Leo Rosner
Encyclopedia
Leopold "Leo" Rosner was a Polish
-born Australian Jewish musician. Rosner survived the Holocaust in concentration camps during World War II by playing his accordion
for Nazi guards and officials, earning the attention of Oskar Schindler
who likely saved his life. His survival story became known after Australian author Thomas Kenneally's 1982 novel, Schindler's Ark
, was adapted into Steven Spielberg
's Oscar winning film, Schindler's List
. He appeared in the epilogue
of the film at the Schindler memorial in Yad Vashem
, Israel.
artist and entertainer in Poland
by the time Hitler launched his blitzkrieg
and occupied the country in 1939. He and his wife, Helen Rosner, were deported separately to the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp in 1943. While at Plaszow, Rosner was forced to perform his accordion for commandant
Amon Goeth, who was portrayed in the 1993 film Schindler's List by actor Ralph Fiennes
.
Rosner's talent with his accordion earned him the attention of Oskar Schindler
. Schindler personally had Rosner moved to an enamelling factory in Brinnlitz, Czechoslovakia
, in 1945. However, Rosner's wife, Helen, was transferred to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp
. Rosner was able to successfully persuade Schindler to have Helen Rosner removed from Auschwitz. The couple were reunited in Brinnlitz, where they remained until the end of World War II.
The couple had two daughters in Australia, Anna and Frances.
Rosner suffered from Alzheimer's disease
during his later years, but was able to perform at his and Helen's 65th wedding anniversary
celebration in 2008.
in Melbourne, Australia. He was survived by his wife, Helen Rosner, who was 84 years old at the time of Leo's death. Rosner was also survived by his daughters, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
His funeral was held at Chevra Kadisha in Springvale, Victoria
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-born Australian Jewish musician. Rosner survived the Holocaust in concentration camps during World War II by playing his accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
for Nazi guards and officials, earning the attention of Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
who likely saved his life. His survival story became known after Australian author Thomas Kenneally's 1982 novel, Schindler's Ark
Schindler's Ark
Schindler's Ark is a Booker Prize-winning novel published in 1982 by Australian Thomas Keneally, which was later adapted into the highly successful movie Schindler's List directed by Steven Spielberg...
, was adapted into Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's Oscar winning film, Schindler's List
Schindler's List
Schindler's List is a 1993 American film about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg, and based on the novel Schindler's Ark...
. He appeared in the epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
of the film at the Schindler memorial in Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, Israel.
Early life
Rosner was born in Krakow, Poland, in 1918. He was one of nine children within a family that performed in the music business.Schindler's List
Rosner was a successful cabaretCabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
artist and entertainer in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
by the time Hitler launched his blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
and occupied the country in 1939. He and his wife, Helen Rosner, were deported separately to the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp in 1943. While at Plaszow, Rosner was forced to perform his accordion for commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
Amon Goeth, who was portrayed in the 1993 film Schindler's List by actor Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
.
Rosner's talent with his accordion earned him the attention of Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
. Schindler personally had Rosner moved to an enamelling factory in Brinnlitz, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, in 1945. However, Rosner's wife, Helen, was transferred to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. Rosner was able to successfully persuade Schindler to have Helen Rosner removed from Auschwitz. The couple were reunited in Brinnlitz, where they remained until the end of World War II.
Post World War II
Leo and Helen Rosner immigrated to Australia after the war and settled in Melbourne. He worked as a musician and eventually fronted a twelve piece band. He continued to perform into his eighties. He was well known in the Melbourne musician business as well as in the Australian Holocaust survivors community.The couple had two daughters in Australia, Anna and Frances.
Rosner suffered from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
during his later years, but was able to perform at his and Helen's 65th wedding anniversary
Wedding anniversary
-Official recognition:In the Commonwealth realms, one can receive a message from the monarch for 60th, 65th, and 70th wedding anniversaries, and any wedding anniversary after that...
celebration in 2008.
Death
Leo Rosner died on October 10, 2008, at the age of 90 of complications from Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
in Melbourne, Australia. He was survived by his wife, Helen Rosner, who was 84 years old at the time of Leo's death. Rosner was also survived by his daughters, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
His funeral was held at Chevra Kadisha in Springvale, Victoria
Springvale, Victoria
Springvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately 20 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
.