Gidon Kremer: My father lost 35 in his family to the Nazis

Gidon Kremer: My father lost 35 in his family to the Nazis

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norman lebrecht

February 13, 2022

The violinist gives a rare glimpse into his background. He says:

‘I am – so to speak – my father’s second life.

‘He suffered so much in the War. 35 of his relatives – including his wife and his 18 month-old daughter – were murdered in the Riga ghetto.

‘He was able to escape and he met my mother, a German, after the War.

‘Those are the circumstances of my birth. ‘That’s why I see myself as my father’s second life.

‘After such a tragedy he wanted to plant something good in me.

‘He also gave me the strength that a lot can be achieved if one is honest, and true to oneself.

‘I have a family history and, because of it, I feel I have a duty to do something… I am a defender of human rights, in Russia, in Ukraine…’

Watch the 6-minute video here.

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