Simon Gronowski

Simon Gronowski (born October 12, 1931) is a Doctor of Law, from the Free University of Brussels, a jazz pianist, and the president of the Union of Jewish deportees in Belgium.

Simon Gronowski
Simon Gronowski at the 2022 May 8th commemoration at Fort Breendonk
Born
Simon Gronowski

(1931-10-12) October 12, 1931
Brussels
CitizenshipBelgium
SpouseMarie-Claire Huybrechs
Children2 children
Parent(s)Léon Gronowski
Chana Gronowski
RelativesIta Gronowski (sister)

Gronowski was born in Brussels, and survived the Holocaust by escaping deportation in Convoy No. 20 train, on 19 April 1943, which would have taken him to Auschwitz. [1]

Transport XX memorial board at Zoutleeuw, Belgium, taken May 2020

He then lived through the rest of the war in hiding, with his father Léon Gronowski.

PUSH Opera
Main article: PUSH (opera)

In 2014, Simon Gronowski met British composer Howard Moody at a performance of his opera Sinbad at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels; Simon Gronowski told the composer the story of his escape and life and ended with the phrase "Ma Vie N'est Que Miracles". Moody was so moved he promised to write his next opera about Simon that night. His opera PUSH tells the story of Simon's escape from the 20th Convoy Train on April 19, 1943 and how his mother pushed Simon off the train. The opera PUSH was premiered in Bexhill, England at the De La Warr Pavilion after being commissioned by the Battle Festival. Gronowski attended the premiere. After an invitation from The House of Commons, PUSH was performed on January 27 to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in 2018, where Simon Gronowski was a special guest.[2] [3] [4][5]

References
  1. My story is a miracle & The Brussels Time Magazine, June 13, 2022.
  2. "Chichester and Bexhill singers join online commemoration of Belgian Resistance heroism". www.crawleyobserver.co.uk.
  3. NWS, VRT (April 20, 2020). "77 jaar nadat Auschwitz-trein in België is gestopt, zingen 150 zangers virtueel samen opera over verzetsdaad". vrtnws.be.
  4. "150 Performers Join Forces for Message of Hope from Opera 'PUSH'". Opera Wire. April 15, 2020.
  5. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: PUSH Opera - Finale with giant choir - Lockdown 2020 🇧🇪 🇬🇧. YouTube.

This article incorporates information from the French Wikipedia.

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