You are invited to a special event part of Kinoteka Film Festival and a concert by Katy Carr and a film screening of
KAZIK AND THE KOMMANDER’S CAR
at Baden-Powell House,67 Queen’s Gate Mews, Kensington 6.30pm on Thursday, March 31st
Kazimierz ‘Kazik’ Piechowski, now 91, who will be attendingone 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.
Kazimierz Piechowski was transported to Auschwitz on the 20th June 1940 for being a
Polish scout, then considered part of the Polish Intelligentsia. Exactly two years later, at
midday on Saturday June 20th 1942, Kazik escaped from the Nazi concentration camp.
He masterminded his way out with three other political prisoners, disguised in SS
uniforms, and by appropriating a Steyr 220 car belonging to Rudolf Höss, the then
Commandant of the death camp. Kazik is the only one now left from the four friends
who made the escape, who can tell us first hand what happened.
Upon discovering Kazik’s story, songwriter Katy Carr wrote a tribute song,
‘Kommander’s Car,’ from the point of view of Kazik, narrating the last do-or-die 80
metres of his break for freedom. Katy felt compelled to share this song with Kazik, and
her meeting with Kazik in Poland has been captured in a short documentary, Kazik and
the Kommander’s Car, directed by Hannah Lovell.
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.
31st Mar 2011, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, BADEN-POWELL HOUSE.
Nearest tube Gloucester Road or South Kensington.
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
Public event, free admission. Café on site.
Donations to the Museum of Auschwitz.
In association with Kinoteka film festival
and the Polish Cultural Institute.
”From the moment that the first note is struck of Katy Carr’s
song ‘Kommander’s Car’, which is the heart of this remarkable
story, to the emotional climax that is Kazik’s incredible escape
from Auschwitz, rendered in a beautiful animation, one is
gripped by this extraordinary short film. A must see.”
(David Russell  – who screened the documentary as
part of “Untold Stories” at the Rich Mix cinema on the
66th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.)
Kazik: “From the first beat of ‘Kommander’s Car’, you can
feel the drama. The melody and the music speak to us […]
So many people have tried to document the facts of
Auschwitz, but this [‘Kommander’s Car’ music video] is
different. It plays on the symbols of Auschwitz and the
feeling of the escape. It is something new for the world.”

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1 Comment
  1. Martin Garnar says:

    Hi,
    I’ve just read the inspirational story of the Kommander’s Car – is there any way we can get hold of a copy of the short film that we could show at Enfield Council’s next Holocaust Memorial Day event?
    Thanks in anticipation
    Martin

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