Information primarily gathered from the book "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson. ;xNLx;;xNLx;Events have been placed on the timeline with as much accuracy as possible. Some events can only be pinpointed to a month, or a season, date spans have been used to indicate this uncertainty.;xNLx;;xNLx;Compiled by: Mrs Kelleher, Saint Ignatius College Geelong.
Born Leib Lejzon in Narewka.
Hitler appointed to the position of Chancellor in Germany in 1933.
During 1933 Moshe Lejzon moved from Narewka to Krakow
In the Spring of 1938 Leon and the rest of his family join his father living in Krakow.
Germany takes over Austria in March 1938
Germany takes over parts of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic).
Germany expels 17,000 Polish Jews who were living in Germany. Poland refuses to take them in. Germany actively encourages Antisemitism (discrimination against Jews), and introduces new restrictions on Jewish people within countries they occupy.
Nazis in Germany and Austria torched Synagogues, destroyed Jewish homes, businesses and property, killing close to 100 Jews. Nazi propaganda portrayed the act as a spontaneous demonstration in retaliation for the killing of a German diplomat in Paris by a Jew.
WWII begins with German tanks crossing the boarder into Poland.
2 days after the invasion of Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany. This was the official start of World War II.
Less than a week after the beginning of WWII German soldiers take control of Krakow
Leon Leyson turned 10 just days after Germans invaded his city.
Nazis decree that Jews are no longer allowed to attend school. 10 year old Leon starts to look for work.
Towards the end of 1939 or the beginning of 1940 Leon's father, Moshe began working for Oskar Schindler
Nazis announce only 15,000 Jews will be able to remain in Krakow.
Tens of thousands of Jews leave Krakow for outlying towns and villages. Many go voluntarily.
Germany invades Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Around the end of 1940 the walls around the Ghetto in Krakow was constructed and non-Jews were moved out.
In March 1941 the Leyson family are moved into the ghetto.
An Einsatzgruppen (Nazi mobile killing unit) executed all the Jews in Narewka (Leon's birth place). Leon's brother, Hershel, is likely to have died in this attack. Leon's family don't learn of this until after the war
Japan (allied with Germany) attacks Pearl Harbour. A few days later Germany declares war on the US, and America enters the war.
Nazis start deporting Jews from the crowded ghetto to concentration and death camps. At first many volunteer because they think they are going somewhere better.
Leon's older brother didn't have work papers, and was caught by the Nazis and deported. It is assumed that he and his girlfriend Miriam were gassed at a death camp.
In October Leon and his mother hide in the rafters of a storage shed for nearly 2 days while Nazis round up Jews from the ghetto, using dogs to find hiding people and shooting indiscriminately. Leon's father, brother and sister are at Schindler's factory during this time.
Shortly after the Aktion where Leon has to hide, his father, sister and brother are ordered to Plaszow work camp. Leon and his mother remain in the ghetto.
The German surrender at Stalingrad (in Russia) was the first major defeat suffered by German armies. This marked a turning point that was particularly important for those in Poland.
During the operation the SS kill approximately 2,000 Jews in the ghetto and transfer another 2,000 Jews, the members and families of the Jewish council, and the Krakow ghetto police force to Plaszow. The SS and Police transport approximately 3,000 more Krakow Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the camp authorities select 499 men and 50 women for forced labor. The rest, approximately 2,450 people, are murdered in the gas chambers. [United States Holocaust Memorial Museum].
During the spring of 1944 Leon's father and brother are moved to the Emalia Factory sub-camp (owned by Schindler). Leon's sister is moved to a similar sub-camp at the electrical factory she works in.
Around June 1944 Leon and his mother were added to Schindler's workforce, and moved to the Emalia sub-camp.
An enormous landing of troops in France, that began the push back of Nazi forces. Paris was liberated by August.
With the approach of the Soviet army, Schindler decides to relocate his factory to Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). This probably begins around July or August.
Retaking land captured by the Germans, the Soviet Red Army (Russians) reach the border with Poland in mid July. Nazi businessmen start abandoning Krakow in fear.
When the Emalia factory closed (probably in August or September) Leon, and his family were returned to the Plaszow work camp. They are reunited with Pesza, his sister, as her factory has also closed. Leon's father gets Pesza put on the list of Schindler's workers.
Leon, his father and brother are sent to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp. His mother and sister were sent to Auschwitz (a death camp)
Leon, his father and his brother leave the Plazsow work camp for the last time. His mother and sister follow on a different transport.
About November Leon, his father and brother were retrieved by Schindler and arrive at Schindler's relocated camp. The women were retrieved a few days later. They were some of the only Jews to leave Auschwitz alive.
Early 1945 the Soviet Army (Russian) liberated Krakow and Auschwitz.
the SS ordered the killing of all of the Jews in Schindler's factory. Schindler managed to have the officer in charge transferred before the orders were carried out.
With the approach of the Soviet army, Schindler is forced flee towards the US army lines as his best chance of survival. Before he leaves he tells his factory workers they are all free.
Germany officially surrenders, ending World War II
After the appearance of a Russian soldier on the 8th of May, Leon and his family return to Krakow.
In the Summer of 1945 the backlash against Jews in Krakow intensifies. The Nazis might be gone, but the citizens still don't like Jews.
Anti-Jewish rioting erupts in Krakow after a non-Jewish boy claims Jews were trying to kill him. Jews were attacked and property damaged.
After the war many of the Nazis involved were tried for war crimes in the historic Nuremberg Trials.
With conditions in Krakow not being safe, Leon's brother and sister return to Czechoslovakia in search of a new life.
Leon and his parents leave Krakow. They end up in a displaced persons camp in Wetzlar, Germany
Leon's brother and sister both relocate to the newly created Jewish state: Israel
Leon and his parents finally leave the displaced persons camp in Germany, and are able to move to the United States to live.
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