion virtuoso Harald Henschien and his trio from 1939. In addition to touring, the trio played radio concerts in broadcasting and on gramophone recordings. They entertained all over Norway.
In 1942, Scharff participated in the magazine Rytme’s prestigious composer competition, with the composition Beautiful Sorina, a so-called gypsy tango. It was a long-lived success, but all Jacob Scharff got to know was that he won third place. He was one point away from second place, and he won a prize of 200 Norwegian kroner. The tango is described as sad and beautiful. It is about a man who leaves his loved one and never returns. In 1946, the magazine Rytme wrote a memoir about Jacob Scharff, which stated, among other things, that he „had probably become one of those people who we would hear a lot about in the future”.
After being arrested together with his father and brother Julius on 26 October 1942, Jacob was imprisoned at the Bredtveit prison. Together with several family members, but without his violin, Jacob Scharff was deported to Auschwitz on 26 November. He refused to play in the camp orchestra and was killed in December 1942.
Jacob Scharff plays the violin. From the collection of Oslo Jewish Museum
Jacob Scharff with the band. From the collection of Oslo Jewish Museum
Jacob Scharff with his sisters. From the collection of Oslo Jewish Museum
Jacob Scharff was a violinist and composer. His orchestra „Scharff’s orchestra” held several concerts. He also played radio concerts and contributed to gramophone recordings.
Jacob Scharff, born in Oslo, was the eldest of five siblings. His parents, Gjertrud Gitel and Alexander Moses Scharff, both born in Latvia, moved the family to Hønefoss in 1915.
Like the rest of the family, Jacob had an ear for music. His specialty was the violin, which he both taught and composed music for. Jacob was the only violin teacher in Hønefoss, and when a city orchestra was put together, Jacob was the concertmaster. He had his own orchestra, „Scharff’s orchestra”, and he shared his music both in hotels and when visiting relatives. He also played with the accordion virtuoso Harald Henschien and his trio from 1939. In addition to touring, the trio played radio concerts in broadcasting and on gramophone recordings. They entertained all over Norway.
In 1942, Scharff participated in the magazine Rytme’s prestigious composer competition, with the composition Beautiful Sorina, a so-called gypsy tango. It was a long-lived success, but all Jacob Scharff got to know was that he won third place. He was one point away from second place, and he won a prize of 200 Norwegian kroner. The tango is described as sad and beautiful. It is about a man who leaves his loved one and never returns. In 1946, the magazine Rytme wrote a memoir about Jacob Scharff, which stated, among other things, that he „had probably become one of those people who we would hear a lot about in the future”.
After being arrested together with his father and brother Julius on 26 October 1942, Jacob was imprisoned at the Bredtveit prison. Together with several family members, but without his violin, Jacob Scharff was deported to Auschwitz on 26 November. He refused to play in the camp orchestra and was killed in December 1942.