Kazik and the Kommander's Car

Thursday, March 31 · 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Baden Powell House
67 Queen's Gate Mews, London - 020 7590 6900
London, United Kingdom

Kazimierz ‘Kazik’ Piechowski, now 91, one of the few Auschwitz prisoners to escape, is visiting Britain for the first time, to share his story through an evening of film and music, in association with Kinoteka 9th Polish Film Festival

Featuring:

Film screening of short documentary 'Kazik and the Kommander’s Car' directed by Hannah Lovell and produced by Katy Carr.

Live concert by Katy Carr, including song 'Kommander's Car,' alongside British, Polish and international scouts.

Preview screening of Katy Carr’s ‘Kommander’s Car’ music video, directed by Hannah Lovell.

A letter of commendation written by Chief Scout Bear Grylls presented to Kazik by the Scout Association.

Exhibition by Galen Wainwright of drawings in charcoal featured in 'Kazik and the Kommander’s Car'

Noon, Saturday June 20th 1942

A young Polish prisoner, Kazimierz Piechowski (Kazik) and three other prisoners disguise themselves as SS officers, organise a getaway in the Commandant's car, and escape from Auschwitz.
...
"Kazik and the Kommander's Car" is a 25 minute documentary following songwriter Katy Carr’s visit to Poland in August 2009 to meet Kazik, now 90 years old, and play him her song "Kommander’s Car", a tribute to Kazik’s do or die escape.

Kazik is one of the few people still living who can bear witness to the experience of Auschwitz. Through visiting his home and talking with Kazik, we find out about how he was imprisoned in Auschwitz in 1940 for being a Polish boy scout and resisting Nazi occupation. We hear about his experiences in Auschwitz and the audacity of his masterplan, and how he managed this unbelievable escape, when so few had ever escaped - out of millions, 802 tried, only 144 people made it.

Most of all, through Kazik’s strong and moving response to Katy’s song, we have a direct window into his experience, of the last 80 metres of his escape, when everything depends upon five seconds of action…
('Kazik and the Kommander's Car' is directed by Hannah Lovell and produced by Katy Carr. It has so far been shown as part of the Imperial War Museum film festival, at the Cultural Centre in Warsaw for the 65th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, and the Portobello film festival London Film-Makers convention, and now at the official Portobello Film Festival.

Kazik’s life is an inspiring and enduring story of our age. It needs to never be forgotten. We are very honoured to have Kazik attending this event, and talking to us in person.

Public event, free admission. Café on site.

Donations to the Museum of Auschwitz.

In association with Kinoteka film festival and the Polish Cultural Institute.

Call Hannah on 07920 407111 for more info.