[Pages 102-107]

The organized Zionist activity among the youths in our town began before World War I. It is my wish here to describe the period immediately after the war in 1918, in which I participated in laying the foundation of the “Poaley Zion” party and its youths' movement “Freiheit” (Dror), from which many servants and organizers of social, political and cultural life of the workers and labourers in our town originated.

After the Jewish soldiers returned from the battlefields and exchanged their uniforms for civilian clothes, social life had also changed in our city. Hundreds of Jewish children had lived without parental supervision during the four years of war. The writer of this column was among them. My father, Feivel Harr, of blessed memory, was also mobilized into the Austrian army.

These children went through the war in awe, starvation and illnesses, especially the typhus epidemic which killed many in every segment of the Lancut population. It affected especially the poor that lived from hand-to-mouth such as market peddlers, peddlers that roamed in villages, trades people and families of missing husbands because of the war.

The suffering and mental shock had forced children of my age to unite and organize because of the inner push, we strove for changes and a goal that as not clear to us yet. However, we did desire on thing and that was, a change in our lives which would be different from yesterday and the morrow would be different from today.

We began to organize shows for hundreds of children in the yard of our comrade, Michael Walzer. The “stage” was erected between two walls and the rest of the walls of the theatre we built from bricks from the destroyed bakery of Moshe, Chaya Eidels. With strenuous efforts and with our own hands, we founded an association following Dr. Moshe Hiter's proposal. We called it “An Association for Jewish Children”. The first instructors of the children's association were the writer of this column and Michael Walzer. Our organized appearance made a strong impression on the mature activists, and veterans of public activity. Reb Getzel Druker, the chairman of the help committee, one of the respected citizens of the community and an outstanding Zionist activist, gave me courage and promised me his assistance. At that time, I was twelve years old!

We were not satisfied with only shows and plays. As authors, producers and actors all at the same time, we organized reading groups. From my brother David Harrr and Leizer Fas, we received, as a gift, books and notebooks which arrived with the first shipment of books that were designated for the “Max Rosenfeld” new library.

The change that occurred in our lives surprised us and made us feel like new-born.

The boys and girls, children from lower stratums in our city, which according to their age, found themselves between us, the young people, and those who had served in the war and still carried the provincialism of a small shtetl with their behaviour and outer appearance. The young men wore short haircuts like prisoners in prison, giant boots and heavy worn-out clothing. The girls wore shawls like old ladies, an attire that had not changed for generations. Their faces were an expression of worry and their eyes of fear. Their movement was lacking security after war years, pogroms, angst and anticipation as to what would happen the next day.

For hundreds of children the “Cheder” was the only place where they concentrated and the teacher was the only source of their education. In spite of being seated on the same benches in “Cheder”, there was a wall dividing the wealthier and the poorer children. Many children played and wallowed in the big and small square which was covered with dust, mud and dirt.

Tailors, shoe repairment, engravers, glaziers, blacksmiths and poor bakers made their workshops in their living quarters and after a hard day's work, they went out to the village to buy food from the farmers or raced to the Beit Hamidrash to catch the evening services in order to relax from the laborious tension and to enjoy a little vain chit-chat.

The city Jews worked hard for a living. They did not mix in with community problems as long as it did not involve them personally. Those problems were handled by the elite of the city, by the wealthy.

There was no organizational centre to guid young people of our age in those day – to direct them to organize education activities. The “Poaley Zion” organization had young people in her ranks aged fifteen and over. Therefore, we, the children, found shelter under the shades of the mature.

After talking with Reb Getzel Druker, his son, the Dr. Dolek Druker, a sympathizer of the working class, talked to us about the status of the workers in the “Poaley Zion” room located in the house of Melech Shteiner, and about hygienic life.

During the world conference of the “Poaley Zion” in 1920, a split occurred in the World Poaley Zion movement which affected our Lancut branch, every group including the members of the “Children's Association”. 90% of the Paley Zion movement kept away because of ideologic reasons and emigrated to Germany, France, Belgium and the United States. A big part of the membership remained devoted to the group of Dr. Shiper and Chaim Henig.

