PW Resident to Share His Story of Living as a Hidden Child During WWII

A local resident will tell Port Washington his story of surviving as a hidden child in Holland during World War II at Landmark on Main Street on Sunday.

Leo Ullman is a longtime Port Washington resident with a mesmerising past. He was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in July, 1939. As a child, he lived in secrecy and survived harsh conditions while living in Nazi-occupied Holland.

After surviving WWII, he came to the U.S. and settled in Port Washington with his family to start a new life.

Anyone can come hear Ullman speak about his life at 4 p.m.

He will be joined by members of the family who hid and saved him. The family will be traveling from the Netherlands just for this occasion and will join him onstage to discuss their experiences.

Following the presentation, a reception will be held at the Port Washington Public Library to allow the public to talk to Ullman and his “war family” in an intimate setting.

Ullman recently published the book, “796 Days: Hiding as a Child in Occupied Amsterdam During WWII and Then Coming to America,” which tells the story of a young Jewish boy who was hidden by complete strangers for over two years while his parents hid in an attic elsewhere, not knowing where their son was or if he was alive. The first-person narrative chronicles Ullman’s life as a hidden child, and tells the stories of other family members’ survivals. It features photos, documents and more. The book will be available for purchase and signing at the event. All proceeds will benefit Landmark on Main Street and the Friends of the Library.

The following program is part of the Conversations from Main Street series, and is co-sponsored by the Port Washington Public Library, Friends of the Library and the Angela & Scott Jaggar Foundation.

Landmark on Main Street is located at 232 Main St. in Port Washington.

After coming to Port Washington, Ullman graduated from Harvard College and Columbia University’s Graduate Schools of Law and Business. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves. He went on to practive law for over 30 years, and has formed successful real estate ownership and management companies.

Ullman is involved in several Holocaust organizations:

• He served as a Director of the Anne Frank Center USA for two decades and as its Chairman for seven years.
• He served as the Chairman of the Foundation for the Jewish Historical Museum of Amsterdam.
• He and his wife Kay co-sponsored the exhibit State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda at the U.S. National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, where he also served as a member of the Development Committee.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist