Ha'apala
Encyclopedia
Aliyah Bet was the code name given to illegal immigration by Jews
to the British Mandate for Palestine in violation of British White Paper of 1939
restrictions, in the years 1934-1948. In modern day Israel it has also been called by the Hebrew term Ha'apala . The Aliyah Bet is distinguished from the Aliyah Aleph ("Aliyah 'A'", Aleph being the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet): the limited Jewish immigration permitted by British authorities in the same period.
era, the urgency driving the immigration also became more acute. Those who participated in the immigration efforts consistently refused to term it "illegal", instead calling it "clandestine."
Ha'apala occurred in two phases. First, from 1934 to 1942, it was an effort to enable European Jews to escape Nazi persecution and murder. From 1945 to 1948, in a stage known as Bricha, it was an effort to find homes for Jewish survivors of the Nazi crimes (Sh'erit ha-Pletah
) who were among the millions of displaced persons ("DPs") languishing in refugee camps in occupied Germany
. During the first phase, several organizations (including Revisionists
) led the effort; after World War II
, the Mossad LeAliyah Bet ("the Institute for Aliyah B"), an arm of the Haganah
, took charge.
Post-World War II, Ha'apala journeys typically started in the DP camps and moved through one of two collection points in the America
n occupation sector, Bad Reichenhall
and Leipheim
. From there, the refugees travelled in disguised trucks, on foot, or by train to ports on the Mediterranean Sea
, where ships brought them to Palestine. More than 70,000 Jews arrived in Palestine using more than 100 ships.
American sector camps imposed no restrictions on the movements out of the camps, and American, French, and Italian officials often turned a blind eye to the movements. Several UNRRA officials (in particular Elizabeth Robertson in Leipheim) acted as facilitators of the emigration. The British government vehemently opposed the movement, and restricted movement in and out of their camps. Britain also set up armed naval patrols to prevent immigrants from landing in Palestine.
had eight ships on station in Palestine, and additional ships were tasked with tracking suspicious vessels heading for Palestine. Most of the intercepted immigrants were sent to internment camps
in Cyprus
: (Karaolos near Famagusta
, Nicosia
, Dhekelia, and Xylotumbou). Some were sent to the Atlit detention camp
in Palestine, and some to Mauritius
. The British held as many as 50,000 people in these camps (see Jews in British camps on Cyprus). Over 1,600 drowned at sea. Only a few thousand actually entered Palestine.
The pivotal event in the Ha'apala program was the incident of the SS Exodus in 1947. The Exodus was intercepted, attacked, and boarded by the British patrol. Despite significant resistance from its passengers, Exodus was forcibly returned to Europe. Its passengers were eventually sent back to Germany. This was publicized, to the great embarrassment of the British government.
One account of Aliyah Bet is given by journalist I. F. Stone
in his 1946 book Underground to Palestine
, a first-person account of traveling with European displaced persons attempting to reach the Jewish homeland. The first draft of Israeli history:
The author journeyed to Europe and Palestine in 1946 to report on the plight of Jewish DPs,John R. MacArthur, Nextbook
,
May. 25, 2009 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/the-first-draft-of-israeli-history/article1149079/
Some 250 American ex-veterans including Murray S. Greenfield (of the ship Hatikva) from WWII volunteered to sail ten ships from the USA to Europe to load 35,000 survivors of the Holocaust (1/2 of the so-called illegals) to Palestine, only to be deported to Cyprus detention camps. ("The Jews' Secret Fleet")
, which received special permission to assist them.
The Tiger Hill, a 1,499 ton ship, built in 1887, sailed from Constanţa
on August 3, 1939, with about 750 immigrants on board. She took on board the passengers from the Frossoula, another illegal immigrant ship that was marooned in Lebanon
. On September 1, the first day of World War II, the Tiger Hill was intercepted and fired on by British gunboats off Tel Aviv
, and was beached.
On October 3, 1939, a large group of immigrants sailed from Vienna
on the riverboat Uranus down the Danube
. At the Romania
n border, the Uranus was stopped and the immigrants were forced to disembark at the old fortress town of Kladovo in Yugoslavia
. About 1,100 refugees were stranded there. In May, 1941, they were still in Yugoslavia, where 915 of them were caught and eventually killed by the invading Nazis.
On November 25, 1940, 1,800 Jewish refugees from Europe arrived in Haifa on the ocean liner Patria
, but the ship was denied permission to dock by British authorities, who seized it and prepared to deport the refugees to Mauritius
on the ship. Haganah
operatives planted a bomb with the intention of disabling it to prevent it from leaving, but accidentally sank the ship, killing 260 people and wounding 172. The survivors were permitted to stay in Palestine on humanitarian grounds.
On May 18, 1940, the old Italian paddle steamer Pencho sailed from Bratislava
, with 514 passengers, mostly Betar
members. The Pencho sailed down the Danube
to the Black Sea
and into the Aegean Sea
. On October 9, her engines stopped working, and she was wrecked off Mytilene
, in the Italian-ruled Dodecanese
Islands. The Italians rescued the passengers and took them to Rhodes
. All but two were then placed in an internment camp at Ferramonti di Tarsia
in southern Italy. They were held there until Allied
forces liberated the area in September 1943. The story of the Pencho was published as Odyssey, by John Bierman.