The members of the “Children's Association” had also split. One part followed the older brothers and many of them joined the “Hashomer Hatzayir” but the majority remained under the influence of the writer of this column in the “Poaley Zion” and became the junior group of the movement.

We began a recruiting campaign of new members. We rented a room decorated with pictures and slogans of the movement. Groups were organized for social and cultural activities. In the winter evenings, the lighted, warm place, bustled with members and students from schools that studied and prepared their homework. The most active in this educational work was the gymnasium student, Ephraim Zisappel, who devoted much of his time and energy for the groups. Our activity made a strong impression upon the Jewish working population. In time, the differences between the many young people's groups had disappeared and the process of merging and mutual closeness between them was felt as w ell as the crystallization of the way to mutual activities. Some new shapes of membership were created, permeated with patriotic pride, labour and class consciousness.

The merger of the two youth's movements in 1922 – the Poaley Zion and the Zionist Socialists, called “Jewish Socialistic Youth Movement” served as a push to a new start – to a complete general Zionist activity.

The experience of the Jews in the four years of Poland's independence proved that Polish Jewry would not be interwoven as equal citizens in the life of the new country. The Balfour Declaration caused a turning point in the life of the movement and the theory on the passive relationship toward Zionism and the rejection of the Hebrew language, did not pass the test of the Jewish reality. Everyone dreamt about emigration to Eretz Israel. Therefore, we began learning the Hebrew language, Eretz Israel geography, history of Zionism – knowledge that was demanded by the emigration office as a condition to be candidate for emigration.

At this point, it is worthwhile to mention the members that were activists age 17 to 21, born and grew up during a period of hard political and economic struggle.

Hertz Yasem who perished in the Holocaust, Uli Milrad a devoted activist until 1939, murdered by the Germans, Israel Cukier, chairman of Poaley Zion for many years after David Har's emigration to Eretz Israel. He carried the burden of the party's budget. He was not a man of words but of deeds and perished in the Holocaust. Zisha Har, the oldest of the young ones, active secretary in Poaley Zion until 1939. Joseph Har, the founder of the first sport club “Samson”, trainer of the light athletic group and member in the Hazamir orchestra at the age of 16. He voluntarily joined the Austrian Marines and participated in the battle during the revolution of Bela Kohn in Hungary. He escaped from Hungary via Stryj to Lancut and immediately became the life spirit of various sport activities. At that time, many members, among them Benjamin Yasem, Melech Kezshtecher and Zalman Hiter were ready for emigration to Eretz Israel.

Eretz Israel was the subject of conversation by everyone. The aspiration to be prepared and emigrate had strengthened, which had influenced the wide folks' circles causing social, economical class change. The need in active Zionism and self-realization was clear to everyone without doubt or discussion.

The merger of the Jewish working youth with the Socialist-Zionists in 1926 brought with it the founding of “Freiheit” movement with its' centre in Warsaw. In the Freiheit movement we saw a historic opportunity and a turning point to an independent activity of the people's youth. 70 members in the Lancut branch joined the centre. To the member's committee of the organization, the following members were elected: Moshe Har, chairman, Rachel Gutman, secretary, Israel Milrad, Gitshe Yasem, Shlomo Yasem, Binek Salpeter, Zanvel Yasem, Sheindl Kezshtecher and Dvorah Kezshtecher. The young people in our ranks were an essential human reserve for the Poaley Zion party in Lancut.

Our colleague, Binek Salpeter, was a big help to us being a student with a broad education, organizational talents and a sharp debater. He instructed every cultural and craftsmanship activity such as the drama group, orchestra, choir and in the intellectual circles. The personality of B. Salpeter completed the scope of activities in the “Freiheit” branch.

Our education activities brought our pupils closer to their obligations and raised a few offshoots of young activists. Wolf Kneller and Dvora Kezshtecher guided the young females in the “Freiheit”. Students from the elementary schools were accepted into the ranks of “Junior Scouts”. In 1928, they joined the “Hatzofeh Hatzayir” (scouts). They stood out with their uniforms and their scouting ways of life.

The instructors of the pioneer groups were: Zeinvel Yasem, which at present is a member of the Givat Hashlosha kibbutz, and Moshe Marsel, a member of kibbutz Yagur.

