Leon Leyson, youngest Schindler list member, dies in CA

John Rabe

Camille Hahn, Leon Leyson, and grandchild, at Leyson's home in Fullerton. Leyson, the youngest of 1,100 Jews saved from the Nazis by Oscar Schindler, died Saturday, January 12, 2013, in Fullerton, Calif. He was 83.

Leon Leyson, who was the youngest of 1,100 Jews saved from the Nazis by Oscar Schindler, has died in Southern California at 83.

His daughter, Stacy Wilfong said Leyson died Saturday in Whittier from lymphoma.

Leyson was nearly 10 when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. He lost two brothers during the Holocaust but was protected by Schindler and at 13 worked in his factory. Dubbed "Little Leyson," he was so short that he stood on a box to operate machinery.

He later moved to the U.S. and taught at Huntington Park High School for 39 years.

Leyson rarely spoke of his experiences until the 1993 movie "Schindler's List" sparked renewed interest. He then embarked on a public speaking career to share his story.