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The events of 1929 in Israel, when the shocking murders of the yeshiva boys in Hebron by Arab killers, as well as the attack in Motza, near Jerusalem where an unarmed Jewish family was slaughtered, shocked the Jewish world, especially its nationalistic youth. The need to accomplish a tangible act, to actively resist against this wave of murder and plunder, was embraced by large segments of Jewish youth all over the world, and even reached Markuszow.

Markuszow youth at that time belonged to the General Zionists organization (of Itzchak Greenboim), of which Pinchas Liebhober, and Israel-Itche Roguski were at the head. At the protest meeting held in 1929 in Markuszow, where harsh words of condemnation of the Arab pogromists were heard, and where Jewish youth were called on to join the battle, it was unanimously decided to approach Betar central in Warsaw to send an instructor to the shtetl immediately, in order to institute normal organizational activities of “Brit Trumpeldor.”

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Two weeks after this request, two emissaries came from Lublin, dressed in brown uniforms with blue and white armbands, and military caps. That very evening, because of their initiative and energy, the two instructors–Yechiel Prachi (Rosenberg) and Abraham Tahori (Reinman), Betar was created in Markuszow.

On Lag B'Omer, 1930, dozens of Jewish youngsters dressed in military style, marched through the streets of Markuszow. Their external appearance, the uniforms, their military march, and the songs, left an extraordinary impression. The shtetl talked about it for a long time. Avrumtche Eidelstein was elected as commandant (mfaked) of Betar at that time.

Although the representative of the Zionist organization in Markuszow had belonged to the supporters of Itzchak Greenboim and his Al Hamishmar group it did not prevent him from evincing pride at the Jewish “militarists,” not imagining that in time they would be transformed into his greatest political opponents.

Meanwhile the shtetl was in an uproar. Imagine, Jewish youth being schooled in military matters in order to make aliyah to Eretz-Israel, to fight with weapons in hand, liberating the land from foreign hands. Passionate discussions went on in the street, in homes, and in the besmedresh. Between Mincha and Maariv you could hear this kind of talk:

–What kind of a creature is this? Who could have predicted such an affliction? Soldiers of all things! What does this have to do with Jews? Putting on uniforms and marching along singing all over the shtetl–Like the goyim…Who is this person, their leader.

R' Pinchas Liebhober readily answered the last question and talked about the personality of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the creator of the Jewish Legion in 1917, and who, four years later, risking his life, helped, along with others, to save Jerusalem from a pogrom.

The great gaon, Harav Kook, z”l, signed a petition on Shabbes asking the British for clemency in Jabotinsky's sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Subsequently, the British banished him from Eretz-Israel, and forbade him ever to return.

And in this way, discussions in the besmedresh would go on until late in the night about an important event like the recently established Betar organization in the shtetl. Unfortunately, the work of this new youth

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organization was focused exclusively on military drills and military knowledge, while the cultural and organizational activities were neglected. That approach came back to haunt them in 1932 when its senior part joined the newly established party of the “Yudenstatler.”^[2] under the leadership of Meir Grossman. Betar then also lost its leader, Avrumtche Eidelstein. He was replaced by the young Henoch Eidelstein (his younger brother) who, in the span of the 8 months he was in that position, failed to bring any order to the organization. Shaul Schwartz then took on the leadership of Betar.

The new leader took to his work with gusto. His first achievement was to get a new flag for the organization. According to the plan, it was supposed to be constructed with golden nails with broad heads. The members began to collect their few pennies for such an important goal. Everyone was getting ready for the unveiling of the flag which was to be carried out with great ceremony.

In 1933, on a beach in Tel Aviv, one of the representatives of the Israeli worker's party, Mapai, was murdered. A passionate debate about this political murder took place in all the Jewish papers. Mapai accused the Revisionists of being directly responsible for the murder of the young Arlozorov, while the Revisionists flung back that the accusation was groundless. Ze'ev Jabotinsky in particular, distinguished himself in this polemic with his passionate and convincing articles, and left a strong impression on the writer of these lines. That same year, I joined the Revisionist organization in Markuszow. Because of my active organizational work, especially in the area of political lectures, I was elected as chairman of Hatzohar (Zionist-Revisionist).

