Leon Kleiner

For decades, Leon Kleiner could not bring himself to talk in depth about his terrifying story of survival during the Holocaust. Many times he was asked by various groups and organizations to speak about it. The few times he did accept the invitation, he chose to speak only very briefly and to give tribute to the many childhood friends he lost rather than offer details about his escape. He was asked by Stephen Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation to document the dramatic account and initially accepted. But on the morning of the interview, he could not bring himself to relive the terrible events, so he called and cancelled. But, as he saw anti-Semitism once again surging throughout the world, he decided it was time to add to the countless stories already documented and to give honor to the man who helped his family survive. Leon is now in his nineties and is one of a very few Holocaust survivors still living. He and his wife, Halina, have been married almost 70 years and have raised a beautiful and successful family, to whom he dedicated this book. They currently reside in South Orange, New Jersey.