A List of the Jews (313 Persons) who Arrived in Palestine from Romania (May 24, 1944)

Introduction

Emigration to Israel from Romania (Alia) during the Second World War also experienced tragic moments. On February 24, 1942, the greatest tragedy in the history of the Alia movement took place, the sinking of the ship Struma in the Black Sea, near the port of Istanbul. The ship that left Contanța port on December 12, 1941 had on board 764 emigrants crowded in inhumane conditions. Following the torpedoing of the ship by a Russian submarine, only one person managed to survive1.

Despite this tragedy, Alia continued, even though the road was littered with numerous obstacles and dangers. Unfortunately, on August 5, 1944, a second tragedy occurred, the ship Mefkure, with 389 emigrants, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine, surviving only five people2.

During 1942, from the ports of Constanța, Sulina, Tulcea and Brăila, eight ships left for Israel, with on board approximately 250 Jewish emigrants: Dor de Val (14 emigrants); Eouxine (11 emigrants); Mihai (13 emigrants); Mircea (40 emigrants); Crai Nou (12 emigrants); Europe (20 emigrants); Dora (15 emigrants) and Viitorul (120 emigrants). During 1944, from March to August, nine ships left the port of Constanța, with a total of 3419 emigrants, of which only 3024 reached the shores of Israel. The ships that left Constanța were: Milka A (239 emigrants); Marița A (224 emigrants); Balacitta (273 emigrants); Milka B (517 emigrants); Marița B (318 emigrants); Kazbek (735 emigrants); Bulbul (410 emigrants); Morina (308 emigrants) and Mekfure (389 emigrants)3.

In this study we will focus on the list of the Jews who arrived in Palestine from Romania, on May 24, 1944. The ship, a motor sailboat under the Bulgarian flag, was called the Milka. Under the command of the bulgarian Hristo Lazarof, he set sail from the port of Constanța, on April 27, 1944, in perfect airworthiness, the voyage proceeding without incident4. In the following we will present the list of imigrants who arrived in Palestine from Romania on the day of may 24, 1944. Of the 313 jews who arrived in Palestine

3  Mordehai Naor, Emigrarea 1934-1948, Tel Aviv, 1981, pp. 141-143.

4  Koslinski N, Stănescu R, Marina Română în al doilea război mondial (1939-1945), vol. IIII (1944-1945), București, Editura Modelism Internațional, 1998, p. 46.

from Romania, 50 were children under 18 and 130 were women5.

5  ACSIER fond III, dosar 361, ff. 120-124.

Conclusion

The Alia movement in Romania during the Second World War was one of the pages of heroism of emigration to Israel. The movement saved thousands of Jews but also meant the sacrifice of 1,200 Jews, who disappeared in the sea6.

6  Arie Steinberg, Aspecte internaționale ale emigrării evreiești din România și prin România 1938-1947,Haifa, 1984, pp. 363-373.

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by project POCU 125040, entitled “Development of the tertiary university education to support the economic growth - PROGRESSIO”, co-financed by the European Social Fund under the Human Capital Operational Program 2014-2020