During a meeting at headquarters it was decided to establish a drama club with the goal of enriching the cultural work and strengthening the organization financially. The very capable Betarist Shaul Firestein was chosen as director. After rehearsing for several weeks, they performed the play, “Sureh-Sheindl the Rebbetsin,” which gave us moral as well as material success. The attitude to the organization changed completely; it now benefited from trust and recognition among broad classes.

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If until then, Betar members were considered as “boys playing with sticks,” they were now treated with respect and admiration. The older youth began to register for the organization.

In 1934, Jabotinsky proclaimed a drive for a worldwide Jewish petition which was to be sent to three addresses: to the king of England; to the League of Nations in Geneva: and from every Jew to the leader of the country he was living in. As petition commissar in Markuszow, (appointed by the central office), I, along with two other Betarists from headquarters, visited every Jewish home in the shtetl, and campaigned for signing the three letters. The signatures also entailed contributing 90 groshen for postage stamps, so that the petition could be sent to the three addresses. The emissaries of the Revisionist organization

Pinchas Laks, commander of Betar in Markuszow

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proposals, arguing that they were not permissible in an organization like Betar, where the flag matter was definitely not a secondary matter. Incidentally, he really insisted on the previous agreement in the question. When I proposed asking the 90 Betar members about their position on the whole issue, the commandant was very insulted, and declared that only he, as commandant, had a right to decide. His deputy, Itzchak Fishbein, did not agree with such an approach, and accused Shaul Schwartz of committing a double disciplinary breach: a) the representative of Hatzohar has authority over the commandant of Betar, b) a commandant of Betar, also has to take into consideration the will of the members, because there was no room in the organization for dictatorship and personal ambition. This resulted in an uproar in the local. I managed to calm the heated mood a little, after I explained to the Betarists that a flag with golden nails was a very important thing. If we didn't want to learn the creed that the commandant of Betar, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, teaches us, or if we have no idea about the history of martyrdom of our people, would we then be capable and ready to sacrifice ourselves for the flag which symbolizes our people?

All the assembled members, with the exception of the commandant of course, agreed with such an approach, and the organization began to lead intensive culture activities. Shaul Schawartz left not only the locale then, but Betar in general.

The newly appointed commandant, Pinchas Laks, occupied himself with the necessary reorganization of Betar. Political lectures and classes on various themes took place three times a week. By the end of 1934, Markuszow Betar counted 105 uniformed youth, aside from a group of older youth who considered themselves belonging to Hatzohar.

In the latter half of 1936, Yerachmiel Rubinstein. was appointed Betar commandant. As a response to the events in Eretz-Israel that broke out again that year, Rubinstein and I undertook a trial to create in the shtetl, as was done in other places in Poland, a “Brit Hachayal”–a union of former Jewish soldiers and officers. An invitation from the new organization to a founding meeting was sent to all the former soldiers. Intense efforts were made to establish a Brit Hachayal–but without success. Very few ex-soldiers accepted our invitations and approaches.

In 1937, the famous royal commission, with Lord Peel at its head, came to Israel in order to, ostensibly, determine the reasons for the unrest.

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Lord Peel and his commissioners concluded that 4% of the land of Eretz-Israel should become a Jewish state, whereas the remaining 96% should become an Arab state. But before the World Zionist Organization could take a stand on the Peel plan, Jabotinsky issued a strong “no:” “The cripple will not be created!” A big education effort was necessary around the conclusions of the English commission. In a shtetl like Markuszow, the best place for this was the besmedresh. I actually exploited the opportunity: On Tisha B'Av,

Avrumtche Edelstein, first commandant of Betar

–We want to help Jabotinsky's people!

