Brothers for Resistance and Rescue 1 - CENDO

Communists
The Hungarian communists and members of the workers unions had contacts with the Zionist
underground, especially with members of “Hashomer Hatzair”. They had connections with the
Demény Group, with groups of the Communist Party loyal to Moscow and with liberal groups
(Fábry). Joseph Meir, a member of “Hashomer Hatzair”, had connections with the workers’ groups
from the beginning of the war and after the rise to power of Szálasi, he set up an operation group
by the name of Megyeri, which was his underground nickname. The Zionist underground supplied
forged documents to the opponents of the Hungarian regime while these helped the underground
people by giving them shelter and accommodation in the workers’ neighbourhoods of the
Hungarian capital. They also cooperated in the supply of weapons and in the planning of armed
operations.
“The Gordon Circle”
The “Gordon Circle” was a group of adults with ideological affiliation to “Hashomer Hatzair”. It
already operated before WW II and also during the Holocaust. The circle existed only in Hungary. It
dealt with social and Zionist activities. The circle was called after Aharon David Gordon, born in
Russia in 1856, a philosopher of the Zionist working movement who lived in Deganiya as an
agricultural worker. The members of the circle represented “Hashomer Hatzair” in the Zionist
institutions. Prominent figures in the “Gordon Circle” were Lajos Fodor, Cvi Ernő Szilágyi, Jenő
Kolb, Moshe Rosenberg and Zoltán Weiner.
“The Borochov Circle”
The “Borochov Circle” was a group of young people up to the age of 30-35 with an ideological
affiliation to “Hashomer Hatzair”. This circle existed in Hungary only. It was officially founded after
WW II and replaced the “Gordon Circle”. The circle was named after the Zionist-Marxist
philosopher Dov Ber Borochov, born in Ukraine, one of the founders of the “Poalei Zion” movement
who lived from 1881 to 1919. The circle held lectures, seminars, debates as well as cultural and
social activities. Its members represented “Hashomer Hatzair” at the Zionist institutions. Prominent
figures of the circle were Dr. István Kulcsár and Dr. Frigyes Nógrádi.
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