Heinz Skyte
Heinz was born in Fürth, Germany in February 1920. He experienced Kristallnacht as a student in Hamburg and escaped arrest by walking the streets for 16 hours, having been tipped-off. His father was not so fortunate and was sent to Dachau for six weeks. Heinz managed to come to Leeds on a visa procured by his brother Frank and his parents followed, arriving five days before war broke out. The whole family were interned as enemy aliens. Heinz and his brother ended up on a boat to Canada where they kept as prisoners for two years. After the war Heinz became a pillar of the Leeds community and was awarded an MBE in 1976. (Fürth Sports Club, Leeds Jewish Convalescent Home, Jewish Board of Guardians, Leeds Jewish Welfare Board)
It became very urgent to escape. I applied everywhere. It was a time when you sent out dozens of letters. We dug out forgotten relatives living in other countries and approached friends of friends. We asked them all if they could help us reach America, South America, anywhere, wherever, whoever would accept us.
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