Wikipedia's first sentence called it “polish pianist and classical composer of jewish descent”. Today it says “polish jewish pianist”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Polish pianist and composer (1911–2000)”. It now reads “Polish pianist, composer and Holocaust survivor (1911–2000)”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
He was born in Sosnowiec , Poland, to a family of Jewish origin. He died in Warsaw . Władysław Szpilman worked as a pianist for the Polish radio in Warsaw until the German invasion of Poland 1939 reached Warsaw. With Nazi Germany establishing ghettos in the city, he was forced to move to the Warsaw Ghetto with his family, and continued to work as a pianist in a restaurant. Szpilman remained in the ghetto until it was abolished after the holocaust of most of its inhabitants — Szpilman was left as a labourer. Succeeding in fleeing and finding places to hide in Warsaw, he stayed there for the remainder of the war. Part of his survival was credited to Wilm Hosenfeld , a German captain who had become ashamed of his country's Nazi policies. Hosenfeld was said to have provided Szpilman with food and shelter until the Soviets captured Warsaw. Hosenfeld later died in a Soviet POW camp. After the war Szpilman resumed his musical career in Poland, becoming one of the most prolific composers of Polish popular songs. In 1945 , shortly after the war's end, he wrote a memoir about his survival in Warsaw. He published the book in Poland, titled Śmierć Miasta ("Death of a city"). The published book was heavily censored by the Communist authorities who did not like its perspective on the war, and the number of copies printed was small. Grave of Władysław Szpilman in Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw Szpilman's memoir was not reprinted for fifty years, until 1998 when it was published in English (and many other languages) as The Pianist . In 2002 it was made into a movie with the same name by Roman Polański . v t e1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 17894559.
The opening as it stood in 2010 15 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Władysław Szpilman ( ; 5 December 1911–6 July 2000) was a Jewish - Polish pianist , composer , and memoirist .Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the Roman Polański film The Pianist , which is based on his autobiographical book recounting how he survived the Holocaust .In November 1998 Władysław Szpilman was honoured by the president of Poland with a Commander's Cross Order with a Star of Polonia Restituta .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 370225468.
The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Władysław "Wladek" Szpilman ( ; 5 December 1911 – 6 July 2000) was a Polish pianist and classical composer .Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the 2002 Roman Polanski film The Pianist , which is based on the book "The Pianist" recounting his survival of the German occupation of Warsaw and the Holocaust .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 667309894.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Władysław Szpilman ( ; 5 December 1911 – 6 July 2000) was a Polish pianist and classical composer of Jewish descent.Szpilman is widely known as the central figure in the 2002 Roman Polanski film The Pianist , which was based on Szpilman's autobiographical account of how he survived the German occupation of Warsaw and the Holocaust .Szpilman studied piano at music academies in Berlin and Warsaw.He became a popular performer on Polish radio and in concert.Confined within the Warsaw ghetto after the German invasion of Poland , Szpilman spent two years in hiding.Towards the end of his concealment, he was helped by a German officer who detested Nazi policies.After World War II , Szpilman resumed his career on Polish radio.Szpilman was also a prolific composer; his oeuvre included hundreds of songs and many orchestral pieces.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 963530342.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Polish pianist and composer (1911–2000) Władysław Szpilman ( ; 5 December 1911 – 6 July 2000) was a Polish pianist and classical composer of Jewish descent. A Holocaust survivor , Szpilman is widely known as the central figure in the 2002 Roman Polanski film The Pianist , which was based on Szpilman's autobiographical account of how he survived the German occupation of Warsaw . Szpilman studied piano at music academies in Berlin and Warsaw. He became a popular performer on Polish radio and in concert. Confined within the Warsaw Ghetto after the German invasion of Poland , Szpilman spent two years in hiding. Towards the end of his concealment, he was helped by Wilm Hosenfeld , a German officer who detested Nazi policies. After World War II , Szpilman resumed his career on Polish radio. Szpilman was also a prolific composer; his output included hundreds of songs and many orchestral pieces.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1178922890.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Polish pianist, composer and Holocaust survivor (1911–2000) Władysław Szpilman ( Polish pronunciation: [vwaˈdɨswaf ˈʂpilman] ; 5 December 1911 – 6 July 2000) was a Polish Jewish pianist, classical composer and Holocaust survivor .Szpilman is widely known as the central figure in the Roman Polanski film The Pianist , which was based on his autobiographical account of how he survived the German occupation of Warsaw .In the film, Szpilman is portrayed by American actor Adrien Brody . Szpilman studied piano at music academies in Berlin and Warsaw. He became a popular performer on Polish Radio and in concert. Confined within the Warsaw Ghetto after the German invasion of Poland , Szpilman spent two years in hiding. Following the Warsaw Uprising and the subsequent destruction of the city , he was helped by Wilm Hosenfeld , a German officer who detested Nazi policies. After World War II , Szpilman resumed his career on Polish Radio. Szpilman was also a prolific composer; his output included hundreds of songs and many orchestral pieces. Szpilman was also recognized as the most famous of the " Robinson Crusoes ", a term referring to Poles who survived in the ruins of Warsaw after the Warsaw Uprising.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1291998634. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “polish pianist and classical composer of jewish descent”. Today it says “polish jewish pianist”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Polish pianist and composer (1911–2000)”. It now reads “Polish pianist, composer and Holocaust survivor (1911–2000)”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since October 7, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
polish pianist and classical composer of jewish descent
Now
polish jewish pianist
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
