“…he lived completely in his deeds,
and when they were over nothing of him remains –
nothing but words, precisely.”
(“Iron”, from The Periodic Table, by Primo Levi, 1984)
Private Asher Goldring, PAL/16323, הי״ד
(Photo via Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War 2)
There are innumerable casualties of the Second World War for whom there by now remains very little in the way of memory, other than a letter or two, a sepia-toned portrait, or vague anecdotes and tenuous recollections … typically recollections of recollections … shared by descendants and other distant family members, recollections which only vaguely capture the essence of a fallen soldier’s character. One such example is that of Major Milton Joel of the United States Army Air Force who was missing in action on November 29, 1943. His only surviving correspondence is a single V-Mail letter and several pages of diary entries, all his other writings having been destroyed or lost in the eight decades since 1943. However, on rare occasion, even some eighty-odd years “after the fact”, there are missing soldiers whose presence in the world is solidly attested to – even now – by the words they left behind.
One such man was, and is, Private Asher Goldring (PAL/16323) of the Jewish Brigade of the “palestine” Regiment.
I learned about Pvt. Goldring in an ongoing project of identifying military casualties (killed, wounded, missing, prisoners of war, etc.) among Jewish soldiers who served in the armed forces of the Allies during the Second World War. In terms of soldiers from the Yishuv, the primary sources I consulted were:
1) Yoav Gelber’s Jewish Palestinian Volunteering in the British Army During the Second World War – Volume IV – Jewish Volunteers in British Forces (1984),
2) Jacob Lifshitz’s The Book of the Jewish Brigade: The History of the Jewish Brigade Fighting and Rescuing [in] the Diaspora (Sefer ha-Brigadah ha-Yehudit: ḳorot ha-ḥaṭivah ha-Yehudit ha-loḥemet ṿeha-matsilah et ha–golah) from 1950,
…and…
3) Henry Morris’ two-volume compilation of the names of Jewish soldiers of the British Commonwealth who fell during the Second World War, We Will Remember Them (volume I and II, the latter co-authored with Hilary Halter), published respectively in 1989 and 1994.
These three works, combined with Casualty Lists published in The Palestine Post, Haaretz, and The Jewish Chronicle, plus biographical records accessible through the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database, enabled a compilation of the names and biographical information pertaining to the thirty-seven fallen soldiers of the Jewish Brigade.
As this exploration progressed, the information I found attained a level far beyond nominal military information (“names and serial numbers”), for it entailed learning about the engagements in which the Brigade participated, particularly so for the three men of the Brigade who had been listed as “Missing”. They were:
Moshe Shiefer (משה שיפר), Pvt., 38478, Yitzchak Sima (יצחק סימא), Pvt., 38081, Moshe Ernest Wadel (משה-ארנסט ואדל), Pvt., 38479, and, Asher (or Usher / Uszer) Goldring (אשר גולדרינג), Pvt., PAL/16323. Of the four, Shiefer, Sima, and Wadel were eventually found, and interred at the Ravenna War Cemetery.
Though eventually deemed killed, the definitive nature of Asher Goldring’s fate has never actually been ascertained. This was unknown in 1945 and it remains so today, nearly eighty years later after the evening of March 31 – April 1, 1945. You can learn more about this event at my blog posts:
The Jewish Brigade at War – The Palestine Post, April 13, 1945
and
The Jewish Brigade: The Fallen.
Unlike Major Milton Joel, Asher’s memory is preserved in a trove of documents created during and after his military service. These can be accessed at the website of Yad Vashem, as described in my post about fighter pilot Ensign Aleksandr Broch, of the Polish People’s Army’s 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment “Warszawa”.
The material comprises: “Letters related to Asher Goldring, born in Konstantinov, Poland in 1910, and other documentation related to him, his wife Hana (Schmuckler) Goldring, born in Strlishche, Poland in 1910, and their family members, dated 1938-1948”, while the documents are fully described as: “Letters sent to Hana Goldring, regarding the fate of her husband Asher, who made aliya to Eretz Israel as a pioneer and enlisted in the Jewish Brigade. Included in the letters is notification by the British Ministry of War, dated 13/01/1948, that the soldier Asher Goldring was killed in action; letters sent to Asher and Hana Goldring in the British Mandate for Palestine by their families in Poland in 1938; letters sent by Asher Goldring to his wife Hana while in service as a soldier in the Jewish Brigade, written during 13/01-31/03/1945; poems; a newspaper; drawings by Asher Goldring”.
Comprised of over 220 images, a perusal of these documents reveals the magnitude of Yad Vashem’s efforts in making such material available to the public: The resolution of the scans is high; their quality excellent. More importantly, in light of Yad Vashem’s catalog description of these items, and, upon perusing these documents, it struck me that there was – is – something truly special here: A man’s character is evident through the words he expresses, the words he writes, and (sometimes!) even the words he receive from others. In that light, I thought it worthy of learning what Asher Goldring wrote to his family during the last month of his life. And, sharing that with you.
To that end, the text of the 39 sheets comprising Asher’s correspondence during March of 1945 were transcribed. This effort, by Mr. Vladimir Yurist, about whose skills (and contact information) you can read more in the Acknowledgements, was central and instrumental to the creation of this post. Some of the letters were translated to English by Vladimir, and others through Google. The Google translations involved many iterations for each letter until, grammatically, culturally, and subjectively (and even dare-I-say intuitively?) sensible English-language versions ultimately emerged.
Thank you Vladimir!
(As you can see below, this post is – alas! – unfortunately absent of the transcribed Hebrew text of Asher’s letters. The reason for this lies in practicality: I made several drafts of “this” post comprising the text of Asher’s letters in English and Hebrew. However, though text in Hebrew can easily be formatted in Microsoft Word to correctly appear right-to-left, text in this orientation immediately flips to a left-to-right format in WordPress, when a blog’s default language setting is English. Paralleling this, there don’t seem to be any WordPress Plugins designed to enable correctly oriented Hebrew and English … both … in the same blog post. Thus, not wanting to induce vertigo in any Hebrew-speaking readers, I’ve reluctantly decided to eschew Hebrew text, in this post. For now.)
But, getting back to the topic at hand… Who was Private Asher Goldring, PAL/16323?
He was born in Poland in 1910, the son of Haim David and Sara Goldring, and brother of Hava Rubinsztejn, Mordechay, Freidel, and Shmuel. The husband of Chana (Schmuckler) Goldring, his daughter was Jezreela, whose name I suppose was inspired by that of the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel, and his son Yoram, whose name I (equally suppose?) was inspired by that of King Jeroham / Joram, the fifth kind of Judah. In his letters, Asher refers to his son by the name Yerimika: in effect, “little Yoram”.
Izkor.il presents the following “picture” of Asher’s life, here translated from the Hebrew and slightly edited:
Born … to a devout Hasidic family, distant from Zionism and pioneerism. At the age of seventeen [1927] he left home, went to pioneer training, and his parents reconciled with him only before his immigration to Eretz Israel. He immigrated to Eretz Israel with his wife, whom he met while working on establishing branches and training kibbutzim of “Hechaluts” in 1932 , and the two joined Kibbutz HaKovesh, later Ramat HaKovesh. In 1937 they moved to the Ra’anana settlement, where they built their home. He became involved in the life of the settlement and his activity there was particularly felt in the development of auxiliary farms in the workers’ neighborhoods and in the agricultural production that was beginning there at that time.
