Israeli Police Civil Guard pin owned by Israel Haimovich
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm)
Creator(s)
- Israel Haimovich (Subject)
Biographical History
Israel Haimovich was born and raised in Czechoslovakia. His siblings, mother, grandmother, wife and son were all killed during the Holocaust. Israel was deported to Buchenwald concnetration camp, where he was liberated by American troops on April 11, 1945. Israel spent several months recuperating in an American military hospital. After his release, he joined other survivors in an Aliyah camp who were preparing to emigrate to Palestine. While there, he met Judith Itzkivich, a Czech survivor of Auschwitz concnetration camp, with her sisters. Israel and Judith married in 1946. In 1947, they departed on a Ma'apilim ship with other survivors to illegally enter Palestine. They were captured by the British, who governed Palestine and restricted immigration to the territory. Israel and Judith were sent to a detention camp on Cyprus, where they remained until they were able to immigrate to Palestine, which in May 1948, became the independent country, Israel.
Archival History
The pin was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Harel Gadot on behalf of the Gadot and Haimovich families.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Gadot and Haimovich families
Scope and Content
Mid-century, Israeli Police Civil Guard pin found in an inkwell of the desk set (2015.162.1) carved by Israel Haimovich while in a British detention camp in Cyprus in 1948. Israel was originally from Czechoslovakia, which was annexed by Nazi Germany and its allies in 1938-1939. Israel was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp. He was liberated by US troops on April 11, 1945. His siblings, mother, grandmother, wife, and son were all killed during the Holocaust. After recuperating in an American military hospital, Israel joined other survivors preparing to emigrate to Palestine. In 1946, he married Judith Itzkivich, a Czech survivor of Auschwitz. In 1947, they left on a Ma'apilim ship with other survivors to illegally enter Palestine. They were captured by the British who governed Palestine and had strict immigration limits. They were sent to a detention camp on Cyprus, where they remained until permitted to enter Palestine. On May 14, the state of Israel was established and, within six months, all the refugees on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Small, metal pin in the form of a stylized, X-shaped bird beside a wheel.
Corporate Bodies
Subjects
- Refugee camps--Cyprus.
- Cyprus
- Holocaust survivors--Cyprus.
- Jewish refugees--Cyprus.
Genre
- Jewelry
- Lapel pins.
- Object