Photo-album given as a souvenir by "Mem-Gimmel (43) Prisoners of Haganah", [ca. mid 1940s].
73 photographs in the album, mostly photographs of caricatures of the 43 Haganah members, as well as group-photos, taken in "Mazra'a" detention camp near Acre, where administrative detainees were imprisoned during the British Mandate. Captions in handwriting. Several photocopies of newspaper cuttings are also integrated on the album leaves. Moshe Dayan, one of the prisoners, appears in several of the photographs.
The "Mem-Gimmel Prisoners of Haganah" affair shocked the Yishuv late in 1939. Forty three Haganah members were arrested while training as unit commanders, following a clash with Trans-Jordan Border Forces. Most of the members recieved long prison terms, but were released on February 17, 1941. Average size of photos: 5X8 cm. Album: 21.5X30 cm. Good condition. Stains in the beginning and at the end of the album. Torn tissue-guard.
From the collection of Dr Simon Cohen.