After the outbreak of World War II, in 1941 he enlisted in the British Army and was assigned to Company 14 of the Infantry Unit (the “Buffs”), which formed the basis of the “National Israeli Battalion” and later the Jewish Brigade (the Army). In his unit, in addition to the training and guard duties assigned to him, he devoted himself to social and cultural activity among his brothers in arms. The “Nafi” (Shekm) that was under his management in the unit served as a kind of committee house for the soldiers and a focus for ideological agitation.
His kibbutz and the Ra’anana Workers’ Council published a booklet in his memory, containing comments from friends about his character and work. His name was also immortalized in the book “The Jewish Brigade .” A residential neighborhood for discharged soldiers that was established after the war is named after him – “Asher Neighborhood.”
Asher (as “Uszer”) is commemorated at the Cassino Memorial, Italy, on Panel 13, Column 234 (Syria / Lebanon).
With that, what about the events of Asher’s last battle?
First, excerpted from my post of June 4, 2021, “The Jewish Brigade at War – The Palestine Post, April 13, 1945”:
On April 20, 1945, The Jewish Exponent (Philadelphia) published an article by Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent Pat Frank entitled “Jewish Brigade Battles Germans in Hand-to-Hand Battle on Italian Front”. Frank’s article concludes with the following paragraph, which in light of Goldring’s biography as presented above obviously pertains to the missing medic: “As of several days ago, the Jewish Brigade had lost only one prisoner since they have been in action. He was a first-aid man who accompanied a patrol into the German lines, and remained when the patrol withdrew to care for a wounded comrade. When the Brigade advanced the next day, they found that the wounded man had died and the first-aid man had disappeared, and, presumably, been captured.”
Second and In much greater detail, here’s an excerpt from Jacob Lifshitz’s The Book of the Jewish Brigade:
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But first! Here’s the front cover of my copy of The Book of the Jewish Brigade. A little wore for wear, but the symbolism is highly evocative.
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On the night of March 31, 1945, 17th of Nisan 5755, a platoon from the First Battalion went out on duty and separated into small groups in different directions . The groups were to meet in the field two hours later. Half an hour later, as one of the groups approached a house occupied by the Germans, [when] only a few meters away from the house, grenades were thrown from inside the house, and large fragments of them hit the backs of Aryeh Shechter and Yosef Shneur, of blessed memory, concussing their hearts and rendering them unconscious on the spot, without them even having time to utter a word. The groups met in the field and continued their duty all night, entrenched themselves around the house, near which their comrades had fallen a few hours earlier, staring into the darkness and ambushing the enemy. The next day, on April 1st, in the afternoon, the group was again sent to the same house, to get ahead of the Nazi ambushers. That evening, at 11 o’clock, the group was replaced. Another group returned to their regular positions. On the way back, the enemy attacked them with mortars and covered the entire area they were moving in with fire, and every minute the boys clung to the ground. When they reached their positions, there were handshakes for those who remained and heartache for those who were absent.
That night, the night of March 31, a second guard of twelve soldiers from Company A under the command of the late Sergeant Leizer set out to ambush the enemy near Poganana in the Sanyo Valley. The guard advanced through “no man’s land” to a post called “Dempsey’s.” Leizer left his comrades behind and, accompanied by one soldier, went to inspect the house and found it apparently empty. As a result of the report on the inspection, the guard continued to advance toward the house, feeling certain that this time they had outrun the enemy and surprised him. But they had advanced a few steps and a deadly shower of fire from a “Schmeisser” and a large number of hand grenades were hurled upon them from a distance of about ten meters. Nine Germans were hiding in the same house, whom the searchers did not notice. For a brief moment, there was confusion, which came from surprise, and the boys fell to the ground and froze. A grenade hit Leizer and he shouted: “I’m wounded, give first aid,” and Private Goldring administered it to him. The soldiers asked Leizer whether to retreat, but he ordered to carry on, taking control of the situation, gave orders: “Flank on the right! Submachine gun – fire! Sergeant N. Command the squad!” and raised a mighty shout in his loud, clear voice, “A-z-r-a!”, so that it could be heard at the front position. The guard took up positions and began to fire in the direction of the enemy (1), but the enemy continued to rain fire. The new commander, Sergeant N., was disconcerted and danger was expected for the entire squad. At the signal of Kimchi, he turned on the radio, took command and ordered a retreat with the aid of the machine gun, and the comrades retreated to the trench about ninety meters away. There it was discovered that Sergeant Leizer and Goldring were missing. Goldring did not want to say goodbye to Leizer, and tried to help him until the last moment. The boys wanted to return and bring them with them, but due to the large number of wounded, they were not fit to walk and returned to their position. An order was immediately given to that company, and from it a fighting guard of 15 soldiers under the command of an officer set out to search for the two missing men and bring them with them, but they lost their way in the darkness of the night and had to return. On their way back, they entered a minefield, stepped on mines, and several were injured. Sergeant Michael (Martin) Levy was killed on the spot and Shlomo Shreyar was seriously wounded and died later. It was necessary to return. Only at dawn did stretcher bearers from the First Battalion remove the dead Leizer, while Goldring’s whereabouts are unknown to this day. It is not known whether he was captured or killed. Kimchi received a medal of distinction for his courage. M.M. [Military Medal]
The night of March 31 was a bloody one for the First Battalion: five dead, one missing, and ten wounded.
(1) Of the nine Nazis who were in the house, only three were seen fleeing, and it is assumed that they suffered six casualties. At dawn, the enemy set up a smoke screen to cover the removal of his dead from the house.
The other soldiers mentioned in the above account are:
“Leizer”: Leizer, Shuli, Sgt., 17637
“Kimchi”: Kimchi / Kimchy, Aharon Ben, Pvt., PAL/38518
“Levy”: Levy, Michael (Martin), Sgt., 15160
“Schechter”: Shechter, Aryeh (Liona), Pvt., 17225
“Shneur“: Schneur / Sznejer, Yoseh Chaim / J.C.H., Cpl., 16789
“Shreyar”: Schreer, Schlomo, Pvt., 16727 (Died of wounds 4/2/45)
To the best of my knowledge, nothing further has been learned about Private Goldring’s fate in the eighty years since 1945.
What may have happened to him?
Based on the above account (albeit there do seem to be abundant “official” postwar documents at Yad Vashem, in Hebrew) he was unwounded when last seen, and his body – if he had been killed in action – let alone his “kit”, equipment, or weapon, were not located after Allied troops advanced through the immediate area of battle. It is the absence of all these that strongly suggests he was captured. If so – and I believe this was so – given the identities of the German units encountered over time by the Brigade, he may have been taken captive by members of the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division (German 4th Parachute Division), a Luftwaffe formation which may have been involved in the Pedescala Massacre at Veneto, Italy, from April 30 to May 2, 1945, during which 63 civilians were murdered.
