"16th May, 1945: Agents identified as Jewish, operating in Meran"
In the final days of World War II, a man named Jaac van Harten claimed to be a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in South Tyrol. However, the true identity of this figure remains shrouded in controversy.
According to available records, van Harten was initially identified as Julian Levy, a jeweler's son from Breslau who supposedly abandoned his business in 1937 and moved to Berlin. In 1938, Levy was reportedly expelled from the Nazi party (NSDAP) after being arrested for participating in the Röhm Putsch.
In the same year, Levy, now known as van Harten, allegedly dedicated himself to saving thousands of Jews from Germany. Reports suggest that he issued papers enabling Jewish emigration to Palestine since 1943 and equipped a series of depots with appropriate signs in South Tyrol.
In early 1945, van Harten made contact with Bricha members and provided them with forged British pound notes as payment. This connection to forged currency has been a subject of interest, but the extent of his involvement remains unclear.
The Gestapo ordered Levy and his second wife, Elfriede Viola Boehm, to leave Germany, and they acquired the passport of the Dutch Jew Jaac van Harten, allowing them to flee to Switzerland.
The "Bernhard Enterprise," a Nazi operation to distribute forged British pound notes, is the most famous example of currency forgery during World War II. However, detailed verified information linking van Harten to this operation is not readily found in common historical sources.
Despite the controversy surrounding his identity, van Harten was of central importance for the anti-Jewish measures in Hungary, where he allegedly helped thousands of Jews to escape. After the war, he lived undisturbed in Tel Aviv under the protection of Prime Minister Golda Meir.
The Wendig group in Meran, where van Harten resided, included a man known by various names, including Jaac van Harten, Yaacov, Jacques-Jules, and Julian Levy. He was also accused of being a former "Jewish agent."
In the final analysis, the true identity and role of Jaac van Harten and Julian Levy during World War II remain a matter of debate. While there is evidence suggesting their involvement in the distribution of forged British pound notes and the rescue of Jews, more credible and specific sources are needed to confirm these claims definitively.
- The controversy surrounding Jaac van Harten, also known as Julian Levy, extends beyond his role as a representative of the ICRC in South Tyrol during World War II, encompassing his involvement in war-and-conflicts, politics, and crime-and-justice, especially his alleged participation in distributing forged British pound notes and helping Jews escape.
- General news outlets frequently discuss Jaac van Harten's unusual history, from his reported expulsion from the Nazi party for participating in the Röhm Putsch in 1938, to his involvement in war-and-conflicts, politics, and crime-and-justice, such as his dedication to saving thousands of Jews and his entanglement with the infamous Bernhard Enterprise.
