|
Ephraim Agmon
Ephraim Agmon was born in 1922 in
Kisvárda, Hungary, the eldest child to a religious family of eight
children. He studied in a yeshiva until 1937, and then in
1938 joined Ha-Shomer ha-Tsa’ir youth movement.
In October 1943, Ephraim left his
parents’ home to move to Budapest. There he joined the local
Ha-Shomer ha-Tsa’ir branch, where he participated—among other
activities—in preparations to operate in underground conditions.
In 1942, Jewish refugees began arriving
from Poland and Slovakia, bringing news of the fate of the Jews in
their native countries. The Hungarian Jews refused to believe that
the same fate could befall them, and so had reservations as to the
refugees’ claims. The members of the Zionist youth movements
believed differently, and aided the refugees: They provided them
with false papers, taught them the local language and culture, and
helped them find housing and employment.
In the beginning of March 1944, Ephraim
was sent to Munkacs to help the local youth operate an organized
underground to oppose the Nazis. At the same time, his family was
deported to Auschwitz—only two of his brothers survived. A month
later, the Germans assembled the Jews of Munkacs, but Ephraim
managed to escape to Budapest, where he joined the Ha-Shomer
ha-Tsa’ir leadership.
The first objective of the leadership
was to transform Ha-Shomer ha-Tsa’ir into an underground
movement and produce large numbers of forged documents. Disguised as
a train officer and equipped with the proper documentation, Ephraim
traveled throughout Hungary as a messenger for the underground. He
made contact with Jewish communities and individuals, trying to
convince them to organize themselves and resist the Germans.
Simultaneously, Ephraim was active in
the “Tiyul” Organization, which facilitated the rescue of Jews to
Slovakia and Romania. Ephraim provided the escapees with false
papers and money, as well as information about contacts, hiding
places, and assistance on the other side of the border.
In August 1944, Romania closed its
borders and the “Tiyul” organization ceased operations. Ephraim
began aiding the rescue of Jews from the forced labor force and
helped hide them in Budapest. As part of this objective, he
disguised himself as a Fascist Arrow Cross member, and was nearly
caught more than once.
Ephraim continued with his rescue
activities, joining the Hungarian Jewry Aid and Assistance
Committee. Within the Committee’s framework, thousands of Jewish
children were saved and 50 orphanages were established (all cared
for by members of the underground). Following liberation, the
children were moved to outlying communities in preparation for their
aliyah to Israel.
Ephraim made aliyah in 1946 with
his wife, Tzippi (whom he met in the underground), and they adopted
a daughter. Tzippi passed away in 1966. Ephraim remarried and moved
to Jerusalem. He and his wife, Tamar, have a son and a daughter. |