Having been from the Yishuv and having served in a military unit ultimately under auspices of the British military, perhaps there is a Casualty File – a set of records roughly analogous to an American WW II Individual Deceased Personnel File – for Asher, which might include documents speculating about his fate. That is, assuming that a full investigation into his fate, specifically involving identifying and questioning German POWs who were members of the units that opposed the Brigade from March 1 through April 1, was even conducted in the first place. As to the location of Casualty Files for Yishuv WW II soldiers, I have no idea.
In a larger sense, as suggested in my post of May, 2021 concerning Corporal Jack Bartman of the United States Army Air Force, “…though I cannot cite specific references, I’m under the general impression (I can’t cite any references) that the investigation, prosecution, and punishment of war crimes in Italy – whether committed by the Wehrmacht, SS, or Italian Fascists; whether against Allied POWs, civilians (Jews and non-Jews both), or Partisans – did not have the organizational support, drive, and publicity that initially characterized the pursuit of justice for war crimes in the Western European and Pacific theaters of war… Even if the effort in those theaters was eventually undermined and superseded through bureaucratic apathy, realpolitik, and economic interests. (For more on this disillusioning story read Tom Bower’s Blind Eye to Murder – Britain, America and the Purging of Nazi Germany – a Pledge Betrayed.)
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In a vastly different vein, what do Private Goldring’s letters reveal about Asher Goldring, the father; the husband; the man?
Having read a very great amount of correspondence of WW II servicemen, a general impression that comes across is the degree – of course with significant exceptions – to which soldiers (and sailors, and airmen) when communicating with family, focus upon facets of their experiences that are entirely unrelated to war, politics, and ideology. Instead, their letters are centered upon aspects of life that, while ostensibly mundane, are in reality at the vital center of all mens’ lives and therefore central to their emotional, intellectual, and moral endurance … and thus a spiritual bulwark in the face of death and injury: Family relationships and family dynamics, the conveniences (and inconveniences) of their living conditions, friends and comrades, food, and, diversions from the reality of war. Certainly this is entirely true of Asher’s letters. But, in a few of his writings, there is even more.
Whether due to his age (he was, after all, 31 years old), marriage, being a father twice over, or his youthful transformation from being a Hasidic Jew to an (ostensibly secular) Zionist pioneer … I think that dual identity is particularly important … or an highly unusual level of intellectual and spiritual depth, Asher’s letters manifest an awareness of his part in the long and continuing scope of Jewish history: The present is seen through the template of the past, and the cycle of Jewish festivals (specifically Purim and Pesach) is the prism through which he perceives his participation in the war against his generation’s Amalekites. This is especially so in his letters of March 4 and March 11.
But, before we come to the letters, here are a few photographs:
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Taken in Ra’anana in 1944, this is probably the last family picture of the Goldring family: Hannah, Asher, Jezreela, and Yoram. (image from Moreshet Ra’anana.)
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Hannah, Jezreela, and Asher, also in 1944; also in Ra’anana. (Image from Facebook.)
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Asher and a very young Jezreela. (Via Facebook.)
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Another portrait of Asher. (Also from Facebook, though this image can be found at Izkor.il in very low resolution.)
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Also from Moreshset Ra’anana, this image shows Asher and two comrades. The Hebrew caption approximately translates to: “[unit] 815 soldiers on home leave – 2nd World War, early 1940s. From right to left – Shimon Rochberger, Asher Goldring and Pesach Monman.”
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Shoulder flash of the Jewish Brigade Group
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And now, the letters:
March 4, 1945 (Adar 19, 5705) – to Hannah
“…but the Jews have been given the possibility of fighting and saving their lives,
and fulfilling the ancient commandment:
“He who comes to kill you – arise early and kill him”.
And that is the only way the Jews were saved and smote their enemies,
and only after that did salvation come to Israel.”
4.3 Sunday
Hello my Dear!
I remember a time when I didn’t know the day of the week, and so hours could pass by without knowing. I remember a time when a friend asked me on the day of rest whether it was Shabbat. In that case it was a Tuesday, and that could just have been exactly a day of rest. That is how the festival of Purim passed for me, although the saying is that Purim is not a festival and fever is not a disease, but I, who contracted cholera, know that Purim is also a festival. And I have always taken this holiday seriously: first of all it is interesting, because we have very few happy festivals, and furthermore it is a festival of victory over Haman. And when else has a victory over Haman been as necessary, and needed as in these days? There has never been a period in which there have been so many Hamans, so many oppressors. Who have not only decreed to destroy [and] to kill, but have also actually killed and destroyed, and Hamans of another kind who did not permit those who succeeded in saving themselves – to do so.
And like them – so today, the decree has not been revoked, but the Jews have been given the possibility of fighting and saving their lives, and fulfilling the ancient commandment: “He who comes to kill you – arise early and kill him”. And that is the only way the Jews were saved and smote their enemies, and only after that did salvation come to Israel. A new period of glory was halted due to the Hamans and their sons, and “Korish” [Cyrus] came into the world and halted a temple for Israel. All this requires that that first Jews will fight and overcome their enemies. The Purim of banquet will be the Purim of that time – Jews fighting their enemies. We shall surely overcome them and we shall surely be redeemed, and the house of Israel will rise speedily.
Goodbye and write.
Kisses to all.
Father.
The use of the phrase “fever is not a disease” amidst mention of Purim does not emerge from the winds of chance, and reveals Asher’s familiarity with the literature of the Haskalah. The phrase appears in Y.L. (Yitskhok Leybush) Peretz’s “Kol Kitvei Peretz” Volume 5, Mashal vedimayon … the date of which I don’t know! … as described by Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler of Hebrew Union College, in her TheTorah.com essay, “The Enduring Value of “These Days of Purim”.
On pondering her translation of Peretz’s words about Purim, it seems that Peretz wrote of the holiday in words of deep skepticism, going, “…so far as to deem Purim a “fever” – at best, an occasion to “dance on the grave of former national glory”. The Rabbi’s translation of Mashal vedimayon follows. You be the judge. (Why do Peretz’s words remind me of Chaim Nachman Bialik’s 1904 In The City of Slaughter?)
Purim is no holiday.
Fever is no illness.
There is no reason to envy one who trembles with fever,
and even less so, to envy a people whose holiday is Purim.
Not because the salvation doesn’t come from the hands of a man.
Miracles aren’t required – –
one can use suspenders to hold up one’s pants.
And there’s no shame in a Deborah, a Yael, or a Judith.
To Esther we owe thanks for the first victory won not against, but under,
foreign rule.
Purim is the anniversary of the first “protected Jews,”
the first who were close to the sovereign,
the first disclosing of a secret,
and the first “making of a bed” for a king.
Purim is a joyous day for beggars, klezmer musicians, masqueraders …
and for the nation like them!
Dance on strange beds, wretched soul,
on the grave of your former glory – drink and forget, if you can!
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March 6, 1945 (Adar 21, 5705) – to Jezreela
6.3.45
Hello dear!
Yesterday I did not write nor did I think that I would be able to write today. And here I am writing. Although I thought about speech because the last few nights sleep is not normal and it’s desirable to have a little speech during the day. But the noise is too great. There are some people who don’t mind all of this with a blanket over their head, and sleep. The day after tomorrow and I will do the same. For now I can’t. I’ve been lying down for an hour and can’t fall asleep.