In October 1940, a large group of refugees were allowed to leave Vienna. The exodus was organized by Berthold Storfer, a Jewish businessman who worked under Adolf Eichmann
. They took four river boats, Uranus, Schönbrunn, Helios, and Melk, down the Danube to Romania, where the Uranus passengers, approximately 1,000, boarded the Pacific, and sailed on October 11, 1940. They arrived at Haifa
on November 1, followed by the Milos. The British transferred all the immigrants to the French
liner Patria
, intending to take them for internment to Mauritius. To stop the Patria from sailing, the Haganah smuggled a bomb on board. The explosion blew a hole in the side of the ship, which capsized, killing 267 persons. The British, by order of Winston Churchill
, allowed the survivors to remain in Palestine.
In December 1940 the Salvador, a small Bulgaria
n schooner formerly named Tsar Krum, left Burgas
with 327 refugees. On December 12 the Salvador was wrecked in a violent storm in the Sea of Marmara
, near Istanbul
. 223 persons, including 66 children, lost their lives. The survivors were taken to Istanbul. 125 survivors were deported back to Bulgaria, and the remaining 70 left on the Darien (No. 66).
On December 11, 1941 the Struma sailed from Constanţa
, flying the Panama
nian flag. The Struma was torpedoed and sunk by the Soviet
submarine
Shch-213
on February 24, 1942. 770 lives were lost. There was one survivor.
On September 20, 1942 the Europa sailed from Romania, with twenty-one passengers. The ship was wrecked in the Bosporus
.
On August 5, 1944, the Mefkura (or Mefkure) sailed from Constanţa with 350 persons on board. The ship travelled with the Morino and Bulbul. During the night the Mefkura was sunk by gunfire/torpedo from by the Soviet
submarine
SC-215. Of the 350 persons being transported, only five survived. They were picked up by the Bulbul.
On August 28, 1945, the Italian fishing vessel Dalin, carrying 35 immigrants, landed at Caesarea, disembarked its passengers, and returned to Italy.
On September 4, 1945, the ship Natan, carrying 79 immigrants, landed in Palestine. It carried seamen and radio operators from the Palmach
and Jewish Agency
emmisssaries on the return trip to Italy. On October 1, 1945, the Natan again ran the blockade arrived at Shefayim
with 73 immigrants.
On September 9, 1945, the Gabriela, carrying 40 passengers, arrived undetected in Palestine.
On September 17, 1945, the Peter, carrying 168 immigrants, landed in Palestine undetected by the British. The Peter again slipped into Palestine undetected and arrived at Shefayim
on October 22, this time carrying 174 passengers.
On November 23, 1945, the Berl Katznelson, carrying 220 Jewish refugees, arrived in Shefayim
. As the ship was landing immigrants, it was intercepted by the British sloop HMS Peacock. Of the passengers, 200 reached the beach and escaped, and 20 were arrested.
On December 14, 1945, the ship Hannah Senesh, carrying 252 passengers, was beached at Nahariya
after evading British naval patrols. The passengers were brought to shore via a rope bridge, and evaded capture.
On January 17, 1946, the Enzo Sereni, carrying 908 passengers, was intercepted by the British destroyer HMS Talybont and escorted to Haifa
.
On March 13, 1946, the schooner Windgate, carrying 248 passengers, ran the blockade and attempted to land. British police opened fire from the shore, killing a female Palmach
member. The ship was then captured and escorted to Haifa by the destroyer HMS Chevron.
On March 27, 1946, the steamer Tel Hai, carrying 736 passengers, was intercepted by the British destroyer HMS Chequers 140 miles at sea as it approached Palestine.
On May 13, 1946, the ship Max Nordau, carrying 1,754 immigrants, was captured by the British destroyers HMS Jervis
and HMS Chequers. The same day, the ships Dov Hos (675 passengers) and Eliahu Golomb (735 passengers) arrived in Palestine legally. The British had blockaded the Dov Hos after it had arrived in La Spezia
, but the passengers responded with a hunger strike and a threat to blow up the ship, compelling the British to give them entry permits.
On June 8, 1946, the Haviva Reik, carrying 462 passengers, was captured by the HMS Saumarez
on June 8, 1946. Some 150 people had previously transferred from the Haviva Reik to the Rafi off the Palestinian coast, and the crew had disembarked.
On June 26, 1946, the Josiah Wedgwood, carrying 1,259 passengers, was intercepted by the HMS Venus
.
On July 20, 1946, the Haganah, carrying 2,678 passengers, departed from France
, and transferred 1,108 of its passengers to the small steamer Biriah west of Crete
. The Biriah was intercepted by the HMS Virago
on July 2. The Haganah picked up a new party of refugees at Bakar, Yugoslavia
, and set sail for Palestine, this time also carrying 2,678 passengers total. The ship was found at sea with its engines broken down and out of electricity, and was towed to Haifa by the HMS Venus
.