These words were spoken in a time when the only obstacle to Revisionist work in Markuszow was actually the chasidim who used to revile us as “Tzionim shkootzim.” But afterward, when the two

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chasidic authorities mentioned above declared themselves supporters of Revisionism, there were no particular obstacles to creating a religious group under the name of “Achdut Israel”. It met in Itzchak Fingerhut's house. A sefer-Torah was placed there, and 4-5 minyans of religious Markuszow Jews were now loyal chasidim for Revisionism. Every Shabbes, before the reading of the Torah, it was already a custom to have a political lecture about the most important events of the week in and around Eretz-Israel. The supporters of Achdut Israel listened with great interest to the information about the battles being waged by Jewish heroes there.

As mentioned, most of the older Jews in the years 1937-1939 were Revisionist inclined, and that insured success in advance for every action that Hatzohar carried out in the shtetl. In 1938, an order came from central in Warsaw to set up the work necessary for the illegal aliyah, the so-called Aliyah Bet, in whose framework we had to get Betar members to make aliyah. In Markuszow, a “committee to support low income youths for aliyah” was created. The first work of the committee consisted of calling together a board of the most prominent social activists with the kehileh representative at the head. Moishe Ettinger, the president of the kehileh at the time, its dozors, and other important activists on the board, came to the conclusion that not only the well-to-do Jews should benefit from the right to make aliyah to E.I, but also poor youth who want to settle in the land of our fathers, and who don't have the material opportunities thereby, should receive the full support of Jewish society. Moishe Ettinger was ready to demonstrate the far-reaching support of the plan, with the proviso that the committee should be legalized by the authorities, and thus get official permission to solicit funds.

The day after the meeting, I went to se the soltis^[3] authority in Pulawy, and got the permission necessary for our new initiative. The following Sunday we three–the kehileh representative, the Betar commandant, and I, went from house to house, explained the job of the committee, and everyone contributed a monthly fee. It was also decided that the revenue from the performances of the drama club be used to help the olim with fewer resources.

It is worthwhile to take the opportunity to relate the following characteristic case:

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A number of activists from the trade union, which was under the influence of the communists, approached Betar leadership in the shtetl with the request to be included in the organization with the reasoning that if Betar looks after the poor, the idea of belonging to such a movement is not a bad one.

The committee accomplished a lot both in the domain of education, and funding. It did not however manage to send any of the Markuszow youth on aliyah. World war II was approaching. The Nazi occupation destroyed all the beautiful plans of the Jewish youth, destroying the dreamers along with their dreams.

In August 1938, on the initiative of Markuszow Betar, a summer colony was set up in Bobowiska, a village about 4 km from Markuszow, for the Betarists from Lublin, Korew, and Markuszow. Two hundred and fifty Betar members from these places spent 6 weeks in 8 houses in a pine forest. A tradition was established that the “colonists” would come to daven in the shtetl on Saturday. Markuszow residents, Jews as well as non-Jewish Poles, were stunned to see, on a Saturday morning, the arrival of the Betarists in military uniforms, with a steady step and singing, marching into the shtetl and to the besmedresh just when the first minyan had ended their davening, and the second minyan was about to start. Our little Trumpeldorniks settled on the shul pews, took their little siddurs out of their bags, and davened. The congregants were full of pride at their “Jewish army,” and were a topic of conversation that Shabbes day. After the davening, Rivkeh Capa distributed refreshments to the Betarists who left in the afternoon accompanied by practically all the Markuszow Jews. Young and old accompanied them all the way to the colony in Bobowiska.

I will end my recollections about Betar with the attempts to establish a division of the secret Jewish youth organization, “Irgun Zvai Leumi” (Etzel).^[4] It happened like this:

While the Betarists were in the colony in Bobowiska, and I was strolling around on a Saturday afternoon with some young people from our shtetl, two young people dressed in civilian clothes called me aside, and after we had found a quiet place in the woods, they transmitted an order to me from the head of Etzel,

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that I was nominated to be their man in Markuszow, and that I would be sent the necessary materials, instructions, and written lectures for the new organization under the most strict rules of conspiracy. I accepted this nomination, and set up a connection with several young people from the shtetl. A few days later, the material for our work was sent to me. The daily newspaper, “Die Tat,” was also published at the time, edited by Nathan Friedman (Yellin). As an Etzel publication, this particular organ, helped a lot for our education work, and had the largest circulation in Markuszow–50 copies a day, a number that far exceeded the circulation of “Heint,” “Moment,” “Folkszeitung,” and all the other Jewish newspapers put together. The success of the spread of Die Tat, was helped in great measure by the 14-year-old Pinchas Capa.

