Talk by Holocaust survivor Gaby De Leon

Hear Holocaust survivor Gaby De Leon tell his story of survival by escaping Yugoslavia with his mother and his eventual migration to Australia.

Gaby was born in 1927 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In April 1941, Yugoslavia was invaded by four Axis armies, each of which established their own occupation zones with separate administration zones.

Gaby’s father, a highly respected businessman and president of a Jewish humanitarian organisation, attempted to secure safe passage for the family. He was rounded up on the streets of Belgrade and later shot. After near-fatal encounters with Croatian police, Gaby’s mother organised false papers and they escaped to Italian zone. Following interrogation, they were sent to Italy by boat.

Reunited with his 2 brothers, the 4 remained in Italy as internees until the Armistice in 1943. In 1971, Gaby immigrated to Australia with his wife Ana.