Even in the darkest of times—especially in the darkest of times—there is room for strength and bravery. A remarkable memoir from Leon Leyson, one of the youngest children to survive the Holocaust on Oskar Schindler’s list.Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. With incredible luck, perseverance, and grit, Leyson was able to survive the sadism of the Nazis, including that of the demonic Amon Goeth, commandant of Plaszow, the concentration camp outside Krakow. Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man, a man named Oskar Schindler, who saved Leon Leyson’s life, and the lives of his mother, his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list of workers in his factory—a list that became world renowned: Schindler’s List.
This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s List child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable. Most notable is the lack of rancor, the lack of venom, and the abundance of dignity in Mr. Leyson’s telling. The Boy on the Wooden Box is a legacy of hope, a memoir unlike anything you’ve ever read.
My Thoughts
I've been trying to write a review for this book for a month now and quite honestly I do not have the words to do it justice. It is the memoir from one of the Jewish children who was saved by Oskar Schindler. It is harrowing and disturbing. Its portrayal of human cruelties and human kindness will leave you speechless. All I can say is this book needs to be read by young and old alike so that the of atrocities committed during the holocaust are not forgotten and hopefully not repeated in the future. It is an utter gem for me as a history teacher and will be one I will continue to highly recommend for a long while to come.
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