Because of the rapid growth of the Poaley Zion branch and because of their widespread interest in the problems of Jewish workers, the branch was forced to move to a more spacious place in the building of the old gymnasium. But the “Freiheit”, with all its groups and circles, had remained in the old quarters of the branch.

The “League for the Working Eretz Israel” had united into her domain for special activities, all the organizations and associations that were affiliated with the “Workers Histadrut” in Eretz Israel. They were: Poaley Zion, Freiheit, Hechalutz Hatzayir, Stam Hechalutz and the Hashomer Hatzayir.

We initiated and proposed to all of the above-mentioned organizations to arrange an honest and free debate on current events, every Friday night by delegates from every movement. The first debate took place in the Hashomer Hatzayir club in which representatives of all pioneer organizations participated. Hashomer Hatzayir, Akiva and Freiheit. The meetings were attended by representatives from every movement and organization and were held on Friday nights. They were honest and free debates with positive results because lately there began appearing some public and social separation between the organizations.

The colleague, Tzvi Derfler, a representative of Hashomer Hatzayir, deserves a lot of credit for his mission in bringing the parties closer, thanks to his patient character and honest relationship toward his opponents in social and political life. He demonstrated strong activity for “The League of Workers in Eretz Israel” which was done, mainly, by the “Freiheit” and “Poaley Zion” organizations.

A district convention of “Poaley Zion” in 1928

Our organization had established a library named: “Jugent Freiheit Bibliotek” which had owned 600 books. Rachel Gutman was the librarian. The library ad also signed a subscription of 60 editions of the “Freiheit” newspaper.

In 1931, “Freiheit” celebrated is 5-year existence in “Beit Haam” with a big splash. The writer of this column made the opening of the celebration and reviewed the development of “Freiheit” during its five-year existence and described the role of an organized young Jewish man in our city, outlining future activities.

The visit of comrade Yehuda Kopilowich was connected with the 5^th anniversary celebration. He arrived during a cold winter from the shores of the Death Sea, Sodom. He was welcomed by the representatives of every organization and his appearance made a great impression in our city.

When my brother David Har visited Lancut in 1933, to his satisfaction he found a united and organized youth. The “junior scouts” wearing its uniforms, the young “Freiheit” wearing blue shirts and the “Hechalutz” boys shoed in heavy shoes and leather jackets. The young people changed their regular shape into a revolutionary shape. It was evident that the change in the life of the young people was a big jump forwards in the short seven years since David Har had left the city and had emigrated to Eretz Israel. Many of the “Cheder” children, the weak and the pale-faced, became life enjoying, healthy and happy “scouts”. Their instructors were young, contentious men active in pioneer preparedness and in the trade associations.

On Mayday, the members of “Freiheit” joined the International Labour Holiday and the general strike. They were participants in experiencing class loyalty of the “Good Day”.

During the strikes, demonstrations and parliament elections, there were some contact between us and the P.P.S., following instructions of the central head office. Active in the above contacts were the socialist Krumholtz family and the manager of the cooperative “Spis”.

After 15 years of activities, the working families in Lancut won a respectful status, among the public of Lancut, in the district committee and even in the Warsaw centre. People of the “Freiheit” carried the daily yoke on their shoulders with a vision for the future and for the realization of generational continuity.

The great event which our organization experienced, was the convention in Krakow in 1933(?) with the participation of Chaim Orlozorow.

When the newspaper fund in that year was established for the “Word” newspaper of the “League for the Working Eretz Israel” under the leadership of comrade Melech Nieishtadt and comrade Tiger, our branch outstood in the activity of performance for the task.

It seems to me that the Lancut membership of the “Freiheit” was infected with the enthusiasm and Hasidic devotion that influenced the awareness and faithfulness to the idea which had something to do with the city's Hasidic spirit rested upon. Out of self-effort and self-education, the people of our group crystalized the ethical values in the relationship toward the individual, the public, class and the nation.

From receivers and being influenced, we turned into givers and influential upon others in every area of social, patriotic and cultural activity. It is proper to point out that the Jewish population enjoyed every event that we initiated including the professional intelligentsia.

