260:"This court has no legal foundation, since it was appointed by a regime without legal foundation. You came to Palestine because of the commitment you undertook at the behest of all the nations of the world to rectify the greatest wrong caused to any nation in the history of mankind, namely the expulsion of Israel from their land, which transformed them into victims of persecution and incessant slaughter throughout the world. It was this commitment—and this commitment alone—which constituted the legal and moral basis for your presence in this country. But you betrayed it wilfully, brutally and with satanic cunning. You turned your commitment into a mere scrap of paper...When the prevailing government in any country is not legal, when it becomes a regime of oppression and tyranny, it is the right of its citizens—more than that, it is their duty—to fight this regime and to topple it. This is what Jewish youth are doing and will continue to do until you quit this land, and hand it over to its rightful owners: the Jewish people. For you should know this: there is no power in the world which can sever the tie between the Jewish people and their one and only land. Whosoever tries to sever it—his hand will be cut off and the curse of God will rest on him for ever."
301:", but words are cheap, and sceptics can say 'After all, he had no choice'. And they might even be right. Of course I want to live: who does not? But what pains me, now that the end is so near, is mainly the awareness that I have not succeeded in achieving enough. I too could have said: 'Let the future take care of the future' and meanwhile enjoyed life and be contented with the job I was promised on my demobilization. I could even have left the country altogether for a safer life in America, but this would not have satisfied me either as a Jew or as a Zionist.
236:
140:
383:
31:
370:. Barker had signed off on all of the death sentences shortly before leaving. In retaliation for the executions, Irgun insurgents repeatedly tried to assassinate Barker. However, all of the attempts failed. Barker lived to the age of 89 and died in 1983. In 1977, after learning that one of his failed killers was Minister of Defence and future President
120:
319:
existence of our nation is jeopardized, so fight we must with all possible means. This is the only way left to our people in their hour of decision: to stand on our rights, to be ready to fight, even if for some of us this way leads to the gallows. For it is a law of history that only with blood shall a country be redeemed.
273:
Despite the maximum security of his prison situation, Gruner maintained an irregular correspondence with Irgun headquarters. Among the correspondence between Gruner and headquarters were: His refusal of Irgun assistance with legal counsel (owing to his principled stand regarding non-cooperation with
251:
police station. Gruner headed a team of "porters", who took weapons from the armory to a waiting truck. When a gunfight in which two Irgun men and an Arab constable were killed broke out, Gruner and his team continued working under fire. Gruner was hit and wounded during the firefight. The remaining
306:
There are many schools of thought as to how a Jew should choose his way of life. One way is that of the assimilationists who have renounced their
Jewishness. There is also another way, the way of those who call themselves 'Zionists' - the way of negotiation and compromise, as if the existence of a
291:
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for the encouragement which you have given me during these fateful days. Be assured that whatever happens I shall not forget the principles of pride, generosity and firmness. I shall know how to uphold my honour, the honour of a Jewish soldier and fighter.
255:
Gruner, who had been severely wounded by a gunshot to the face, was taken to hospital and operated on. His health slowly began to improve, and he was transferred to prison. On
January 1, 1947, his trial before a Jerusalem military court began. When brought before the court and asked whether he
374:, Barker commented: "I expect he's glad that he failed in his mission. What good would it have done to kill me? It wouldn't have helped the Jewish cause or the Irgun or anyone else. At least General Weizman has been able to go through the last thirty years without a murder on his conscience."
318:
The only way that seems, to my mind, to be right, is the way of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, the way of courage and daring without renouncing a single inch of our homeland. When political negotiations prove futile, one must be prepared to fight for our homeland and our freedom. Without them the very
407:, also bear his name. In 1954 the plaza in front of the Ramat Gan Police station was renamed "Gruner Square". A monument commemorating GrĂĽner and the three other Irgun members killed in the attack on the station was constructed at the site. The monument features a sculpture by
274:
the
British court system in Eretz Yisrael), his query whether he should commit suicide in order to make a political statement (the Irgun leadership quickly responded against the initiative) and his final letter, written shortly before he was hanged. Addressed to the
566:
324:
I am writing this while awaiting the hangman. This is not a moment at which I can lie, and I swear that if I had to begin my life anew I would have chosen the exact same path, regardless of the consequences for myself.
269:
Refusing to partake in his own defense and refusing to co-operate with counsel, Gruner was said to have been offered a commutation on the condition that he admit guilt. He refused to do so and was sentenced to death.
312:
Perhaps this is indeed a means of delaying the end but, in the final analysis, it leads to the ghetto. And let us not forget this: in the ghetto of Warsaw alone, too, there were five hundred thousand Jews.
802:
797:
501:
487:
772:
807:
342:, the commander of the British forces in Palestine. In an interview decades later, Barker said Gruner was a murderer and a terrorist, rejecting the notion that the
307:
nation were nothing but another transaction. They are not prepared to make any sacrifice, and therefore they have to make concessions and accept compromises.
