The Jewish Community of Benghazi, Libya
In the 1930s, over 3,000 Jews lived in the city; some were "veterans", others arrived from Tripoli in the 17th century and still others emigrated from Italy. Most led a traditional Jewish lifestyle, and made a living in trade, imports and exports, and banking, some even serving as European representatives in the local consulates.
In 1912, Libya was officially transferred to Italian rule; the restrictive laws of the anti-Jewish "Racist Manifesto" published in Italy in 1938 applied to the Jewish citizens of Libya too.
During the years 1940-1942, the city was conquered by the British twice, but both times they were forced to retreat, and the Germans and Italians resumed control. The deportation of the Jews started after the second British retreat. Some 250 Jews with French citizenship were deported to Tunisia, where they were incarcerated in detention camps. Libyan Jews with British citizenship were exiled to Italy, and from there, they were deported in cattle cars to the Innsbruck and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps in Germany. Most of the city's Jews, over 2,000 Libyan citizens, were sent to the Giado camp, situated in a barren wasteland approximately 180 km south of Tripoli. In Giado, the Jews were conscripted for forced labor, and suffered from hunger, overcrowding and epidemics, which claimed the lives of hundreds of inmates until the camp was liberated by the British in January 1943.
The Zigdon Family
Nathan and Esther Zigdon and their two daughters, Victoria and Laura, lived in the city of Benghazi, Libya. Esther was a seamstress and Nathan had a grocery store and was active on the Jewish community committee. Esther's mother Rachel Mesika lived with them, as did her two younger sisters, Tina and Phortuna. Rachel, born in Djerba, Tunisia, was partially blind but this did not stop her from cooking, sewing and doing odd jobs around the house.
When the bombing of Benghazi began, the whole family fled the city and found refuge in an abandoned stable. On their return to Benghazi, they were deported together with all the Jews of the city to the Giado concentration camp. The living conditions at the camp were harsh, and the family bartered items they had brought from home, exchanging them for food with Arab locals whom they would meet at night at an opening in the camp fence. Some of the camp guards would abuse the Jewish prisoners, so Rachel did her best to make sure that Victoria and Laura didn't leave their living quarters and walk around the camp by themselves. On one occasion, she herself was beaten while trying to protect the young girls.
Rachel succumbed to typhus close to the date of liberation, by which point the rest of the family had all contracted the disease from her. Esther, who was particularly sick, was taken to hospital in Tripoli and the family eventually recuperated.
