Simon Gronowski

Simon Gronowski (born October 12, 1931) is a Doctor of Law, from the Université libre de Bruxelles, a jazz pianist, and the president of the Union of Jewish deportees in Belgium.

Simon Gronowski
Born
Simon Gronowski

(1931-10-12) October 12, 1931
Brussels
CitizenshipBelgium
Spouse(s)Marie-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. The photo is of a board commemorating this.

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

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 Pavillion after being commissioned by the Battle Festival; It was a co production with Glyndebourne Opera and was created as a community opera, involving local schools and amateaur singers as well as professional opera singers. Simon Gronowski attended the premiere. PUSH was later performed in Salisbury 2017 and Chichester 2018. 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. IN March 2019, PUSH premiered in Brussels at La Monnaie Opera House and was performed in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. During the lockdown 2020, singers from all four casts in Belgium and UK recorded their parts to create a virtual giant choir. The film was edited by Shogo Hino and featured over 150 opera singers. [1] [2] [3][4]

References
  1. "Chichester and Bexhill singers join online commemoration of Belgian Resistance heroism". www.crawleyobserver.co.uk.
  2. NWS, VRT (April 20, 2020). "77 jaar nadat Auschwitz-trein in België is gestopt, zingen 150 zangers virtueel samen opera over verzetsdaad". vrtnws.be.
  3. "150 Performers Join Forces for Message of Hope from Opera 'PUSH'". Opera Wire. April 15, 2020.
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sm1rI-j5iE

This article incorporates information from the French Wikipedia.

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