Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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segregated world in which the youth groups dwelled, a majority of members, after
a period of confusion, clung only to a Jewish identity.
Numerically, the membership numbers of the Zionist youth groups Habonim,
Hechalutz, Makkabi and Mizrachi were less than the membership numbers of the
non-Zionist groups. 79 Interviewees recalled both the ethnic and the political
division between the youth who were members of the non-Zionist organisations
and the Zionist organisations. Only a small number of children from German-
Jewish families were members, whilst the majority of the membership came from
Eastern European backgrounds. 80 Former members of Habonim clearly recall their
families’ connection to Zionism and to Palestine. 81 Yet, this connection did not
extend to the emigration of their families to Palestine. Hemmi Freeman recalled
his association with Habonim, even though his main association was with
Makkabi. As a sports group Makkabi was larger than Habonim. However, as a
group which organised social activities Habonim was the larger of the two. The
majority of those involved in Habonim were involved in Makkabi for sporting
activtities. Former members of Habonim particularly recalled that the group was
regularly monitored and visited by the Gestapo. 82 Hemmi Freeman, who was an
avid athlete, recalled that the sporting activities organised by the Jüdischer Turn-
und Sportverein ‘Bar Kochba’, the Magdeburg branch of Makkabi, included
‘football, athletics, jumping, discus and gymnasium activities in the winter.’ 83
This youth group was dissolved in August 1935 and the remaining Zionist youth
groups were dissolved in July 1938.
79
Whilst exact statistics have not been located, oral history material from former
members of both non-Zionist and Zionist youth groups provides evidence for this.
80
Personal interview with R. Z. (recorded), Sydney, 19 November 1997.
81
H. B., op. cit., 19 November 1997.
82
H. B., op. cit., 15 August 1997.
83
H. Freeman, op. cit., 3 June 1998.