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Troianski, Kalman

Troianski, Kalman


Son of Malka and Levi, was born on January 26, 1929 in Hadera. Because of the malaria in which he and his mother fell ill as a child, the family moved to the Borochov neighborhood. Where he graduated from the elementary school (Beth Hinuch) and the Continuing Class IX, and later the mechanical department at the Max Payne Professional School in Tel Aviv. As a child he seemed weak, probably because of malaria, but over time developed into a healthy and sturdy young man. His teachers at the vocational school initially questioned his physical and mental ability to engage in metalwork. But it proved that the strong will is able to overcome certain conditions. His choice in this field was also influenced by the fact that, according to his approach, young forces were trained for the purpose of protecting the Yishuv. Was modest and a little shy toward his elders and his friends not only from the noisy, but not out of weakness, but because of his good character and his manners even when his job forced him to be firm. He also had a special family argument: his grandfather was murdered in 1942 by the Nazis, “and in the land of the Jews we must stand up for our souls to avoid the shame of such a disaster.” During his studies he was active in the Gadna and after completing the vocational school, he took a instructors’ course and spent three months guiding the youth in Givatayim, and in the meantime he participated in battles in the area (Salameh, Hiriya, etc.). For a while he served as a Palmach commander in the Yiftach Brigade in training recruits, and for the military rigidity he had to demonstrate, he barely overcame his inherent politeness, which made him reluctant to speak loudly and aggressively to the elderly. The fact that he once rebuked a stammering soldier for speaking “like a human being” testified to his gentleness, and when he learned that he was naturally dumb, he went to his tent and asked for forgiveness. After Pesach 5708 he participated in purification operations in the Upper Galilee, and in the raid on Malkia he had already served as a platoon commander. In his letters home he tried to reassure his parents that he lived in idyllic rural tranquility. From the Galilee he was transferred with his battalion to the central front and participated in the occupation of Al-Qubab near Ramle. During the first recess he came for a week off and during the rest of the truce he served in the maintenance of outposts and escorting convoys to Jerusalem. In Operation Danny he participated in the conquest of Lod and Ramle. On the night of July 17-18, 1948, towards the beginning of the second truce, the “Haemek” Battalion seized Shilat and took control of the eastern part of the Korikor ridge in order to threaten the wing of the legion in Latrun. In the morning it became clear that the Legion force was holding the western part of the ridge. The enemy attacked the force in the outpost from two directions with the aid of armored vehicles, and that was forced to withdraw. In the harsh retreat in an open area under crossfire, many of the fighters fell. This battle fell on the 11th of Tammuz 5708 (18.7.1948). On the 11th of Adar 5702 (28.2.1950) he was laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

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