the nazis asked rafael schaechter to perform that requiem for their guests. probably couldn't understand the mass sung in latin, but schaechter and his choir understood exactly what they were doing. >> performers could be deported to the gas chambers at us a wits warned jewish elders, so he gave his kor ris a choice. >> he told us about the danger and said if you -- whoever is afraid, there is the door, and you can go. nobody left. >> no one left? >> no. >> the lyrics of the requiem and their hidden meaning were the source of the prisoners' defiance. the second and longest movement, for example, tells of the day of wrath. ♪ >> "the day of wrath, that day will dissolve the world in ashes. how great will be the terror when the judge comes" is how the latin is translated. >> it's very simple. god's in charge of humanity, and if anybody fools around with that, they're going to hear from god. >> in the wretched camp, says survivor vera schiff, verdi's requiem was a lifeline. >> it was part of the defiance, to keep up our spirits, to keep us in a frame of mind, you