Nimrod Ariav – ENGLISH VERSION
Nimrod Szalom Ariav (Szulem Cygielman) was born on September 24, 1926 in Lublin. Died on August 3, 2023 in Israel.
Index
[Collapse]Childhood in Lublin
The son of Marta, maiden name Wajsbrodt, and Lejb Cygielman. The father’s family is from Lublin (his grandfather lived at Kowalska street), and mother’s family from Bełżyce.
He lived in Lublin at Nowa 17 street. He had a twin-brother Abraham. They both attended Tarbut school and started education at the Jewish Gymnasium at Niecała street.
Second World War
After the outbreak of the Second World War his family left for Bełżyce, where he worked as an assistant at the power station.
In 1942 his father was murdered. Nimrod left for Warsaw, where he lived using “some kind of papers” (he used the name Henryk Górski).
He took part in the actions of the Home Army. In 1943, he persuaded his brother to come to Warsaw. Several months later they were denunciated and his brother was killed. Nimrod changed name to Godlewski. At that time, his mother also lived in hiding in Warsaw.
Nimrod took part in the Warsaw Uprising, probably as a member of “Parasol” battalion (as “Henryk”). He fought at Sienna street and in the Old Town, where he was wounded. After the defeat of the Uprising he got to the hospital in Krakow, where he stayed until liberation.
After the war
In 1945, he returned to Lublin for a short time. Later, he went to Germany; he studied at the Unra University in Munich. He participated in the illegal transfer of Jews from Germany to Italy. He became the commander of Hagana training camp in France.
Israel
In 1948, he went to Israel, where he joined the army (the air force). He spent seven years in the army, and left it as a captain.
In the period 1954–1973 he worked at the Israeli aircraft enterprise (Israel Aircraft Industries), and in 1983 he was appointed the President of this enterprise. Later, he established his own aircraft company.
Visit to Poland
In 1963, Ariav Nimrod came to Poland for the first time after the war. Since 1987 he has come here regularly.
Each year he visits Bełżyce, where he found his father’s grave. He organized reconstruction of the devastated Jewish cemetery. He was gradually getting involved in the life of this local community; he provided financial support for the hospital and schools in Bełżyce.
Translation: Elżbieta Petrajtis O'Neil