Brothers For Resistance And Rescue By David Gur

Sajó EliSajó PéterBorn in Pöstyén (Piešt’any) on 31.1.1920Perished in 1944Member of “Maccabi Hatzair”Eli was one of the most prominent figures of the Zionist movements inHungary. In 1943 he arrived in Budapest, joined the underground andwas the representative of his movement in various Zionist institutions. Hecoordinated the movement’s organization for underground activity afterthe Germans invaded Hungary on 19.3.1944. Eli had connections withthe Jewish representatives in Switzerland and Turkey. He was caught atthe Romanian border and deported to Auschwitz where he perished.Shalmon YitzhakSalamon IgnácBorn in Felsőárad (Siroke) in 2.9.1924Member of “Bnei Akiva”Yitzhak moved to Budapest and in 1942 joined the “Bnei Akiva”movement. In February 1944 he was enlisted in a forced labor unit.During his service he maintained contact with members of the movement,equipped himself with forged documents and procured Aryan documentsfor some of his friends. The commander of the unit, Farkas, suggestedthat the men serving in the unit convert to Christianity in order to receiveProtection Documents from the Vatican and in fact 70% of the men didconvert. After the Arrow Cross Party formed the government, the unit wastransferred to the Sopron area and the men dug anti-tank tunnels.Yitzhak escaped and returned to Budapest. In December 1944 he wascaught by Arrow Cross men, tortured and moved to the Gestapoheadquarters on Schwabs Hill (Svábhegy). He cut the prison bars andescaped. After the liberation he worked as an interpreter in Russian forthe Red Army. Yitzhak resumed his activities for the movement: heobtained food for the children’s houses and helped smuggle peopleacross the border. In 1947 he made aliya. In 1948 he was drafted to thearmy and took part in the capture of Beit Shean. He resides in Petah-Tikva.Brothers for Resistance and Rescue 210