The members of Etzel held frequent secret meetings in the fields or the forest. Everyone of them was filled with a blazing belief and enthusiasm for a Jewish land. They were registered for Aliyah Bet, and hoped to make aliyah to Eretz-Israel at any moment. They did not live to realize their dream, sharing the fate of the murdered Markuszow Jews.

Honor to their memory!

[Un-numbered next page]

Betar in Markuszow

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Betar and Hatzohar in Markuszow

1. Betar is a Hebrew acronym of Brit Trumpeldor (Yosef Trumpeldor Covenant). It is also the name of the Jewish fort that survived during the Bar Kochba Revolt and the last to fall to the Romans (136 C.E.) Yosef Trumpeldor (1880-1920) was a heroic fighter who was killed at the Tel Chai massacre by Lebanese Shia. Return
2. Jewish State party Return
3. Village magistrate in Poland Return
4. National Military Organization Return

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Markuszow caught on late to the echoes reverberating from the turbulent Jewish life of Poland in the first years after WWI. A mere echo of the “sturm und drang period” reached the shtetl, broke into traditional Jewish homes, aroused and excited hearts, and implanted new beliefs and ideas.

News about the fruitful work of the proletarian-Zionist workers movement, Poalei-Zion, came to Markuszow from neighboring shtetls like Korew, Konskowola, and Pulawy, from nearby Lublin and from more distant Warsaw, with their comprehensive activities in the political, social, cultural, and Israeli realms. There were several supporters of Poale-Zion in the shtetl who determined to establish an organization and carry on party activities.

The origin of the left Poalei-Zion in Markuszow dates from the year 1923. At that time, chaver^[1] Beinish was sent from Warsaw. First, he began to organize the youth. He was, however, impeded from doing this work when the police began mixing in.

A year later, (1924) chaver Yehoshua Tarchitz came down from Pulawy and with equal energy began to establish the Poale-Zion party, the first Zionist worker organization. The founding meeting took place in the residence of the Glozshneider brothers with the participation of about 30 people, among them: Shmuel-Yakov and Avraham-Lozer Wichter, Obadiah Glasman, Velvl Braten, Mordechai Glasman, and others. The most important decisions of the founding meeting were: affiliating with the central committee in Warsaw, subscribing to the “Arbeter Zeitung” (central organ of the party), and legalizing a division of the “social evening classes for workers in Warsaw” with the authorities.

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Chaver Tarchitz used to come to us once a week from Pulawy, most of the time on foot, ignoring the rain, snow or the hottest days. With his help the first lectures on Marxism, Borochovism,^[2] and actual political events, were held. From at the beginning, there was no fixed locale, the lectures, or as we called them–circles, were always held at a different comrade's house. The organization grew, however, and by 1925, the comrades had collected enough money to get their own locale. (In the Pole, Zurman's, house). During the house warming the red flag was hung up for the first time. Over 60 workers and other people came to the celebration. Motl Glazshneider chaired the event. The keynote speech, including well-wishes from the central committee, was given by Yehoshua Tarchitz. While delivering the greetings from the Peretz library, Binyomin Kershenblat, forgot his memorized speech, apologized, and had to read the written welcome. A different impression was made by Shmuel Nirenberg from the Konskowoler Poalei-Zion organization, but not especially by his words, but by his traditional chasidic garb.

The first board of directors of the evening class society (that was the official, legal name under which Poalei-Zion carried out its activities in Poland) was composed of: Chaim-Mendl Goldwasser, Motl Glozschneider, Israel Edelstein, Yakov Goldshlager, Abraham-Lozer Wichter.

Thanks to the locale, it was possible to carry out normal activities. Once a week a political discussion took place on the nature of Poalei-Zion related to the events in Eretz-Israel, in Poland, and across the world. Public readings on literarary or political themes were held quite often.