On August 11, 1946, the Yagur, carrying 758 passengers, was intercepted by the HMS Brissenden, with passive resistance from the immigrants.
On August 12, 1946, the Henrietta Szold, carrying 536 passengers, was intercepted. The same day, the British announced that illegal immigrants would be sent to Cyprus
and other areas under detention. The first British deportation ship sailed for Cyprus on the same day, with 500 illegal immigrants on board.
On August 13, 1946, the immigration ships Katriel Jaffe (604 passengers) and the Twenty Three (790 passengers) were seized by the British, with desperate resistance on board the Twenty Three. The same day, two Royal Navy
ships with 1,300 Jewish detainees on board set sail for Cyprus. A crowd of about 1,000 Jews attempted to break into the Haifa port area, and British troops responded with live fire, killing three and wounding seven.
On August 16, 1946, the yawl
Amiram Shochat, carrying 183 passengers, evaded the British blockade and landed near Caesarea.
On September 2, 1946, the Dov Hos, this time named the Arba Cheruyot, carrying 1,024 passengers, was seized by the HMS Childers and HMS Chivalrous. The boarding was strongly resisted, and two people drowned after jumping off the ship.
On September 22, 1946, the brigantine
Palmach, 611 passengers, was seized by the minesweeper HMS Rowena. The British attempted to board the ship four times before finally seizing it, and one passenger was killed.
On October 20, 1946, the Eliahu Golomb, renamed the Braha Fuld, was captured off Lebanon
by the HMS Chaplet and HMS Moon. It was carrying 806 passengers.
On October 19, the Latrun (1,279 passengers), was captured by the HMS Chivalrous and HMS Octavia. Four people had died en route, and the ship was leaking and listing heavily when it was intercepted.
On November 9, 1946, the HaKedosha (600 passengers), foundered in a gale and sank. The passengers were rescued by the Knesset Israel. The Knesset Israel, carrying a total of 3,845 passengers, was captured by four British warships. Attempts to transfer the refugees to deportation ships were met with resistance, and two refugees were killed and 46 injured.
On December 5, 1946, the Rafiah (785 passengers), was wrecked on Syrina Island in bad weather. The survivors were rescued by two British and one Greek warship, and were taken to Cyprus. Women and children were taken to Palestine.
On February 9, 1947, the wooden brigantine Lanegev (647 passengers) was captured by the HMS Chieftain after a battle which left one refugee dead.
On February 17, 1947, the steamer HaMapil HaAlmoni (807 passengers) was intercepted by two British warships and captured after a violent battle.
On February 27, 1947, the Haim Arlosoroff (1,378 passengers) was intercepted by British warships, and the passengers put up fierce resistance. The ship ran aground south of Haifa, just opposite a British Army
camp. The passengers were arrested and deported to Cyprus.
On March 9, 1947, the Ben Hecht (597 passengers), the only ship sponsored by the Irgun
, was captured by three British warships without incident.
On March 12, 1947, the Shabtai Luzinsky (823 passengers) ran the blockade and beached itself north of Gaza
, where the passengers disembarked, and most escaped a British Army
cordon. Hundreds of local residents came down to the beach to mingle with passengers who evaded arrest. Many residents were mistaken for refugees, arrested, and sent to Cyprus, with some 460 locals returned home the following week.
On March 30, 1947, the Moledet (1,588 passengers) became disabled some 50 miles outside Palestinian waters and issued an SOS. Royal Navy
units responded and took the ship under tow.
On April 13, 1947, the Theodor Herzl (2,641 passengers) was intercepted by two British warships.
On April 23, 1947, the Shear Yasuv (768 passengers) was stopped by the British.
On May 17, 1947, the Hatikva (1,414 passengers) was intercepted and captured after a battle.
On May 23, 1947, the immigrant ship Mordei Hagetaot, carrying 1,457 Jews, was stopped and boarded by the British off southern Palestine. All of its passengers were arrested.
On May 31, 1947, the Haganah
ship Yehuda Halevy, carrying 399 immigrants, arrived in Palestine under escort after being intercepted by the Royal Navy
. The immigrants were immediately transferred to Cyprus.
On July 18, 1947, the ship SS Exodus, carrying 4,515 immigrants, was stopped by the British cruiser HMS Ajax
and a convoy of destroyers. The ship was rammed and boarded, and the immigrants resisted the boarding, and had put up barriers and barbed wire to impede boarding. Two passengers and a crewman were bludgeoned to death, several dozen were injured, and the ship was taken over. The Exodus was towed to Haifa, where the immigrants were forced onto three deportation ships and taken to France
. When the deportation ships docked in Port-de-Bouc
, the passengers refused to disembark after the French government announced that it would only allow the immigrants off the ships if they consented. The immigrants were then taken to Germany
, forcibly taken off the ships, and sent back to DP camps
.
