Testimony of Eliahu Elias Meier, born in Bucharest, Romania, 1925, regarding his experiences in Bucharest and as a Romanian Army soldier in Saria

Testimony of Eliahu Elias Meier, born in Bucharest, Romania, 1925, regarding his experiences in Bucharest and as a Romanian Army soldier in Saria Life before the war; goes out to work after completing Grade 4; Forced labor in Bucharest, 1941-1942; deportation to Saria; drafted into the Romanian Army, 1944; transfer to the Soviet front at Sarata; desertion from the Romanian Army; liberation by the Red Army, 23 August 1944. Joins Bericha; move to Italy including crossing the Brenner Pass in the mountains on foot; recuperation in Milan; returns to take leave of his parents in Romania; leads a Bericha group out of Romania; capture; detention in a Romanian prison in Timisoara; crosses the border into Italy illegally; detention in an Italian prison on the island of Liparil; deportation to Austria; joins Aliya Bet; unsuccessful aliya attempt on the ship, "Tirat Zvi"; capture by the British Army; detention in Cyprus; aliya to Eretz Israel; enlists in the IDF immediately on debarkation; works in construction and seamanship.