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Großenhainer Music School is pleased with restored violins from Meißen
The Großenhain music school receives five restored violins from the estate of the Meißen musician Martin Reuter.
Großenhainer Music School is pleased with restored violins from Meißen
Yesterday evening the time had finally come: the Großehainer Music School was pleased to receive a special donation. The chairman of the support association, Robert Reiß, handed over five violins from the estate of the late musician Martin Reuter. Reuter, who died in 2022 from Meißen, played in the local chamber orchestra and, after reunification, first moved the instruments to the attic and then to the basement.
The giving hands came into play through Thomas Reuter, a surveyor and colleague of Robert Reiß. The estate was sorted and they came across these valuable instruments. Originally in poor condition, the violins were restored in Dresden for around 4,000 euros before being handed over to the music school. This can now breathe a sigh of relief, as violins for older students and adults are often missing.
Fascinating discoveries
While closely examining one of the violins, Reiß made an exciting discovery: he found a piece of paper that referred to the Italian violin maker Joseph Guarneri. Although the inscription was a copy from Vogtland, Reiss initially came across a real treasure. He determined that it was a manufactured violin from around 1920 - master violins by Guarneri are usually rare and only 150 to 200 examples of this esteemed craft still exist.
The handover of the instruments was celebrated with a warm thank you from Rafal Michalski, the district director of the music school, and a humorous comment from Reiß about the piece of paper, which he compared to a signature on an art print. The music school is grateful for this valuable addition to its inventory of instruments.
The debate about violins
The violin's provenance is extremely unclear. Hildesheimer's suicide in 1939 left his widow and daughters in a difficult fate; they emigrated to America. Years later, the violin came into the possession of the Nuremberg violinist Sophie Hagemann, who dedicated herself to “degenerate music”. After her death in 2010, the violin was handed over to the “Franz Hofmann and Sophie Hagemann” foundation, which now plans to restore the instrument and make it accessible to young musicians.
However, the question of returning it to Hildheim's descendants is still unresolved. Despite the recommendation of the Advisory Commission for the return of cultural property confiscated as a result of Nazi persecution - which suggested paying the heirs minimal compensation - there are still no signs of progress. The foundation is trying to contact the descendants to find a solution.
The days so far are reflected not only in the positive news from the Großenhain Music School, but also in the complex stories and challenges that revolve around violins and their history. A day of giving gifts and remembering that makes us all think.