The activity of Palmach’s companies in Italy
The plan to set up Palmach companies in Europe began to take shape when Yosef Artrakht (El- Nehem) arrived in Italy in June 1946 and acted to form two companies in Northern Italy. During July – August the camps received the recruits, most of whom were fifteen to sixteen years old. Each company consisted of some seventy people.
The plan to set up Palmach companies in Europe began to take shape when Yosef Artrakht (El- Nehem) arrived in Italy in June 1946 and acted to form two companies in Northern Italy. During July – August the camps received the recruits, most of whom were fifteen to sixteen years old. Each company consisted of some seventy people. The recruits were Holocaust survivors which were sent as volunteers on behalf of the pioneer youth movements. The contact men who coordinated the recruits with the youth movements were Moshe Pasternak (Bar- Tikva) and Macabi Muzari (member of the Palmach which fell in the battle over the passageway to Jerusalem during the War of Independence). The companies’ camps were set up at the end of August and were called ‘Hachshara Tzovit’ (ranger training); the recruits and their instructors imposed as the Joint workers. Dov Shenkle, commanded over the company called ‘Kelet Yehiam’ (after Yehiam Vise) situated in Polona, and Arie’ Amir commanded over ‘Kelet Hana’ company (after Hana Senesh) in Piazza Tura. Both commanders were ex- Palmach members. The companies’ instructing staff comprised of released soldiers; some of them ex- Palmach members and some were members of the German unit of the Palmach who remained in Italy after the War in order to assist the refugee camps. Pasternak and Shimon Avidan trained the instructors to fulfill their roles.
The training had two objectives: to set up a force which would be in charge of the order and discipline in the camps, and to immigrate to Israel in the framework of ‘Alia Gimel’ (illegal immigration C).
The training included practical and theoretical activities. There were courses in Hebrew, culture and history of the Jewish people, along fitness and field training, hand to hand combat and journeys. The camps’ commander aimed to create the atmosphere of a Palmach camp in Palestine, in the sense of the relationship between the pupils and instructors and in the sense of personal responsibility which the recruiters were to attain.
In October began the weapon training. Each class of twenty pupils was sent to the training school in Arnino, near Torino, to learn and train to use weapons. Under the command of Menahem Golan the peoples trained in weapons and field training individually and in classes. The first class that reached Palestine which comprised of twelve pupils (amongst them one girl) passed a unit commanding course; after the course its members assisted the Israeli staff in commanding and served in responsible roles, such as the maintaining of the weapons hidden in a ‘slik’ (weapon hideout cache). In November the pupils were transferred for the winter to Aqua Santa, a large camp near Rome which was used in the past as a holiday resort for the Italian Fascist Youth movements. At this point, the pupils who did not fit in the system were separated and the rest were united into one company named Yagur, under the command of Arie’ Amir. The extreme cold that prevailed in the region, did not enable theoretic studies to take place and most of the time was dedicated to the practice of hand on hand combat, Judo, and knife combat techniques.
When the twenty second Zionist Congress assembled in Basel, Switzerland, On December 1946, a class of unit commanders was sent, under the command of Dov Shenkle, to secure the Congress’ visitors. In that Congress it was decided to end the Company’s activity in Europe of its return to Palestine.
The founding of Palmach companies in Europe was one of the layers in the struggle against the British plan which was initiated by David Ben Goriun, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, in November 1945. The responsibility for its realization was cast upon the Haganah branch in Europe, under the leadership of Nahum Shadmi. The plan was called ‘Alia Gimel’ (illegal immigration three). It was founded upon the belief that a year long effort aided by Israeli instruction and commanding forces, four thousand men could be trained. The plan’s goal was the illegal immigration to Israel, which would be trained in arms and could fight against the British forces when they would take control of their ships or during the break in and landing in Israel, together with the HAganah members which would wait ashore.
The plan to found Palmach companies in Europe began to realize when Yosef Artract (El- Nehem) arrived in Italy in June 1946 and acted to form two companies in Northern Italy. The Palmach camps set up at the end of August were called ‘Hahshara Tzofit’ (ranger training); the recruits and their instructors imposed as the Joint workers.
The training had two objectives: to set up a force which would be in charge of the order and discipline in the camps, and to immigrate to Israel in the framework of ‘Alia Gimel’ (illegal immigration C).
The training included practical and theoretical activities. There were courses in Hebrew, culture and history of the Jewish people, along fitness and field training, hand to hand combat and journeys. The camps’ commander aimed to create the atmosphere of a Palmach camp in Palestine, in the sense of the relationship between the pupils and instructors and in the sense of personal responsibility which the recruiters were to attain.
In October began the weapon training. Each class of twenty pupils was sent to the training school in Arnino, near Torino, to learn and train to use weapons. Under the command of Menahem Golan the peoples trained in weapons and field training individually and in classes. The first class that reached Palestine which comprised of twelve pupils (amongst them one girl) passed a unit commanding course; after the course its members assisted the Israeli staff in commanding and served in responsible roles, such as the maintaining of the weapons hidden in a ‘slik’ (weapon hideout cache). In November the pupils were transferred for the winter to Aqua Santa, a large camp near Rome which was used in the past as a holiday resort for the Italian Fascist Youth movements. At this point, the pupils who did not fit in the system were separated and the rest were united into one company named Yagur, under the command of Arie’ Amir. The extreme cold that prevailed in the region, did not enable theoretic studies to take place and most of the time was dedicated to the practice of hand on hand combat, Judo, and knife combat techniques.
When the twenty second Zionist Congress assembled in Basel, Switzerland, On December 1946, a class of unit commanders was sent, under the command of Dov Shenkle, to secure the Congress’ visitors. In that Congress it was decided to end the Company’s activity in Europe of its return to Palestine.
The founding of Palmach companies in Europe was one of the layers in the struggle against the British plan which was initiated by David Ben Goriun, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, in November 1945. The responsibility for its realization was cast upon the Haganah branch in Europe, under the leadership of Nahum Shadmi. The plan was called ‘Alia Gimel’ (illegal immigration three). It was founded upon the belief that a year long effort aided by Israeli instruction and commanding forces, four thousand men could be trained. The plan’s goal was the illegal immigration to Israel, which would be trained in arms and could fight against the British forces when they would take control of their ships or during the break in and landing in Israel, together with the HAganah members which would wait ashore.
The plan to found Palmach companies in Europe began to realize when Yosef Artract (El- Nehem) arrived in Italy in June 1946 and acted to form two companies in Northern Italy. The Palmach camps set up at the end of August were called ‘Hahshara Tzofit’ (ranger training); the recruits and their instructors imposed as the Joint workers.