This is a post from guest blogger, Maj. Peter Lerner, who currently serves as the IDF spokesman for the Central Command.

People that choose to join the military in times of crisis deserve a special notation. Today, “Witnesses in Uniform”  showed its respect for those that died while in the armed service. For some reason, unexplained to us we were told to be out of uniform today, all in civilian attire.

We arrived at The Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery. While walking from the buss I noticed that we were walking through a Catholic cemetery, and things didn’t really add up. We were walking through an immaculate cemetery, impressive, flowers and beautiful headstones.

We reached a small gate and entered. Beyond the gate I recognized the layout of another cemetery, in Jerusalem Israel. It was a Commonwealth war grave. Here there are 499 identified fallen soldiers. I know what your thinking, why did they take you, “Witnesses in Uniform” to a Commonwealth war grave?  The answer was apparent immediately. Out of the 499 buried here, there are 13 soldiers from mandatory Palestine and that served in the British Army the thirteen served and died during the War fighting the Nazi machine. It was apparent because on the headstones of the Jewish troops there is carved a Star of David. Side by side with the Christian soldiers the Jewish sappers and pioneers were laid to rest. What is interesting is that they are recognized both by the United Kingdom and Israel as fallen soldiers. It was therefore fit that we pay our respects to those that traveled from then Palestine to Europe, usually out of the individual drive to fight the Nazis that were annihilating Jews. At the time Jews from Palestine were not permitted to join combat units but those that joined the army wanted to do their bit against the mutual enemy. In this Polish cemetery thousands of miles from Israel lay 13 Jews that paid the ultimate price. In their honor we placed a small flag of Israel with its blue Star of David and two blue stripes. This is the flag that we salute everyday and they fought for without knowing the outcome of their actions. This to me is pure chivalry.

To our mission we have the honor of seven family members of IDF soldiers that have fallen during their military service. Personally I think this is a noble act that the military does to continue the blood connection that was created on the day their fathers, sons, brothers and sisters joined the army and died during the military service. It was therefore so appropriate to hold a memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers both from the IDF and those Jews that served the British army.

Each family member lit a candle on memory of their loved one and received a red rose.

Brigadier General Avishai Levi, Commander of the 149^th “Witnesses in Uniform” mission concluded that, “the deep loss, and the honor that has been bestowed on me to be here with you, I can only try and understand the extent of this loss of the fathers, husbands, sons and daughters that you so loved and that fell as soldiers of the IDF. Know that they served a strong army in a democratic state, but this has no personal condolence to you all. We are a state with a desire to live and our hand is forever stretched in and search for peace but endlessly ready to defend itself. This reality of our life has a heavy price, and thanks to the sons and daughters that chose, like the thirteen heroes that are buried here in Rakowicki, to volunteer and not to stand on the side lines, unconditionally stand up for the liberty and independence of the people and State of Israel. We participants of Witnesses in Uniform 149^th mission salute you, love you and embrace you.”

We left the burial grounds and I had an uplifting feeling. This chronology of the continual line between those that died wearing British uniforms on one hand, and those that wore the Israel Defense Forces emblems on the other added to the reasoning of why it is so necessary to visit Poland. We must forever embrace those that pay the ultimate sacrifice, they are entitled to the respect and they must know that Israel will forever be in their debt. When I thought about it later it was appropriate do carry out this ceremony in civilian uniform, after all we are first and foremost civilians.

Peter – Krakow 6^th April, 2011

This is a post from guest blogger, Maj. Peter Lerner, who currently serves as the IDF spokesman for the Central Command.

Lublin – Jerusalem in Poland

We actually stated off the day with a visit in the old cemetery of Lublin. Here we heard stories of famous Rabbis and scholars that developed the way Jews studied the Holy Scriptures. It was at this place a fellow team mate, a young intelligence officer with striking read hair said “I have something I would like to read to you all”. We all moved closer to hear what she had to say. From her pocket she produced a folded piece of paper. She opened it slowly and began to read, here is the translation:

Lublin 20.12.1940

Dear Shmulik,

On the 23^rd of December it is your birthday, I am sorry I can’t be there with you to personally bless you with birthday wished that come from the heart. I wish you health and success, that all your dreams come true and that we can all be happy together.

My loves, how are you doing? Why do you write so little? Its been almost two weeks since the first letter and we haven’t heard from you.

Menolak’s letter made me very upset. Is he healthy? Shmulik as the older brother you should look after him.

Strong kisses and regards from all of us,

Mother

———-

Lublin 30.12.1940

Loving children,

Your last letter we received on the 10^th of December to which we replied immediately. We are still under a heavy impression from your first letter we were frightened and unprepared for it. Why do you write so little about yourselves? Write all the details exactly. How many days per week you work? How many hours per day? What do you do in the evenings? Do you have books to read? How much are you earning? How is the food? And what are you working as? These really interest us to know. What is the weather like? And are you cold?

Also please write if there are any other people with you from Lublin like Holzberg or Mandelbaum and others? Menolak s hand writing seemed very wrong to me. It looks like he is not well, is he really sick or very tired? Write the truth, how is he feeling and does he have the strength to even work.

Here everything is alright we’re earning, we rented out two rooms and we are making 165 Zlotys per month. What do we need so many rooms if you are not here with us? If we can we will send you a package, write what you need except food.

Be healthy, write a lot

Strong kisses

Your Father

The redheaded officers grandfather at the beginning of the war escaped from the German troops with his younger brother to the Soviet Union. They had an ongoing correspondence with letters going both ways across the border to and from their parents. One day the letters from the parents just stopped “we think they perished in Majdanek or Balzec, but we don’t know for sure” she later told our team. I realized that there are lots of different levels of knowing what happened to your family. I am left with a great big void of no knowledge, no names, no places and no dates. I wish I had a letter.

Little Boy with a Trumpet

Finally, yesterday I wrote about the soldier playing the trumpet as we marched in to the forest of Lopuchowo. Today I congratulated him on such an amazing performance. The sound of his trumpet made the silence of the forest so enchanted that I had to give this corporal a pat on the shoulder. He turned around and said to me that for him it is the first mission he has come to Poland and that a year ago his grandfather who was a Holocaust survivor had passed away.

It seems that we are all connected to this tragedy.

Krakow – Peter April 5, 2011