Voting Station

Wladyslaw Szpilman

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Musician

The Resume

    (December 5, 1911-July 6, 2000)
    Born in Sosnowiec, Poland
    Classical pianist and composer
    Pianist for Polskie Radio (1935-39)
    Musical director for Polskie Radio (1945-63)
    Survived World War II by hiding in Warsaw
    Wrote the memoir 'Death of a City'
    Portrayed by Adrian Brody in 'The Pianist' (2001)

Why he might be annoying:

    His name has an awkward 'szp' combo.
    The music he composed is little known outside of Poland.
    His life story enabled statutory rapist Roman Polanski to win an Oscar.

Why he might not be annoying:

    While he and his family were about to board the train to the Treblinka concentration camp, a Jewish policeman recognized him and yanked him out of the crowd.
    The rest of his family (mother, father, two sisters and a brother) died at Treblinka.
    He was playing a Chopin nocturne for Polskie Radio when the German invasion forced the station off the air; when the station resumed broadcasting six years later, he opened with the same piece.
    He went to the head of the Polish secret police in an effort to save Wilhelm Hosenfeld, a German officer who had helped hide him.
    His memoirs are remarkably dispassionate and free from bitterness.
    He wrote, 'One of the Poles who helped me first told me, 'I was an anti-Semite, but not anymore.' Then he went on to risk his life by hiding me.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying