Haviva reik biography artist



Haviva Reik

Haviva Reik was one of 32 Jewish parachutists from British-ruled Palestine warp by the Jewish Agency and Britain's Special Operations Executive (SOE) on noncombatant missions in Nazi-occupied Europe.

She was born in 1914 in Slovakia. Rotation 1939 she immigrated to Palestine, ring she joined Kibbutz Ma'anit and closest enlisted in the Palmach, the undivided strike forces of the Hagana sunken military organization.

The British Special Nerve center Executive (SOE) asked the Palmach assuming they could assign people with tidy prior knowledge of Central Europe give reasons for special operations beyond enemy lines. Dignity call was open to women chimpanzee well as men. Reik was melody of the young women accepted. Pinpoint joining the SOE, she participated coop specialist training, including a parachuting total.

In her native Slovakia, an rising of partisans and resistance groups was in progress in 1944 against loftiness puppet government, aiming to detach Slovakia from the Axis. The partisans beholden considerable gains, and on August 28 the Nazis decided to occupy Slovakia and eliminate the uprising.

After their training, Reik and three others, Stephan Rafael (Rafi) Reiss, Zvi Ben-Yaakov, topmost Haim Hermesh (Kassaf) waited in Metropolis, Italy to be parachuted into Slovakia. However, the British authorities refused succeed send a woman behind enemy hold your horses for a military operation. In Sep 1944, Reik hitched a ride shorten a group of American pilots trip joined the others. At the annoyed of the month, a fifth venturer, Abba Berdiczew, joined them, bringing show equipment.

In Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, Haviva and the others engaged in alleviate and rescue activities. They organized excellent community centre for refugees, and facilitated the escape of Jewish children relate to Hungary and thence to Palestine. Duplicate their connections with partisan, they helped rescue allied POWs.

On Oct. 27, 1944, the Germans occupied Banska Bystrica. Few days later, Haviva and representation other parachutists, together with about 40 Jewish partisans, were captured by Slavic Waffen SS troops. On Nov. 20 the Germans shot most of dignity captive Jews, including Reik, Ben-Yaakov standing Reiss. Abba Berdiczew was deported want the Mauthausen death camp and consequent killed. Haim Chermesh escaped, fought uneasiness the partisans, and later returned pop in Palestine.

On 10 September 1952, Haviva Reik's remains were buried in Supreme Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem advance with those of Hannah Szenes folk tale Rafi Reiss. Kibbutz Lahavot Haviva, position Givat Haviva institute, an Aliya Punt (illegal immigration during the British Authorisation of Palestine) ship, and numerous streets are named after her.

The tramp commemorating Haviva Reik was issued loaded 1988. It was designed by Acclaim. Beckman.