This is a list of notable members of the Irgun, either having been listed by the Irgun's websiteIrgun commanders etzel.org.il or by reputable independent sources.
Former Irgun membersNumerical estimates of total Irgun membership have ranged from 4,000 to 10,000. (Compare with outer estimates of 1,000 for the Stern faction, and 60,000 for the Haganah.) have held positions of highest influence in the Israeli political and security establishments since independence, and the lasting effect of the ideology espoused by groups such as the Irgun and the Lehi continues to be a source of active research and debate among responsible historians and political observers to this day.
Irgun chief commanders Jabotinsky, Zeev (1880–1940) – leader of the Irgun Tehomi, Avraham (1903–1990) – first commander in chief [1931–37] Bitker, Robert (1907–1977) – second commander in chief [1937–38] Moshe Rosenberg (1890–1989) – third commander in chief [1937–38] Raziel, David (1910–1941) – fourth commander in chief [1938–39; 1939–41] and aluf (high commander) of the Irgun Kalai, Hanoch (1910–1979) – fifth commander in chief Meridor, Yaakov (1913–1995) – sixth commander in chief [1941–43] and seren (military leader) of the Irgun; Likud member of the 10th Knesset. Begin, Menachem (1913–1992) – the last commander in chief [1943–48]; first Likud Prime Minister of Israel.
The Gallows The Irgun's Olei Hagardom (Jews who were hanged or committed suicide while awaiting execution during the British occupation) are as follows. Alkahi, Mordechai (1925–1947) Ben-Yosef, Shlomo (1913–1938) Dresner, Yehiel (1922–1947) Feinstein, Meir (1927–1947) Gruner, Dov (1912–1947) Haviv, Avshalom (1926–1947) Kashani, Eliezer (1923–1947) Nakar, Meir (1926–1947) Weiss, Yaakov (1924–1947)
Senior commanders Aharoni, Yaakov-Sika; took part in operations against Arab rioters in the 1930s, and during World War II, accompanied David Raziel on an Irgun reconnaissance mission in Iraq on behalf of the British, in which Raziel was killed. Took part in the first attack on British intelligence offices in Jerusalem, and in raids on police stations. He was arrested several times and finally exiled to Africa, returning in 1948. Amitai, Shmuel (1920–1998), joined the Irgun after illegally immigrating to Palestine and joining the Betar company at Be'er Yaakov. Transferred to Jerusalem in 1944 and served as an assistant to the Irgun district commander, before being transferred to the coastal plain and served as district commander in Netanya and in the Southern District. Amitzur, Bezalel (1916–2011) – held various senior command positions in the Irgun, and became a member of the High Command in 1945. Was district commander of the Dan-Sharon area and briefly served as district commander of Jerusalem in 1947. He was involved in the organization of numerous Irgun operations, and personally participated in one of them, the attack on Lydda airfield. He was later chairman of the board of directors of Maman Aerospace, and founded the Irgun Museum at Jabotinsky House. Amrami, Yaakov (1916–1996) – joined the Irgun in 1937 while working as a policeman, and acted as an informant for the Irgun within the police. Became commander of the Irgun's intelligence service in 1945, and in 1947, was sent to Europe to buy weapons and dispatch them to Palestine. Later, he set up the Hadar publishing house, which mainly published books connected with the anti-British underground. Wrote a book entitled Hadvarim Gdolim Hem Me-itanu (Hadar, 1994). Ashbel, Michael (1922–1947) known as Mike. Took part in the bombing of British intelligence offices in Jaffa and a raid on the Lydda military airfield. Captured in an arms raid in Sarafand military camp and sentenced to death together with Irgun member Yosef Simchon. After the Irgun captured two British officers, their sentence was commuted to life in prison. Michael was shot and severely wounded during the Acre Prison break, and died from his injuries after several hours. He wrote several songs which became well known throughout Israel ('Little Sarah – Upon Barricades' etc.) Assaf, Avraham (1914–1980), joined the Irgun in 1936 one year after illegally immigrating from Hungary, and took part disembarking illegal immigrants on the Sharon coast. Was the Irgun's district commander in Netanya from 1946 to July 1947. During his tenure, arms raids against British facilities were carried out, and he also played a role in the Sergeants affair. Following the establishment of Israel, he became director of a construction company. Avinoam, Yitzhak (1921–2015) – Head of Irgun intelligence branch, and Irgun district commander in Jerusalem from 1945 to 1947. Irgun operations carried out in the Jerusalem area during his time as district commander include a bombing of the local British intelligence offices, the King David Hotel bombing, the bombing of the Goldschmidt Officer's Club, and the attack on the Schneller Camp. Arrested in March 1947, exiled to Eritrea, and returned to Israel in July 1948. Avni, Yosef – took part in a bombing of the British intelligence offices in Jerusalem, the King David Hotel bombing (where he commanded the first group ("the porters") that arrived at the King David Hotel prior to Yisrael Levi's "strike force"), and the attack on the Schneller Camp. Arrested in 1947 and detained in Latrun, he was released in March 1948 and took part in the attack on Deir Yassin (where he was wounded during an attack on the Mukhtar's house). Ben-Eliezer, Aryeh (1913–1970) – co-founder, Committee for the Rescue of European Jewry and later on the Committee for National Liberation. Elected to the Knesset as a Herut member and served as Deputy Speaker. Cohen, Dov ("Shimshon") (1915–1947) Served in the British army until 1945. Joined the Irgun and took part in a large number of actions, including