On July 28, 1947, the 14 Halalei Gesher Haziv, carrying 685 Eastern European Jews was intercepted by the HMS Rowena. Also, the Shivat Zion, carrying 411 North Africa
n Jews, was captured by the HMS Providence without resistance.
On September 27, 1947, the Af Al Pi Chen (434 passengers), was intercepted by the HMS Talybont and taken after violent resistance. One person was killed and ten were injured.
On October 2, 1947, the Medinat HaYehudim (2,664 passengers) was intercepted by the Royal Navy. The same day, the Geulah, with 1,385 passengers, was also intercepted.
On November 15, 1947, the Peter, renamed the Aliyah and carrying 182 passengers, ran the British blockade and beached near Netanya
. The passengers, all specially-picked youths, quickly disembarked and escaped.
On November 16, the Kadima, a larger ship carrying 794 immigrants, was seized by the Royal Navy
and brought to Haifa, where its passengers were transferred to a British transport ship and taken to Cyprus.
On December 4, 1947, the HaPortzim ran the blockade and landed its 167 passengers at the mouth of the Yarkon River.
On December 22, 1947, the Lo Fafchidunu (884 passengers) was intercepted.
On December 28, 1947, the 29 BeNovember (680 passengers) was intercepted.
On January 1, 1948, the HaUmot HaMeuhadot (537 passengers) ran the blockade and beached itself at Nahariya
. 131 passengers were caught, the rest evaded arrest. The same day, the Atzmaut (7,612 passengers) and the Kibbutz Galuyot (7,557 passengers) were intercepted.
On January 31, 1948, the 35 Giborei Kfar Etzion (280 passengers) was stopped.
On February 12, 1948, the Yerushalayim Hanezura (679 passengers) was stopped.
On February 20, 1948, the Lekommemiyut (696 passengers) was stopped.
On February 28, 1948, the ex-Enzo Sede, renamed the Bonim v'Lochamim (982 passengers) was intercepted off Cape Carmel.
On March 29, 1948, the Yehiam (771 passengers) was stopped.
On April 12, 1948, the Tirat Zvi (817 passengers) was stopped.
On April 24, 1948, the Mishmar HaEmek (782 passengers) was captured off Haifa.
On April 26, 1948, the Nakhson (553 passengers) was captured off Haifa by the HMS Pelican after fierce resistance which left a number of people injured.
) and for the Holocaust-survivor refugees in Europe (Sh'erit ha-Pletah
).
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
to the British Mandate for Palestine in violation of British White Paper of 1939
White Paper of 1939
The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over it, was a policy paper issued by the British government under Neville Chamberlain in which the idea of partitioning the Mandate for Palestine, as recommended in...
restrictions, in the years 1934-1948. In modern day Israel it has also been called by the Hebrew term Ha'apala . The Aliyah Bet is distinguished from the Aliyah Aleph ("Aliyah 'A'", Aleph being the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet): the limited Jewish immigration permitted by British authorities in the same period.
Organization
During Ha'apala, several Jewish organizations worked together to facilitate immigration beyond the established quotas. As persecution of Jews intensified in Europe during the NaziNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
era, the urgency driving the immigration also became more acute. Those who participated in the immigration efforts consistently refused to term it "illegal", instead calling it "clandestine."
Ha'apala occurred in two phases. First, from 1934 to 1942, it was an effort to enable European Jews to escape Nazi persecution and murder. From 1945 to 1948, in a stage known as Bricha, it was an effort to find homes for Jewish survivors of the Nazi crimes (Sh'erit ha-Pletah
Sh'erit ha-Pletah
Sh'erit ha-Pletah is a biblical term used by Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust to refer to themselves and the communities they formed following their liberation in the spring of 1945....
) who were among the millions of displaced persons ("DPs") languishing in refugee camps in occupied Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. During the first phase, several organizations (including Revisionists
Revisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement. It is the founding ideology of the non-religious right in Israel, and was the chief ideological competitor to the dominant socialist Labor Zionism...
) led the effort; after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Mossad LeAliyah Bet ("the Institute for Aliyah B"), an arm of the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, took charge.
Routes
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n occupation sector, Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall is a spa town, and administrative center of the Berchtesgadener Land district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Salzburg in a basin encircled by the Chiemgauer Alps ....
and Leipheim
Leipheim
Leipheim is a town in the district of Günzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the Danube, 5 km west of Günzburg, and 17 km northeast of Ulm. The village Riedheim and the hamlet Weissingen are districts of Leipheim...
. From there, the refugees travelled in disguised trucks, on foot, or by train to ports on the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, where ships brought them to Palestine. More than 70,000 Jews arrived in Palestine using more than 100 ships.
American sector camps imposed no restrictions on the movements out of the camps, and American, French, and Italian officials often turned a blind eye to the movements. Several UNRRA officials (in particular Elizabeth Robertson in Leipheim) acted as facilitators of the emigration. The British government vehemently opposed the movement, and restricted movement in and out of their camps. Britain also set up armed naval patrols to prevent immigrants from landing in Palestine.