One such reading, I recall, was given by the writer, Yoel Mastboim, “On the Emancipation of Women.” The speaker strongly criticized the use of powder and lipstick by women.

All these discussions and lectures were led by chaver Yosl Lerman (from Korew) and a chaver from Kuzmir whose name I can't remember, and other party comrades.

The designation, “evening classes,” was not merely a notice of our activities. There were indeed courses in reading and writing Yiddish. Aside from those, Pinyeh Ettinger read interesting

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fragments of classical works every Saturday. Every Friday evening, “kestle”^[3] discussions were held where various questions were addressed.

The chaverim were strongly dedicated to the organization. Over 40 members regularly attended all the party activities and paid the weekly fee of 25 groshen.

The decision to establish a library was rather quickly realized. We bought books from the representatives of the publishing houses in Warsaw and Vilna that used to visit Markuszow, levied fees, and in that manner, acquired the first hundred books. The librarian was Yankl Goldschlager.

May 1, 1925 was celebrated for the first time by Jewish Markuszowers. The red flag flew from the roof of the party clubhouse. Over 100 people attended the May meeting. Everyone wore a red symbol on their lapel. The audience listened to the speeches of Shmuel-Motl Glozshneider (chairman), and Yosl Lerman (Korew) with the greatest attentiveness. The specially prepared choir sang worker songs.

The ideological differences among Jews in Poland was reflected in Markuszow. At the end of 1926, a group of Poalei Zion members left he party and founded a trade union that in time became transformed into a branch of the local Communist party. (Reds) Because of the internal dissension, frequent discussions, and general turmoil, party work stopped almost completely. A lock was hung up in the locale–the sign of inactivity.

The trade union did not have its own locale. It seemed as if cultural life in the shtetl was finally halted.

At the time, a large number of Jews, Polish citizens, were expelled from Germany. One of them, Dovid'che Sandberg, an erstwhile Korew resident, settled in Markuszow along with his wife and three children. A member of Poalei Zion for years, he was not happy with the inactivity of the party. Even though he was not yet properly settled in, he threw himself into party work and carried it out prodigiously. He was helped by a group of activists: Israel Edlstein, (from the Peretz library) Pinyeh Ettinger, Chaim Mendl Goldwasser. This same Sandberg also formed a drama club

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that produced well-attended performances in the fire hall (Shopeh) and elsewhere. They put on: Andreyev's The Seven Hanged, Hirshbein's, The Empty Tavern, Sholem Aleichem's, The Big Win.”

Political education was carried out regularly in clubs, discussions and lectures. This all took place in chaver Sandberg's house. Once we had a visit from Y. Petezeil (from Warsaw) who had just returned from visiting Eretz Israel. Then we learned that chaver Zerubabel was in Pulawy where the Jewish Workers' pinkas was being prepared for print under his direction. Zerubabel accepted our invitation to come to Markuszow and lecture on Peretz. The lecture took place on a cold winter evening. The room was so overfilled that many people had to stand outside, and the windows had to be opened so that the crowd could hear the lecture.

In 1925, the Peretz library stopped its activities. Most of the activists either got married or immigrated overseas, or to Warsaw, and there was no youthful energy to continue the cultural work. The 800 books found a place now in Pinyeh Ettinger's attic. But the youth of the shtetl began to protest over why we had liquidated such a library that was rotting in storage. After long negotiations, and passionate discussions, it was decided to divide the library into three equal parts among Poalei Zion, Zionists, and the trade union (Communists).

The difficult material circumstances of Dovid'che Sandberg forced him to relocate to Korew. After he left the shtetl, we aspired to continue the party work. Comrades donated small and larger sums and a locale was rented at the Pole, Opoloski's, house. Rent was paid for a year in advance. The house worming for the second locale was celebrated with a magnificent banquet. Meyer Schildkraut came from Lublin to address us. A group of comrades from Korew also joined us in the celebration.

