"Seven days of mourning for Olim from Romania" (Hebrew), broadside issued by the Association of Romanian Olim in Eretz Israel. Yitzchak Brocker printing press, Tel-Aviv, [January 1942].
"Seven days of mourning for Romanian Olim who cry for their sons, parents, brothers and sisters, 765 souls, among them more than 100 babies…who survived the horrors of the beast…and did not imagine that they might be sentenced to death again…"
The text refers to the sinking of the illegal immigration ship "Struma".
In December 1941, the ship "Struma" sailed from Romania to Istanbul as part of the "Etzel" operation "Af Al Pi", with about 760 immigrants (Ma'apilim) on board, refugees from Romania. The plan was to arrive in Istanbul and from there to await the promised certificates for Eretz Israel; but upon arrival it turned out that the certificates were not available and despite endless efforts their entry was denied. In February 1942 the Turkish Coastal Guard towed the ship to open sea, with no water, food or fuel. Shortly afterwards the ship was drowned by a Soviet submarine. Only one passenger survived. Ca. 30.5X46.5 cm. Good condition. Minor stains, creases and folding marks.