History
Over 100,000 people attempted to illegally enter Palestine. There were 142 voyages by 120 ships. Over half were stopped by the British patrols. The Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
had eight ships on station in Palestine, and additional ships were tasked with tracking suspicious vessels heading for Palestine. Most of the intercepted immigrants were sent to internment camps
Cyprus internment camps
Cyprus internment camps were camps run by the British government for internment of Jews who had immigrated or attempted to immigrate to Mandatory Palestine in violation of British policy...
in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
: (Karaolos near Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
, Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
, Dhekelia, and Xylotumbou). Some were sent to the Atlit detention camp
Atlit detainee camp
The Atlit detainee camp was a detention camp established by the British at the end of the 1930s on what is now Israel's northern coast south of Haifa. The camp was established to prevent Jewish refugees, mainly Holocaust survivors, from entering then-Palestine...
in Palestine, and some to Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. The British held as many as 50,000 people in these camps (see Jews in British camps on Cyprus). Over 1,600 drowned at sea. Only a few thousand actually entered Palestine.
The pivotal event in the Ha'apala program was the incident of the SS Exodus in 1947. The Exodus was intercepted, attacked, and boarded by the British patrol. Despite significant resistance from its passengers, Exodus was forcibly returned to Europe. Its passengers were eventually sent back to Germany. This was publicized, to the great embarrassment of the British government.
One account of Aliyah Bet is given by journalist I. F. Stone
I. F. Stone
Isidor Feinstein Stone was an iconoclastic American investigative journalist. He is best remembered for his self-published newsletter, I. F...
in his 1946 book Underground to Palestine
Underground to Palestine
Underground to Palestine is a 1946 book by I. F. Stone.In Underground to Palestine Stone reports as a journalist on the hundreds of thousands of European Jewish displaced persons attempting to reach the Jewish homeland in Mandatory Palestine in 1946....
, a first-person account of traveling with European displaced persons attempting to reach the Jewish homeland. The first draft of Israeli history:
The author journeyed to Europe and Palestine in 1946 to report on the plight of Jewish DPs,John R. MacArthur, Nextbook
Nextbook
Nextbook is a nonprofit, Jewish organization founded in 2003 to promote Jewish literature, culture, and ideas. The organization sponsors public lectures, commissions books on Jewish topics, and publishes an online magazine, Tablet Magazine....
,
May. 25, 2009 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/the-first-draft-of-israeli-history/article1149079/
Some 250 American ex-veterans including Murray S. Greenfield (of the ship Hatikva) from WWII volunteered to sail ten ships from the USA to Europe to load 35,000 survivors of the Holocaust (1/2 of the so-called illegals) to Palestine, only to be deported to Cyprus detention camps. ("The Jews' Secret Fleet")
Timeline
In 1934, the first attempt to bring in a large number of illegal immigrants by sea happened when some 350 Jews sailed on the Vallos, a chartered ship, without the permission of Jewish Agency, who feared illegal immigration would cause the British to restrict legal immigration. The ship arrived off the coast of Palestine on August 25, and the passengers disembarked with the help of the HaganahHaganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, which received special permission to assist them.
The Tiger Hill, a 1,499 ton ship, built in 1887, sailed from Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
on August 3, 1939, with about 750 immigrants on board. She took on board the passengers from the Frossoula, another illegal immigrant ship that was marooned in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. On September 1, the first day of World War II, the Tiger Hill was intercepted and fired on by British gunboats off Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, and was beached.
On October 3, 1939, a large group of immigrants sailed from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on the riverboat Uranus down the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. At the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n border, the Uranus was stopped and the immigrants were forced to disembark at the old fortress town of Kladovo in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. About 1,100 refugees were stranded there. In May, 1941, they were still in Yugoslavia, where 915 of them were caught and eventually killed by the invading Nazis.
On November 25, 1940, 1,800 Jewish refugees from Europe arrived in Haifa on the ocean liner Patria
Patria disaster
The Patria disaster on 25 November 1940 was the sinking by the Haganah of a French-built ocean liner in the port of Haifa, in which 260 people were killed and 172 injured....
, but the ship was denied permission to dock by British authorities, who seized it and prepared to deport the refugees to Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
on the ship. Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
operatives planted a bomb with the intention of disabling it to prevent it from leaving, but accidentally sank the ship, killing 260 people and wounding 172. The survivors were permitted to stay in Palestine on humanitarian grounds.
On May 18, 1940, the old Italian paddle steamer Pencho sailed from Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, with 514 passengers, mostly Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
members. The Pencho sailed down the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
and into the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
. On October 9, her engines stopped working, and she was wrecked off Mytilene
Mytilene
Mytilene is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lesbos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is the capital of the island of Lesbos. Mytilene, whose name is pre-Greek, is built on the...
, in the Italian-ruled Dodecanese
Dodecanese
The Dodecanese are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, of which 26 are inhabited. Τhis island group generally defines the eastern limit of the Sea of Crete. They belong to the Southern Sporades island group...