1927. The elections for the Sjem^[4] were approaching. In Markuszow, as well as in the rest of the country, a passionate campaign for votes took place. Our party first of all carried out an assessment for the vote fund which brought in a significant sum. Comrades happily contributed to the vote campaign–not only with money but also with house calls. They visited every Jewish house in the shtetl, and campaigned for votes for the Poalei Zion list.

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Our voter meetings and gatherings met with great success. Speakers like Meyer Schildkraut and Sh. Mitlman from Lublin, and Itzchak Levi from Warsaw came to our meetings. Aside from them, chaver Yosl Lerman of Korew, Yehoshua Tartchitz from Pulawy, and a chaver from Kuzmir came to Markuszow to help us in our work.

Youth committee Sitting from L to R: Chaneh Gothelf, Sureh Mast Standing: Asher Holzhendler, Moishe Wichter, and D. Brenner (Tevl)

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voter. The results of such work was seen in the voting: Our list–number 5–received a large number of Jewish votes in the shtetl where also other lists ran: Agudah, Zionists, “Reds.” We came out victorious in our first political campaign.

During Passover, 1927, the fifteenth year jubilee of the party's existence was celebrated in Konskowola. About 20 male and female comrades from Markuszow planned to take part in the celebrations. To do that they had to secretly gather outside the shtetl at a predetermined spot and then arrive in Konskowola in a rented wagon because it was Shabbes, and we didn't want to make trouble for our parents with michalel Shabbes^[5] in public. It did not however help. There are no secrets in a small shtetl. Our parents found out about our chilul Shabbes, and the shtetl buzzed about it for a long time. I also wanted to hide my Saturday trip to Konskowola, but I was outed by the carriage driver, Borek's son, who came to our house to collect the fare for the trip. It went from bad to worse: my mother's first reaction was–a broom over the head.

In general there was no lack of interference in our party-social work, because of the frequent mixing-in of the shtetl religious bureaucracy, and our strongly religious parents. The party's drama circle was keen to put on performances in the shtetl. One time, we had prepared a Saturday night piece. Both the actors and the audience were looking forward to the “premiere.” Saturday morning we learned that the fire hall (shopeh) had been reserved for a concert, and we would not be able to put on the play. We did not however want to cancel the performance, and we remembered that there was an unfinished building in town, around which there were lots of construction materials and boards. With little hesitation we went over there and built a stage and benches for the audience. Not far from there lived Chaneh the kasheh maker, a very pious woman, who heard the hammering and quickly went and told the shtetl rabbi. Shtetl Jews as well as the rabbi came to observe the curious sight of Jewish youths hammering, sawing, constructing a theater hall on Shabbes. They decreed that we must stop our work, but we did not obey, until they called the police. Nevertheless, the show took place that evening. The hall was packed. The play

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went on with no interruptions. The rabbi's granddaughter, Itteh Goldwasser (now in Paris) was among the “artists.” Her mother could not forgive such a desecration, and she was always knocking on the window, calling, “Itteh, come home!” Her younger brother who was in the hall, chimed in, “Itteh, get down off the stage! Mother wants you!” We were helpless. We had to stop the performance. Our anger was great, and for revenge, we–girls and boys–marched through the shtetl crying, “Down with the clerics! Down with darkness!”

Thanks to the new location that we managed to acquire at the beginning of 1927, the Poalei Zionist youth organization, “Yugnt” was founded in the spring of that year, the first of its kind in the shtetl at that time. Soon after, the children's organization, “Yungbor” (young Borochowists) was founded.

Among the first founders of Yugnt were: the sisters Perl and Dvoireh Gothelf, Itteleh “Machornik,” Chaim-Leib Fishbein, Israel Nadelman, and myself. Young workers, tradesmen, and students joined the organization. Political discussions took place every Saturday afternoon led by Avraham-Lozer Wichter^[6], Pinyeh Ettinger, and others. Our comrades from Korew helped us in this activity: Aharon Ackerman, chaver Leibl, and emissaries from Warsaw. An instructor specially sent from Central, initiated regular activities: kestl evenings, and regular discussion about Borochovism.^[7] All these events were well attended, and the youth developed an active movement. In winter we would organize excursions on the ice–with skates and sleds. We were sometimes attacked on these excursions by Polish {Christian}young hooligans. We never retreated from these attacks, however, and we endured these wars and all their consequences even in the face of violence.

