Alt, Menachem

Son of Kati and Bezalel, was born on 17.3.1930 in the city of Sopron, Hungary. He grew up with his grandmother in Kobersdorf, in Burgenland. During the Second World War he was in Budapest and studied in an elementary school. As the persecution of the Jews intensified, a Christian wife hid in a attic and thus passed the period of horror. Upon liberation he found the way to the Zionist movement and joined the “Dror HaBonim” movement. After his training in Germany, he sailed to Israel on the “Negba” in Aliyah Bet and was deported to Cyprus. He later arrived in Israel on the first ship to leave Cyprus (1947). In the middle of December 1947, he enlisted and continued his enlistment in a professional course (learned the work of the confectioner). Then we’ll call again for training. After two weeks of training in Sharona he was sent to the battle with the religious company. He was a quiet, self-contained man, but stormy inside. He loved the country with a strong love and was not deterred by any danger. Menahem fulfilled his duties with faith and dedication, and in the battles he was discovered as an excellent soldier and won the esteem of his friends. On 18.3.1948 he was flown to Gush Etzion and took part in the defense of the Gush. On May 13, 1948, the Legion, with large forces of local Arabs, carried out another attack on Kfar Etzion, after the previous day succeeded in dividing the bloc into two. (17.11.1949), was brought to rest with the rest of Gush Etzion in a mass grave in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.