In the meantime, good news has arrived and steals the possibility of sleep, and therefore there’s time to write and the daily order of things doesn’t change. So time passes without having much to write or tell. I guess you have a lot to tell and I have a lot to tell, I’m just waiting for that time, I hope it’s very close and in the meantime, peace and kisses, write a lot.
Father
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March 8, 1945 (Adar 23, 5705) – to Hannah
8.3.45 Thursday
Hello dear Hannah!
Last night I received one of the rarest letters I will write in which there is a little about what is going on with you. And records about your situation, I start from the end. A drop to remove one worry from you. Hannah, I’m not tired of reading your letter and no matter how it was raised, I understand that you are tired of writing because otherwise I would have asked you to write longer letters for the conversation and how much I already miss conversation with you, the much longer it will last.
It seems to me that the winter you are passing through was not a week of peace and quiet, but troubles on top of troubles, one has not yet passed and the other is already coming.
An illness on top of the last one – you can call it the period of illnesses – I hope that the worst was already in the past and now spring has come and a real spring has come for us also.
And most importantly health; I hope Hannah that you will continue to write me letters like this and longer ones that give me more details about what is going on at home, and do it without considering whether the news is good or not. I will also try to write you a little about what is happening with me of course as much as possible, because you know that I am very limited not only in writing but sometimes there is also a picture that is not allowed to be sent.
And I want to pass the censorship law, and if I tell you just a few things about what should not be written, you will immediately see that there is almost nothing left that is allowed.
It is forbidden to write where I am, of course; it is forbidden to write what I do and where I live; if I travel; it is forbidden to write that I am traveling to a certain or unknown place, or even that I am at a wedding; it is forbidden where I am to send [notice of] a wedding that is being promoted, and more is forbidden, forbidden, and forbidden – and here you will understand how difficult it is to write about my life and within the limits of what is allowed. I will tell you that we relatively live very well both in terms of housing and food, society, etc. and for the sake of illustration I will point out a few things to you.
For example, lately I’ve been drinking a lot of wine, don’t think of me as a renter [?], but it’s simply instead of water, because it’s sometimes in short supply. I mean there’s no shortage of water for bathing and for any other use, only for drinking, and then as you know, par navet eats ma’an loosberlit – while on the road, they drink wine instead of water, and there’s no shortage at all. From all kinds of sweet and sour and shock [?] we have a new discovery – apple wine. And it is not at all intoxicating and very tasty. From that alone you could have already learned that a paradise really dipping in wine is here.
But it’s still not bad. Here, for example, now with evening twilight, I’m sitting together with a fairly large group of friends in the center of a room. A fire is burning by us in the fireplace, and it both warms and spreads light throughout the room; the darkness is thick.
Some of them write letters, some play cards and some engage in small talk. And so everyone finds work according to their wishes. Today I did a little helping with the cook. I was taken care of by friends who think I know how to arrange spicy things. They think because of my excellence as a comedian. That’s why I made noodles for dinner today and they were very successful, and in this my situation is even worse because I already have an order for tomorrow. So from here see that everything is fine, just one detail that is not completely fine yet.
And if it was possible to take off my shoes a little at night, I already miss that a lot, but I hope that in a day or two we will forget that too. I hope all this gives you an idea of what my day is like.
Hannah I am writing this letter in breaks and this is already after the third break and I hope to finish it. In the meantime I received a package. I think this is the package you wrote me about although it is also from Egypt by Sephora. In a package a knife, chocolate biscuits and cigarettes. I thank you very much and of course all the company that are with me. Thank you in any case. Hannah believe me that I am the one who doesn’t lack anything and it’s a shame on your money. I understand your good and faithful will as if I received the best packages.
Be at peace and kisses with love
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March 10, 1945 (Adar 25, 5705) – to Hannah
CMF 10.3.45 Saturday
Hello, my dear.
Although you have not yet received the continuation of your promised letter, I have received something that is also important to me.
Hannah I will confess to you. And I hope you forgive me. And you will not see in this any breach of trust.
You know I’m very worried about the condition of your hand. And I always doubted whether you were telling me the whole truth. And that too with good intentions, you don’t want to put me in a bad mood while I can’t help you. But I want to know the whole truth about the condition of the hand; what should be done and if we do everything necessary. I therefore wrote a letter to Dr. Buchstein and asked him for details about the situation. And today I received a friendly reply from him and I am also sure that he is telling me the whole truth as far as he knows it.
According to his letter, he had a special conversation with Dr. Gottfried about the situation and what kind of healing you should receive. He assures me that there is no fear and the hand will return to its strength as it was before. It is true that it requires prolonged treatment. But it will suffice. The treatment is radiotherapy.
Hannah, you will surely forgive me for that, because even if I had been at home, I would have had the permission to go to the doctor and ask about your condition, out of fear that the patient is not told the whole truth. That’s why I did it in a letter and since the answer is very reassuring I also want to share it with you. Although it’s hard, Hannah, don’t worry, and Hannah, everything will be back together without any worries. You know I trust doctors more than feelings.
Nothing has happened with me. The fireplace spreads heat and also some smoke. In the bunk room some of the company are snoring in a deep sleep, and some delve into the card game and immerse themselves in it with all their senses. Their eyes are shiny and their faces are sweaty. They do not notice what is happening around them. Outside, the sun was approaching sunset, it was a spring day and a cool wind was blowing. I spent the whole day on guard and most of my time is occupied with various thoughts, while cracking seeds which also belong to our loot and are here in whole sacks. And that’s how the days and nights pass.
Hannah in the previous letter I forgot to answer your question. The menorah costs together with the shipment about a lira and a half in Eretz Israel money.
Peace be with you and write.
Kisses to all of you from Father.
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March 11, 1945 (Adar 26, 5705) – to Hannah
“After all, we all know what they did to our families.
And each of us has known for a long time
that he was orphaned from his entire family,
and if anyone is left alive, it is almost a miracle.
After all, it’s as if he has been resurrected.”
11.3.45 Sunday
Hello dear!
Hannah, I understand your mood after reading Riva’s letter. It’s really terrible and awful. But we have to perceive the situation differently. After all, we all know what they did to our families. And each of us has known for a long time that he was orphaned from his entire family, and if anyone is left alive, it is almost a miracle. After all, it’s as if he has been resurrected. Indeed, Hannah, I always told you and I repeat it this time as well. Let’s not lose all hope and let’s not weep for everyone, although the destruction is general. But there are still remnants left and we must also have some left from our families.
And now the day has already passed, Sonia is alive, Riva is alive. Hannah I say there is still hope. Only now have these places been released and only now are they starting to be retaken from the forests, from countries of refuge, from all kinds of remote places, and rejected corners where the people who drowned in the sea of murders hid. And so Hannah, we will accept everyone who appears before us with joy as if he were born again, and we hope that our family will continue to grow in survivors. And for our part, we will do everything to help them.
Of course, the best help would have been if we could have brought them to Israel, for now there are no possibilities for that. You know that regarding Sonia I wrote to the agency and the answer was negative; they sent her a package. Here again I received a letter from the agency in which they inform about the package they will send, I am attaching the letter to you. We will also include Riva in our treatment.
There is nothing new with me. Beautiful days, probably summer is just around the corner. The good news is there is hope. The big summer is coming…
I wrote a letter to Jezreela, I touched a little on the painful question, although according to you it doesn’t help much, but it seems to me that despite everything I have to write.
