Side Questions

a. What was the officer’s attitude to Szpilman?

The officer was kind and compassionate. He was a German and he suspected that the man hiding in the attic was a Jew. Still, he didn’t want to do anything harmful to him. Instead, he found him a better place to hide and also brought him food whenever he could.

b. Why do you think the officer asked Szpilman to play the piano?

Szpilman had told the officer that he was a pianist. The officer told him to play the piano probably because he wanted to know if Szpilman was lying. Anyway, the officer was moved by the music Szpilman produced and that also encouraged him to offer the Jew all the help he could.

c. Why was Szpilman hesitant to play the piano?

Szpilman was hesitant to play the piano because he hadn’t practiced for two and half years. His fingers were stiff and covered with a thick layer of dirt. Also, he hadn’t cut his nails for some weeks.

d. How does the officer help Szpilman?

The officer found him a better place to hide. Szpilman was hiding in the attic but the officer told him that he would be safer in the loft above the attic. The officer also brought him food.

e. What was the officer ashamed of?

The officer was ashamed of being a German. German soldiers were finding and forcefully sending Jews to ghettos and concentration camps under the order of Hitler. He felt that it was a cruel thing to do and he did not support this prosecution of Jews. Hence, he was ashamed of being a German.

f. “Just hang on a few more weeks—the war will be over by spring at the latest.” What is surprising about this statement?

This statement is surprising because it came from a German soldier who wanted Germany to lose. Also, it was prophetic. Just like he predicted, the war did end within a few weeks and Germany was defeated.

g. What does the conversation between the officer and Szpilman reveal about the bond between them?

Szpilman was a Jew and the officer was a German. German soldiers at that time were entrusted with the task of finding Jews and sending them to concentration camps. Still, the officer wanted to help Szpilman. They both probably shared the same love for music or they connected on a more humanitarian ground. The officer was really keen on helping Szpilman. He helped him find a better hidingplace and also brought him food despite the obvious risks involved in doing so.

h. Why was there less artillery fire after a few weeks?

The war was going to end and Germans were losing. Their troops were withdrawing and that is why there was less artillery fire.

i. Why does Szpilman say that his hiding place was well chosen?

Soldiers went up and down the stairs and often brought large packages to the attic but no one ever thought of searching the loft directly above the attic. That is why Szpilman says that his hiding place was well chosen.

j. What do you think of Szpilman’s advice to the German officer?

Szpilman advises the officer to remember his name and the place where he worked – Polish Radio. He is quite grateful for all the help he has received from the officer and really wants to do something in return. Hence, he tells the officer that in future if he can help the officer in any way, he should remember to approach him. He tells the officer his name and where he worked.

k. What sound did Szpilman hear from the attic?

He heard the stormy wind, the squeaking and rustling of rats and mice running back and forth in the attic.

i. Why does Szpilman say that he had to be alone if he wanted to live?

First he had a home, parents and siblings. Then they lost their home but they were still together. Later he got separated from his family and now he was living alone. His family probably had been killed and or maybe they were also hiding in different places. In that scenario, Szpilman couldn’t afford to go out, find his family or live with them. He had to remain in hiding if he wanted to live.

m. What were the radio announcements about?

The radio announcements were about the defeat of Germany and the liberation of Warsaw from Nazis.

n. How does Szpilman survive the freezing cold?

The last time the German officer came, he had brought Szpilman a German military coat to keep him warm during the cold winter months. That is how Szpilman survived the freezing cold.

o. What information did Szpilman hope to gather?

After he heard announcements of the defeat of Germany he decided to go out for the first time in probably several months. The he heard the rhythmic footsteps of guards in the road again. He probably thought that the Germans were back again. So, he felt dejected. Later he heard the sounds of women and children and decided to get information at all costs. He wanted to find out if Germans had indeed withdrawn from Warsaw.

Let’s rewind

1.Why does the German soldier help Szpilman and save his life?

The German soldier was kind and did not approve of the cruel way the Nazis treated Jews. One of his duties was to catch Jews from their hiding places and send them to concentration camps. Because he was kind, instead of sending Jews to concentration camps, he found them better hiding places and also brought them food.

2. How does Szpilman maintain hope in extreme hardship and danger?

The officer had assured him that the war would soon end and Germany would be defeated. The officer also found him a better hiding place, brought him food and warm clothing. These are the things that helped him maintain hope.

3. Why was Szpilman afraid of being killed by Polish soldiers, his own countrymen?

Szpilman was wearing a German military coat and hence whoever saw him suspected that he was German. It was extremely cold and he probably couldn’t go out without wearing that coat. So, Szpilman was afraid of being killed by his own soldiers.

4. How do luck, chance and human kindness help Szpilman to survive?

It was pure luck and chance that helped Szpilman survive. He was hiding in the attic of a building where German soldiers stored things. If he had been discovered by another German officer who hated Jews, he would certainly have been sent to the ghetto. Instead, he was found by a kind and compassionate German solider who not only helped him to find a better hiding place but also brought him food and winter clothing. In other words, his survival depended entirely on his good luck and the kindness of that officer.

5. Was it risky for the German soldier to help Szpilman? Why?

Yes, it was quite risky for the German soldier to help Szpilman. His duty was to find all the hiding Jews and send them to ghettos. He was not supposed to help them. If other officers learnt that he was protecting a Jew, he would face stringent punishment. Yet, he helped Szpilman because he was a genuinely kind person.

6. Why is Szpilman’s memoir classified as ‘survivor testimony’? How, in your opinion, does ‘survivor testimony’ enrich history and literature, and enhance our understanding of the world?

Szpilman’s memoir is classified as survivor testimony because it gives a first hand account of the trials and challenges Jews faced during World War II. This is not a story and all the incidents mentioned in this memoir are true and they give a chilling account of what life was in those days for Jews. Survivor testimonies help us understand history better because they are written by people who went through those experiences. They help us see historical events from the right perspective. These testimonies also enrich literature because they make a compelling read.

7. In the entry to this passage, you would have come across the expression ‘en masse.’ What do you think it means, in the context?

En masse means all together. Here it refers to the act of killing a large number of Jews all at once by making them inhale poisonous gases. Over half a million Jews had been killed in this manner in Warsaw alone.

8. Does the expression ‘en masse’ remind you of a similar phrase you came across in class 9?

Yes. It reminds me of the phrase ‘en bloc’. Both phrases have similar meanings.

9. How are these expressions different from other commonly used phrases in English?

These phrases are different from other commonly used phrases in English because they are borrowed from other languages. These two phrases actually come from French.