Chaim Arlozorov Writer, politician Date of Birth: 23.02.1899 Country: Israel

1. Early Life and Education
2. Zionism and Early Career
3. Political Leadership
4. Political Vision
5. Nazi Germany and the Haavara Agreement
6. Opposition and Assassination

Early Life and Education

Viktor Saul Arlozorov was born in 1899 in Romny, Ukraine, to a family with deep rabbinical roots. Amidst a wave of pogroms, his family emigrated to Germany in 1905. Arlozorov completed secondary school and pursued economic studies at the University of Berlin, earning a doctorate in 1924.

Zionism and Early Career

During his university years, Arlozorov became actively involved in the Zionist movement. He believed in the need for collaboration between Jewish and Arab peoples to establish a national home for Jews in Palestine. In 1919, he co-founded the political movement "Ha-Poel Ha-Tzair" ("Young Worker"). After graduating in 1923, he moved to Palestine.

Political Leadership

Following the establishment of the Labour Party in 1931, Arlozorov emerged as a key leader. He was elected to the executive of the Jewish Agency and appointed head of its Political Department. In this role, he sought to strengthen ties with the British Mandate government and Arab leaders, believing it essential for building the Jewish state.

Political Vision

Arlozorov argued against the idea that the Zionist movement should "gather strength" before pursuing statehood. He advocated for immediate steps towards Jewish self-governance as a minority in Palestine. However, he also rejected the far-left's proposal for a mere autonomous Jewish community and the idea of a Jewish state established through military force. He further opposed the partition of Palestine into two states.

Nazi Germany and the Haavara Agreement

In 1933, after Hitler came to power, Arlozorov traveled to Germany to assist Jewish emigration to Palestine. With the support of Chaim Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion, he negotiated the Haavara Agreement. This allowed German Jews to sell their assets and transfer the proceeds to Palestine to aid new immigrants.

Opposition and Assassination

Arlozorov's activities and his constant travel between Germany and Austria for the Haavara program drew strong opposition. The radical wing of the Revisionist movement, through its newspaper "Ihud," accused him of "aiding the Nazi regime." On June 16, 1933, Arlozorov was assassinated on the beach in Tel Aviv, a crime that remains unsolved.