The Pianist

Polish-Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman survives the Nazi liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto and years of hiding in the ruins of the city, aided occasionally by strangers and, remarkably, by a German officer moved by his piano playing. The film traces his descent from celebrated musician to starving fugitive amid the destruction of Warsaw.

The film is based on the memoir of Władysław Szpilman, depicting the Holocaust in occupied Warsaw, including the ghetto's establishment, the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, culminating in the city's near-total destruction.

The film closely follows Szpilman's own memoir and is considered one of the more historically careful cinematic accounts of the Warsaw Ghetto and occupation, including the real German officer Wilm Hosenfeld who aided him.

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, joined by the Soviet Union on 17 September. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days after the invasion began.

The Westerplatte depot near Danzig held out for seven days against overwhelming odds and became a national symbol. Warsaw was besieged and surrendered on 28 September; the last regular units capitulated in early October.

Directed by Roman Polanski

Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox

Positioned at 1939–1945 within the German occupation of Poland phase of the war, as part of the Holocaust in Poland. This is entry 19 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• Warsaw Ghetto
• Holocaust
• Władysław Szpilman
• German occupation of Poland
• survival

• 

  Uprising

  19 April – 16 May 1943

• 

  Schindler's List

  1939–1945

• 

  Swing Kids

  1939

• 

  Life Is Beautiful

  1939–1945

• 

  1939 Battle of Westerplatte

  1–7 September 1939

• 

  Westerplatte

  1–7 September 1939