Ryszard Horowitz’s life story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a journey from the horrors of the Holocaust to a celebrated career as a pioneering photographer. Born in Kraków, Poland in 1939, his early childhood was shattered by the Nazi invasion, forcing his family into the Kraków ghetto, a place of fear and deprivation. Amidst the bleakness, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of a childhood friendship with Roman Polanski, a future renowned filmmaker, who shared those early, difficult years. The ghetto provided a brief respite before the family was transported to the Plaszow concentration camp, ruled by the brutal Amon Göth, where life hung precariously in the balance amidst arbitrary violence.
The intervention of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist, proved pivotal for the Horowitz family. Schindler’s factory, supplying utensils to the German army, offered a shield from the immediate threat of extermination. Though shrouded in controversy, Schindler’s actions ultimately saved the lives of many Jews, including the Horowitz family, by employing them in his factories. While Schindler’s complex character has been subject to varying interpretations, his role in saving lives remains undeniable. The family’s time in Plaszow was marked by constant fear and uncertainty, punctuated by Göth’s capricious cruelty.
The dismantling of Plaszow triggered a series of harrowing separations and reunions for the Horowitz family. While Schindler arranged for his workers’ relocation to Brünnlitz, Czechoslovakia, a logistical error sent Ryszard’s mother, sister, and grandmother to Auschwitz. Ryszard and his father initially made it to Brünnlitz but were later deported to Auschwitz due to Josef Leipold, Schindler’s replacement’s, dislike of children. This separation from his female family members became a defining moment, etched in Ryszard’s memory as he witnessed them on a train bound for Auschwitz, believing it to be their final goodbye.
Inside Auschwitz, the horrors continued. Ryszard, despite his young age, was selected for tattooing, a grim marker of those deemed fit for labor, albeit temporarily. Schindler’s persistent efforts led to the rescue of the women from the Auschwitz-bound train, offering a flicker of hope amidst the despair. However, Ryszard and his father remained in Auschwitz, enduring the brutal conditions and facing the constant threat of death. The approaching Red Army brought both liberation and new dangers. Ryszard’s father was forced on a death march, leaving him behind. He survived through the kindness of a warehouse worker, Roman Gunz, who provided food and shelter, hiding him when necessary.
The liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops marked the beginning of Ryszard’s journey back to his family. Taken to an orphanage in Kraków, he was reunited with Polanski’s aunt. Miraculously, his mother recognized him in a documentary film about the liberation of Auschwitz shown in the market square, leading to a joyous reunion with his mother, sister, and grandmother. Later, his father returned, and the family lived together with Polanski’s family before securing their own apartment. Post-war Poland, under communist rule, offered little hope, and like many others, the Horowitz family dreamed of leaving.
Ryszard’s journey to America was fueled by the support of his uncles in New York and a scholarship to the Pratt Institute. Leaving Poland with US dollars concealed in his shoe, he embarked on a new life. At Pratt, his talent for photography blossomed. He established the institute’s first photography lab, designed their yearbook, and earned recognition from the New York Art Directors Club. Connecting with influential figures in the art world further propelled his career. His innovative approach to photography, manipulating light and perspective to create surreal and dreamlike images, predated the digital age and earned him recognition as a pioneer of special effects photography.
His artistic journey intertwined with personal happiness as he met and married Anna Bogusz, an architecture student, and they raised two sons. From the ashes of Auschwitz, Ryszard Horowitz built a successful life and career, becoming a renowned photographer, receiving honorary doctorates and citizenship from his hometown. His work, often merging disparate images into believable compositions, reflects a unique artistic vision. His life story, from the depths of despair to the heights of achievement, stands as a powerful testament to human resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of hope. He fulfilled the American Dream, finding solace in his art and family, forever marked by the experiences of his past, yet driven by an unwavering spirit to create and inspire.