Islands. The Italians rescued the passengers and took them to Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
. All but two were then placed in an internment camp at Ferramonti di Tarsia
Ferramonti di Tarsia
Ferramonti di Tarsia, located near Cosenza in Southern Italy, was an internment camp for Jews and foreigners. It was the largest of the fifteen internment camps established by Benito Mussolini between June and September 1940...
in southern Italy. They were held there until Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces liberated the area in September 1943. The story of the Pencho was published as Odyssey, by John Bierman.
In October 1940, a large group of refugees were allowed to leave Vienna. The exodus was organized by Berthold Storfer, a Jewish businessman who worked under Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
. They took four river boats, Uranus, Schönbrunn, Helios, and Melk, down the Danube to Romania, where the Uranus passengers, approximately 1,000, boarded the Pacific, and sailed on October 11, 1940. They arrived at Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
on November 1, followed by the Milos. The British transferred all the immigrants to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
liner Patria
Patria disaster
The Patria disaster on 25 November 1940 was the sinking by the Haganah of a French-built ocean liner in the port of Haifa, in which 260 people were killed and 172 injured....
, intending to take them for internment to Mauritius. To stop the Patria from sailing, the Haganah smuggled a bomb on board. The explosion blew a hole in the side of the ship, which capsized, killing 267 persons. The British, by order of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, allowed the survivors to remain in Palestine.
In December 1940 the Salvador, a small Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n schooner formerly named Tsar Krum, left Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
with 327 refugees. On December 12 the Salvador was wrecked in a violent storm in the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
, near Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. 223 persons, including 66 children, lost their lives. The survivors were taken to Istanbul. 125 survivors were deported back to Bulgaria, and the remaining 70 left on the Darien (No. 66).
On December 11, 1941 the Struma sailed from Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
, flying the Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian flag. The Struma was torpedoed and sunk by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
Shch-213
Shchuka class submarine
The Shchuka class submarines , also referred to as Shch or SC class submarines were a medium-sized class of Soviet submarines, built in large numbers and used during World War II...
on February 24, 1942. 770 lives were lost. There was one survivor.
On September 20, 1942 the Europa sailed from Romania, with twenty-one passengers. The ship was wrecked in the Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
.
On August 5, 1944, the Mefkura (or Mefkure) sailed from Constanţa with 350 persons on board. The ship travelled with the Morino and Bulbul. During the night the Mefkura was sunk by gunfire/torpedo from by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
SC-215. Of the 350 persons being transported, only five survived. They were picked up by the Bulbul.
On August 28, 1945, the Italian fishing vessel Dalin, carrying 35 immigrants, landed at Caesarea, disembarked its passengers, and returned to Italy.
On September 4, 1945, the ship Natan, carrying 79 immigrants, landed in Palestine. It carried seamen and radio operators from the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
and Jewish Agency
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
emmisssaries on the return trip to Italy. On October 1, 1945, the Natan again ran the blockade arrived at Shefayim
Shefayim
Shefayim is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located 17 km north of Tel Aviv along the Mediterranean coast, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council...
with 73 immigrants.
On September 9, 1945, the Gabriela, carrying 40 passengers, arrived undetected in Palestine.
On September 17, 1945, the Peter, carrying 168 immigrants, landed in Palestine undetected by the British. The Peter again slipped into Palestine undetected and arrived at Shefayim
Shefayim
Shefayim is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located 17 km north of Tel Aviv along the Mediterranean coast, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council...
on October 22, this time carrying 174 passengers.
On November 23, 1945, the Berl Katznelson, carrying 220 Jewish refugees, arrived in Shefayim
Shefayim
Shefayim is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located 17 km north of Tel Aviv along the Mediterranean coast, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council...
. As the ship was landing immigrants, it was intercepted by the British sloop HMS Peacock. Of the passengers, 200 reached the beach and escaped, and 20 were arrested.
On December 14, 1945, the ship Hannah Senesh, carrying 252 passengers, was beached at Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
after evading British naval patrols. The passengers were brought to shore via a rope bridge, and evaded capture.
On January 17, 1946, the Enzo Sereni, carrying 908 passengers, was intercepted by the British destroyer HMS Talybont and escorted to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
.
On March 13, 1946, the schooner Windgate, carrying 248 passengers, ran the blockade and attempted to land. British police opened fire from the shore, killing a female Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
member. The ship was then captured and escorted to Haifa by the destroyer HMS Chevron.
On March 27, 1946, the steamer Tel Hai, carrying 736 passengers, was intercepted by the British destroyer HMS Chequers 140 miles at sea as it approached Palestine.
On May 13, 1946, the ship Max Nordau, carrying 1,754 immigrants, was captured by the British destroyers HMS Jervis
HMS Jervis (F00)
HMS Jervis was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy named after Admiral John Jervis . Jervis was laid down by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, at Hebburn-on-Tyne on 26 August 1937...
and HMS Chequers. The same day, the ships Dov Hos (675 passengers) and Eliahu Golomb (735 passengers) arrived in Palestine legally. The British had blockaded the Dov Hos after it had arrived in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
, but the passengers responded with a hunger strike and a threat to blow up the ship, compelling the British to give them entry permits.
