Joseph Vladimirovich (Volfovich) Trumpeldor (, ; , ; November 21, 1880 – March 1, 1920) was a Russian Zionist activist who helped organize the Zion Mule Corps and bring Jewish immigrants to Palestine. He was killed while defending the settlement of Tel Hai in 1920 and subsequently became a Jewish national hero. According to a standard account, his last words were "It's nothing, it is good to die for our country".Idith Zertal, Israel's Holocaust And The Politics Of Nationhood, Cambridge University Press, 2005 p.14
Early life
Joseph Trumpeldor was born in Pyatigorsk in the Caucasus to Vladimir Wolf (Ze'ev). Wolf was born in the city of Parczew in Congress Poland, the son of Shmuel Asher, a rabbi. At the age of 13, Wolf was kidnapped as a Cantonist and forced into service in the Russian Imperial Army, where he served for many years as a combat medic. His surname, "Trumpeldor", was likely given to him by his military officers in an effort to distance him from his Jewish religion. Despite his difficult experiences, Wolf did not assimilate, unlike many other Cantonists. Shortly before his discharge, he held a ceremony to inaugurate a Torah scroll at his place of service, which received attention even in Vilnius and was reported in HaKarmel. Wolf married twice. His second wife was Fedusia Axelvant, an educated woman who was distant from Judaism, with whom he had seven children, the fourth being Joseph. The latter was raised by his father with Jewish national pride, loyalty to Judaism, to the Tsar, the Russian army, and their homeland Russia. The language spoken in the family was Russian, not the Yiddish that was commonly spoken among Russian Jews at that time.
Trumpeldor grew up in the city of Rostov-on-Don.See Postcard sent by Joseph Trumpeldor from Japanese captivity to his parents in Rostov-on-Don, Kedem Auction House. At the age of seven, he briefly studied in a Talmud Torah school and later attended the municipal school in Rostov-on-Don, where he excelled in his studies. At the age of 14, influenced by the teachings of Tolstoy, he became a vegetarian and a pacifist.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020 He took exams to enter a real gymnasium (high school), passed successfully, but was not accepted due to the Numerus Clausus, which limited the number of Jews allowed to enroll. Due to the need to learn a trade, he returned to Pyatigorsk, to his brother Herman, who was a dentist, and there he studied dentistry. In 1902, he received a government diploma in Kazan as a dental healer.Uri Milstein, "With a Strong Hand: 100 Years Since Joseph Trumpeldor's Fall, Part One," Maariv Online, February 29, 2020.
Later, when writing about his youth, Trumpeldor referred to the persecution and antisemitism he faced in Russia due to his Jewish identity:
Trumpeldor was influenced by the teachings of Herzl and the historic event of the First Zionist Congress (1897). At age 17, he established a Zionist circle in his city and served as its chairman.Uri Milstein, "With a Strong Hand: 100 Years Since Joseph Trumpeldor's Fall, Part One," Maariv Online, February 29, 2020. However, his activities ceased when he was drafted into the Russian army.
Military career In 1902, Trumpeldor was drafted into the army.Uri Milstein, "With a Strong Hand: 100 Years Since Joseph Trumpeldor's Fall, Part One," Maariv Online, February 29, 2020. As a Tolstoyan, he held anti-militaristic views but decided to enlist so that his abstention would not be perceived as Jewish cowardice. He was initially assigned to the 76th Infantry Regiment of the Kuban, based in the city of Tulchyn. There, he befriended David Belotserkovsky.Uri Milstein, "With a Strong Hand: 100 Years Since Joseph Trumpeldor's Fall, Part One," Maariv Online, February 29, 2020.
Early in his military service, Trumpeldor began developing his ideas about settling in Eretz Yisrael.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
Trumpeldor volunteered for the 27th Siberian Infantry Regiment that was sent to Port Arthur—the main Russian naval base in East Asia. Soon after, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. From the early battles, Trumpeldor’s name became known as a hero distinguished by his composure and resilience. Following the Russian forces’ retreat to the fortress of Port Arthur, he was awarded the Saint George Cross, 4th degree, and the rank of Sergeant.Uri Itiel, "Joseph Trumpeldor", May 2020, p. 5.
Trumpeldor volunteered for the regiment's Special Forces unit, tasked with the most dangerous missions.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020 In this elite unit, he encountered antisemitism when one of the commanders declared that there were no cowards or traitors in the unit because there were no Jews among them. The proud Trumpeldor immediately declared his Jewish identity publicly."Joseph Trumpeldor – Leader of 'Zionist Prisoners in Japan'", December 2, 2019.