Lecturers, writers and people of knowledge were invited lecture on subjects of literature, social and ideology. We also arranged literary meetings. I would like to mention, especially, our activity in establishing a drama circle that staged plays for the artistic enjoyment of the entire Jewish population in the city. We had at our disposal, an auditorium for the performances thanks to the effort of David Har and his wife, Tzipora. They obtained the permission from the owner of the building, Yaacov Joshua Gutman, father-in-law of David Har, to create an auditorium in the building for a theatre, and we used it free of charge.

A series of plays began with the play: “Der Wilder Mentch”, produced by David Pasternak, which had the main role within the amateur group of Tzipora Har, Esther Tuchfeld, Kalman Teitelbaum, David Har, Tzivia Tuchfeld and Wintergreen and Fenichel from Rzeszow.

The artistic success of the group was great but not financially sound. We were forced to rent out the auditorium to the entrepreneur, Moshe Shtitzel, who taught dancing. Actually, the stage belonged to the Poaley Zion and the hall to Shtizel. In order to stage a performance, we had to turn to the two owners.

After the Pasternak family left Lancut, Moshe Chorgal joined the drama club who later became a known actor in the Satirical Theatre “Hamatateh” in Tel-Aviv.

The theatrical auditorium turned the ruins to a cultural corner which fed the Jewish population with all kinds of artistic performances, shows, gatherings, parties and lectures for many years after World War I.

The Socialist Zionists made many social and ideologic changes among the Jews, in those years, which caused a process of cultural and social changes of values. Patterns of social life had crystalized and members of box sexes had woven their lives in the framework of the movement enthusiastically and with belief.

The drama group members perfected their cultural mission under the guidance of the actor, A. Rozencweig, a member of the artist association in Warsaw. During the group's activity, many plays and sketches were staged and among them was “Oyf Der Shwell Fun Glik” about Jewish family life in America.

The troupe had performed in many cities in the area and the audience loved them. The members of the group had specialized in specific roles. Especially outstanding was the comedian Wolf Tuchfeld who was murdered by the Nazi with his family. Witel Gutman, who always had a steady junior smile on her face, was always given tragic roles. Her acting always aroused sympathetic emotion among the audience. Her end was bitter and tragic. She perished with her children by the hands of the Nazi. Zisha Har was a quiet young man who always played the roles of patriarchs and bosses involved in family conflicts. He died lonesome, abandoned in the plains of Siberia. Sheindl Einhorn-Milrad, a girl with a gentle soul and charming, played the role of a bashful girl and abandoned brides. She was murdered with her husband and children. Leizer Yitzhak Gutman and Wolf Gutman perished by the hands of the Germans. Rachel Gutman-Greener, (at present in Israel) played comic roles. Alti Yasem was a partner in acting with Wolf Tuchfeld.

The Polaey Zion Drama Group At the bottom right: Zisha Har, Joseph Har and Wolf Gutman Sitting from right: Dvora Zawar, Esther Tuchfeld, David Pasternak with his wife and David Har Standing from right: Wolf Tuchfeld, Tzivia Tuchfeld, Kalman Teitelbaum (Tamri), Tzipora Har and brother-in-law of Pasternak

One more pearl from the pearl necklace that adorned the Jewish People was shattered. I yearn to mention and to remember them. The sparkling eyes, the blazing souls that carried in their hearts an eternal fire of readiness to deeds and sacrifices.

The sparking eyes were extinguished, the fire of enthusiasm died. Not an orphan was left between the rubbles of the burnt homes. I am writing for them … for those that could not rest with their hands on the desk and their eyes will not see the written memories … They will not be angry and will not smile … Still, I will only write the truth.

I just wish that my energy and memory will serve me and will not disappoint me. Until the last of the lines. A true kindness for the dry bones which are wallowing and are spread upon the breadth of the Diaspora … Here they are … The wells that bubble with human life … The best sons and daughters, speakers, leaders of movements, secretaries, organizers, actors, sportsmen, pavers of paths for the Jewish folk masses. A stillness of death. Depressive darkness. Blurred and fogged roads. Dancing demons deafening the ears, around the golden calf. Dreams of robbed inheritances.

