Joseph Dotán

דותן יוסף

Vajda József  

Born in Nagymegyer (Vel’ký Meder) on 18.6.1923

Died on 17.11.2009

Member of “Hashomer Hatzair”

Joseph studied in Bratislava and Moravská Ostrava. He joined “Hashomer Hatzair” in childhood. In 1943 he was conscripted into the Hungarian army and later into a forced labour unit. Towards the end of the war he was transferred to Germany, escaped and arrived at the “Glass House” on Vadász Street in Budapest. In the underground Joseph dealt with organization and defense, safeguarding the weapons and their distribution in case the place were attacked. Joseph also prepared lists of Protection Documents and their distribution. After the liberation he was active in the children’s houses that were set up in order to rehabilitate the children and to prepare them for aliya. Joseph dealt with illegal aliya and escorted groups of Jews from Hungary to Romania. He made aliya and resided in Ramat Gan.