Brothers For Resistance And Rescue By David Gur

Harel MenahemKőnigsberg HerrmannBorn in Bilke (Bilki) on 8.1.1930Died on 27.6.1990 in IsraelMember of “Hashomer Hatzair”Menahem came from a traditional Jewish family. At the end of 1943 heparted from his family and traveled to Budapest where his older brotherand sister lived. They sent him to the town of Sárvár where he stayedunder the protection of a local friend.After the German invasion of Hungary on 19.3.1944, as the Jews wereconcentrated in the ghetto, Menahem fled from Sárvár and arrived inBudapest again. In the capital he witnessed the suffering of the Jews andthe dangers they were facing. Menahem asked to be rescued and arrivedat the “Glass House” on 29, Vadász Street. With the help of a “Mizrahi”activist who knew him, he succeeded in entering the House where hejoined “Hashomer Hatzair”. From David Gur, who was in charge of theforgery laboratory, Menahem received documents bearing the name ofPeter Pranitz, a Greek Orthodox Christian, who had fled from theCarpatho-Ruthenia region out of fear of the Russians. In the “GlassHouse” he was ordered to go out in the streets and distribute forgeddocuments to the Jews. Menahem did this a few times at the risk of hisown life.He was a member of Kibbutz Negba.Hartman JudithScharfBorn in Kisvárda on 15.12.1921Member of “Hashomer Hatzair”Judith joined the movement at a young age. Her two sisters made aliyaalready in the mid-1930’s. In 1942 and 1943 she maintained contact withthe Garany detention camp inmates and even visited the site. At thebeginning of the persecution of Jews, Judith arrived in Budapest andjoined a group of young women, members of the movement. After theGerman occupation of Hungary on 19.3.1944, she went, together withher boyfriend, Arieh Funk, on a tiyul. They were captured on their wayto the Romanian border. Arieh was deported to Auschwitz, and Judithwas sent to a detention camp in Budapest. All attempts to rescue herfailed and she was deported to Auschwitz. Upon her liberation, on8.5.1945, she returned to Budapest.In 1947, Judith made aliya, and became a member of Kibbutz Ha’ogen.Brothers for Resistance and Rescue 130