# data[].attributes.body
Abba Kovner was a partisan commander,

founder of an escape route for himself and his resistance fighters, a good poet and writer, and an activist to fought for a cultural and public lifestyle. He was born in Sebastopol, Russia, and went to high school in Vilna and School of Art.

When he was very young he became a trainee in Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1940-1941, when Vilna was the capital of the Soviet Republic of Lithuania, Abba was a member of the underground organization. After the German invasion in June 1941, Kovner hid with a couple of friends temporarily in a Dominican convent in the city suburb. After he returned to the ghetto and became aware of the killing of thousands of Jews, Kovner expressed the idea of revolt and began to build a Jewish force to fight against the Nazis. On the night of December 31, 1941, Abba read before a meeting of delegated of all Jewish Youth Movements a public announcement.

# data[].attributes.body
This impacted his life by him having to leave everything behind so he can fight for his life and what he believed in.

# data[].attributes.body
"Jewish youth! Do not trust those who are trying to deceive you. Hitler plans to destroy all the Jews of Europe… True, we are weak and defenseless, but the only reply to the murderer is revolt! Brothers! Better to fall as a free fighter than to live by the mercy of murderers. Arise! Arise with your last breath!”

# data[].attributes.body
“We will not be led like sheep to the slaughter”

# data[].attributes.body
Was born in 1918 in Sevastopol, Crimea, Crimea, on the shore

He attended the University of Vilna

Like the Jews his age he attended the youth groups however it wouldn't be anything from typical,and the Nazi war would make sure of it

June 24,1941 the Germans launched a surprise attack against the soviet union

That day made several thousands Jews fly Eastward with Soviet army

During the summer of 1943, he and his resistances  fighters carry out the acts of sabotage against Germany military trains and equipment transport, and even set up illegal printing press outside of the ghettos

September 1, 1943 German force began the final destruction of the Vilna ghetto

The Jews of Vilna refused to believe that Jacob Gens(thought to be friend) had led the to believe that they were simply being sent to labor camp in Estonia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Commander of the partisan underground organization, founder of the "Breha" (escape), poet and writer, and activist in Israel's cultural and public life. Born in Sebastopol, Russia, he was educated in the Hebrew high school in Vilna and in the school of arts. At a very young he became trainee in the Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement.

In 1940-1941, when Vilna was the capital of the Soviet Republic of Lithuania, Kovner was a member of the underground organization. After the German occupation in June 1941, Kovner hid with a few friends temporarily in a Dominican convent in the city suburb. After he returned to the ghetto and became aware of the killing of thousands of Jews, Kovner expressed the idea of revolt and began to build a Jewish force to fight against the Nazis. On the night of December 31, 1941, Kovner read before a meeting of delegates of all Jewish Youth Movements a public announcement:

"Hitler is plotting to destroy all European Jews. Lithuanians Jews will be the first in line. Let us not be led like sheep to the slaughterhouse. It is right, we are weak and without defense, but the only answer to the enemy is resistance!"

It was the first time that the mass killing of Jews was realized as part of a general plan to exterminate all the Jews in Europe. It was also the first time that Jews were called to defend themselves with arms.In January 21, 1942, the "United Organization of Partisans" was founded in Vilnus. The new organization was comprised of all the parties and youth movements from the entire political spectrum in the Vilna Ghetto. Kovner was a member of the headquarters, and after its chief commander, Itzhak Wittenberg, was caught in July 1943, he became the head of the organization (his nickname was "Uri").

In the days of the last deportation from the Ghetto to the extermination camps, Kovner supervised the escape of the organization fighters to the woods. In Rodniky woods he commanded the Jewish Unit composed of Ghetto fighters and the "Nakam" squadron from the Jewish camp.

After the liberation Kovner was active in the "Breha" movement and he was the spirit of the "East Europe Survivors Brigade" — a non-political organization of Zionists spheres, that called to unit forces looking at the Holocaust lesson and the still dangerous situation that was foreseen for the Jewish people.

In July 1945 he arrived to the "Eretz Israel Brigade" base in Italy and made a speech about the destruction of European Jewry and the uprising against the Nazis during the war, in front of all the solders. Shortly after it Kovner arrived in Israel for a short time to get support and means to perform the activities of the "Nakam" (revenge) on the responsible murderers of the Jewish people in the Holocaust. On his way back to Europe, he was arrested and deported back to Israel. After a short time he was released.

In 1946 he joined with his wife and partner in the underground activities — Vitka Kampner — and with a few more partisans to kibbutz Ein Hahoresh. During the Independence War Kovner was an officer in charge of cultural activities in the famous "Givati" brigade. At the end of the war Kovner returned to his kibbutz and dedicated most of his time writing. He published two prose volumes and collections of poems. In 1970 Kovner received the "Israel Prize" for literature. He also was director of the "Israel Society of Writers". Designer of the "Diaspora House" at Tel Aviv University and one of "MORESHET" founders.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Commander of the partisan underground organization, founder of the "Breha" (escape), poet and writer, and activist in Israel's cultural and public life. Born in Sebastopol, Russia, he was educated in the Hebrew high school in Vilna and in the school of arts. At a very young he became trainee in the Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/abba-kovner

# data[].attributes.body
"It was the first time that the mass killing of Jews was realized as part of a general plan to exterminate all the Jews in Europe. It was also the first time that Jews were called to defend themselves with arms.In January 21, 1942, the “United Organization of Partisans” was founded in Vilnus. The new organization was comprised of all the parties and youth movements from the entire political spectrum in the Vilna Ghetto. Kovner was a member of the headquarters, and after its chief commander, Itzhak Wittenberg, was caught in July 1943, he became the head of the organization (his nickname was “Uri”).In the days of the last deportation from the Ghetto to the extermination camps, Kovner supervised the escape of the organization fighters to the woods. In Rodniky woods he commanded the Jewish Unit composed of Ghetto fighters and the “Nakam” squadron from the Jewish camp.

