Leon Greenman, the only Briton to be interned at the Nazi camp Auschwitz, has died at the age of 97. Greenman was born in London, but moved with his family to Holland when he was 5 years old. He married his Dutch wife, Esther, in London but returned to Holland to care for her grandmother. In October 1943 Greenman, his wife and their young son Barney were deported to Auschwitz; Esther and Barney died there. Greenman spent time in six concentration camps. He later committed himself to telling the story of the Holocaust.
A permanent gallery dedicated to his story was established in the London Jewish Museum in 1995. Greenman visited the museum every Sunday to talk to visitors, and spoke to school groups throughout the week, touring the country to take his story to as many people as possible and also published a memoir, ‘An Englishman in Auschwitz’. In 1988 he received the prestigious Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II for his work fighting racism.
