More than 100,000 persons witnessed the funeral today of Mayor Meier Dizengoff who died of pneumonia yesterday at the age of 75.
The procession, the greatest in Tel Aviv’s history, was heavily guarded all along the route by soldiers, police and detectives to prevent possible Arab provocations.
A squadron of British police led the procession through black-draped streets from the Museum, the mayor’s official residence, followed by a contingent of the Jewish Red Cross, representatives of the Maccabee Sports Organization, Boy Scout units, school children and youth organizations. The children were barred from the cemetery.
Prominent among the marchers were high officials of the Palestine Government, the entire consular corps, including Germany’s consul, and all officials of the Tel Aviv municipality, led by Vice-Mayor Israel Rokach.
Balconies of houses along the entire route were jammed with citizens, mostly women. It was reported that several of the balconies collapsed under their heavy loads and that one woman was seriously injured.
M.M. Ussisshkin, world president of the Jewish National Fund, threw the first spade of earth over Mr. Dizengoff’s coffin. His grave adjoins that of his wife.
The German colony at Sarona near Tel Aviv sent a big wreath of flowers to the Mayor’s home.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
