Menschenfracht nach Palästina

The file is an unpublished account by Werner Bukofzer about his illegal immigration to Palestine from Germany via the Danube and then on board of the "Hilda" to Haifa. He describes the hardships on board of the ship during an especially harsh winter 39/40, the uncertainty, and the dangers through onboard fire, storms and imminent shipwrecking. After days in the port of Haifa the passengers are taken prisoners by the British and interned in the Atlit camp. What follows is the monotony of prison life. Individual characters and events are described through anecdotes. After Purim 1940 a hungerstrike is organised by the Beitar group to force an improvement of the conditions in the camp. After 6 months the group is finally released and the authors moves to Tel Aviv to start a new life in a strange land.