One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic for me has been to connect to my neighbors in a way that often evades correspondents, transient lives & all. And so that's how I came to know the incredible story of the amazing Mr. Gronowski. #Thread https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
At the height of the 1st wave in April, our neighbor in Brussels Mr. Gronowski started playing jazz on his piano over an open window. He's 89, a small, beaming man with a permanent mischievous smile on his face. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
Through another neighbor, Amy, I learned of Mr. Gronowski's Holocaust survival story.
At the behest of his mother, at age 11, in 1943, he jumped off a speeding train taking him from Mechelen to Auschwitz. The train he was on became famous as "Convoy 20." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
At the behest of his mother, at age 11, in 1943, he jumped off a speeding train taking him from Mechelen to Auschwitz. The train he was on became famous as "Convoy 20." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
Miraculously, he survived, and that first leap of bravery set Mr. Gronowski on course for an extraordinary live.
Forgive the superlatives.
Hope you get a chance to read my profile @nytimes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
/ENDS
Forgive the superlatives.
Hope you get a chance to read my profile @nytimes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/world/europe/holocaust-piano-brussels-coronavirus.html
/ENDS