Martin Turnovský (29 September 1928 – 19 May 2021)[1] was a Czech conductor whose career flourished under the guidance of George Szell, but was hampered by the communist regime.
[2] During World War II, at the age of 16, Turnovský was imprisoned in a German concentration camp, due to his partially Jewish origin.
His father was familiar with the conductor George Szell, who helped in the beginnings of Turnovský's career.
[3] Szell invited Turnovsky to study with him in New York, though Czechoslovakia's communist regime forbade it.
[2] After the invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies into Czechoslovakia (Prague Spring), Turnovský emigrated to Austria and was granted Austrian citizenship.