Moshe Sneh

Just today is the 50th anniversary of the death of Moshe Sneh, and though he is little known to general public, and definitely I don't share his - at one time and for a long time - leftist views the history of his life is fascinating.
It is life trapped in history of this mad XX century and thus I believe it is worth reminding as it shows turns and curves present in one person's life, and not even a very long one...

He was born in Radzyn in 1909 at the time when it was Russian (or, as many thought, Polish under Russian occupation, but in 1909 chances for regaining Poland independance seemed poor). After the I WW his hometown became Polish as Poland regained independance.
Moshe Sneh attanded Polish schools and studied medicine at the Warsaw University. He was practicing doctor and also a military doctor with the ranks of captain in Polish Army.
Simultanously he was zionist, and increasingly radical one becoming involved in Zionist Federation of Poland and having been elected to its central committee.

At the early stages of II WW he was sharing the fate of - soon defeated by mutual attack by Nazi Germany and Soviet Union - Polish Army. He served as military doctor. In 1940 he somehow managed to emigrate to British protectorate - Palestine. He got involved in Hagana between 1941 and 1946 and after the war and before creation of State of Israel he was heading the illegal immigration department for the survivors of Holocaust (still kept in detention camps, often former concentration camps as Europe did not know particularly at the time what to do with those survivors who went through hell on earth). He barely skipped being arrested by British.

After creation of Israel he was among creators of the left wing on political scene and than communist party. He was a member of Knesset. Yet, after 6-days  war he deeply and bitterly criticized Soviet Union which supported Arabs in their fight against Israel.

Still, he was supporter of negotiations with Arab neighbours and one of the first to promote self-government for Palestinians.

This crazy XX century when during one life a man could be the citizen of 3 different countries and subject of fourth (UK). When at the same time he was avid zionist long before creation of Israel and extremly loyal Polish citizen serving in Polish army. When a communist served in army attacked by Soviet Union. When patriot had to break the law....

He was many things in his life. With many we may not agree now, but he tried to make the best choices, stay human, not to loose helpless from eyesight and that was heroism in the time of his life....