On June 8, 1946, the Haviva Reik, carrying 462 passengers, was captured by the HMS Saumarez
HMS Saumarez (G12)
HMS Saumarez was an S class destroyer of the Royal Navy, completed on 1 July 1943. As a flotilla leader, her standard displacement was 20 tons heavier than other ships of her class...
on June 8, 1946. Some 150 people had previously transferred from the Haviva Reik to the Rafi off the Palestinian coast, and the crew had disembarked.
On June 26, 1946, the Josiah Wedgwood, carrying 1,259 passengers, was intercepted by the HMS Venus
HMS Venus (R50)
HMS Venus was a V-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Govan, Scotland and launched on 23 February 1943...
.
On July 20, 1946, the Haganah, carrying 2,678 passengers, departed from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and transferred 1,108 of its passengers to the small steamer Biriah west of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. The Biriah was intercepted by the HMS Virago
HMS Virago (R75)
HMS Virago was an V-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F76....
on July 2. The Haganah picked up a new party of refugees at Bakar, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and set sail for Palestine, this time also carrying 2,678 passengers total. The ship was found at sea with its engines broken down and out of electricity, and was towed to Haifa by the HMS Venus
HMS Venus (R50)
HMS Venus was a V-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Govan, Scotland and launched on 23 February 1943...
.
On August 11, 1946, the Yagur, carrying 758 passengers, was intercepted by the HMS Brissenden, with passive resistance from the immigrants.
On August 12, 1946, the Henrietta Szold, carrying 536 passengers, was intercepted. The same day, the British announced that illegal immigrants would be sent to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and other areas under detention. The first British deportation ship sailed for Cyprus on the same day, with 500 illegal immigrants on board.
On August 13, 1946, the immigration ships Katriel Jaffe (604 passengers) and the Twenty Three (790 passengers) were seized by the British, with desperate resistance on board the Twenty Three. The same day, two Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ships with 1,300 Jewish detainees on board set sail for Cyprus. A crowd of about 1,000 Jews attempted to break into the Haifa port area, and British troops responded with live fire, killing three and wounding seven.
On August 16, 1946, the yawl
Yawl
A yawl is a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an additional mast located well aft of the main mast, often right on the transom, specifically aft of the rudder post. A yawl (from Dutch Jol) is a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an...
Amiram Shochat, carrying 183 passengers, evaded the British blockade and landed near Caesarea.
On September 2, 1946, the Dov Hos, this time named the Arba Cheruyot, carrying 1,024 passengers, was seized by the HMS Childers and HMS Chivalrous. The boarding was strongly resisted, and two people drowned after jumping off the ship.
On September 22, 1946, the brigantine
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
Palmach, 611 passengers, was seized by the minesweeper HMS Rowena. The British attempted to board the ship four times before finally seizing it, and one passenger was killed.
On October 20, 1946, the Eliahu Golomb, renamed the Braha Fuld, was captured off Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
by the HMS Chaplet and HMS Moon. It was carrying 806 passengers.
On October 19, the Latrun (1,279 passengers), was captured by the HMS Chivalrous and HMS Octavia. Four people had died en route, and the ship was leaking and listing heavily when it was intercepted.
On November 9, 1946, the HaKedosha (600 passengers), foundered in a gale and sank. The passengers were rescued by the Knesset Israel. The Knesset Israel, carrying a total of 3,845 passengers, was captured by four British warships. Attempts to transfer the refugees to deportation ships were met with resistance, and two refugees were killed and 46 injured.
On December 5, 1946, the Rafiah (785 passengers), was wrecked on Syrina Island in bad weather. The survivors were rescued by two British and one Greek warship, and were taken to Cyprus. Women and children were taken to Palestine.
On February 9, 1947, the wooden brigantine Lanegev (647 passengers) was captured by the HMS Chieftain after a battle which left one refugee dead.
On February 17, 1947, the steamer HaMapil HaAlmoni (807 passengers) was intercepted by two British warships and captured after a violent battle.
On February 27, 1947, the Haim Arlosoroff (1,378 passengers) was intercepted by British warships, and the passengers put up fierce resistance. The ship ran aground south of Haifa, just opposite a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
camp. The passengers were arrested and deported to Cyprus.
On March 9, 1947, the Ben Hecht (597 passengers), the only ship sponsored by the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
, was captured by three British warships without incident.
On March 12, 1947, the Shabtai Luzinsky (823 passengers) ran the blockade and beached itself north of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, where the passengers disembarked, and most escaped a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
cordon. Hundreds of local residents came down to the beach to mingle with passengers who evaded arrest. Many residents were mistaken for refugees, arrested, and sent to Cyprus, with some 460 locals returned home the following week.
On March 30, 1947, the Moledet (1,588 passengers) became disabled some 50 miles outside Palestinian waters and issued an SOS. Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
units responded and took the ship under tow.
On April 13, 1947, the Theodor Herzl (2,641 passengers) was intercepted by two British warships.
On April 23, 1947, the Shear Yasuv (768 passengers) was stopped by the British.