There was an unspoken agreement with the nearby shtetls of Korew and Konskowola that we would attend each other's party celebrations or social events. We would travel to the shtetls in sleighs and wagons, stuffed with a lot of straw, to help out our brother organizations achieve success in their undertakings.

Mechl Ettinger, a member of the sports club, Gwiazda (Star) returned from Warsaw. With his help,

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a sports club was established in Yugnt whose only activity was soccer. Aside from that, we used to organize excursions every Shabbes, far from the shtetl, in forests and villages. We really enjoyed those Saturdays, picking fruit from the trees, eating with the farmers, and free of the daily concerns. In the summer of 1927 we organized a get-together with the youth of Konskowola halfway between us–in the forest near Korew. After that first meeting, we continued such gatherings with other neighboring organizations.

Central in Warsaw would send us lectures and instructors from time to time whose visits we would often use as the occasion for public lectures like for example: M. Grob, Y. Miller, Burstin, Motl Knobowitz (from Pinsk) Meir'l Reich, Inzsh, Steinmetz. The latter reported on “The Way to a Jewish Land.”

Even our youngsters–Yungbor–were not lagging in their activities. Children from school or the workshop belonged. Almost every Yungborist knew the life story of the great worker-thinker, Ber Borochov. The growth of Yungbor necessitated the installation of a special children's section in the library. The members who could not read or write were given courses by the organization. The children also had their own drama club, and with the participation of Shloime Mittlman from Lublin, they put on Y. L. Peretz's “Die Din-Torah Mitn Vint.” The children waited impatiently for the publication of “Kindervelt” edited by chaver Yakov Kenner. The Markuszow Yungborists collected money so that everyone could get the special uniform (a navy blue blouse with a red tie) that could be purchased at Central in Warsaw. Our Yungborists used to greet each other enthusiastically with the password “Ready–always ready.”

I was given the honor of representing Markuszow Yungbor at the first national conference of the Yungbor organization in Warsaw in 1928.

At the fifth anniversary of Yugnt in Markuszow, Yungbor brought the most valuable gift, 20 Yungborists graduated into Yugnt.

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Persecutions

On the eve of May 1^st 1929, one of our most active comrades, Shmuel Yakov Wichter was arrested. He was accused of distributing illegal Communist literature. The arrest took place in the following circumstances:

There was a poor farmer in Markuszow who made a living from various jobs, from delivering a package to herding cattle. The communist activist, Feivl Wichter, hired him to go to the train station in Naleczow to receive a package. When he had retrieved the package, he was stopped by the police, and it turned out that the small package contained hundreds of leaflets for the May demonstrations from the then illegal KPP (Polish Communist Party). The farmer identified our comrade, Shmuel Yakov Wichter, as the person who hired him to go to the train at Naleczow to pick up the parcel. The farmer's mistake stemmed from the fact that both brothers resembled each other, and Feivl Wichter had also covered his face with a kerchief to prevent identification. Shmuel Yakov Wichter knew who had brought down the package of leaflets, but he decided to keep silent, even though during the investigation and in jail he endured much grief and persecution. He spent nine months in the Lublin “zamek”^[8] before his trial. In the meantime, a hard battle was going on between the political prisoners and the prison administration connected to a 4-day hunger strike. After Shmuel Yakov Wichter was freed at the trial, we saw him in the shtetl with clear signs of beatings and exhaustion. This did not prevent him from continuing to advance his party work, undertaking the distinguished role of chairman of the left Poalei-Zion in Markuszow.

Pesach, 1932, marked the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Yugnt organization in Markuszow. To mark this date, we undertook to organize a big celebration with the participation of bigger delegations from Lublin (15 comrades), Korew, Konskowola, and Miechow. Chairman of the event was Nachum Glasman. After his opening speech, various representatives delivered greetings from different areas.

