Imrich LICHTENFELD (Imy) 1910-1997

Imy Lichtenfeld was born in 1910 in Slovakia. In 1906, his father, a police inspector, created the first czech ju-jitsu school in Bratislava.

He was teaching self-defense to the police. Following fatherly influence, Imy started practising martial arts very young.

In 1929, when 19, he became heavy weight boxe and gymnastics champion, and won a contest playing against Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

In 1940, during world war II, Imy lives Prague, in 1941, he reaches Alexandrie, Egypt and joins the Czech legion, fighting by the side of the British.

In 1942, Imy emigrates in Palestine. Two years later, he joins "Haganah", becoming the israeli army. He their teaches fighting, gymnastics, and sel-defense basis to the shock troops called PALMACH.

In 1946, he coaches the Haganah commando units.

In 1948, he takes part in the war for Israel independance and joins the army as a physical education and close combat chief instructor until 1964. He leaves active service after a 2 years mission in Ethiopia. He opens a school in Nathanya, and officially creates KRAV MAGA, (litterally close combat) a method of self defense born from his war experience.

Since 1948, Imy explains, "I had been thinking about creating a system applicable to everyday's life".

Krav Maga is nowadays taught to the israeli army, to the GIGN (France), the FBI (usa) and to several police forces around the world as well as to civilians.

Imy Lichtenfeld died at the of 1987 in Israel, leaving an eventful life behind him. He was buried in Nethanya, the 11th of Jannuary 1997.

Imy Lichtenfeld strongest wish was that "Every childreen, brought up with the respect of others, could defend himself".