On May 17, 1947, the Hatikva (1,414 passengers) was intercepted and captured after a battle.
On May 23, 1947, the immigrant ship Mordei Hagetaot, carrying 1,457 Jews, was stopped and boarded by the British off southern Palestine. All of its passengers were arrested.
On May 31, 1947, the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
ship Yehuda Halevy, carrying 399 immigrants, arrived in Palestine under escort after being intercepted by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The immigrants were immediately transferred to Cyprus.
On July 18, 1947, the ship SS Exodus, carrying 4,515 immigrants, was stopped by the British cruiser HMS Ajax
HMS Ajax (22)
HMS Ajax was a Leander class light cruiser which served with the British Royal Navy during World War II. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta and as a supply escort in the Siege of Tobruk. This ship was the eighth in the Royal...
and a convoy of destroyers. The ship was rammed and boarded, and the immigrants resisted the boarding, and had put up barriers and barbed wire to impede boarding. Two passengers and a crewman were bludgeoned to death, several dozen were injured, and the ship was taken over. The Exodus was towed to Haifa, where the immigrants were forced onto three deportation ships and taken to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. When the deportation ships docked in Port-de-Bouc
Port-de-Bouc
Port-de-Bouc is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, the passengers refused to disembark after the French government announced that it would only allow the immigrants off the ships if they consented. The immigrants were then taken to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, forcibly taken off the ships, and sent back to DP camps
Displaced persons camp
A displaced persons camp or DP camp is a temporary facility for displaced persons coerced into forced migration. The term is mainly used for camps established after World War II in West Germany and in Austria, as well as in the United Kingdom, primarily for refugees from Eastern Europe and for the...
.
On July 28, 1947, the 14 Halalei Gesher Haziv, carrying 685 Eastern European Jews was intercepted by the HMS Rowena. Also, the Shivat Zion, carrying 411 North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
n Jews, was captured by the HMS Providence without resistance.
On September 27, 1947, the Af Al Pi Chen (434 passengers), was intercepted by the HMS Talybont and taken after violent resistance. One person was killed and ten were injured.
On October 2, 1947, the Medinat HaYehudim (2,664 passengers) was intercepted by the Royal Navy. The same day, the Geulah, with 1,385 passengers, was also intercepted.
On November 15, 1947, the Peter, renamed the Aliyah and carrying 182 passengers, ran the British blockade and beached near Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
. The passengers, all specially-picked youths, quickly disembarked and escaped.
On November 16, the Kadima, a larger ship carrying 794 immigrants, was seized by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and brought to Haifa, where its passengers were transferred to a British transport ship and taken to Cyprus.
On December 4, 1947, the HaPortzim ran the blockade and landed its 167 passengers at the mouth of the Yarkon River.
On December 22, 1947, the Lo Fafchidunu (884 passengers) was intercepted.
On December 28, 1947, the 29 BeNovember (680 passengers) was intercepted.
On January 1, 1948, the HaUmot HaMeuhadot (537 passengers) ran the blockade and beached itself at Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
. 131 passengers were caught, the rest evaded arrest. The same day, the Atzmaut (7,612 passengers) and the Kibbutz Galuyot (7,557 passengers) were intercepted.
On January 31, 1948, the 35 Giborei Kfar Etzion (280 passengers) was stopped.
On February 12, 1948, the Yerushalayim Hanezura (679 passengers) was stopped.
On February 20, 1948, the Lekommemiyut (696 passengers) was stopped.
On February 28, 1948, the ex-Enzo Sede, renamed the Bonim v'Lochamim (982 passengers) was intercepted off Cape Carmel.
On March 29, 1948, the Yehiam (771 passengers) was stopped.
On April 12, 1948, the Tirat Zvi (817 passengers) was stopped.
On April 24, 1948, the Mishmar HaEmek (782 passengers) was captured off Haifa.
On April 26, 1948, the Nakhson (553 passengers) was captured off Haifa by the HMS Pelican after fierce resistance which left a number of people injured.
Conclusion
The success of Aliyah Bet was modest when measured in terms of the numbers who succeeded in entering Palestine. But it proved to be a unifying force both for the Jewish community in Palestine (the YishuvYishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
) and for the Holocaust-survivor refugees in Europe (Sh'erit ha-Pletah
Sh'erit ha-Pletah
Sh'erit ha-Pletah is a biblical term used by Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust to refer to themselves and the communities they formed following their liberation in the spring of 1945....
).
Further reading
- "The Jews' Secret Fleet," Published 2010; Gefen Publishing House, ISBN 978-965-229-517-0
External links
- Aliyah Bet and Machal Virtual Museum
- "Aliyah During World War II and its Aftermath", Jewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual Library is an online encyclopedia published by the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise . Established in 1993, it is a comprehensive website covering Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish culture.-History:...
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Aliyah Bet
- Aliyah Bet Voyages Aliyah Bet Project Aliyah Bet Voyages includes pictures and details of the boats of Aliyah Bet, ports of origin, dates of sailing, dates of arrival in Palestine and the number of immigrants on board.