Peace to you and peace to the Bartov Lezvi family and all who seek peace
Kisses to you all dear
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 12, 1945 (Adar 27 5705) – to Hannah
12.3.45 Monday
Dear Hannah!
Good and bad are very abstract terms. It is hard to judge a situation without comparing it with another. More correctly, when a person lives a normal life, he doesn’t even feel the good in everything he does, or in every free movement he makes. When a person is closed in a place for even a very limited time, then he begins to feel how good freedom is. How good is freedom, how good is movement. For instance, when did I know how to appreciate the (?) of a bed – it is a simple, natural and ordinary (?) thing. A person sleeps in a bed; how is it possible I shall get special enjoyment? Only now (?) I have been living by mistake. To sleep in a bed is (?) and now I am enjoying such luxury (?) springs and alone in a bed. (?) Can you understand (?) that it is possible. (?) It is a little hard to fall asleep (?) that disturbed my sleep. (?) And one of the things (?) goes. Hannah, if, God forbid, I had to sleep in a bed (?) with a frame with white sheets and a blanket, clothes that are warm and a little dirty outfit (?) and instead… I am afraid I would not be able to fall asleep. That’s how it is, Hannah, don’t think that previously it was very bad, but now this is relatively even better. Only one thing is bad. For a few days now I have not sent the children pictures, and I have nothing to send you, and there is no possibility here to obtain anything here worth a penny. I’m very sorry, but that will also pass quickly. Because the days of spring are beautiful. Especially when there is much rest, we engage in all kinds of games. I have become a sportsman again – playing netball, and other sports, so that the time will pass quickly.
Well, enough talking about my Paradise. Soon you will start to be jealous of me. For a few days now I have received no letters. A number of letters have accumulated with me and they will arrive together.
Goodbye to you and to all our friends.
Kisses to all.
Yours with love,
Asher
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 14, 1945 (Adar 29, 5705) – to Jezreela
14.3.1945 Wednesday
Hello my dear girl!
Yesterday I wrote you a letter and was indignant that I had not received any letter from you for a long time. I ask your forgiveness for my unjust indignation. Today I learned about your attack. I hope it heals quickly and goes away completely and doesn’t come back again.
Then also write me a letter for you and for Yerimika as usual. I stopped sending the pictures because I can’t get any more. These days also pass quickly and again I will send you some things, and in the meantime I will send you something new. I found a collection of symbols [stamps?] from all Italian cities.
I collected them and not all of them are in good condition. But I think you will like it. I have a set of 264 of them, and among them are also beautiful ones. I might find more
Well, my child, be healthy, it’s time for you to be healthier too. I hope this will be the last attack.
Hello to all your friends and especially to Miriam, give kisses to Yerimika [little Yoram] and mother for me.
Kisses to you
Father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 17, 1945 (Nisan 3, 5705) – to Jezreela and Hannah
17.3.45 Shabbat Evening
Good week dear!
This day I received a letter from the Giladi family, there is nothing special about it. The main writer, Esther, also gives [news?] from Yoram and Jezreela and you also. “Only saw Hannah at home but we were not there long due to lack of time.”
Nothing has been changed for me during the week, Jezreela. Yesterday I sent you some landscape photos again. I got them by accident and glad I had something to send you. Why haven’t I received letters for almost a week now?
Hannah, my letter is not some kind of anthem, but because there is no telegram soon, in this I am giving you an example of how you can write a letter even when there is no time
Peace and kisses to you all
From father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 19, 1945 (Nisan 5, 5705) – to Hannah
19.3.45 Monday
Hello dear!
Hannah – for nothing – I resented the fact that I don’t receive letters. It wasn’t you. The blame is probably a delay in the mail; the letter before the last one was from the 8th to the newest and last from the 10th, the difference was only two days. For me; it was a difference of days in receiving them.
Yesterday I received a letter from Gershon. There is nothing new in the letter. He again sent me a package for Passover. This is what he writes in the letter. It is very unpleasant for me that he sends packages so often. If only I could also send him something. Maybe I’ll write to him not to send a “rope” for his money.
Hannah, we’re not such bad students. But there is no end to learning… you know that the more you learn the more the need to learn grows. And life itself is only a lesson and it is the best lesson. [?]
[?] In relation to Jezreela, I also imagine that it would be very good if it were possible that on days off, such as school, you could visit Kitor, although I understand that you have enough things to do. In any case, it would be advisable to take an interest in it as soon as possible and find out all the places and details, what are the special difficulties, and let me know about it. Maybe I too can participate in whatever it is, whether with advice or actual help; of course you also need to ask her opinion on that. I think it’s important that she agrees, especially if it’s in the company of children. In any case, you should show interest and as soon as possible.
I don’t have anything special that serves the matter of the war, and wait for the final day in faith. I also believe in the Moshiach; that this time the end is near and maybe even closer than one thinks.
And be safe and warm kisses to you all
Goodbye children.
Father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 22, 1945 (Nisan 8, 5705) – to Hannah
22.3.45 Thursday
Dear Hannah, hello!
I didn’t write yesterday, because during the day I traveled to the nearby city and returned late at night. On my way back I found a package containing a knife, shaving cream, a brush and razors and handkerchiefs, all good things and I thank you very much. I just don’t know where to put them because I have a very serious space limitation / problem.
Hannah, I measure your desire to send packages according to my wishes and it seems to me that I enjoy when I only have the option of sending you something more that you enjoy, while receiving the things. And also in your reply I wrote to you about two weeks ago, I received a package which sender’s address was Tzfora’s and it contained chocolate and goodies. And here is a package again today, plenty of packages and my satchel is full.
I won’t say more than that because I can’t prohibit the shipment to you… But consider this, Gershon also sends.
And now that I’ve traveled it’s an opportunity for me although I won’t be able to write much either about the place or the places I visited, although I didn’t visit that much either because there was nothing there.
Only one thing that I am very happy with again: I have a lot of pictures for the children and two of them are larger. Maybe you would like to hang one on the wall in front of Yerimika [little Yoram].
And the second is where you will determine a few other things all for the children, and I hope that the children will enjoy and be happy about the things, so I am already starting to enjoy them.
I searched all over this city to get something more substantial for you and I’m very sorry I got nothing. And so I also asked you to be content with pictures… I still hope that maybe by Passover I will be able to get something and if not you will have a happy holiday without it.
Today for me it’s Wednesday. A package from home had pictures of the children and I divided them according to the scenes and according to the times to send them. In addition to this, my friends in Israel also receive a package and it also contains a lot of chocolate; of course I enjoy it too. And in addition to all these.
I once told you in one of my letters about a fellow who is in the class with me, and I am a letter writer for him. I already told you about him. He is an excellent, kind-hearted boy and now all kinds of trouble have fallen. He is one of the refugees. Only his education is very limited and that is why I write the letters; in particular, each letter is difficult. For example, he has an uncle who writes despite Keshet [?] with many commas, of course I answer letters with those and the uncle is very happy to receive his letters. And lately some romance has developed between him and a girl from there. I may be guilty of this because I write the letters.
