Lubinchik Naftali (1913-1946)

Lubinchik (Lubintschik) Naftali (19 November 1913, Tambov — 20 April 1946, Eritrea) — fighter of ETZEL and LEHI, activist of the Revisionist movement.

After the October 1917 coup, Lubinchik’s family moved to Riga. He completed secondary school in Riga and then enrolled at the University of Berlin, where he studied history and economics of states. After returning to Riga, he devoted himself to Zionist work in the student council. In 1934 he arrived in Palestine with his wife and settled in Jerusalem. He studied history and philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem while earning a living as a construction worker. He was fluent in German, French, and Italian.

Lubinchik was an activist of the Revisionist movement and of the organization ETZEL (Irgun Tzvai Leumi — National Military Organization, Heb.). After the split within ETZEL in 1940, he joined the breakaway underground militant organization LEHI (Lohamei Herut Israel — Fighters for the Freedom of Israel, Heb.). The leadership of LEHI repeatedly entrusted him with complex missions. For example, in early 1941 Lubinchik traveled to Lebanon, which at that time was under French control, in order to meet with the German diplomat Werner Otto von Hentig. In accordance with LEHI’s views at that time, negotiations with Germany and Italy were to be conducted with the aim of saving the Jews of Europe and establishing a Jewish state in Palestine.

These negotiations, however, were unsuccessful, and after Lubinchik’s activities became known to the British authorities, he was transferred to Palestine and first placed in the camp at Mizra, and then imprisoned in Acre Prison. In October 1941, together with 250 comrades, Lubinchik was transferred to a camp in Eritrea, where he died in a hospital. After the establishment of the State of Israel, his remains were reinterred at a cemetery in Jerusalem.