Who will say the Kaddish and when? Who will remember them? Those sacred heroes, and cry out their song that was silenced, and erect a monument for himself? With chocking tears, the Kaddish will be said twice; once for those that their remembrance passed and were lost, and once in an endless night … for himself.

[Pages 108-109]

The activity of the “Poaley Zion” during 30 years in Lancut, is one of the beautiful pages in the public and political life and an important factor in the National and Social resurrection of the Jewish population in our city.

The power of our movement flowed from a social background and from communalized Jewishness, whose impression was recognizable in every area of community life. The ideology of Poaley Zion accompanied by educational activity had returned to the poor of the Lancut Jews in its human and national respect.

A shining chapter in the history of the Lancut Poaley Zion was its activity among the Jewish youth which was deprived in the world of the Jewish Diaspora and breathed into the young people, the spirit of life.

With the development of the young Poaley Zion's movement, it should be pointed out, two factors. The first was the desire of the party's continuity through education and growth of a new and young offshoot. For the time being, the new young people's movement was lacking revolutionist characteristics. The second fact was the need to instil into the young people, which encompassed a big segment of the Jewish youth, a pioneer spirit which had until then, omitted the young people from the Poaley Zion even though, in its ranks, a vigilant and organized social-cultural activity was taking place.

A group of young activists headed by Moshe Har, devoutly was very active creating a warm corner and a social atmosphere for the children and the youngsters from the folk's stratum.

Here I would like to mention several events from those days. In 1927 and 1928, two conventions took place of the youth: movements in “Freiheit” from Rzeszow, Lancut, Jaroslaw, Nowy Targ, Tczebinia, Lizhensk and Strzyzow. One convention took place in Lancut on 10^th August, 1928 with the participation of pf.comrade Henig who gave a lecture on: “The way to a new person”. Comrade Milrad opened the convention and the sportsmen club, “Kraft”, gave a performance. This convention instilled the spirit of life into the branches of the district.

With these activities, Moshe Har and his colleagues laid the foundation for the youth movement of Poaley Zion. And, the year 1929, was the new era in the development of the young Poaley Zion in Poland which included Lancut.

The riots in Eretz Israel in 1929 shocked the Zionist young people in the Diaspora which saw themselves standing at a crossroad and understood that they would have to make a fateful decision in the vacuumed world of the nationalistic young generation. The slogan of realization of the goal had begun gnawing them anew. Not only was the crisis felt among the young Poaley Zion but in the entire Poaley Zion movement. They faced the problem of clarifying its position toward emigration and the Hebrew language. The turning point of the entire Poaley Zion had a decisive influence on the leadership movement on how to relate to the pioneer movement and emigration to Eretz Israel.

Israel Cukier was the person who was head of a group of 40 members of Poaley Zion that began the training, with an effort to obtain Certificates (permission from the British to emigrate to Eretz Israel). The pioneer and self-realization idea became the focus of the pioneer Zionist education. Indeed, these were principles close to the heart of the “Freiheit” movement, and that is how Freiheit had become the pioneer movement “Dror”. The movement realized the importance of the historic even in the Zionist movement, and as a result, a group of “Dror” pioneers were also organized in Lancut. The group contacted the “Hashomer Hatzayir” and together turned to the head office of “Hechalutz” in Lwow.

In 1930, a group of “Dror” members went to Mikulycin, located in the Carpathian Mountains, in easter Galicia, for pioneer training.

Pioneer activities had occupied the first place among the young people in the Freiheit movement and this happened during the peak of activities of the Poaley Zion in Lancut, which added to the inner strengthening of the party and for the “League of Eretz Israel Labour” and its institutions.

Let us again point to a few facts and events that illustrate the activities in 1932-1935.