On August 20, 1904, a shell shattered his left arm, and doctors had to amputate it above the elbow. Despite his severe injury, Trumpeldor remained motivated and optimistic about the future. His unique personality was evident in a powerful letter he wrote to his family:
After recovering, he requested to return to the front and said to his commanders: His bravery in battle and his rare request to return to the front earned him special recognition. He was promoted to the rank of Senior Sergeant and received another decoration—the Saint George Cross, 3rd degree. At a ceremonial parade held in his honor, he was appointed commander of the third company and gained the admiration of his soldiers.Captain Joseph Trumpeldor, Yizkor Website, Ministry of Defense.
In Japanese captivity
On January 2, 1905, following Russia's defeat at the Battle of Port Arthur, Trumpeldor was captured and taken to a Prisoner of War camp in Takayama, Japan. The Russian prisoners in Japan received good conditions. They were divided into camps according to their religious affiliation, with 1,739 of the approximately 70,000 Russian prisoners being Jewish. Trumpeldor spent about a year in Japanese captivity, and thanks to his personality, he became the leader of the Jewish prisoners. In captivity, he worked tirelessly to promote his ideological and socio-national vision. Alongside organizing the needs of the prisoners in education, welfare, and tradition.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
He established a Loan fund, workshops, schools, a library, a theater troupe, and even arranged for religious needs, requesting the Japanese to assist in baking matzah, acquiring a Torah scroll, and tallitot, and writing greeting cards for Rosh Hashanah.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
An example of Trumpeldor’s educational activities can be found in a special letter written by a Jewish prisoner to his teacher Trumpeldor:
Being among Jewish prisoners in the camp stirred strong nationalistic feelings in Trumpeldor. Therefore, most of his activities focused on Zionism. He founded a Zionist association called "Bnei Zion Captives in Japan" (which included 120 members). He raised funds for Zionist causes, such as the Jewish National Fund, building a Hebrew school in Jaffa, a library in Jerusalem, and planting a forest in Herzl’s memory. In July 1905, he sent a letter of support to the Seventh Zionist Congress in Basel. Trumpeldor also helped establish a Zionist association within the small Jewish community in Japan."The Japanese Captivity Period as a Milestone in Shaping Trumpeldor's Zionist Path", Prof. Kotlerman, Tel Hai 1920–2020: Between History and Memory. He published a Zionist weekly in Yiddish and Russian called "Der Yiddisher Leben" ('Jewish Life'), of which he was the editor and author of most articles.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
In captivity, Trumpeldor began developing his social-national ideas regarding the establishment of cooperative settlements in Eretz Yisrael. To seek support for his plans, he wrote a letter from captivity to Menachem Ussishkin. He planned to immigrate to Israel with ten carefully selected individuals to establish a new settlement.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
Trumpeldor was widely admired by prisoners, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Following the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth, Trumpeldor was one of the first to be released from captivity. His friends reported that thousands came to bid him farewell at the POW camp, carrying him on their shoulders and cheering:
The Japanese captors respected Trumpeldor’s leadership and character, and his legacy remains appreciated to this day. In 2006, an exhibition was held in Takayashi about the Russo-Japanese War POW camp. A room in the exhibition was dedicated to Trumpeldor, showcasing photos and describing his Zionist activities until his death in the Battle of Tel Hai."It is Good to Live for Our Country", HaPoel HaTza'ir, May 16, 2012.
Zion Mule Corps
Trumpeldor was among the supporters and founders of the Zion Mule Corps. Lieutenant-colonel John Patterson was appointed as the commander of the corps, and Trumpeldor was appointed as his deputy, with the rank of captain. The corps was transferred to Gallipoli where it participated as an auxiliary force, supplying the ANZAC troops (forces from Australia and New Zealand). Trumpeldor performed heroic acts in Gallipoli and was even injured in the shoulder by a rifle bullet.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020
Trumpeldor was the driving force in the corps. The corps, which suffered from severe disciplinary issues, including attempts at desertion and low morale, barely held together due to his influence and concern for the members of the corps.Oren Kessler, Mosaic Magazine, The Long Shadow of Joseph Trumpeldor, 2 March 2020 Despite being praised by its officers for their performance, after the failed campaign the British high command refused to transfer the unit to another front. The corps, including Trumpeldor, was disbanded, and some of its members joined the subsequent Jewish battalions. Kraines, Oscar. The soldiers of Zion: The Jewish Legion, 1915–1921. 1985.
In Alexandria, upon his return from Gallipoli, Trumpeldor took French lessons from Fira (Esther) Rozov, a member of a wealthy citrus-growing family and one of the pioneers of Petach Tikva, who were also exiled to Egypt due to their foreign nationality. Fira, 22 years old and 13 years younger than Trumpeldor, quickly became his beloved and fiancée, and he shared all his secrets and emotions with her for several years, writing her numerous letters during the war that described his experiences.Moshe Nisenboim, "Trumpeldor the Romantic," Israel Hayom, June 20, 2018.