Whether you remember it or not, the case of the ‘Piano Man’ remains one of the most compelling mysteries of all time.
In 7th April 2005, a suited man reportedly ‘washed up’ on the coast of Kent. More accurately, he was seen wondering the streets of Sheppey at gone midnight, dripping wet.
He was taken to a local hospital by police, and never said a word. He had no discerning marks or features, and many people said that the labels had been cut out of his clothes.
The hospital staff could not find any immediate hurt, although the man was apparently nervous, and shied away from people. Various theories, from post-traumatic stress to autism, were investigated.
Still unidentified, the hospital staff took the man a pen and paper to see if he would write. Instead, he drew a detailed picture of a grand piano.
The man was then take to the hospital chapel, where, according to hospital sources, played Tchaikovsky, amongst other things, to a virtuoso standard.
With no progress from ongoing treatment, a statement was released to the press to attempt to identify the man. The news of this strange story slowly gripped the world. A helpline was set up, which received numerous (some say 100s, others 1000s) of calls from people claiming to know the man’s identity.
Many of these leads were investigated – a Czech musician; a missing Algerian; a French mime artist. All to no avail.
The mystery continued, but with no progress or change in the story, there began to be suggestions of a hoax.
In August, 4 months after being admitted to hospital, the piano man spoke. It is well documented that a nurse walked in to his room and asked, “So, are you going to talk to me today?”
To which he replied, “Yes. I think I will.”
The man was confirmed as being 20 year old Andreas Grassl, from Germany.
Within 24 hours he was flown home. The hospital, family and Andreas himself have refused to comment since, fuelling accusations of fraud, time-wasting and deceit.
There are many theories about what happened. From a straight hoax, to autism, to an attempted suicide by drowning, to trauma following a break up from a gay lover. And many options in between. Unless Andreas decides to tell his story (and perhaps even then) we will never know the full truth of it.
This blog is a place to collate all the articles, stories, pictures and evidence that still fascinate people a decade later. This blog is not to vilify or attack any individual, but to explore our interest in human nature; identity; and the mind.
The Piano Man 