THE HISTORY OF KRAV MAGA

Imi Lichtenfeld 1910 - 1998

Imi (Emerich) Lichtenfeld (1910-1998) is krav maga’s founder. Imi was born in Budapest , Hungary and later resided in Bratislava , Czechloslavakia. Imi's father, Samuel Lichtenfeld, joined a professional circus where he excelled at wrestling and boxing. After developing extensive knowledge in fitness training along with wrestling, boxing, and mixed-skill fighting, Samuel joined the police as a detective and had the leading arrest record. Samuel also opened the gym "Hercules" where Imi began his training. Imi rapidly distinguished himself as a champion in judo, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics and ball room dancing among other athletic pursuits.

In the mid-30s, political conditions changed across Europe with the rise of Fascism and anti-Semitic movements. Imi was an activist becoming an informal leader of a group of young Jews, most with backgrounds in boxing, wrestling and weightlifting, seeking to protect the Jewish quarter in Bratislava from anti-Semitic gangs.Over a period of about four years, Imi and his friends took part in numerous violent clashes with the anti-Semitic thugs. It was in these street clashes that the ideas of developing a martial art, later known as Krav-Maga, were planted.

In 1940 Imi fled Europe as the Nazi domination of Europe increased. His escape to Palestine (later to become Israel) was a journey that lasted almost two years. After recuperating from a severe infection as a result of his journey to Palestine, Imi joined the Czech Legion, under the command of the British Army during World War 2. Upon his release, in 1942, Imi requested and was granted an entry permit to Palestine. Imi joined the Hagana resistance and was later introduced to General Itzchak Sadeh, head of the Hagana, who asked Imi to train the members of that group in the art of Krav Maga. In 1944 Imi began training Israeli fighters. He trained various top regiments of the Hagana : Palmach (fighting regiments), Palyam (marine commandos) as well as officers of the police force. He taught them the physical condition necessary to fight, how to overcome individual obstacles, bayonet techniques, how to attack guards, close combat without weapons (Krav-Maga in Hebrew), swimming, knife attacks, pole fighting techniques. In 1948 with of the State of Israel in 1948 and the IDF, Imi became Chief Instructor in physical education and Krav-Maga for the Army. He served with the IDF for 20 years perfecting and developing his method of unique close combat. Imi personally trained the best members of Israel’s elite regiments and formed many generations of instructors in Krav-Maga. For this he received recognition from the highest grades in the Army. Krav Maga was easy to learn and apply so that a soldier, whether a clerk in an office or a fighter in an elite unit, could attain the required proficiency within the shortest possible training period. It was also important, that the soldiers' level of proficiency could be maintained with minimal review and practice. It was even more crucial that the self-defenses and fighting techniques that Imi had devised could be readily applied under the most stressful conditions.

Later, the Minister of Education gave state endorsement for the teaching of Krav-Maga in civil society.The Krav-Maga was an answer to the various needs of the IDF. It had to be easy to learn and apply, in such a way that a soldier, an office worker or a member of an elite regiment could become efficient in a short period of time and also that the techniques could be applied in spite of intense stress. At the beginning of the sixties while training a regiment of the Royal Police in Ethiopia, Imi became aware that one of his pupils was really trying to hurt him while he was teaching a method of defenses against a bayonet attack. At the next move, Imi struck very forcibly and in such a way that the pupil had to submit. This incident made him reflect more on the attitude he had to convey to his pupils in order to train in good conditions and avoid being hurt. In 1964, after retiring from the IDF, Imi began to adapt the Krav-Maga for the needs of a civilian society. The method was adapted to fit everyone : men and women, young and old, everyone who at one point would need to survive an attack with a minimum of risk and damage. To spread his method, Imi opened 2 training centres in Tel Aviv and Netanya, his home town, which become the centre for anyone practicing Krav-Maga. He adopted the belt system in order to structure his discipline and to assure quick progress in total security.

Meanwhile, Imi continued to act as consultant and instructor of Krav-Maga for the IDF and other security forces. In 1972, the first instructor formation for non-military people began at the Institute Wingate. From then on the method spread to many civilian societies. Since then, thousands of people from all walks of life have trained in Krav-Maga : Israeli Secret Service, Police Force, schools, private and public institutions, especially since it has been endorsed by the Israeli Ministry of Education. In 1978, Imi founded the Israeli Krav-Maga Association to spread the method and transmit its values. He remained president until his death. In 1981, the Krav-Maga began to be known throughout the world. Up until his death, Imi continued to develop the technique and conceptions of Krav-Maga. He controlled not only its progress but the success of its pupils, captivating them with his unique personality and his pronounced sense of humour in communicating his knowledge and advice.

On the 9th of January 1998 Imi died at the age of 87 retaining a strong mind even in his last moments.