After the liberation Kovner was active in the “Breha” movement and he was the spirit of the “East Europe Survivors Brigade” — a non-political organization of Zionists spheres, that called to unit forces looking at the Holocaust lesson and the still dangerous situation that was foreseen for the Jewish people."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Jewish youth! Do not trust those who are trying to deceive you. Hitler plans to destroy all the Jews of Europe...We will not be led like sheep to the slaughter! True, we are weak and defenseless, but the only reply to the murderer is revolt! Brothers! Better to fall as free fighters than to live by the mercy of the murderers. Arise! Arise with your last breath!"

With these words on December 31, 1941, Abba Kovner galvanized the divided factions of the Vilna ghetto resistance to join together and fight back against their would-be murderers. Three weeks later, the FPO (United Partisan Organization) was born.

Kovner would go on to command the FPO, lead the famed "Avengers" partisan unit, help found the State of Israel-becoming one of its most honored poets-and reputedly continue to hunt Nazis after the war.

Born in 1918 in Sebastopol, Russia, Kovner spent his high school years in Vilna, Lithuania-the 'Jerusalem of Europe'-where he joined the Ha-Shomer ha-Za'ir youth movement. Hearing rumors of killings and mass graves in nearby Ponar, Kovner and his youth group friends self-organized as partisans. They snuck out of the ghetto to execute sabotage missions, manufactured bombs, trained fighters, and acquired weapons which were smuggled into the ghetto in false-bottomed coffins or through the sewers.

The FPO continually pleaded with the Jews of Vilna to join the partisans in a popular uprising. Realizing Vilna's Jews would not rise up before the final destruction of the ghetto, Kovner sent the majority of the partisans (about 300) into the forest. Those who stayed, including Kovner, took up positions in abandoned buildings and briefly fought the Germans before escaping the destruction.

Kovner led the remaining partisans to the Rudnicki Forest where the "Avengers" earned a distinguished record, destroying over 180 miles of train tracks, 5 bridges, 40 enemy train cars, killing 212 enemy soldiers and rescuing at least 71 Jews. Kovner was convinced that Jews could gain self-respect through fighting, and that Jews must fight as Jews. He refused to be absorbed into Lithuanian or Russian partisan groups.

Kovner and the partisans returned to Vilna with the Red Army on July 7, 1944, recapturing the city from the Germans on July 13, 1944.

Following the war, Abba Kovner helped surviving Jews reach mandate Palestine. He also formed a new organization with 50 other partisans, reportedly attempting to poison thousands of Nazi and SS prisoners in a Nuremberg POW camp. Accounts differ as to how many Germans were injured or killed. Soon after, he and fellow Vilna partisan Vitka Kempner were married and smuggled into mandate Palestine.

In 1961, Kovner testified at the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Kovner continued to inspire people with his writing, and won the "Israel Prize" in literature for his poetry in 1970. Abba Kovner died in 1987.

Primary resources by the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation. © 2018 Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation. All Rights Reserved. For more information, go to www.jewishpartisans.org.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation's short biography of Abba Kovner.

# data[].attributes.body
1945, Mid-July he arrived at the "Eretz Israel Brigade" base in Italy and made his most famous speech about destruction of European Jewry and the uprising against the Nazi during the war, in front of soldiers. Shortly after it Kovner arrived in Israel for a short time to get support and means to perform the activities of the “Nakam” (revenge) on the responsible murderers of the Jewish people in the Holocaust. On his way back to Europe, he was arrested and deported back to Israel. After a short time he was released.

# data[].attributes.body
1946 he joined with his wife and partner in the underground activities going on, and with a few more partisans to kibbutz. During the Independence War Kovner was an officer in charge of the cultural activities in the famous "Givati brigade". And at the end of the war Kovner returned to his kibbutz and dedicated most of his time writing.

# data[].attributes.body
He published two prose volumes and collections of poems. In 1970 Kovner received the "Israel Prize" for literature. He also was a director of the "Israel Society of writers". Designers of the "Diaspora House" at Tel Aviv University and one of "MOSESHET founders.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=f7d78de355298e03&rlz=1C1RXMK_enUS1055US1055&sxsrf=ACQVn0-1d9b94gNP1Vv2uA7Ss1KoW0C56g:1713387094892&q=abba+kovner+survivor+stories&tbm=vid&source=lnms&prmd=vinsbmtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiakJ2pkMqFAxXTLdAFHVQ6DaEQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1707&bih=748&dpr=0.8#

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.google.com/search?q=abba+kovner+song&sca_esv=f7d78de355298e03&rlz=1C1RXMK_enUS1055US1055&biw=1707&bih=748&tbm=vid&sxsrf=ACQVn0-i9lt6egEufgR16yhYuMlOGqPTGg%3A1713387113258&ei=aTYgZt6jD5rEp84P846v6As&ved=0ahUKEwie_P2xkMqFAxUa4skDHXPHC70Q4dUDCA0&uact=5&oq=abba+kovner+song&gs_lp=Eg1nd3Mtd2l6LXZpZGVvIhBhYmJhIGtvdm5lciBzb25nSO4kUNkLWNEgcAJ4AJABAJgBvAGgAZoSqgEEMy4xNrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCBqACtQXCAgQQIxgnwgIIEAAYgAQYogTCAggQABiJBRiiBMICChAAGIAEGBQYhwLCAgsQABiABBiKBRiRAsICBRAAGIAEwgILEAAYgAQYigUYhgOYAwCIBgGSBwMyLjSgB_FJ&sclient=gws-wiz-video#