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I reported on the five years of Markuszow Poalei-Zion youth. David Stockfish from Lublin gave a report titled, The Duties of the Jewish Labor Movement. Then a richly artistic event was put on: the choir sang the workers' hymns, the drama club put on various stage adaptations under the direction of A. Akerman. Then the sport group managed to successfully display some pyramids. The celebration ended with a comradely banquet the next day.

During the Sejm elections of 1932, the party organization, along with Yugnt and Yungbor, were very active in education work and propaganda. There were a lot of competitors for the vote in the Jewish street.

However, after the voting came depression. Many members, especially the older ones, began to demonstrate apathy and indifference to the turbulent atmosphere. In truth, many were caught up in the emigration waves to larger cities or abroad. Some got married and it was difficult to be involved with worries about livelihood, especially for a family, along with party and social activities. These discouraged comrades were not disappointed in the party, in its ideology, but were simply tired. In such circumstances it was hard to hold onto the locale which was costing a lot of money. Fortunately, our youth did not participate in this atmosphere of apathy. Thanks to their personal experiences and the close relationships among them, they got together every evening in another house, entertaining themselves socially and politically, and continued to live in an atmosphere of collective thought and deeds. Thanks to these youths the authority and reputation of our organization in the shtetl did not diminish, and we continued to receive the credit and trust of the Markuszow Jews. We led political discussions, and shone a light on the events that were going on in the wider world, Eretz Israel, and Poland. The contacts with Central in Warsaw, and the regional committee in Lublin were not severed. On the contrary, instructors and lecturers were regularly coming to visit us, especially in relation to the debates in the party about the forms of active action on Zionist and Eretz Israel issues. The Markuszow organization remained true to the attitudes of the majority.

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We understood that it was difficult to go on with party work when there was no appropriate locale. It was actually the youth who came up with the idea of creating a party-club, and the first to donate their pennies to that goal. We managed to get a locale, renew the library, and continue the party work until 1935, when I immigrated to Eretz Israel.

That year, I took to getting ready to realize my longstanding dream about immigration. Contributing to this were the strong antisemitic winds that were

Poalei-Zion committee Sitting from L to R: Nachum Glazman, Esther Freidman, David Brenner (Tevl), Chanah Rotstein, Moishe Wichter, Yechiel Gothelf

Even now, I can still see before me the dozens of comrades who affectionately bid me farewell on a special evening. It was hard to part from such

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close friends, friends I had lived with for years. The only consolation and hope was that we would all meet in the Jewish state. Who could then have predicted the tragic fate of our brothers?

From the countless letters I received from Markuszow while in the land, I was kept informed abut the Poalei-Zion work in the shtetl which continued until the catastrophe of 1939. I want to mention several names of the loyal guard Poalei-Zion who in really difficult conditions continued the beautiful traditions of our party.

Nachum Glasman, a carpenter-worker, took my place in the party. He distinguished himself with his earnest comportment and responsibility to party work. At the age of ten, he had to begin work and could not finish even the folks-shule. He managed to flee to Russia during the war, and as a soldier in the Red Army, he took part in almost all the major battles and fell at the start of 1945 when Berlin was being stormed.

Hershl Nadleman was a child of poor parents who distinguished himself especially by his energetic youth work. On his own, he went over to Borochivism, and led Yungbor for a while.

The brothers, Moishe and Shaul Wichter were among the most loyal comrades in the party. Unfortunately, I don't know of their tragic end. There was news about Moishe Wichter who was believed to have been seen in Italy after liberation.

The energetic and youthful Rochl-Leah Wichter distinguished herself with her devotion and activity. She shared the tragic fate of the Markuszow Jews.

Honor to their memory!

1. Comrade Return
2. Ber Borochov, 1881-1917, Marxist-Zionist, founding member of the Labour Zionists, and important contributor to Yiddish language studies. Return
3. Kestle means “box.” Questions were submitted to a designated box and addressed during the meeting. Return
4. Polish parliament Return
5. Desecration of the Sabbath Return
6. Name unclear Return
7. One of the founders of Labor or Marxist Zionism. Return
8. Polish: lock, castle, fortress Return

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