179:
on charges of "firing on policemen and setting explosive charges with the intent of killing personnel on His
Majesty's service." He is honored as one of the
767:
343:
134:
641:
298:
505:
787:
782:
752:
243:
After Gruner's demobilization from the army, in March 1946, he took part in an Irgun arms raid against a
British army depot near
812:
466:
207:, which arranged his passage to Palestine in 1940 aboard the immigrant ship S.S. Skaria. After spending six months in the
426:
At the time of his hanging, a nephew was born to Gruner's brother, who was named Dov in his honor. In 1967, during the
792:
762:
634:
609:
247:. Ten days later, he participated in his second and final operation on behalf of the Irgun—an arms raid against a
104:
534:
757:
442:
777:
747:
627:
742:
737:
431:
183:, the twelve Jewish pre-independence fighters who were executed by British and Egyptian authorities.
93:
224:
208:
172:
164:
83:
275:
176:
481:
235:
681:
671:
661:
359:
691:
613:
399:, founded in 1950, is named after GrĂĽner. Several streets in Israel, including one in the
367:
335:
152:
63:
706:
701:
696:
686:
416:
400:
363:
279:
220:
139:
445:(originally Beitar Dov Vatikim Netanya) was named after Gruner, after relocating from
731:
666:
650:
420:
339:
180:
716:
435:
408:
371:
216:
130:
79:
36:
358:
on April 16, 1947, at the age of 35. Executed with him were his Irgun colleagues
427:
423:, Jewish pre-independence fighters executed by Ottoman and British authorities.
355:
256:
admitted guilt, he replied that he did not recognize the authority of the court.
192:
75:
59:
711:
396:
404:
387:
297:
I could have written in high-sounding phrases something like the old Roman "
248:
212:
606:
382:
446:
30:
350:"It's nonsense to say that he was a prisoner of war. There was no war."
252:
Irgun members boarded the truck and escaped together with the weapons.
244:
196:
160:
412:
393:
191:
Gruner was born on
December 6, 1912, to a religious Jewish family in
381:
234:
204:
168:
115:
338:
and was thus entitled to special rights were rejected by
General
619:
200:
159:; December 6, 1912 – April 16, 1947) was a Hungarian-born
119:
623:
219:
to fight the Nazis, and together with his comrades in the
567:
R. Spiegel to Even Yehuda and "Mishu" returns to
Netanya
556:
The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War
419:. The monument also bears a plaque commemorates all
126:
111:
99:
89:
69:
53:
43:
21:
803:People executed by the British military by hanging
798:People convicted of illegal possession of weapons
167:and a member of the pre-state Jewish underground
486:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
469:. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009
434:, became the first Israeli soldier to reach the
171:. On April 16, 1947, Gruner was executed by the
411:, depicting a young lion cub, representing the
430:, this nephew, Sergeant Dov Gruner of the IDF
635:
569:Herut, 28 July 1964, Historical Jewish Press
8:
773:Hungarian emigrants to Mandatory Palestine
642:
628:
620:
386:Monument commemorating the Olei Hagardom,
18:
808:Burials at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Safed
535:A Voice Called: Stories of Jewish Heroism
415:, fighting a mature lion symbolizing the
199:. In 1938, after studying engineering in
344:Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
135:Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
458:
449:. The club remained active until 1979.
203:, he joined the Zionist youth movement
479:
7:
156:
14:
467:"Jews in the Towns Near Kisvarda"
768:Hungarian people executed abroad
138:
118:
29:
502:"Eretz Israel Forever, Themes"
1:
587:The Conquest of Acre Fortress
173:British Mandatory authorities
330:Your faithful soldier, Dov.
239:The Ramat Gan Police station
35:Gruner while serving in the
16:Zionist activist (1912–1947)
829:
788:Olei Hagardom (Palestine)
657:
596:, Futuro Press, New York.
334:Claims that Gruner was a
299:Dulce est pro patria mori
215:. In 1941, he joined the
105:Safed Old Jewish Cemetery
28:
783:Jewish Brigade personnel
73:April 16, 1947 (aged 34)
592:Gurion, Itzhak (1950).
594:Triumph on the Gallows
525:Bethell (1979), p. 298
390:
352:
332:
327:
321:
315:
309:
303:
294:
288:
262:
240:
813:Members of Aliyah Bet
589:, Hadar Pub., Israel.
545:Bethell (1979), p.307
385:
354:Gruner was hanged at
348:
328:
322:
316:
310:
304:
295:
289:
284:
258:
238:
753:People from Kisvárda
616:at the Irgun website
585:Gitlen, Jan (1962).
554:Pressfield, Steven:
432:Paratroopers Brigade
94:Execution by hanging
265:Trial and execution
225:Holocaust survivors
223:came to the aid of
209:Atlit detainee camp
165:Mandatory Palestine
90:Cause of death
84:Mandatory Palestine
793:Shooting survivors
763:Hungarian Zionists
612:2013-09-25 at the
443:Beitar Dov Netanya
391:
346:constituted a war.