The Committee of the Poaley Zion and Freiheit Sitting from right: Leyzer Popiol, Sheindl Einhor, Israel Cukier, Zeinvel Yasem, Moshe Har and Chaya Yasem Standing from right: Uli Milrad, Abraham Milrad, Levi Gelber, Shlomo Yasem, Sheindl Kezshtecher, Benjamin Cukier, Gitel Zawar, Berish Shreiber, Wolf Tuchfeld and Moshe Milrad

In April 1932, a great celebration took place on the occasion of five years of “Freiheit” existence in which the power of the organization in Lancut was revealed, its influence upon the young people and its instilling in them the Hapoel-Hazioni idea. All Zionist organizations had congratulated the “Freiheit” on the occasion of her anniversary. The meeting for the League for the working Eretz Israel, with the participation of comrade Kopilewich, echoed greatly in the city and as a result, a permanent branch of the league was established.

A group of “Hechalutz” members Sitting from right: Members of the local leadership: Zeinvel, Yasem, Sheindl Kezshtechter, Eliezer Shternheim and Dvora Keshtecher

The platform is short to describe the lives of the Poaley Zion party and its branches, “Freiheit” and “Dror” in the cities. To summarize this matter, we can state that the Poaley Zion in Lancut played an important and significant role in the lives of the Jewish public in the city.

When we look down from our observation point in these days after the destruction of the Polish Jewry, we can see how much the ideology of the Poaley Zion movement had contributed to the realization of the State of Israel.

Tens of our comrades that were brought up with the ideology of Poaley Zion, live, work and are creative in our state, in the city and village, the kibbutz and in the colonies. The State has received and absorbed members that survived the Holocaust, immigrated to Israel and found here a safe refuge and a new home.

Let us, the Lancut natives in Israel and in the Diaspora, be united in perpetuating our sanctified community which will never resurrect from her destruction. Let her “Matzeva” stand for many generations in our land.

[Pages 110-112]

The emigration chapter from Lancut is connected with the development of the young people's movements in our city. It was a common goal. The young people turned the words about Zionism and emigration into a tangible reality although mature people from Lancut had also continued to emigrate to Eretz Israel but the development of the young people's movements had started the emigration history as a social and national phenomenon in the lives of the young people in the city.

I remember the “tumult” that happened in the movement of the united young people movement in Galicia after the “Young Hechalutz” party had united with “Hashomer Hatzayir”. The organization had 120 young people and was bustling with activities, effervescent with life, summer camps and district meetings. The emissary from “Hashomer Hatzayir” headquarters had arrived. Shlomo Landkotch (Rechev) was his name. He came to urge the realization of the slogan proclaimed by the headquarters about self-realization, getting out to the training and preparing to emigrate to Eretz Israel. He urged to stop attending the gymnasium, dreaming about diplomas and academic titles.

The slogan was “Emigrate!” Emigrate under any circumstances. Do not wait! The emissary of the leadership came to the Lancut organization to proclaim personally the slogan. The order was to expel any member who would not follow the directive of the leadership concerning a self-realization of the goal. The results were hit hard. From the 120 members of the organization, only a half had remained, but it did not deter the leadership.

After ending his mission, the emissary from the headquarters left the authority in the hands of the local leadership, consisting of the following people: The writer of this column who was the secretary-organizer, responsible to central headquarters, Henia Greisman, Joseph Tuchfeld and Moshe Rozenblit. I personally began the realization of the order. In 1928, I went to the training place in Dzewinogrod in the district of Broshniuv. Three people from the “Achvah” group went with me: Shalom Rozmarin (at present in England), Yeshayahu Stempel (he is in Jamaica) and Dov Turkeltaub (at present in the USA).

I went on with my permanent training in Nadworno and emigrated to Eretz Israel. Before emigration, the “Young Lions” group joined the organization. They were: Tzvi Derfler, Joel Pearlmutter, Henia Alter and others. “You carry on in the direction of emigration to Eretz Israel and the road to realization you will have to find by yourselves”. These were my farewell words that I told them. Indeed, many more young men went on that road, that is, they emigrated to Eretz Israel.

The developments of young people associations in Lancut had put deep roots for activities during the two years of the previous century which was evident that, even before the birth of official Zionism, the young people were not sitting around with folded arms but were looking to be active in order to help and be a model for the adults. Understandably, the activity was mainly in the social field which had depended upon the Jewish situation at that time.

