The IDF announced on Wednesday that after a lengthy investigation, the burial place of IDF soldier Shlomo Haimson, unknown for almost 78 years, has been located.
Haimson was killed by guards at a detention camp in Cyprus during an escape attempt in September 1948. He was initially buried in the Jewish cemetery in Margo, Cyprus.
In 1970, his remains, along with those of others buried there, were re-interred in Haifa as “unknown persons.”
Following an intensive investigation by the IDF’s Missing Persons Unit and the Military Rabbinate, along with the Defense Ministry and Cypriot associations, it was determined that he was buried in the immigrant section of the Haifa cemetery.
His family was informed last night that his burial place had been located.
Who was Shlomo Haimson?
Haimson was born in Romania in 1930 and lost his father during the Holocaust. After World War II ended, he traveled to Israel along with his mother and girlfriend aboard an immigrant ship.
The vessel was captured by British soldiers, who deported its passengers to Cyprus, then a British Crown Colony.
While being held in a camp in Cyprus, Haimson joined an organization that operated under the Haganah, and he trained to become a soldier and fight for the Jewish state.
When the State of Israel was established in May 1948, his mother and girlfriend were released from the camp and immigrated to Israel, moving to the Negev. In September, Haimson learned that his daughter Miriam had been born, and decided to escape the camp and immigrate to Israel to be with his family.
Along with eight others, he broke through the fences on the night of September 29-30, 1948. The nine attempted to escape but were discovered by guards who opened fire, killing Haimson.
The others were caught by the guards and returned to the camp.