276:Commander in Chief
241:
725:
724:
146:
145:
820:
682:Mordechai Alkahi
672:Eliyahu Bet-Zuri
662:Shlomo Ben-Yosef
644:
637:
630:
621:
573:
572:
564:
558:
552:
546:
543:
537:
532:
526:
523:
517:
516:
514:
513:
504:. Archived from
498:
492:
491:
485:
477:
475:
474:
463:
403:neighborhood of
360:Mordechai Alkahi
231:Irgun activities
211:, he settled in
158:
142:
122:
57:December 6, 1912
33:
19:
828:
827:
823:
822:
821:
819:
818:
817:
728:
727:
726:
721:
692:Eliezer Kashani
653:
648:
614:Wayback Machine
603:
582:
577:
576:
570:
565:
561:
553:
549:
544:
540:
533:
529:
524:
520:
511:
509:
500:
499:
495:
478:
472:
470:
465:
464:
460:
455:
380:
368:Eliezer Kashani
336:prisoner of war
267:
233:
189:
149:Dov BĂ©la Gruner
133:
107:
74:
64:Austria-Hungary
58:
49:
39:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
826:
824:
816:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
758:Hungarian Jews
755:
750:
745:
740:
730:
729:
723:
722:
720:
719:
714:
709:
707:Avshalom Haviv
704:
702:Moshe Barazani
699:
697:Meir Feinstein
694:
689:
687:Yehiel Dresner
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
658:
655:
654:
649:
647:
646:
639:
632:
624:
618:
617:
602:
601:External links
599:
598:
597:
590:
581:
578:
575:
574:
559:
547:
538:
527:
518:
493:
457:
456:
454:
451:
441:Football club
417:British Empire
401:Armon HaNetziv
379:
376:
364:Yehiel Dresner
280:Menachem Begin
278:of the Irgun,
266:
263:
232:
229:
221:Jewish Brigade
188:
185:
144:
143:
128:
124:
123:
113:
109:
108:
103:
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
86:
71:
67:
66:
55:
51:
50:
47:
45:
41:
40:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
825:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
778:Irgun members
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
748:Betar members
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
735:
733:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
667:Eliyahu Hakim
665:
663:
660:
659:
656:
652:
651:Olei Hagardom
645:
640:
638:
633:
631:
626:
625:
622:
615:
611:
608:
605:
604:
600:
595:
591:
588:
584:
583:
579:
568:
563:
560:
557:
551:
548:
542:
539:
536:
531:
528:
522:
519:
508:on 2011-07-23
507:
503:
497:
494:
489:
483:
468:
462:
459:
452:
450:
448:
444:
439:
437:
433:
429:
424:
422:
421:Olei Hagardom
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
395:
389:
384:
378:Commemoration
377:
375:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
351:
347:
345:
341:
340:Evelyn Barker
337:
331:
326:
320:
314:
308:
302:
300:
293:
287:
283:
281:
277:
271:
264:
261:
257:
253:
250:
246:
237:
230:
228:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
186:
184:
182:
181:Olei Hagardom
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
154:
150:
141:
136:
132:
129:
125:
121:
117:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
77:
72:
68:
65:
61:
56:
52:
46:
42:
38:
32:
27:
20:
717:Yaakov Weiss
676:
593:
586:
562:
555:
550:
541:
530:
521:
510:. Retrieved
506:the original
496:
471:. Retrieved
461:
440:
436:Western Wall
425:
409:Chana Orloff
392:
372:Ezer Weizman
353:
349:
333:
329:
323:
317:
311:
305:
296:
290:
285:
272:
268:
259:
254:
242:
217:British Army
190:
163:activist in
157:דב בלה ×’×¨×•× ×¨
148:
147:
131:World War II
127:Battles/wars
48:דב בלה ×’×¨×•× ×¨
37:British Army
743:1947 deaths
738:1912 births
571:(in Hebrew)
428:Six-Day War
356:Acre Prison
282:, it read:
227:in Europe.
76:Acre Prison
44:Native name
732:Categories
712:Meir Nakar
677:Dov Gruner
607:Dov Gruner
512:2011-01-12
473:2007-12-04
453:References
397:Misgav Dov
112:Allegiance
23:Dov Gruner
405:Jerusalem
388:Ramat Gan
249:Ramat Gan
213:Rosh Pina
187:Biography
177:Palestine
610:Archived
482:cite web
447:Beit Lid
193:Kisvárda
60:Kisvárda
245:Netanya
197:Hungary
161:Zionist
413:Yishuv
394:Moshav
366:, and
153:Hebrew
137:
100:Buried
580:Books
286:Sir,
205:Betar
169:Irgun
116:Irgun
488:link
201:Brno
80:Acre
70:Died
54:Born
175:in
734::
484:}}
480:{{
438:.
362:,
195:,
155::
82:,
78:,
62:,
643:e
636:t
629:v
515:.
490:)
476:.
151:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
