Michael Wieck

Michael Wieck ( born July 19, 1928 in Königsberg ) is a German violinist and author.

Life and work

Michael Wieck was born in Konigsberg, the son of musician Kurt Wieck and Hedwig Wieck Hulisch. His parents were the founders of the famous Konigsberg string quartet. The father Kurt Wieck received some time violin lessons with Joseph Joachim, who frequented the home Bernhard Wieck, the grandfather of Michael, in Berlin Grunewald. As a child of a Jewish mother and raised in the Jewish faith, Michael Wieck got in spite of " Aryan" father as " validity Jew " early to feel the persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, he succeeded in Königsberg after the British bombing in August 1944, to survive under more month siege of the city to the capture by the Red Army in April 1945 and under its occupation. As a German, he was temporarily detained by the NKVD in the detention Rothstein, described by him as " KZ Rothstein ". Only after three years of living under extreme conditions - 80 % of remaining in the city of Germans came to - he received an exit permit with his parents. After arriving in Germany, the father of the family separated.

Michael Wieck managed to escape from the quarantine camp Kirchmöser in the Soviet zone to West Berlin. The mother and son then lived in this city, where Wieck began studying music at the Conservatory. From 1952 to 1961 he played the first violin in the RIAS Symphony Orchestra Berlin under Ferenc Fricsay. In Berlin Chamber Orchestra, he was second concertmaster.

1950 married Wieck his wife Hildegard. His father had been interned in the Soviet special camp Buchenwald. The marriage produced four children. 1956 probed Wieck on a visit to Israel, whether this land could be for him and his family with a Christian wife home. Because of the " intolerance of orthodox Jews " came but not the question for him.

1961 Wieck wandered with his family to New Zealand. One reason was the blockade of West Berlin by the Berlin Wall in the same year. Wieck was seven years senior lecturer of violin at the University of Auckland. He confessed that he " looked in vain for a new home New Zealand " have. " The roots of our being could not be torn out of the German constitution ."

After his return Wieck was concertmaster of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Karl Münchinger and from 1974 until his retirement in 1993 first violinist in the Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, whose orchestra board he belonged at the same time.

In 1989 Wieck brought his book witness the downfall of Königsberg - A Jew validity reported out, which was provided by Siegfried Lenz with a foreword and has since been published in the eighth edition. In the same year he received the honor of Andreas Gryphius gift.

In February 2005, Wieck was awarded by the mayor of Stuttgart, Otto -Hirsch medal.

The actress Dorothea Wieck was a cousin of Michael Wieck.

Works

• Michael Wieck: witness the downfall of Königsberg. A validity Jew reported Beck- Verlag 2005, ISBN 3406511155th 2nd edition, 2009. ISBN 978-3-406-59599-8
• Michael Wieck: Perpetual war or eternal peace, Haag Herchenhain 2008, ISBN 978-3-89846-508-3? .