Who is Leopold (Leo) Gursky from The History of Love and what is their importance?

Leopold Gursky, also referred to as Leo Gursky, is a Jewish man in his eighties. He grew up in Slonim, a small town in Poland, along with Alma Mereminski and Zvi Litvinoff. When the Nazis invaded his town, Leo managed to escape capture by hiding in the woods and making himself invisible. Once he emigrates to America, Leo becomes a locksmith under the mentorship of his cousin. Over the course of his life, Leo does strange things in order to be seen, such as make scenes in public places and posing nude for an art class.