The Boy in the Wooden Box, a memoir Leon Leyson

The Boy on the Wooden Box

Book ID's
Title : The Boy on the Wooden Box
Author : Leon Leyson
Date Published : Aug 2013
Genre : Memoir

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In the #1 New York Times bestseller, 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.

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.

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Once in a while, my unconscious mind will pick a war-theme book randomly. Since I love history so much yet my dear brain cannot store too many memories, I only read the book then and not choose to be a historian (kidding!).

The Boy in the Wooden Box is told from 10 years jewish boy when World War broke. Earliest, just like any ordinary kid, Leon lived a happy life along with his parents, brothers and sister. They lived in a village named Narewka, a rural village in northeast Poland, not far from the border with Belarus. 

Altough not very rich kid, Leon had a hardworker father and supported by his mother extended family. When his father is believed by his employer to transfer to Krakow, his father packed his bag alone with his first brother leaving his family begind. Krakow itself is modern city in Poland. Barely meet his father, Leon has a very special memory about his beloved father. The image of hardworker and proud father has made Leon idolizing his father.

Then after, 5 years of saving, Leon's family finally move to Krakow to follow his father. They didn't mind to lived in smaller apartment as long as they lived together. At first, Leon's life had been normal. He made a friend with anyone in the city and never notice that himself as a jew.

Until the war broke, Germany invaded Poland and several rules applied like prohibition to use public transport, sit in the park or went to school at all. Gradually, Leon life had changed yet his parents believed that the war will pass soon like WWI.

Then, the war is not going better at all, the Germany started to build a ghetto and replace jews into smaller, denser place. Leon's family shall lived with other family in one bedroom apartment. They separated the area only with thin curtain.

Even his father had a working pass, it doesn't mean the family is safe at all. Leon's big brother is being taken because he is older than 15 years and hasn't working pass from Germany company. 

Finally the family meet Oskar Schindler,  Aryan businessman who willing to sacrifice anything to save jews from the deathrow. Then,the story started how Leon finally able to work in Schindler company even he is still underage.

Well, of course, even he has a working pass, Leon life never been easy. Everyday is survival mode. Not even a single day Leon thinking about future. What occupied Leon's mind only how to tried to be invisible from German's soldier. Moving to one camp to another camp, malnutrition, humiliated, stripped, and lost too many close family has done so much damage to a boy life. Also, camp life is never been easy even for adult.

What made this book is engaging from the start is how Leon told his story flowingly and lightly. He saw war from child perspective and how gradually we can see Leon forced to be an adult too early. 

Life after war too is not easy. One person can seem never let go his/her traumatized life, yet Leon chose to bury the war memories so deep until someday, later in his life, he started telling his circle that he is eyewitness of WWII.

It is really light and netral memoir. I recommend this book for someone who didn't want any political view embedded in a memoir or for WWII starter book.

Beautiful Narewka, Now (credit to http://bialowieza-forest.com/)