Kuchinsky, Nathan (Nolo)

Son of Gitel and Haim Moshe, was born on September 20, 1922 in the Free City of Danzig to parents from Poland. His parents’ house was Zionist and his two older brothers even immigrated to Israel. Nathan attended the “Pestalozzi” German elementary school in Zopot. In 1932 he continued his elementary studies in Polish schools because his parents moved to Warsaw. In 1935 he returned to his hometown of Danzig and worked as an intern in a large company for the importation of grain from Poland while continuing his studies in a vocational school for Jewish workers. In June 1939, he immigrated to Israel on the illegal immigration ship “Astir”. Upon his arrival he joined the immigrant youth group at Kibbutz Na’an. After a while he received news of his father’s death in a concentration camp and he decided to avenge his blood. Nathan joined the British army and served five and a half years in the Royal Engineers Corps. When he was discharged from the army, he returned to Israel and worked in various workshops as a locksmith and mechanic, recently in Jerusalem, where he joined the Hagana organization, graduated cum laude from Na’an and returned to Jerusalem. 7 March 1948, he was appointed deputy commander of the food convoy to Hartuv. The convoy was severely attacked, but managed to reach its destination. On the way back, the armored vehicle went out to patrol the place and encountered stone barriers on the road. He broadcast on his radio while his men were in a tough battle with the Arabs who closed them on either side. Hours later, Kiryat Anavim found the burned armored vehicle and its defenders, among them Natan, dead. He was buried in Sanhedria in Jerusalem. On the 26th of Elul 5711 (26.9.1951) he was put to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.