Shimon Avidan

Shimon Avidan was born in 1911 in Leszno

Shimon Avidan was born Siegbert Koch in Lissa, Germany, today Leszno in Poland, to a family of merchants. In his youth he joined the Communist Party of Germany. After the Nazis rose to power he fled to France and joined Hashomer Hatzair with his brother.

He moved to Mandatory Palestine in 1934 and lived on Kibbutz Ayelet HaShahar, where he guarded the fields. He served in the Notrim and was an officer in the Special Night Squads founded by Orde Wingate. In 1939 he moved to Kibbutz Ein HaShofet, his home until his death.

In 1941 he joined the Palmach, and in 1942 he founded and led its German Unit, meant for guerrilla action if Germany took the country. Near the end of World War II he went to Europe, helped organize illegal immigration and headed a group that hunted Nazi war criminals. He also took part in the Saison against the Irgun and Lehi.

During the War of Independence he commanded the Givati Brigade and was the operational commander of Operation Nachshon and Operation Yoav. Toward the end of the war he became head of the General Staff operations department. He later left the army, and in 1975 Shimon Peres appointed him internal comptroller of the Ministry of Defense. He died in 1994.