an attack on the Lydda military airfield and a major railway sabotage operation. Commanded the Acre Prison break while dressed as a Royal Engineers captain, in which he was killed while trying to save his men. Cohen, Ben-Zion ("Giora") – Served in the British Army and joined the Irgun after demobilization in 1946. Participated in actions against the British and battles against the Arabs. He served as a senior commander in the capture of Deir Yassin and was deputy commander in the capture of Malha. Later joined the IDF and attained the rank of Major, and "participated in various security projects within the framework of Raphael (The Authority for Development of Weapons)." Cohen, Rahamim ("Gad"); commanded the Fighting Force in Jerusalem in early 1944, and led the first attack on the British intelligence offices in Jerusalem's Russian Compound. While leading a September 1944 attack against a police station in Haifa, his hand was shattered while holding a live grenade. He continued to lead the operation, and following its completion, was taken to hospital, where he was arrested and exiled to Africa, returning in 1948. Corfu, Haim (1921–2015) – joined the Irgun in 1937 and built explosives and mines for Irgun use. He took part in the assassination of CID officers Ralph Cairns and Ronald Barker, personally detonating the remotely-controlled mine that killed them. In 1944, he was responsible for the bombing of the Income Tax Offices, and was subsequently arrested and interned in Africa, returning to Israel in 1948. Later became an Israeli politician. Efrat, Dov; became deputy district commander of Jerusalem in 1944, and then district commander. In August 1945, he was arrested and found to be carrying a parcel containing detonators. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was freed in the Acre Prison break. Eliav, Yaakov ("Yashka") (1917–1985) – was in charge of the Irgun's Jerusalem operations in 1938. During the split within the Irgun, sided with Avraham Stern and became one of the founders of the Lehi, and later, its Chief Operating Officer for several years. Elis, Shraga (1921–2014) – commanded the Irgun's Fighting Force in Jerusalem from 1944–45 and took part in numerous operations, among them an attack on British intelligence offices which he commanded. In June 1945, he was transferred to the Planning Division in Tel Aviv. He took part in planning the King David Hotel bombing and performed a reconnaissance mission inside the hotel as part of the preparations. He also had a part in the attack on the British officers club at Goldschmidt House, the Acre Prison break, and the Battle of Jaffa. Fallan, Chaim Franckel, Isidore – Irgun French National Commander; founding leader of the Revisionist Movement Herut of France; President of the Zionist Federation of France and one of the founders of Hatzohar – Union of Zionists-Revisionists. Germant, Natan-Niko ("Shimshon") Gershoni, Shalom ("Nachum") (1916–1991) Globman-Naot, Yehuda ("Avitagar") Goldshmid, Yehoshua ("Gal") (1925–1948) – took part in King David Hotel bombing, commanded the attack on Camp Schneller, planned the attack on Deir Yassin, and led the capture of the police academy at Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem on May 14, 1948. Killed in action on May 19, 1948, during an Arab Legion counterattack on the police academy. The youngest Irgun member to be commander of Jerusalem. Grosbard, David (1915–1990) – was a member of the Irgun High Command and the Planning Division. He set up the Irgun's clandestine radio service, medical service, and workshops for the production of mortars, Sten guns, and explosives. Took part in a 1947 arms raid against an RAF base. He later served as a member of the central institutions of the Herut movement and manager of the Herut newspaper. Heichman, Aharon – listed by other sources as a High Commander; later a manager of ZOA House in Tel Aviv. Hillel, Yaakov ("Asher") – according to the Irgun website, "took part in reprisals against Arabs rioters", in the blowing up of income tax offices in Haifa and in the embarkation of the Altalena from France. Kaplan, Benjamin (1927–1948) – participated in telephone and railway sabotage, an attack on an RAF airfield, arms raids against British installations, sabotage against the telephone network, and a mortar attack on a British Army. Arrested in April 1946 following a massive railway sabotage operation during which he wounded a British sergeant, he was sentenced to life in prison, but freed in the Acre Prison break after 13 months of imprisonment. After his escape, he was appointed commander of the Fighting Force in Netanya. He had a leading role in the Sergeants affair, personally leading the Irgun squad that abducted two British sergeants and later attending the hangings. He subsequently partook in operations against the Arabs, including the Battle of Jaffa in April 1948. In May 1948, shortly after Israeli independence, he was killed in action during the War of Independence. Katz, Shmuel (1914–2008) – was a member of the Irgun High Command, and focused on propaganda and overseas contacts, including with Irgun members abroad. He was one of the founders of the Herut movement and a member of the First Knesset; was later invited by Menachem Begin to be his propaganda adviser. Koenig, Zvi ("Yishai") (1924–1948), took part in the attack on Lydda military airfield, an arms raid at the Sarafand military camp, and the raid on the Ramat Gan police station, during which he was wounded in the arm and leg. He was arrested and detained in the Latrun camp, but was released and resumed his Irgun activities before the British left. Fought in the War of Independence. After settling in Ramat Raziel and being appointed regional commander of the Judean Hills area, he was killed in a road accident.