Chaim Bar-Lev

Chaim Bar-Lev was born in 1924 in Vienna

Chaim Bar-Lev was born Haim Brotzlewsky in Vienna in 1924. His family moved to Zagreb when he was a child, and he grew up there and joined HaShomer HaTzair. In 1939 he immigrated alone to the Land of Israel and studied at Mikveh Israel.

He joined the Palmach in 1942. In 1946 he led the operation to blow up the Allenby Bridge. In 1948 he became commander of the Palmach's Eighth Battalion in the Negev Brigade.

In the 1956 Sinai campaign he commanded the 27th Brigade, and in 1957 he became commander of the Armored Corps. He was named head of operations in 1964 and deputy chief of staff in 1967. He became chief of staff in 1968, led the IDF in the War of Attrition, and left the army in 1972.

In 1972 he became Minister of Trade and Industry. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War he returned to service and took command of the southern front. He entered the Knesset in 1977 and served as Minister of Police from 1984 to 1990.

In 1992 he was appointed Israel's ambassador to Russia. He died in 1994. His son Omer Bar-Lev is a Labor Party politician.