16 Facts About Yitzhak Suknik

Yitzhak Suknik, frequently known as Koza, was a fighter in the Jewish Fighting Organization.

Yitzhak Suknik played a crucial role in the organisation and building of small arms to be used in the Uprising.

Yitzhak Suknik took part in the first action of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on January 18,1943, saving the life of Mordechai Anielewicz.

Yitzhak Suknik died on 8 May 1943 whilst trying to escape to the Aryan side via the sewers.

Yitzhak Suknik's family were middle-class Jews; his parents were Meier Suknik and Cesia.

Yitzhak Suknik completed his military service in the Polish army, having achieved the rank of sergeant, and was known as a distinguished marksman.

Yitzhak Suknik returned to Warsaw, where the city's Jewish population was forced to live in the Ghetto.

In September 1941, Yitzhak Suknik escaped Warsaw to join a Hashomer Hatzair training farm near Czestochowa.

On his own initiative, Yitzhak Suknik founded a workshop in the ghetto to prepare hand grenades and to repair small weapons.

Yitzhak Suknik trained other recruits in the Ghetto in the use of guns, going twice a week to the house of Lotek Rotblat on 44 Muranovska Street to give weapons training.

Yitzhak Suknik was in a Hashomer Hatzair unit in the Central Ghetto commanded by Mordechai Anielewicz.

Towards the end Anielewicz, surrounded by several gendarmes, was saved by Yitzhak Suknik throwing two grenades at the SS officers who were pursuing him, one grenade killing two Germans whilst the others ran away, allowing Anielewicz to escape.

Yitzhak Suknik fought in a combat unit commanded by Mordechai Growas in the Central Ghetto.

Yitzhak Suknik was posted just in front of the gate to the yard and shot two of the Germans dead with one bullet.

At this point Yitzhak Suknik was now at the new ZOB's HQ at Mila 18 where Mordechai Anielewicz had begun preparation for fighters to attempt escape through the sewers to the so-called Aryan side.

Yitzhak Suknik was part of a group of eleven trying to reach the Aryan side.