The Nazi camps and ghettos saw the emergence of a wide range of topical songs that addressed the immediate experiences and conditions of internment. These compositions, often set to familiar melodies or created entirely anew, served as a form of oral history and social commentary. They covered a range of subjects, from the mundane aspects of daily life to more severe topics like hunger, disease, and the constant threat of deportation.

In ghettos like Lodz and Vilna, songs about food shortages, the cold and forced labor were common. The Warsaw Ghetto produced numerous songs chronicling resistance efforts. In camps, inmates composed pieces that subtly critiqued their captors or bolstered morale among fellow prisoners. Yiddish, as well as other languages, featured prominently in these musical creations. While some of these songs survived through oral transmission or hidden written records, many were lost. Those that remain provide valuable historical insights, offering a unique perspective on how individuals processed and documented their experiences through music during this period.