And here is the last case, a few months before his enlistment he was in the Ramat Hasharon group and he really wanted to write to them, so he had trouble as usual. So I helped him and wrote a letter that I also liked. What did the people of Ramat Hasharon do? In their letterhead they printed his letter with a special emphasis and of course with his signature and started to come up with material for him and ask him to continue writing. And the guy’s eyes are beaming with joy and of course I am keeping a secret only a few know because they saw when I wrote.
For many others it’s a surprise… In the morning the fellow greets me with joy and desires to be with me in his joy.
Hannah, maybe these things are not of interest to you, I just wanted to draw the type of common man for you, who with all his heart is a prisoner of the help you give him, and his friendship is a loyal friendship.
And now Hannah means that I’m already writing nonsense. As you can see I write numbers at the top of my letters; continue them so that you know if everyone is therefore progressing and accepted. If there is a missing number between the letters, you will know that it is a package or pictures or something similar, because this is also included in my number, even if it doesn’t have the number written on it.
And finally, my dear, I’m trying to prepare myself and you that we probably won’t see each other again this Passover. And I’m sure this is the last holiday of our loneliness and therefore we will make an effort, to help overcome with strength…
Although it is difficult. Because I miss you so much…
Hello warm kisses
Yours with love
xxxxx
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 25, 1945 (Nisan 11, 5705) – to Hannah
“The passing days are about history.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I just finished reading a small book called Karl – and Anna,
although it refers to the previous war,
it is very typical of this war as well.
And so I’m a little “under the influence”.”
25.3.45 Sunday
Dear Hannah, Hello!
There are a few moments at my disposal when writing is possible, which means that the mail will go, so I will hurry and write a few words because I didn’t write yesterday either for the same reason.
The passing days are about history. In the days when we meet together we will have a lot to tell. But now, in their present time, they are of great interest. The days are not easy either, but it all passes quickly. The best news is getting better and better in a few more days and it will be good.
How are you dear? Has it really been a long time since I received any letter that are usually in the mail?
Anyway, Hannah, my dear, don’t worry, everything is fine. The main thing is to keep writing letters because at this moment this is the most important thing. The main thing is that there is no shortage.
Hannah, don’t be surprised that there are sometimes differences in writing in terms of content, form and writing. It all depends on the conditions on the spot and a little on the state of the power… I want you to understand this very well.
I just finished reading a small book called Karl – and Anna, although it refers to the previous war, it is very typical of this war as well. And so I’m a little “under the influence”.
Hello and many, many kisses
Yours with love
Asher
The “small book” Asher is referring to is Leonhard Frank’s Karl and Anna. Though first published in Berlin in 1926, its plot is best understood from the Internet Movie Database summary of its 1947 film adaptation “Desire Me”, which – otherwise identical in terms of protagonists and plot? – was actually set during and after the Second World War.
Namely, “Released from a POW camp at the end of WW2, a French soldier tricks the wife of a fellow POW into believing her husband was killed by the Germans and seduces the grieving woman, but the ‘dead’ husband eventually returns home.” Similarly, as described at IMDB by Ron Kerrigan, “Shortly after WWII, flashbacks tell the story of Marise, her husband Paul, and Jean, who was imprisoned with Paul in a German camp. While attempting to escape from the camp, Paul is shot, and Jean goes to see Marise, confirming the news she already had gotten about Paul’s death. Jean has fallen in love with Marise through the stories Paul told him and wants to stay with her in the seaside town in Brittany, where Paul owned a small business.”
The late-forties film adaptation, entitled “Desire Me”, was directed by Jack Conway, George Cukor, Mervyn Le Roy, and Victor Saville (all uncredited!), and starred Greer Garson, Robert Mitchum, and Richard Hart. (Read more here.)
You can view the full movie at ok.ru/video, while you can read the book at the Internet Archive.
Was the inspiration for Frank’s book the (true) story of the French peasant Martin Guerre? Were the tale of Martin Guerre, and “Desire Me”, influences upon Sébastien Japrisot in the writing of “A Very Long Engagement“?
Certainly the particular edition of Karl and Anna read by Asher read will never be known, but given that even as of 2025 the novel hasn’t been translated into Hebrew, the obvious conclusion is that Asher was already sufficiently fluent in either English or German to have read and appreciated the text. WorldCat reveals that the first British edition appears to have been published in London in 1930.
Here’s the first American edition, published by Brentano’s in New York, in 1929. This copy is from Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc., in Gloucester City, New Jersey, via ABE Books.
This edition, via Badger Books of Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia, was published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in New York in 1930.
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March 26, 1945 (Nisan 12, 5705) – to Hannah
26.3.45 Monday
Dear Hannah, Hello!
The weather is somewhat rainy, so I slept well today instead of last night, because at night sleep is difficult… but it’s good that you can sleep during the day. For every human being practicing rising early [?] are the first days. And you get used to that passing, and everything passing.
Hannah, I asked you not to worry because everything is fine and will be fine. And if they also preach different lines, and there will be those who are confident, how many, then there will also be those who will cry. Don’t be among the crying, remember the sun, you wait for me and I will return… and in a few days I will also write more details about my life.
All around me now everything is blooming – trees covered with white blossoms; the whole field is green and wildflowers of all colors decorate the green carpet the difference is big….
Therefore, hello to you and all the best
Warm kisses from father.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 28, 1945 (Nisan 14, 5705) – to Hannah
“Hannah, I’ll tell you the truth, before I sat down to write,
I thought I would write,
and write without limit about everything –
about my feelings and the past in recent times,
but as such, my tongue has unfortunately turned the pen from emotional writing about feelings,
so we will postpone the writing for another time
and for now, Happy Holidays to you,
don’t think too much, Hannah, everything will be fine,
that’s it.”
28.3.45 Wednesday
Hello dear!
Today is Passover Eve. And it’s a bit difficult for me to write… It’s close to noon. I’ve already managed to rest a few hours from the night before so my mind is clear. The weather has also improved and it’s really nice outside, the sun warms a pleasant spring temperature. I am in a rift. All around me orchards and vineyards rise and fall on the mountain slopes. And at their feet is spread a green carpet of winter grains and patches of grass. In order to list their names of the ones decorated with an abundance of flowers, I need the help of Jezreela. Under one of the trees that is completely covered with white blossoms and gives off a pungent smell, my desk is lined with ammunition boxes. And one of the boxes also serves as a bench for me. The weather and the surrounding nature give off a smell until you completely forget what’s around you, and sometimes you won’t even hear the noise of the cannon or the explosion of the bombs. whose sound is heard quite often.
And how clear the contrast is here, everything around me is abundant with heat, everything blooms, and grows, and everything is determined to enjoy the beauty of nature, and in contrast to all this beyond here, mankind sows and scatters destructive tools, bringing death to the trees of Lebanon and to man. Sending his final venom, despite his knowledge of his last dying days, this predatory and crazy animal on the brink of its miscarriage has not yet surrendered! But the bitter storm is getting closer and in that there is a bit of speculation until Germany is destroyed, every additional German killed, every additional destruction means a little bit of peace, and in that there is a bit of speculation. Hannah, although today I will write of the events at the front, it turned out that it is no longer new for you. In my opinion it was already in all the country’s newspapers and perhaps in special and great moral deceptions. I have time for it in bold letters because it is very simple.