In 1898, Jewish students in Lancut had organized a young person's organization which was called “Yiddishe Knaven Unterstitzung Farein”. Among the initiators were: Ignatz Frid, Baruch and Julius Weisman, Abraham Druker, Tzvi Remer and others. At that time, Julius appeared at a Purim party with a declaration which was arranged near the “Hekdesh”and the income was designated for charity and social help. The function of the organization was to extend help for the Lancut poor. A “monthly contribution” was paid to the young people, providing them with lodging and other needs.

At the start of the century with the first buds of Zionist movement, a big excitement occurred among the young people and even before the outbreak of World War I, there was already in Lancut a strong youth movement of which the first members were: the son of community leader Joshua Tenenbaum, Melech Pearlmutter, Moshe Glancer, Joseph Kalter, Moshe Shapiro, Israel Herzberg, Baruch Weisman, Mordechai Hiter, Gedaljah Estlein, Feivush Adolph, Rochtchi Druker, Mincha Pearlmutter and Wolf Katz. The “Hashomer Hatzayir” was founded in 1919. They met in the auditorium of the “Hashachar” affiliated with the Zionist organization. The participants were: Mundik Landau, Menachem Stempel, Nachman Kestenbaum, Ryvka Bot. (The translator's first cousin), Mindl and Shmuel Greisman, David Baumel and Aaron Kerner. Yisachar Reis, the brother-in-law of Dr. Markel was the Hebrew teacher.

The first activity of the “Hashomer Hatzayir” concentrated on the kindergartens. That is where they began to introduce Hebrew, arranging plays and excursions. The children spent time amidst the trees of Moshe Halperin's garden where they sang Hebrew songs in an ambiance of play and children's joy.

After Eliezer Stempel's return from Eretz Israel and after his 1920 emigration, he founded in 1924, the “Hechalutz” organization. Together with Joseph Seifert, he built the foundation of the organization after which many joined them. A short time later, a few groups left for agricultural training to the villages of Kuszino and Wernizowa. Eliezer Stempel approached me about the foundation of the “Hechalutz Hatzayir”, however, soon after the “Young Men Association” became the “Hechalutz Hatzayir”. Besides this organization, there was also a young person's movement called: “Jiddishe Kinder Farein”.

That is how the main youth movements “Hashomer Hatzayir” and the “Hechalutz Hatzayir” came into existence in Lancut. Each organization was active and aimed at the preparation and emigration until the merger took place in Galicia. It was a merger that brought and vigilant activity.

The local leadership of “Hashomer Hatzayir” Sitting from right: Meir Milrad, Ringel, Eliezer Rozmarin, Henia Greizman, David Trompeter and Tova Shtelcer. Standing from right: Naphtali Reich, Peninah Margal, Moshe Rosemblit, Peninah Sauerhaft, Michael Walzer, a guest and Joseph Tuchfeld

One of the main activities of the young people's movement in Lancut was the organizing of summer camps. This activity had the characteristic of a “market day”, which concentrated on youngsters from many cities in Galicia. They met in the fields amidst refreshing air where they were instilled with the vision of being prepared to emigrate to Eretz Israel.

A group of “Hashomer Hatzayir” members Bottom and sitting: David Trompeter and Eliezer Rosmarin Kneeling from right: Beila Greener, Moshe Rosenblit, Michael Walzer and Ida Zeiger Standing from right: Sarah Habenshtreit, Sarah Turkeltaub, Zelda Kaner, Manka Mechlowich, Shoshana Zeiger and Minka Celner

Joel Pearlmutter and I were the organizers of the “Hashomer Hatzayir”. We had the location but we did not have any money for activities. This was written in a letter that Tzvi Derfler wrote in 1930. He said in that letter that the organization had 20 members but that some members had joined the “Young Person's Association”. The competition of recruiting young people was so big that, out of jealousy, someone finally reported about it to the ears of a policeman saying that in the room of the “Hashomer Hatzayir”, illegal meetings were taking place and only by a miracle, the members managed to escape from the paws of the police.

In letters from that period, it could be felt the trembling of the heartbeat of the young people in Lancut on everything that involved Eretz Israel.

A summer camp of “Hashomer Hatzayir” in the village of Husow in 1928. With the participation of the writer, Daniel Perski

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