Behind the scenes photo taken by Philippe Renette while Liège artist Nico Hyer is working with spray paint making the street art mural ‘Simon’ in the garden of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, Oct 2024.
Behind the scenes photo taken by Philippe Renette while Liège artist Nico Hyer is working with spray paint making the street art mural ‘Simon’ in the garden of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, Oct 2024.
Still from the film Street Art Simon (1). Detail from the first scene of the street art mural created by the Liège artist HYER , depicting the story of Simon Gronowski in the Garden of Remembrance of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium.
This scene shows the moment that Simon jumps, solo, when pushed to freedom by his mother, Chana Kaplan, who is standing in the opening of the sliding door of the freight car of Transport XX — the 20th deportation train heading to Auschwitz on the night of the 19th April 1943 at Cuttecoven (Kuttekoven) in Belgium, some 50 km (30 miles) before the border with Germany .
English – 🇬🇧 Street Art Simon — Episode #6 of Miracles Docs — captures the emotional unveiling of a mural created by artist HYER honoring Holocaust survivor Simon Gronowski at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium. Through Simon’s testimony and message of hope, the film celebrates resilience, remembrance, and the enduring beauty of life.
Français – 🇫🇷 Street Art Simon — épisode #6 de la série Miracles Docs — retrace l’émouvante inauguration d’une fresque murale réalisée par l’artiste HYER en hommage au survivant de la Shoah Simon Gronowski, au Centre Scolaire S2J de Liège. À travers le témoignage de Simon et son message d’espérance, le film célèbre la résilience, la mémoire et la beauté de la vie.
Intro
Unveiling of the street art mural created by HYER , a tribute depicting the story and credo of Simon Gronowski, in the Garden of Remembrance and Memory of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Saturday 17 May 2025, Simon Gronowski arrives at the Station Liège-Guillemins — invited for a surprise event at the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium.
Surprise
After climbing the stairs to S2J school’s hanging garden, Simon has his first encounter with this street art mural on the S2J school’s garden wall, and with the Liège artist HYER.
Inauguration
In her opening speech Antonia Hicter (Principal, S2J School Center) recounted on the history, rationale, and team of this mural project, and the memorial work — the duty of remembrance at S2J .
Next, Philippe Renette (Teacher, S2J School Center) described Simon Gronowski’s impact on the school, the students, and the teachers during Simon’s regular school visits over the past 12 years. Philippe Renette further explained how this inauguration of the mural also marked the first step in the development of S2J’s ‘Jardin du Souvenir et de la Mémoire’—the Garden of Remembrance and Memory. Renette concluded by describing this work of art ‘that reads like a book, that is, from left to right, and that unfolds like a tracking shot in a movie’.
Simon Gronowski
Simon Gronowski in his speech focussed on the main points of his history and his message:
The Nazis killed my mother, my sister, in the gas chamber, at Auschwitz-Birkenau. And my father, died, just after the war, in July 1945, in despair.
And I myself, at 11 years old, the Gestapo took me, threw me into a prison, the Dossin barracks in Mechelen.
And after a month of internment, they deported me, in the 20th convoy, and by some miracle, I jumped off the train, and I escaped.
A miracle. I was 11 years old. … I do not bring today, nor previously… in this school and elsewhere… a message, of negativity, or sorrow. I bring a message, of hope and happiness.
Never forget, life is beautiful.
But it’s a daily struggle. You have to fight every day. Because no one is sheltered from life’s trials.
Misfortune can happen to anyone. We can lose a loved one, in a road accident for example, or through illness. When it happens, when misfortune happens, you have to face it with courage.
I’m not saying I’m courageous, by the way, but I say this for everyone, one must overcome. Fidelity to the deceased person, is to live fully and happily.
And despite today’s tragic events. I keep my faith in the future , because I deeply believe , in human kindness…
Long Live Peace And Friendship Among Men !
Simon concluded – “to let off steam a little” – with two of his favourite pieces of music , playing on a keyboard.
Street Art Simon • Miracles Docs #6 • CC ⚙ 🇬🇧🇫🇷 • 20251012
Notes
Unveiling of the street art mural created by HYER, a tribute to Simon Gronowski in the Garden of Remembrance , S2J School Center (Jardin du Souvenir et de la Mémoire , Centre Scolaire S2J) , Liège, Belgium, Saturday 17 May 2025.
Thanks to Simon Gronowski, the S2J team, and especially former student Maxime Louis for his last minute helping hand with the keyboard.
Still from the short doc Street Art Simon, scheduled tomorrow. Simon Gronowski and Philippe Renette in the ‘Jardin du Souvenir’ , the Garden of Remembrance , the Espace Simon Gronowski, of the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, May 17, 2025.
Citation info : Souvenir • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • @1MEMO 20251011 • TakeNode 01d35aa7-d4f3-46a7-9c59-1ef00362e902
Behind the scenes (BTS) , making doc Street Art Simon. Finished today translation of the French trancript to English. Now inserting English captions (CC ; closed captions) in the upcoming Street Art Simon’s documentary – working in Final Cut Pro.
With ‘Here Simon …is Nicolas’ teacher Philippe Renette introduces the Liège street artist HYER (aka Nicolas) to Simon Gronowksi, at the inauguration of the mural HYER created together with the students in the S2J School Center in Liège, Belgium, May 17, 2025.
Citation info : Closed Captions EN|FR • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • @1MEMO 20251010 • TakeNode 0b75211f-a9d2-449a-aea7-1d2b0c837cca
