Renowned Israeli pianist murdered in Brussels
Body of 60-year-old Benjamin Rawitz discovered Tuesday morning in cellar of apartment house center of Belgian capital, where he was living; police believe murderers attempted to rob Rawitz’s house when they killed him
The body of the 60-year-old was discovered Tuesday morning in the cellar of an apartment house in the center of Brussels, Belgium, where he was living.
An autopsy showed that he died after being kicked in the head several times. His nose was broken and the frontal bone smashed. A neighbor discovered the body.
According to informed sources, Rawitz’s aggressors attacked him in the hall of the house and brought his dead body into the cellar.
Police believe the murderers were attempting to rob Rawitz’s house when they killed him.
"They have stolen his car and his wallet," a judiciary source told EJP.
Received several prizes
Authorities later discovered that his car had been stolen that night and involved in two accidents around midnight in the Sablon quarter, near to the house where the body was found.
Witnesses saw two men escaping from the car and running away.
"They have not been found yet, " police told EJP on Friday.
Rawitz had been living alone in Brussels for several years, and regularly gave concerts in Europe, Japan, United States and South America.
He studied at Tel Aviv University and at the Brussels Royal Conservatory of Music.
At 15 years old he was already a member of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra.
He received several prizes, including the Mozart prize in Zurich and the Albeniz prize in Barcelona.
The body of Benjamin Rawitz will be flown to Israel on Sunday or Monday for burial, informed sources said.
Reprinted with permission of the European Jewish Press
