Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Claire Neikind cites: "In February 1943 he (Eliko Cohen) was taken from Salonika, with his father, mother, fiancée and 11-year old brother, to the concentration camp at Birkenau."
"His parents were sent to the crematorium immediately. His little brother was in the convalescent block sic months. One night the boy told Eliko his group had been selected for transfer to another camp. They said goodbye. At midnight, Eliko heard the cries of his brother's group. They had been transferred to the crematorium."

After Birkenau, Eliko Cohen was transferred to a labour camp in Warszawa., which was evacuated seven months later, when the Red Army approached.
Eliko Cohen was forced marched 150 kilometers, from Warszawa to Dachau.
After four days at Dachau, he was transported to Kaufering IV concentration camp. to build an underground factory.
In April, 1945, the SS set fire to the barracks at Kaufering IV, killing hundreds of prisoners who were too ill or weak to move, and force marched twenty-five thousand prisoners towards Dachau.
On the second night of the march, Eliko Cohen escaped into the woods.

Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.
Claire Neikind cites: " Fabi Gever stood at the navigation bridge and ran the resistance from there."
"The humanitarian attitude shown by the British at that stage, as well as the immigrants' great exhaustion, r convinced the ship commander, Fabi Gever, to give up on another struggle during the actual deportation."
Fabi Gaver cites: "Arba Heruyot was special for several reasons. This was the first ship in which it was certain that if caught by the British, the Olim would be deported to Cyprus.
It was also the first ship that was ordered to resist deportation from Palestine with force. These conditions gave the Olim added motivation to obey the instructions of the Palyamniks, and they hid below deck despite the difficult conditions."

Peter Hoffman served as Palyam Escort aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

Eli Zohar served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

On August 23, 1946, with Yehuda Arazi's help, Claire Neikind anonymously sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra, and later published articles in the Palestine Post about her journey

Claire Neikind, who had embarked, incognito on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, was arrested by the British, and detained in Cyprus.

On August 23, 1946, Eliko Cohen sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra for Palestine.