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The violin maker's salvation

After surviving a tortuous childhood during WW2, Hans Benning finally found true love and happiness through his work repairing the world’s most priceless stringed instruments.

Hans and Nancy Benning met in Germany while studying the art of lutherie, repairing stringed instruments. Their love and work gave Hans the happiness and love he longed for growing up homeless and malnourished in West Germany during World War 2. Now living in California, they have been making and preserving the world’s most priceless violins for four decades.

This episode was first broadcast in March 2020.

Presenter: Clayton Conn
Producer: Deiniol Buxton

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

(Picture: Hans Benning in his workshop. Credit: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ/ Clayton Conn)

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27 minutes

Last on

Sun 17 Apr 2022 22:32GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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Discovering my mother's heroic past

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The dark truth behind my songs

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Broadcasts

  • Sat 16 Apr 2022 08:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sat 16 Apr 2022 23:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 17 Apr 2022 08:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 17 Apr 2022 22:32GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

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Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

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