Enzo Sereni
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Enzo Sereni (1905–November 18, 1944) was an Italian Zionist, founder of Kibbutz Giv'at Brenner, scholar, advocate of Jewish-Arab coexistence and a resistance fighter who was parachuted into Nazi-occupied Italy in WW II, captured by the Germans and executed in Dachau concentration camp.
Sereni was born in Rome . His father was physician to the king of Italy. He grew up in an assimilated household but became a Zionist as a teenager and was one of the first Italian Zionists. After obtaining his Phd. from the University of Rome, he emigrated to mandate Palestine in 1927. He worked in the orange groves in Rehovot and soon helped found Kibbutz Givat Brenner. As he was an enthusiastic socialist, Sereni was also active in the Histadrut. He was a pacifist who advocated coexistence with the Arabs and integration of Jewish and Arab society.
Sereni was sent to Europe in 1931-1934 to help bring people to Palestine through the Youth Aliyah, and was arrested briefly by the Gestapo. He helped to organize the Hechalutz movement in Nazi Germany and was also involved in helping to smuggle money and people out of Germany. Sereni was also sent to the United States to help organize the Zionist movement there. During World War II, he joined the British Army, and was involved n disseminating anti-fascist propaganda in Egypt. The British sent him to Iraq, and Sereni spent part of his time organizing clandestine Aliya (immigration to Palestine). Sereni got in trouble with his British superior officers for his Zionist views and was imprisoned briefly for forging passports.
Sereni then helped organize the parachute unit of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) that sent agents into occupied Europe. Of about 250 volunteer trainees, about 110 were selected for training, and 33 were actually parachuted into Europe, including Sereni, despite his relatively advanced age. On May 15, 1944 he was parachuted into Northern Italy but was captured immediately. According to records, he was shot in Dachau concentration camp on November 18, 1944. Other famous martyrs who parachuted into Europe with this unit include Hannah Szenes and Haviva Reik. Kibbutz Nezer Sereni is named for him.
Sereni wrote several books and numerous articles.
Source Zionism and Israel Information Center
