From Hitler's Court to Child Star's Piano

Former child star Neil Reid has uncovered the astonishing secret life of his piano teacher, Walter Hambock. Reid, who achieved global fame in 1971 with his hit song 'Mother of Mine,' learned piano from Hambock in Scotland. Decades later, Reid discovered Hambock had served as Adolf Hitler's personal pianist in the 1930s.

Hambock's life took a dramatic turn when he played at a concert with a Jewish conductor, defying Nazi policy. This led to his arrest and a harrowing five-year imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp. He narrowly escaped execution as the war neared its end, aided by a camp commander who admired his musical talent.

After surviving the war, Hambock met and married a Scottish teacher, eventually settling in Aberdeenshire. He later became a piano tutor, meeting young Neil Reid. Hambock, who passed away in 1979, maintained his stance that his love for music justified his defiance, even at immense personal risk.