I don't understand why the NAZIs poisoned the conductor. They appreciated her. I never bought that they were going to let her out of the camp in the first place. Was that a ruse to get her to dinner to poison her? The NAZIs had no problem killing anyone there for any reason--they didn't need a ruse. Confused.
shareThe movie suggested that Frau Schmidt was jealous of Alma because she herself wanted out of the camp for a long time and here a Jew was being transferred out to a better camp. So she poisoned her during the dinner out of spite.
But there are several theories as to how Alma Rose actually died.
https://books.google.com/books?id=qdou73fmj9EC&pg=PA305&lpg=PA305&dq=frau+schmidt+auschwitz&source=bl&ots=C-piWFyG-2&sig=lVSAd9q4uxRDigp4FKnAGSUASfY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBGoVChMIwsuSn6y2yAIVg9KACh3ZWwO8#v=onepage&q=frau%20schmidt%20auschwitz&f=false
It was dead obvious to me, that Frau Schmidt was lying through her teeth to Alma. And I considered your synopsis to be very close.
I gathered that the whole Nazi unit was behind it... knowing Alma wanted out... so a world trip story was fabricated. And poor Alma naively fell for it. Frau Schmidt was used as the bait. But of respect as the orchestra leader, they allowed the players to pay their respects, after her coffin was unveiled.
But somehow, I also presumed it as a message to the players, that they were still prisoners spared from death... and that wanting out, or some form of escape... like that linguistic woman and her soldier lover who were hanged... would end up like Alma did.
Peanutlee33