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# Gigi's diary
- URL: https://www.bluetegu.me/gigis-diary/
- Published: 2026-08-20T09:02:33.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-20T15:36:45.000Z
- Description: Another unexpected find: my uncle's day-by-day diary, providing a glimpse into his experience as a young man in 1950s Europe.
- Author: Ron Cohen
- Tags: 1956 tour, 1950s, Eindhoven, Groningen, Handball, Hengelo, History, Nijmegen, Olympia, Personal Archive

My grandfather, Aharon (Erich), immigrated to Israel from Germany at a young age. True to their "Yekke" (German-Jewish) heritage, his children, Uri and Gigi, were organized, meticulous, and not prone to displays of emotion. For Gigi, who was 19 at the time, this tour was his first time ever leaving the country, and he documented it in a travel diary. At first glance, the diary might seem short and rather dry; it recounts daily events in just a few words, largely devoid of explicit marvel or excitement.

But reading between the lines reveals a fascinating time capsule. Behind the matter-of-fact reporting lies the experience of a young Israeli in 1950s Europe. For instance, he casually mentions seeing television for the very first time - a real novelty for an Israeli in 1956, as TV broadcasts in Israel wouldn't begin for over a decade.

Beyond the cultural experiences (which included visits to the cabaret in Amsterdam and Paris), the diary is an excellent source of facts. It records match results, and it corrected at least one of my misconceptions: on the voyage to Marseille, the ship passed through the Strait of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica, rather than taking the longer route along the Italian coast. At the end of the diary, Gigi notes that he gained 8 kilos during the trip, perhaps the only instance where he expresses a feeling, and the sheer enjoyment of the journey, rather than a dry fact.

The cover of the diary bears the slogan 'Towards the Third Million.' In reality, Israel's population only reached 2 million in 1958, and it would take more than a decade before hitting the 3 million mark in 1970.

The original diary and its transcription are included below. A big thank you to my aunt Dvora and my cousin Michal for finding and sharing this fascinating diary.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_203845-1.jpg)

> **Composition of the Delegation Delegation** 
> **Management**   
> 1) Fritz Levinson  
> 2) Aviv Barzilai   
> 3) Melachem Moshe   
> 4) Yuval Shkolnik  
>  
> **Players**  
> Maccabi   
> 1) Moshe Nutman   
> 2) Boaz Ludvinovsky   
> 3) Mordechai Rosenstein   
> 4) Amihud Shani   
> 5) Uzi Bashist   
> 6) Tuvia Tzerny   
> 7) Amnon Feldman   
> 8) Chanan Shaiba   
> 9) Uri Cohen   
> 10) Gideon Cohen  
> Hapoel   
> 11) Dov Ben-Ari   
> 12) Shalom Kishinovsky   
> 13) Eliyahu Kapra   
> 14) Yeshayahu Yarimi   
> 15) Hagai Lachover   
> 16) Yaakov Sandler   
> 17) Mordechai Mokasai   
> 18) Imri Tov

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_203921-1.jpg)

> Friday 31.8.56  
> We boarded the Italian ship "Pace" at 15:00 at the Haifa port, the ship departed at 16:30.  
>  
> Saturday 1.9.56  
> At night we passed by Crete.  
>  
> Sunday 2.9.56  
> During the day we passed by the Greek islands (the Peloponnese).  
>  
> Monday 3.9.56  
> In the morning we saw the shores of Italy, at noon we passed through the Strait of Messina, in the afternoon we passed by the island of Stromboli.  
>  
> Tuesday 4.9.56  
> At noon we passed through the Strait of Bonifacio which separates Corsica and Sardinia.  
>  
> Wednesday 5.9.56  
> We entered the port of Marseille in France at 6:00 in the morning, we passed by the Monte Cristo prison. We traveled by bus to the train station and at 12:00 we left Marseille by train. We arrived in Paris at 9:00 at night. At 11:30 we continued by train to Amsterdam.  
>  
> Thursday 6.9.56  
> After passing through Belgium, we arrived at 10:00 in the morning in Amsterdam.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_203937-1.jpg)

> From Amsterdam we continued by train to Hengelo where Jews were waiting for us, who hosted us in their homes. I was together with Chanan Shaiba and Shalom Kishinovsky.  
>  
> Friday 7.9.56  
> In the morning we visited the synagogue for the Rosh Hashanah prayer. And in the afternoon we held a training session. At night we saw television for the first time.  
>  
> Saturday 8.9.56  
> In the morning we held a training session and in the afternoon we took a tour of the city.  
>  
> Sunday 9.9.56  
> At 15:00 we played our first game against Olympia Hengelo and lost 7:10\. Before the game, a wonderful ceremony was held accompanied by an orchestra. After the game, a party was held with the Dutch players. In the evening we went to a wonderful cafe outside the city.  
>  
> Monday 10.9.56  
> In the morning we laid a wreath of flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and we were also received by the mayor. In the evening we held a night training session.  
>  
> Tuesday 11.9.56  
> In the morning we traveled to the city of Groningen. On the way we passed large dams that open for the passage of ships. We were divided into homes and in the afternoon we took a bus tour of the city. Also, we visited the mayor.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_203948.jpg)

