Video: How the Pianist survived: a German saved Vladislav Shpilman from starvation during the war
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The life story of a Polish composer Vladislav Shpilman became the basis for an Oscar-winning film "Pianist"directed by Roman Polanski in 2002. When the picture was released, the world learned about the tragedy of a musician, a Jew by nationality, who during the Second World War experienced all the horrors of life in the Nazi ghetto, miraculously did not end up in a concentration camp, and before the liberation of Warsaw he lived in the attic of the house where the German headquarters. A German officer helped him not to die of hunger at this time …
The fact that Vladislav Shpilman managed to survive the war is practically a miracle. During the years while Warsaw was under German occupation, the talented musician found himself on the brink of life and death so many times that it’s hard to count. Before the war, Spielman worked on Polish radio, composed music and gave concerts. The Poles highly appreciated his talent. Even after learning about the offensive of German troops, Vladislav Shpilman did not leave his work on the radio, he went on air until September 23, 1939 …
The persecution of Jews during the Second World War by the Nazis acquired appalling proportions: at first they were obliged to wear special armbands with the image of the Star of David, then they were herded into the ghetto and sent to forced labor. People were dying of hunger and disease, soon they began to form echelons in the death camps, everyone who was recognized as disabled was sent there …
Vladislav Shpilman managed to escape the concentration camp. His entire family died in the Treblinka death camp, and just before boarding the train, a Jewish policeman recognized him and pushed him out of the crowd. Vladislav got a chance to escape. Leaving the ghetto, of course, was impossible, but at that moment one thing was important: he escaped mortal danger. Further life in the ghetto is another test for the musician. He was forced to work hard at a construction site, and his hands, once slipping over the keys of the piano, are now hardened. From now on, he wore building materials and cherished the idea of escape.
Escape from the ghetto was a success in February 1943, Spielman was in the Polish part of the city, asking for help from his former colleagues at work. The composer managed to hide for a long time in empty apartments, until one day the house where Vladislav was hiding fell under siege. Then the musician tried to commit suicide by poisoning, but survived. Having lost the last safe hiding place, Vladislav was doomed to wander through the destroyed neighborhoods. In one of the relatively well-preserved houses, he settled into a shelter, spent several days in the attic, but one night, driven by hunger, made his way into the kitchen in the hope of finding at least something. This sortie nearly cost Spielman his life.
On the first floor, Vladislav was discovered by a German officer, Wilhelm Hosenfeld. After a short interrogation, hearing that there was a musician in front of him, the German ordered to play the piano in the room. Vladislav Shpilman, who had not sat down at the instrument for several years, suffered from mental and physical exhaustion, not fully realizing the reality of what was happening, began to play. The virtuoso performance impressed Wilhelm so much that he took pity on Vladislav, ordered him to hide in the attic more reliably, warning that in a few days the German headquarters would be located in the house. The German supplied Vladislav with food and a warm blanket.
Thanks to Hosenfeld, Spielmann survived. The musician held out until the Soviet troops liberated Warsaw. After the Victory, he tried to find the German officer who saved his life, he could even find out his name, but he could not help. Hosenfeld was at that time in a prisoner of war camp near Stalingrad, where he died in 1952.
Vladislav Shpilman lived a long life. After the war, he started a family and raised two sons, one of whom, Andrzej, followed in his father's footsteps and also became a musician. Spielman himself toured a lot, gave concerts until old age, continued to write music …
The role of Vladislav Shpilman in the film "The Pianist" was played by Adrian Brody. To match the image, the actor not only lost 13 kg, but also went to other, even more dramatic, hardships. This is one of incredible examples of how movie stars got used to their roles.
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