Page "The Pianist (memoir)" Paragraph 14

Whenever he went into the large ghetto, Szpilman would visit a friend, Jehuda Zyskind, who worked as a smuggler, trader, driver or carrier when the need arose.

He was also an enthusiastic Socialist.

This interest was what eventually led to his and his family ’ s death: shot on the spot by Military Police officers after being caught sorting out a pile of socialist documents, illegally smuggled into the ghetto.

But before his death, in the winter of 1942, Zyskind supplied Szpilman with the latest news from outside the ghetto, received via radio.

After hearing this news and completing whatever other business he had in the large ghetto, Szpilman would head back to his house in the small ghetto.

On his way, Szpilman would meet up with his brother, Henryk, who made a living by trading books in the street.

He would help Henryk to carry the books back to the family house, where they would have lunch.