> At 8:00 at night, the night game started on a wonderful grass field  
> against Groningen. The game was held in pouring rain and ended in a tie  
> 6:6\. After the game I was freezing cold, also a party was held with  
> the Olympia Groningen team.  
>  
> Wednesday 12.9.56  
> In the morning we left Groningen and returned to Hengelo. In the afternoon we were at a party hosted by the owner of a large textile factory. In the evening a party on behalf of the Jewish community was held at the synagogue.  
>  
> Thursday 13.9.56  
> In the morning we held a training session and at noon we paid a visit to the Stork iron products factory.  
>  
> Friday 14.9.56  
> In the morning we traveled to Eindhoven, on the way we passed through Nijmegen the city of marches, and the Rhine River. In Eindhoven is the Philips factory. We were divided into homes, I was with Chanan Shaiba. In the evening we went to Yom Kippur prayers.  
>  
> Saturday 15.9.56  
> In the morning we went to Yom Kippur prayer, and in the afternoon we watched a soccer game on television, Russia Germany 2:1\. And Holland Switzerland 3:2.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_203957-1.jpg)

> Sunday 16.9.56  
> At 14:00 we played our third game against the Eindhoven club and we won 10:20\. In the evening a party was held on behalf of the community.  
>  
> Monday 17.9.56  
> In the afternoon we left Eindhoven and returned to Hengelo.  
>  
> Tuesday 18.9.56  
> In the morning we traveled to Enschede for a visit. We were received by the mayor.  
> We held a visit at the synagogue, one of the most beautiful in Europe. There  
> a festive meal was held for us. We visited the textile factory of a rich Jew, we received garments there. After that we returned to Hengelo.  
> At night we played our fourth game, a night game against Hercules Hengelo, we won 7:16\. After the game a party was held.  
>  
> Wednesday 19.9.56  
> During the day we traveled to see the sea dam.  
> And also we visited the fishing village Urk. At night we visited the amusement park that opened that same day in Hengelo. We won many prizes there.  
>  
> Thursday 20.9.56  
> In the afternoon we held a training session. And in the evening we watched television and visited the amusement park.  
>  
> Friday 21.9.56  
> During the time we were in Hengelo I rode bicycles there with my hosts.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_204011-1.jpg)

> that belonged to the family I stayed with there.  
>  
> Saturday 22.9.56  
> During the day we took tours of the city, and in the evening a farewell party was held for us.  
>  
> Sunday 23.9.56  
> In the morning we left Hengelo and arrived at noon in Amsterdam.  
> They divided us into homes, I was with Uri. At 15:00 we played  
> our fifth game against "Blue White", and we won 8:13.  
> At night we took a tour of the city, in the cabaret district.  
>  
> Monday 24.9.56  
> In the morning we took a boat trip in Amsterdam. And in the port. At noon  
> we traveled with one of the Jews by car for a tour in the city of Utrecht.  
> In the afternoon we were received by the Israeli Consul.  
> In the evening I visited Daniela.  
>  
> Tuesday 25.9.56  
> In the morning we traveled to visit by boat the islands Marken, and Volendam  
> where the people walk around in ancient \[traditional\] dress.  
> At night we saw a wonderful show at the Carmela cabaret where an adventure happened to us with a Jew and we saw De Mosquito.  
>  
> Wednesday 26.9.56  
> At 7:00 in the morning we left Amsterdam and arrived in Brussels.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/7f/e37ffbec-112a-4cf1-acba-623ccb146054/content/images/2026/08/20260811_204019-2.jpg)

> At 11:00 we toured the city and also the synagogue.  
> In the evening we saw an excellent Revue cabaret program with international artists in the Music Hall. At 12:00 at night we left Brussels.  
>  
> Thursday 27.9.56  
> At 7:00 in the morning we arrived in Paris. We stayed at the Jewish  
> Youth hostel. In the evening we walked around Place Pigalle and saw night programs in the cabarets, the incident with Sandler.  
>  
> Friday 28.9.56  
> During the day we visited the Arc de Triomphe, on the Champs-Élysées, at the Eiffel Tower and on the way we passed by Les Invalides, we also visited Notre Dame and Moulin Rouge.  
> We went into the Folies Bergère and saw an excellent program.  
>  
> Saturday 29.9.56  
> At 9:00 in the morning we traveled by train from Paris and arrived in Marseille  
> at 6:00 in the evening. At 9:00 in the evening we left Marseille  
> on a Sabena company Douglas airplane. At 12:00 we landed at the Rome  
> airport. After an hour we took off.  
>  
> Sunday 30.9.56  
> At 7:30 in the morning we landed at Lod airport.  
> During the tour I gained 8 kilos in weight.

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