This Memorial Day, delve into the lesser-known tale of a World War II unit
As America commemorates Memorial Day amidst a resurging pandemic, escalating anti-Semitism, political polarization, and racism, let's uncover a forgotten chapter of war history. This story reveals not only a triumphant chapter in the Allied success but also sheds light on the surge of hate and xenophobia in the United States and abroad, as well as the crisis at the southern border.
During my tenure as a professor and director of Jewish Studies at Hunter College, City University of New York, I unearthed the captivating story of a renowned, little-known secret Jewish commando unit once known by Sir Winston Churchill as "Force X." The members of this elite unit were Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria, all of whom had experienced brutality and hatred in their native lands. With their lives forever marked by the horrors of the Nazi regime, they arrived in England as teenagers on the Kindertransport, sensing that they had a duty to halt the brutal hate of the Nazis.
Hunter College, a diverse institution with our president Jennifer Raab as a tenacious advocate for Dreamer students, was home to many students who shared the same sense of determination and strength shown by the Force X troops. Many of my students came from families fearing threats back in their home countries and were held with suspicion by the British government while seeking refuge upon arrival.
Once World War II broke out, these Jewish refugees were interned by the British as enemy aliens, enduring harsh conditions in refugee camps in the U.K., Australia, and Canada. But after being enlisted in this highly secretive German-speaking commando unit, they transformed into some of the British Army's most effective fighters.
Although they executed their missions clandestinely, they had to hide their Jewish identity and adopt false British names and backstories to protect themselves and their still-living family members in Germany. These German-Jewish boys would have to impersonate quintessential English gentlemen, sipping tea and playing cricket.
Undergoing rigorous and extensive training in Wales and Scotland, the Force X commandos underwent exercises with live ammunition, winter sea landings, and survival training – including the daunting challenge of traveling with no money and no supplies towards London from the Scottish Highlands. Their extensive training in counter-espionage allowed them to learn more about the German military than many Germans themselves.
Examples of their accomplishments in British uniforms
Lieutenant George Lane (real name: Lanyi György)
born into the Hungarian aristocracy and a former Olympic water polo player, served as a spy and gathered crucial intelligence that enabled several successful bombings against German mines, vital to the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Sergeant Paul Streeten (Paul Honig)
participated in one of the first Allied landings in Sicily in 1943 and helped rout the Italians before suffering a severe head wound.
Lieutenant Peter Masters (Peter Alani)
was one of the first allied officers to reach Pegasus Bridge in France during the Allied invasion, providing vitally important information about the German forces, enabling the Allies to cross the Rhine at Wesel.
Corporal Ian Harris
was a highly decorated soldier who single-handedly took out numerous German SS soldiers, earning him the Military Medal. His character enabled a peaceful surrender of an SS garrison on the Greek island of Korfu.
Making his way across Germany as a lieutenant towards the end of the war, Manfred Gans managed to rescue his own parents from a concentration camp, operating under the guise of an allied officer.
Although the Force X unit began as an assemblage of despised refugees, they turned the tables, making their way onto the shores of Normandy and fighting their way to the heart of the Axis Empire. Peter Arany, who wrote the book "Strike Back: The Jewish Commandos' War Against the Nazis," commented that his fellow soldiers were often chosen for the most dangerous missions.
After the war, it took years for these men to be granted citizenship, as they remained officially classified as "enemy aliens." Even during this waiting period, the Force X troops played a leading role in the British de-Nazification process by interrogating and gathering evidence against key Nazis, preparing for the Nuremberg trials, and proving crucial in the apprehension of Nazi sympathizers.
Although their war efforts were primarily aimed at the German threat, these soldiers continued to work towards making a better world, especially for the impoverished, much like many of the Dreamers and refugees we see in our midst today.
Post-war, Peter Masters used a Fulbright scholarship to study art in New York, working on projects to combat corruption in government and helping to curate an influential exhibition on poverty at the Smithsonian. Paul Streeten became a renowned economics expert and served as a leading economist at the World Bank, focusing on the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Manfred Gans earned a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and went on to work with the United Nations, aid in the development and repair of chemical facilities in developing countries.
Passionate advocates for civil rights, both Peter Masters and Manfred Gans played vital roles in the American civil rights movement. Just like Japanese-American soldiers who underwent incarceration during the war and later became heroes of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, the Force X commandos overcame adversity and proved resilient to any obstacle.
Their unwavering spirit, born from fighting against the very evil they had witnessed firsthand, embodies our determination to uphold values of equality and justice in the face of adversity.