Everyone gets used to it and you can also get used to the fact that bombs are falling all around and you are quietly doing your work. The period since we came to Italy has been a very interesting and rainy period since the days of the confederacy and the whole page up to the front. I will also try in one of the letters to write to you these impressions of the places of recuperation [?] I was in until I arrived at the front and I hope that by the time you receive this letter I will already be far from the front again or that I won’t be at all anymore Front In any case, not everything is dark here either. Feeling pretty good no fear and a good melee.
And the main thing is that there is also a sense of anticipation when you see that a German was killed or captured and [I can] describe to you how much pleasure it is when you see a group of Germans from the master race compared to how miserable they are..
There are also humorous things that will surely enter Jewish folklore. Imagine that one of our friends entered a German position and the Germans were running like moles with their heads stuck in the ground in fear. And the fellow shouts out loud, “Pigs! Jews here!” Of course in their language. But those who stand up raise their hands and one begins to plead: “I’m not a Nazi, I’m an Austrian social democrat”, that’s how the master race who come for their wages surrender at the front…
We’ll settle for the front this time, it’s finally already Passover, is it already the holiday of Herut [freedom] and the Redemption, and we also feel the characteristic of the holiday, and this prompted my friend to think that we’ll sleep with him, and he’s making sure to gather around a small group that follows him, and he’s even an organizing order, and we already have unleavened bread for all seven days, and I’ll also be forced to eat unleavened bread. Because there will be no bread we also have wine that I got from Eretz and instead of food every day of the week we drink Italian wine. Tonight we will drink Eretz-Israeli wine and remember that Herut [freedom] is today.
Hannah, I’ll tell you the truth, before I sat down to write, I thought I would write, and write without limit about everything – about my feelings and the past in recent times, but as such, my tongue has unfortunately turned the pen from emotional writing about feelings, so we will postpone the writing for another time and for now, Happy Holidays to you, don’t think too much, Hannah, everything will be fine, that’s it.
My Passover is a release from slavery to wait a few more days until everything is over. A new light will shine on us all.
Peace be upon you and happy holidays
Kisses to all
From father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 30, 1945 (Nisan 16, 5705) – to Hannah
30.3.45
Hello dear!
Hannah, I understand, for your sake, that even on a day when there is no possible respite, I try to give a sign of life, but I ask that if you do not receive letters for several days, do not worry because it is not always possible to write
Hello and all the best
Kisses to everyone from Father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
March 31, 1945 (Nisan 17, 5705) – to Hannah
31.3.45 Saturday
Hello, my dear Hannah,
My letters have been very short lately.
There are times when even though the moment is full of things[ events], you still have no option to cancel them. And I will tell you the truth, that writing is very difficult for me. However, know that I feel absolutely fine and physically and mentally healthy. I try to write to inform you of my well-being. I am going to sleep in the rear to rest a little.
There is hope that the state of affairs will progress. As in my prior days, we will have to move forward more, so in the meantime the whole thing will be over. Half of Germany is already occupied and the full occupation is being completed.
Hannah don’t, worry keep writing often, kisses to all of you.
Yours with personal love
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Unknown Date – to Hannah
My Dear,
After a long break I received your letter today with Yerimika’s [little Yoram’s] paintings. I had really waited for much too long. All the time I suspected the postal service. However, when I received the letter it was from the 19th, and the letter before that was from the 10th, it was too long a time, especially for now. My dear, you write that you know everything. I suppose that everything you know is the truth…. And I hear your heartbeats in the nights. I hear them well, although not always quietly. But, my dear, don’t worry. Time is already measured in days. Very soon, a little more effort and I shall return home, and everything will return to normal.
Hannah, your last letter is all good. I pray that it will continue thus. Are you all really feeling well, and does your hand no longer hurt? Or is there also a little desire to give me only good news? I, at any rate, am very happy with the letter.
Hannah, again I repeat my old request, you understand the value of the letter, make a little more effort and write to me more often. With me there is nothing new. Whatever you read in the newspaper – don’t take too much notice. The noise will be great for sure…. And you should further know that everything they write has already passed a long time ago. They never write about the present. Accept things with simplicity, because everything will be good. I am now also in a new “palace”, in a family room. My partner is one of the members whom I mention a few times in my letters, the one for whom I write the letters. This room was probably a stable or cowshed in the past, it is hard to say with certainty, because here in Italy, in the farmers’ houses, all the houses are built so that the house, the stable and the cowshed are built together. Although they are large houses, with two floors, the building is of bricks. The living rooms are mostly on the upper floor and the lower floors are the farm quarters. Therefore, I am also on the lower floor. And I have a special chamber, with two beds and a small hole which serves as the entrance. If you remember the farmers’ houses in Poland, each house had such a hole underneath the oven for the chickens, usually for laying eggs. In our vicinity they would call it a “kotleh”, and don’t ask again how the horse could get into such a hole? Because, once a upon a time it was different, and now it has been adapted to the needs of “people”, and there I feel not bad, although it is always dark there, but that also has an advantage, because at night I am not also in my Lidze, as I call it in my language. Except during the day and then it is good that it is dark. It is more comfortable to sleep, and anyway I have installed a small lamp made out of a little metal tin. With a wick, which gives both light and smoke, and that’s not bad… What can I tell you, I even installed a small cabinet for books in this room. As for the beds that we have, we would really be able to take them into any decent house. So that everything is OK but for a single small disturbance that remains, and certainly today, I shall get rid of that as well. Before I came into my room the chimney from the kitchen was aimed into there. Although smoke is a good thing. But it was a little too thick. So, I blocked the chimney. But some smoke still gets in. We shall fix that as well.
Well, Hanny, as you will read in my letter, I continue to laugh, and that is a good sign. So you may also learn from me and don’t worry. Yesterday, together with your letter, I also received a letter from Josef ???, but it was only a copy of a letter sent to you. From that I learn that you wrote to him, as it is a letter of reply. In Yiddish they say: Pashtonkene fish geges on kun ba’aya nite geaht. [You eat stinky fish and you don’t have a bad night.] But don’t worry, soon we shall be free without any favors and without any releases. By the way, what did you write to me? I also received letters from Janshly / Minshly [?] and Zippora Reichman. But here some kind of mishap occurred. She seems to have written letters to a guy named Jacob, and she mixed up the letters. Before sundown, I examined the letters twice, until I was convinced that the letter, that is, it is his correct address, and the letter starts with “Dear Jacob”, and of course all the contents are not for me…
Because I think you write everything, even a little more…
So, again, my dear Hannale [little Hannah], enjoy a good and happy festival. When it becomes possible to write about everything I shall also write to you happy things.
Goodbye, and warm kisses.
Regards to neighbours and friends.
Yours with love.
Asher
Comment: Though Asher’s letters are obviously in Hebrew, the aphorism “Pashtonkene fish geges on kun ba’aya nite geaht.” (You eat stinky fish and you don’t have a bad night.) is in Yiddish. This appears to be a play on the saying: “Ate stinky fish and thrown out of the city.” (My thanks to Naomi, Yiddish translator par excellence, for the translation!)
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Unknown Date – letter fragment – to Hannah
That it will not be difficult in any case must be careful. And I am ready to testify that it is possible to live in a house that is not “whitewashed”, and [with] all the plastering. Try to keep the renovations and improvements to the one that I will return to. And I hope it will be soon.
