Lot #40
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Israel - Menachem Begin medal - 30th anniversary of the independence of the State of...
Israel – Menachem Begin medal – 30th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel – Silver 999, 115G, 59mm
Begin was born in Brisk, Lithuania (then part of Poland) on August 16, 1913. In the Betar youth movement, he met and was deeply impressed by Ze’ev Jabotinsky, founder of the Jewish Legion in World War I and organizer of the Haganah defense to protect Jerusalem’s Jews. Begin studied law at the University of Warsaw. At the outbreak of World War II, he worked feverishly to save Jews, was imprisoned by the Russians and was sentenced to eight years in Siberia. Freed after the Nazi invasion, he served in the Free Polish Army and thus arrived in Israel in 1942. He became head of the Etzel resistance in 1943, founded the Herut, Gahal and Mahal parties, and was elected Prime Minister in 1977. He died on March 9, 1992.