Kiwa Zyto

Kiwa was reunited with his mother Zelda in Örebro in 1947. Since Kiwa was only fourteen years old, he was granted an entry permit to Sweden. His older brother Marek and his wife Regina could only come after Marek had found a job.

Kiwa made up for the schooling he had missed during the war years and when he had finished school he worked as a mechanic at a company in Örebro. Since Kiwa spoke several languages, he was employed as amachine instructor abroad. He travelled all over the world until 1962 when the company he worked for was closed.

Kiwa bought one of the machines from the company and moved with his wife Varda to Malmö. There, Kiwa started his own company that rented out cranes. Kiwa and Varda had two sons and two daughters. The sons were named after Kiwa’s brothers Josif and Mayer.

Kiwa has shared his story with the Swedish Holocaust Museum. He also lent photographs, documents and his jacket from the camp in Dachau.

The Zyto family

The Zyto family hid in a forest near Kielce during the German invasion. Kiwas father Moishe was probably shot there. After Kiwas father had disappeared, Zelda Zyto lived hidden in a dug-out with her three boys, Josif, Mayer and Kiwa. One night, some Polish farmers came. They captured and killed Josif. In the ghetto in Kielce, Zelda and Kiwa also became separated from Mayer. According to Zelda’s eyewitness acount, he was killed by Polish police officers in 1942.

FOTO: MIRANDA SOLVANG

Show more