You may get the impression that I am always at rest, because at another time it is impossible to write. Or rather, it is forbidden to write. Life here is pretty good; my goodness at “home” so it is tidy. And one of the main things is to have a bit of a blanket, but it’s not difficult either.
The days are very beautiful. The [?] has begun and these are the signs of spring. Also an old shower and plenty of wine so there is no need for drinking water. All the same Hannah, don’t worry, I’m ready at any moment for any enjoyment, and to end the war…
Hannah, what’s up with my family? You don’t receive any letters from them? And what about Yantel and Tischel; there used to be a letter during the days of your illnesses and in this matter. I also answered her and since then I have not received anything from them. I also answered the letter to the Giladi family, is Shmuel still continuing with the recruitment process?
Hannah In one of the letters you reveal your negative relationship to [?] Brigade. You need to change your relationship, because for our benefit I think that the brigade will be there even after the days of the war. This is what I think will be, not me. Therefore there should be others. It’s hard for us, but we need to mobilize.
Greetings to all our friends and to all who ask for our peace
Kisses to you all
Yours with love
Father
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Newspaper Article – September, 2001 (5761)
The following news article, translated from the (I think) “Israel Revealed” Facebook page, is from a September, 2001 issue of the “New Direction” newspaper. It presents a very brief overview of Asher’s life, beginning with the return of the veterans of the Jewish Brigade to Israel in 1945, Asher obviously not among them.
The Asher Neighborhood – named after Asher Goldring
By: Leah Klein
Many of us from Ra’anana remember that day when Ra’anana celebrated the return of the Israeli soldiers who served in the British army and the brigade. The residents and school children gathered in the center of the settlement – near the Great Synagogue and watched every car that came from the east of the settlement. When the soldiers came, the meetings were excited. Flowers, hugs, crying and joy. We children ran through everyone. The only one who did not return was Asher Goldring.
Jezreela – Asher’s daughter, who lives in Ra’anana with her family members, says that in the newspaper “Davar” news appeared during her father’s service about a brave and heroic soldier – Asher Goldring – who remained in the field alone and after three days returned to the base. Clearly in the newspaper organization they learned that the name was wrong and that it was Asher Goldring – and he was missing.
On the day the soldiers returned, mother told her, “Don’t go, he won’t come back.” But she joined all the revelers with hope in her heart.
Asher (1910-1945) was born in Poland to a Hasidic family. He studied in a classroom and in a yeshiva and at the age of 17 was infected with the Zionist virus. He secretly left his father’s house and joined the “Pioneers”. In training he met his future wife – Hannah. They immigrated to Israel and settled in Kibbutz Ramat-HaKobesh and in 1937 they moved to Ra’anana, joining public activity in the working institutions. He worked to improve the conditions of the workers and thought about building a special company in the working land of Israel. He established the cooperative store in the colony and managed it, according to his friends, with all his heart.
During World War II, he enlisted in the British Army, even though the conscription duty did not apply to him (age 31 + 2 children). He was the living spirit of his unit and fought to establish the Jewish Brigade. In his words of persuasion, he said, “We must volunteer for the Hebrew regiments. The married will form the nucleus of the leadership [?] and the example for the unmarried who must be drafted. The Nazi beast, conquering country after country, preys on nation after nation. The Jewish people long for help and we do not listen to it. Do we close our ears to this call? What will we say to our children who will ask us ‘Where were you in those days, and what did you help your fellow Jews who were taken to the gas chambers?’ Our answer should be one and only – the mobilization of the Hebrew battalions.”
Thus he continued to recruit many people. When the Jewish Brigade was established, he immediately joined the brigade and went to fight on the Italian front. Shortly before the end of the war he fell in battle.
In the booklet published in his memory, his friends describe a man who was always a pioneer. Demands greatness and fulfills greatness. [?] A man of faith and purity, the living spirit at all parties and events. A man taller than you and above all the people.
The letters he left behind are written in fluent Hebrew and are full of Zionism and love of the homeland.
Upon their return from the war, his friends established the “Asher neighborhood” in his memory.
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These four maps, from large to smaller scales, show the location of the Asher neighborhood (“Shikun Asher”) in Ra’anana, and then the city itself within the larger context of the geography of Israel and the Levant.
The Asher neighborhood…
Ra’anana, in relation to Herzliya and Kfar Sava…
Ra’anana, halfway between Tel-Aviv and Netanya…
At this scale, you can’t see it anymore. But, it’s still there.
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Uploaded on May 15, 2014 to Uri Manos’ YouTube Channel, this video, “The Asher Neighborhood – Childhood View” (“שכונת אשר נוף ילדות“), presents a very brief biography of Asher commencing at @ 1:45, and then chronicles the history of the Asher Neighborhood, as part of the city of Ra’anana, through the eyes and memories of its residents. The translation of the descriptive text below the video is:
“Asher neighborhood. An isolated island during the days of the Raanana colony.
Its graduates embrace and miss each other.”
(שכונת אשר. אי מבודד בימי המושבה רעננה. בוגריה מתרפקים ומתגעגעים)
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“For every deed God will bring to judgment
– for every hidden thing,
whether good or bad.”
Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) – 12:14
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An Acknowledgement
I would like to express my appreciation to Vladimir Yurist for his fine transcription and translation work. With over three decades of translation experience in fields such as aerospace, communications training, and medicine, Vladimir’s working languages comprise Russian, English, Spanish, and Hebrew. His clients have included Israel Airspace Industries, Elbit Systems, Plasan, Marcom, and others. He can be contacted at tralenator@gmail.com.
References
Author Leonhard Frank, at…
Ra’anana, at…
Jehoram of Judah, at…
Books, Books, Books!
Bower, Tom, Blind Eye to Murder – Britain, America and the Purging of Nazi Germany – A Pledge Betrayed, Granada Publishing Limited, Herts, England, 1981
“Gelber 1984” – Gelber, Yoav, Jewish Palestinian Volunteering in the British Army During the Second World War – Volume IV – Jewish Volunteers in British Forces, World War II, Yav Izhak Ben-Zvi Publications, Jerusalem, Israel, 1984
Levi, Primo, The Periodic Table, Schocken Books, New York, N.Y., 1984
Lifshitz, Jacob (יעקב, ליפשיץ), The Book of the Jewish Brigade: The History of the Jewish Brigade Fighting and Rescuing [in] the Diaspora (Sefer ha-Brigadah ha-Yehudit: ḳorot ha-ḥaṭivah ha-Yehudit ha-loḥemet ṿeha-matsilah et ha–golah ((גולהה קורות החטיבה היהודית הלוחמת והמצילה אתספר הבריגדה היהודית)), Shim’oni (שמעוני), Tel-Aviv, Israel, 1950
“We Will Remember Them I” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Gerald Smith, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, Brassey’s, London, England, 1989
“We Will Remember Them II” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Hilary Halter, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945 – An Addendum, AJEX, London, England, 1994
Prisoners of War – Armies and Other Land Forces of The British Empire, 1939-1945 (“All Lists Corrected Generally Up to 30th March 1945), J.B. Hayward & Son, in Association with The Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books, Polstead, Suffolk, England, 1990 (First published in 1945 by His Majesty’s Stationary Office)
