Binder of Photos of Etzel Detainees in the Camps in Kenya and Eritrea. 1940s.

Binder of Photos of Etzel Detainees in the Camps in Kenya and Eritrea. 1940s.

Album of Shlomo Lev-Ami [Levi]. Mandatory Palestine, Kenya and Eritrea, 1940s.

Specifications: About [90] family photos and pictures of the daily life of the members of the underground who were detained in Africa. Leather and wood binding with an illustration of the battle to conquer Jaffa in the spring of 1948.

Unique Features: The binding illustration depicts Etzel fighters with "Rak Kach" flags, fighting to conquer Jaffa. Caption [in Hebrew]: "He who falls in battle establishes the nation," another caption underneath the picture: "Jaffa Conquest, 17th of Nissan 1948." Shlomo's brother, Yosef, was killed in that battle. There are other words in his memory within the album. Some of the pictures have captions, at times poetic, such as "This is how we are in our marriage! Is there any comparison to our happiness? Do we feel sad? Faith is our slogan, our work, our hope ..." Includes about [30] pictures from life in the detainment camps: group picture of prisoners, visits to the camp, exhibition and plays there, sport day, dining room, dormitory and more.

Dr. Shlomo Lev-Ami (Levi) (1919-2011) was a member of the Etzel top command, and substituted as its commander, he was an educator and Israeli historian. In 1945, he was extradited to the British and exiled to a detainment camp in Africa where he served as commander of the detainees and editor of the Etzel newsletter. In 1946, he escaped together with a group of prisoners through a tunnel, but was caught and returned to the camp. He succeeded in returning together with the last underground detainees in Kenya only after the establishment of the State of Israel. In 1998, he was a Likud candidate for president of Israel.

Condition: Fine-very fine condition. The album had contained other pictures which have been removed.