13 Facts About Yaakov Weiss

Yaakov Weiss was a Hungarian Jew born in Czechoslovakia and member of the Irgun, a Jewish guerrilla organization in Mandatory Palestine.

Yaakov Weiss was one of three Irgun members executed for their part in the Acre Prison break, which triggered the Irgun's retaliatory hanging of two British soldiers.

Yaakov Weiss was born in 1924 in Nove Zamky, Czechoslovakia, to a Hungarian-speaking Jewish family, the son of Joseph and Helena Weiss.

Yaakov Weiss developed Revisionist Zionist views and joined the Betar youth movement.

In 1943, following his father's death and with World War II underway, Yaakov Weiss fled to Budapest, hoping to get to Palestine from there.

In summer 1944, Yaakov Weiss managed to escape to Switzerland, and studied at the University of Geneva.

Yaakov Weiss moved to Netanya, where he worked as a menial laborer and jewelry retoucher.

Yaakov Weiss joined the Irgun, which was then conducting an insurrection against the British authorities in Palestine with the goal of compelling them to leave so a Jewish state could be established.

Yaakov Weiss was assigned to the Combat Corps and adopted the nom de guerre "Shimon".

Yaakov Weiss took part in two raids on the British military resort camp near Netanya, mining operations against British security traffic, the bombing of a road bridge, and in railway sabotage.

Yaakov Weiss was part of a blocking squad that laid mines to cover the retreat of the attackers and escapees by delaying any British pursuers.

However, Yaakov Weiss was captured, along with Avshalom Haviv, Meir Nakar, Amnon Michaelov, and Nahman Zitterbaum.

Yaakov Weiss is remembered in Israel as one of the 12 Olei Hagardom, Palestinian Jewish fighters who were hanged or committed suicide while awaiting execution during the Mandate era.