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Last update - 14:03 16/05/2008 Herzl told Zionist Congress he wanted to be buried in Haifa By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Zionist Congress  The day before the fourth Zionist Congress opened in London in August 1900, Theodor Herzl did not feel well. Herzl, who had traveled to London from Paris, asked A.H. Reich, the secretary of the second through sixth congresses, to call a doctor, "and if possible, a Viennese doctor." Such a doctor was indeed found, one Dr. Liebster. "And as I recall," Reich later wrote, "he gave Herzl medicine to strengthen his heart." But though Herzl was stronger, the incident affected him. "The next day, I came early to visit Dr. Herzl," Reich wrote in a July 1935 affidavit. "And he said the following to me: 'I thought my end had come, and when that end does come, I would like to be buried on Mount Carmel." Advertisement After Herzl's death in 1904, this affidavit served as evidence in a campaign by the "Lobby to bring Herzl to Haifa." But 45 years later, his remains were instead reinterred in Jerusalem. "Every Zionist Congress started with discussions of bringing Herzl's casket to Palestine," according to Dr. Yitzhak Weiss, whose book on the father of modern Zionism is being released Friday - Herzl's birthday. "Herzl several times expressed his wish to be buried in a metal casket, which would allow him to be moved to the Land of Israel when the time came." Weiss said there was extensive correspondence regarding Herzl's final resting place, including his desire to be buried in Haifa. Members of the Haifa lobby had several pieces of evidence to bolster their cause. One argument was a quote from a character in Herzl's book Altneuland: "And when I die, lay me beside my dear friend Fischer, up there in the Carmel cemetery, overlooking our beloved land and sea." Herzl was extremely fond of Haifa, and wrote of the city in glowing terms. In addition, the Haifa lobby presented testimony by several Herzl associates who said that Mount Carmel was the place the deceased had chosen as his final resting place. But despite the efforts of the Haifa lobby, and earlier efforts by Tel Aviv's then mayor, Meir Dizengoff, to bring Herzl's remains to his city, prime minister David Ben-Gurion decided in 1949 to bring Herzl to Israel and reinter him in Jerusalem. "I imagine national considerations vanquished others, and it was eventually decided he should be buried in the capital," Weiss said. "Jewish law says that the wishes of the dead should be honored, but there are also national considerations. Personally, as a resident of Jerusalem, I am glad I can visit his grave, but it isn't clear-cut what the right thing to do was." Related articles: Theodor Herzl's only grandson reinterred in J'lem cemetery Yossi Sarid / A man of action Shimon Peres / The Holy Language Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fear of extinction The state of over 20 species of birds in Israel has worsened considerably. Taking advantage Jerusalem police probe possible gang rape of disabled woman.   1.   The right thing to do 09:26  |  Dawood 16/05/08   2.   The trully right thing to do 11:23  |  Not Dawood 16/05/08   3.   to number 1 12:35  |  israeli jew 16/05/08   4.   Advice 08:37  |  Dawood 19/05/08   5.   Metal caskets is an Halachic issue 09:48  |  Motic 19/05/08   6.   Reply to # 1 09:30  |  Ben Azai 20/05/08

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