Josef Hassid - Illness and Death

Illness and Death

Although originally shy and introverted Hassid was described as a carefree, likeable young man when he first came to London, but by February 1941 it became apparent that he was suffering from a severe mental disorder with violent mood swings, often becoming sullen and withdrawn, turning against his violin, his father and his religion. An inability to recognise close friends rapidly led to complete withdrawal from the world at large. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and on 19 June, withdrawn and uncooperative, he was admitted to St Andrew’s Hospital in Northampton for insulin coma therapy and electroconvulsive therapy. Hassid’s agent, the impresario Harold Holt, wrote to the superintendent of St Andrew’s: “He is nothing short of a violinistic genius and of such exceptional quality that we want to make the greatest effort possible to cure him. I would particularly like to stress that he is most exceptional, and might have – had this illness not developed – been one of the greatest figures in the violinistic world.” His condition improved for a time and he left the hospital on 2 May 1942, but on 9 December that year he was certified insane and admitted to Moorcroft House, a private asylum in Hillingdon, Middlesex, three days later, for further treatment. On 13 July 1943 Hassid was transferred to an asylum in Epsom (Long Grove Hospital), morose, indifferent and evasive, either silent or laughing inanely. He remained there for the rest of his life. His father had died in 1949 and the following year after an unsuccessful brain operation (bilateral prefrontal leucotomy) on 20 October Hassid developed meningitis and died at 10.17 p.m. on 7 November 1950; he was not quite 27 years old. The hospital records show his height as 5ft 3¾in and his weight as 9 stone.