when jewish prisoners sang the requiem to their nazi captors, that catholic mass, says terezin survivora schiff, gave prisoners a way to defy the nazis. >> the text of the latin prayers suggests that we all will be judged by the almighty, and this would include the germans. that was a promise. that the day will come when we will all be facing the final judge, and that gave us a great deal of satisfaction and hope. >> it was cathartic, therapeutic and important for them to remain dignified. they responded to the worst of mankind with the best of mankind. this is our way of fighting back. >> in the cold, filth and misery of a camp like this, a romanian-born conductor, rafael schaechter, gathered 150 fellow prisoners, and in a dank basement with just one score and a broken piano taught them by rote verdi's sublime work. choir member edgar krasa says schaechter was extraordinary. >> socially, he was a wonderful person, but once he sat behind the piano, he was a real tyrant. >> the survivors who sang in this chorus said to me that when he started work on the requiem, and this is a quote, "he