Krav Maga
Who
Imi Lichtenfeld (Imrich Sde-Or), a Jewish martial artist born in Budapest and raised in Bratislava.
When
1930s–1940s
Where
Bratislava, Slovakia, and later Israel
Krav Maga is a practical self-defense and hand-to-hand combat system now taught to militaries, police, and civilians worldwide. It was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld, who first honed his methods defending the Jewish community in Bratislava during the rise of antisemitism in the 1930s. After emigrating to Israel, he became the chief instructor of hand-to-hand combat for the Israel Defense Forces and formalized the system.
Sources
Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.