Imi Lichtenfeld

Imrich Lichtenfeld (or Imi Sde-Or ) (* 1910 in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, † January 9, 1998 in Netanya, Israel) was the founder of the self-defense system Krav Maga.

Life

Growing up is light field in Bratislava of Slovakia, at that time still in the Kingdom of Hungary. He was very athletic and won competitions in boxing and wrestling. But even as a gymnast and dancer, he was successful. From his father, a police officer who taught the police Bratislava in self-defense, Lichtenfeld learned techniques of Jiu Jitsu.

End of the 1930s it came to Slovakia to anti-Semitic riots. Light box made ​​from Jewish wrestlers and boxers on a protection force for the Jewish population of Bratislava. During the ensuing street battles learned light field that athletic or artistic techniques are not suitable for a real fight for survival. He then began to develop from simple basics effective methods for hand to hand combat.

1940 had to flee from Slovakia Lichtenfeld. After an adventurous trip on the old river steamer Pentcho and a time in the British Army light field allowed to enter in 1942 to Palestine. There he hebräisierte his surname in Imi Sde-Or. He joined the underground organization Haganah. He gave lessons in melee, as the Jewish fighters were mostly poorly armed. For this lesson, the Krav Maga developed.

After the founding of the State of Israel ( 1948) Lichtenfeld became the Chief Instructor for physical training and Krav Maga in the Israeli army ( IDF ). Later he adapted Krav Maga to meet the needs of police officers and civilians. In 1996, Eyal Yanilov and other of his students at his request, the International Krav Maga Federation to promote the worldwide dissemination of Krav Maga.

Until his death in January 1998, he continued to work on the development of Krav Maga.