The German Unit
The Palmach’s German unit was set up in May 1942 as part of the secret intelligence ‘cooperation’ between the British and the Jewish settlements in Palestine during the Second World War. In the framework of ‘the Palestine Post -Occupation Scam’ (P.P.O.S), the German Unit was to operate as part of the partisan forces.
The Palmach’s German Unit was set up in May 1942 as part of the secret intelligence ‘cooperation’ between the British and the Jewish settlement in Palestine during the Second World War. In the framework of ‘the Palestine Post -Occupation Scam’ (P.P.O.S), the German Unit was to operate as part of the partisan forces. The unit’s targets were designed and altered according to the way the fighting against the Germans in the Mediterranean front developed. The Unit’s primary three targets were:
To execute intelligence and sabotaging operations in the German home front in case Palestine will be conquered by the Axis powers.
From the beginning of 1943, after the defeat of Rommel in the battle of El Alamein, the unit’s purpose was altered; from now on it was to integrate either with Jewish aid operations in the conquered countries, such as the Eliyahu Golomb’s ‘Great Parachuting’ program, or with the ‘Defense Program’ which was set for July 1944.
The unit functioned also as the Department for Special Roles of the Palmach headquarters and its men were loaned to operations which involved: personal escorting, instructing other platoons, assisting the Institution for Aliya B (The secret organization which arranged, controlled and operated the illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine in the years 1938-1948) and actively participation in Saison (the code name for the Hagana and Palmach’s actions against the IZL and Lechi dissidents).
Isa’ac Sade, the Palmach’s commander, initiated the foundation of the unit, while Moshe Dayan was the one who brought up the idea of ‘Germanizing’ the men, back in October 1941. The founding of the unit received the approval of the department for Special Operations Executive of the Middle East Headquarters (S.O.E). The unit’s commander was Shimon Avidan (Kokh) and his deputy was Yehuda (Briger) Ben Horin, who was to replace his commander in 1944. The two recruited men from German and Austrian immigrants and Palmach members, according on the men’s appearance and mental compatibility. The candidate’s ability to resemble a German soldier was the primary criterion which mattered even more than his military capabilities.
The unit stayed in Kibbutz Mishmar Hae’mek as an ordinary Palmach platoon and trained in the forest near by. It initially consisted of twenty two men in two units and at its prime numbered fifty four men; most of the time it consisted of thirty five men. The unit’s trainings were suited to its twofold intelligence and operational mission. Its men were to gather information regarding the sizes of the German army’s units and their movement, as well as to sabotage strategic targets. Their training was designed so that the men could be transformed into German soldiers, use German weapons and be familiar with Germany and German military history. In order to accomplish this, the men went through tough treks and journeys and trained according to the German discipline. The soldiers were forbidden to speak Hebrew and in the camps they were taught the songs and folklore of the German army. The unit’s instructors were the commander Shimon Avidan and his deputy Yehuda Ben Horin. In order to train the men in special disciplines, special instructors such as Major Grant Tailor were brought from outside. Descriptions from that time tend to exaggerate regarding the extent to which the unit’s men were ‘Germanized’. Some stories even ascribe it with secret and mysterious activities. The only operation in which two of the unit’s men ever took part in was in October 1942 when they were sent to penetrate the German prisoner camp in Egypt in order to collect intelligence from the prisoners there.
On January 1945 most of the unit’s men were recruited to the Jewish Brigade in the framework of the British army and sent to train in Italy. From there they were sent to the North Italian front. On May 1945 the fighting was over, while British political considerations prevented the realization of the unit’s programs. Owing to its trained men, the unit became one of the Palmach’s elite units producing some of the Palmach’s and I.D.F’s prominent commanders as well as harnessing its independent military forces for security operations in the settlements.
To execute intelligence and sabotaging operations in the German home front in case Palestine will be conquered by the Axis powers.
From the beginning of 1943, after the defeat of Rommel in the battle of El Alamein, the unit’s purpose was altered; from now on it was to integrate either with Jewish aid operations in the conquered countries, such as the Eliyahu Golomb’s ‘Great Parachuting’ program, or with the ‘Defense Program’ which was set for July 1944.
The unit functioned also as the Department for Special Roles of the Palmach headquarters and its men were loaned to operations which involved: personal escorting, instructing other platoons, assisting the Institution for Aliya B (The secret organization which arranged, controlled and operated the illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine in the years 1938-1948) and actively participation in Saison (the code name for the Hagana and Palmach’s actions against the IZL and Lechi dissidents).
Isa’ac Sade, the Palmach’s commander, initiated the foundation of the unit, while Moshe Dayan was the one who brought up the idea of ‘Germanizing’ the men, back in October 1941. The founding of the unit received the approval of the department for Special Operations Executive of the Middle East Headquarters (S.O.E). The unit’s commander was Shimon Avidan (Kokh) and his deputy was Yehuda (Briger) Ben Horin, who was to replace his commander in 1944. The two recruited men from German and Austrian immigrants and Palmach members, according on the men’s appearance and mental compatibility. The candidate’s ability to resemble a German soldier was the primary criterion which mattered even more than his military capabilities.
The unit stayed in Kibbutz Mishmar Hae’mek as an ordinary Palmach platoon and trained in the forest near by. It initially consisted of twenty two men in two units and at its prime numbered fifty four men; most of the time it consisted of thirty five men. The unit’s trainings were suited to its twofold intelligence and operational mission. Its men were to gather information regarding the sizes of the German army’s units and their movement, as well as to sabotage strategic targets. Their training was designed so that the men could be transformed into German soldiers, use German weapons and be familiar with Germany and German military history. In order to accomplish this, the men went through tough treks and journeys and trained according to the German discipline. The soldiers were forbidden to speak Hebrew and in the camps they were taught the songs and folklore of the German army. The unit’s instructors were the commander Shimon Avidan and his deputy Yehuda Ben Horin. In order to train the men in special disciplines, special instructors such as Major Grant Tailor were brought from outside. Descriptions from that time tend to exaggerate regarding the extent to which the unit’s men were ‘Germanized’. Some stories even ascribe it with secret and mysterious activities. The only operation in which two of the unit’s men ever took part in was in October 1942 when they were sent to penetrate the German prisoner camp in Egypt in order to collect intelligence from the prisoners there.
On January 1945 most of the unit’s men were recruited to the Jewish Brigade in the framework of the British army and sent to train in Italy. From there they were sent to the North Italian front. On May 1945 the fighting was over, while British political considerations prevented the realization of the unit’s programs. Owing to its trained men, the unit became one of the Palmach’s elite units producing some of the Palmach’s and I.D.F’s prominent commanders as well as harnessing its independent military forces for security operations in the settlements.