Kolberg, Eliezer

Son of Zehava and Moshe, was born on February 16, 1928 in Piotrkow, Poland. In 1935 he immigrated to Israel with his parents, who settled in Magdiel. After graduating from elementary school and soon thereafter, due to his parents’ poor condition, he began to work as a laborer in a diamond polishing factory. He was very devoted to his parents. From a very young age he was a member of the Haganah and participated regularly in training. Eliezer was drafted into the army at the beginning of the War of Independence and was attached to one of the Alexandroni Brigade. He participated in the battles of Magdiel, Wadi Ara, Ramat Hakovesh, Hiriya and Salameh. He took part in Operation son of-Nun A, the first attack on the Latrun Legion in order to break through the road to Jerusalem. His battalion overcame the 7th Brigade, and was forced to conquer Latrun. The battalion’s fighters encountered better enemy forces and had to retreat. In this battle he fell, on the day of the 16th of Iyar 5708 (May 25, 1948). On the 17th of Cheshvan 5710 (17.11.1949) he was laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.