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Born to Bula and Ryszard Liebling. -
Roman's interest in film grew, stating in an interview later in life "Even as a child, I always loved cinema and was thrilled when my parents would take me before the war. Then we were put into the ghetto in Kraków and there was no cinema, but the Germans often showed newsreels to the people outside the ghetto, on a screen in the marketplace."
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Jewish Residential District in Krakow (German: Der jüdische Wohnbezirk in Krakau) which was the official name. Krakow was one of five Nazi ghettos created by Germany.
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Polish Defensive War of 1939, a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet Union, which marked the beginning of World War II
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Roman attended primary school for only a couple of weeks. Soon after all Jewish children were expelled. He was not allowed to enter another classroom for the next 6 years.
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Jewish children over the age of twelve wear white armbands, with a blue Star of David imprinted, for visual identification -
The largest of the Nazi ghettos during World War II and the Holocaust. Occurred prior to the liquidation and was established in 1940 Later influencing one of Roman's films. -
During these raids Ryszard and Bula were taken. Ryszard was sent to Mauthausen-Gusen in Austria. Bula was sent to Auschwitz where she was murdered in a gas chamber.
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Roman was able to escape the ghetto and survive with the help of some Polish Roman Catholics. -
A heavy influence on Polanski, which he stated "I still consider it as one of the best movies I've ever seen and a film which made me want to pursue this career more than anything else ... I always dreamt of doing things of this sort or that style. To a certain extent I must say that I somehow perpetuate the ideas of that movie in what I do." -
Roman began attending the National Film School in Łódź . -
While attending school, Roman made acting appearances in several productions.
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In his debut as a director Roman took inspiration from his personal life with a short film, Rower (Bicycle). It was believed to be lost, which also starred Polanski. -
Polanski's first feature length film. Poland release with an American release on October 12, 1963. -
For his work on Knife in the Water. it was nominated for best foreign language film. -
Polanski was arrested for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sex with a minor in exchange for a probation-only sentence.