Auction 97 Part 2 Rare and Important Items
A collection of documents relating to the actions of the Palestinian Arab delegation in London in the years 1921-1922, from the estate of the head of the delegation, Ibrahim Shammas (al-Shammas). Most documents are from London, some from additional locations, ca. 1921-1922. Arabic and English.
In 1919, in the aftermath of the British conquest of Palestine, a number of Muslim and Christian inhabitants of the country coordinated their efforts and established the Palestine Arab Congress. At its core, the campaign focused on opposition to the Zionist Movement alongside an attempt to prevent the realization of the Balfour Declaration and preclude it from being included in the League of Nations’s mission document for the British Mandate for Palestine. The present collection of documents relates to the actions of the Congress in London prior to the publication of the text of the British Command Paper governing the Mandate for Palestine. This collection includes:
· Copies of circulars (duplication of manuscripts) on official stationery of the delegation. Some bear the signature of the head of the delegation, Musa Kazim al-Husayni. One circular is partly handwritten (most probably by al-Husayni himself) and is unsigned. London, April-July 1922. Arabic.
The circulars include protocols of meetings with British politicians, including High Commissioner Herbert Samuel, and the representative for Palestinian matters of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Winston Churchill; they bear details of the delegation’s efforts to abrogate the Balfour Declaration and amend both the British Mandate for Palestine’s mission document and the Treaty of Sèvres, and more. One of the circulars contains an account of a meeting attended by Chaim Weizmann. The same document also includes quotes from Churchill, asserting that the "Balfour Declaration is an indivisible part of [the] Palestine Mandate" and "an inheritance from the War".
One of the circulars is not intact. Some of the circulars appear in duplicate copies.
· Copies of printed letters from the head of the delegation. Unsigned. May-July 1922. English. Including: Copy of a letter on the subject of the situation in Syria, May 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the US Ambassador to the Court of St. James [official title of an ambassador to the UK], and the other to the Prime Minister of Great Britain); copy of a letter to Winston Churchill regarding the leasing of lands in Haifa to the Jewish Colonization Association, June 1922; copy of a letter proclaiming the rejection – by the inhabitants of Palestine represented by the delegation – of the Balfour Declaration, July, 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the President of the Council of the League of Nations, and the other to Winston Churchill); and letter protesting acceptance of the mission document for the British Mandate (two copies, one addressed to the President of the Council of the League of Nations, and the other to the British Foreign Secretary).
· Copy of a printed letter in the name of Winston Churchill, in response to a letter from the delegation, April 1922. Two copies.
· "Remarks on the Interim Report of the High Commissioner on the Civil Administration of Palestine from July 1st to June 30th 1921". Lengthy document (duplication of typewritten text), containing comments of the delegation regarding the Interim Report of the High Commissioner on the Civil Administration of Palestine in the one-year period from July 1, 1920, to June 30, 1921.
· Printed Booklet: "Palestine – Correspondence with the Palestine Arab Delegation and the Zionist Organization, His Majesty's Stationary Office", London, 1922. English.
· Additional documents, some hand signed, and others bearing the official inked stamp of the delegation, including letters to Ibrahim al-Shammas, and a printed document dealing with British policy in Palestine and the significance of the Balfour Declaration within the framework of the British Mandate, and more.
Enclosed: · Albert Habib Hourani, "Great Britain and the Arab World", John Murray, London, [1945]. A booklet containing a review of the situation in the Arab world, and the policy of the British authorities in Arab lands. · "The Arab Higher Committee, Its Origins, Personnel and Purposes", New York: The Nation Associates, 1947: Document submitted to the United Nations dealing with the ties between the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini and the German Nazi regime.
Dozens of documents (some 75 leaves. and a printed booklet). Size and condition vary. Overall good to fair condition. Stains, incl. dampstains. Tears.
Deck log book of the illegal immigrant ship "Atzma’ut". 1947-1948. English and Italian.
Ship’s deck log book – an official document filled out daily by the ship’s captain – regarded as the official documentation of the voyage. Such log books are managed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and are considered to bear both legal and historical significance. Once registered, changes or modifications of any kind are prohibited, and the recordings remain permanently preserved.
The present document is the deck log book of the ship "Atzma’ut", largest of the illegal immigrant vessels, which, at the time, had some 7,500 immigrants on board. The log book is filled out in handwriting by the ship’s captain, Yitzhak "Ike" Ahronovitch, previously captain of the "Exodus". The log covers a particularly long period, from September 1947 through May 1948; this span of time includes the seagoing voyages, months of detention in Cyprus, and finally the journey to Palestine under the flag of the State of Israel.
Each page contains a detailed entry indicating the ship’s location, data regarding the voyage, and details of any noteworthy incidents that occurred that day, including negotiations with the British authorities on the high seas; the landing of passengers on the shores of Cyprus, where they were to be held in detention centers; the appointment of a military guard force and the decommissioning of the ship; revocation of the seizure order against the ship on the day of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence; the redesignation of the ship’s home port from Panama to Haifa; exchanging the ship’s flag for the flag of the State of Israel; and more.
The margins of the leaves bear the inked stamps of the Consulate of Panama in New York, because the ship’s flag of convenience (FOC) was Panamanian. The deck log book’s first entries are in a different handwriting, and in Italian; these entries were probably made by a crew member who skippered the vessel at the start of its voyage, from the United States to Europe.
The "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" were the largest seagoing vessels to take part in the "Ha’apalah" (illegal immigration) campaign that smuggled tens of thousands of Jews into Mandatory Palestine. The ships were purchased in the United States in 1947 by the so-called "Mossad LeAliyah Bet" (the original names of the ships were the SS "Pan Crescent" and the SS "Pan York"). Thanks to their unusually large size and thanks to their ventilation systems, they could carry roughly 7,500 immigrants each. Between them, the two vessels transported about 20 percent of the illegal immigrants that eventually arrived on the shores of Palestine.
In 1947, the two ships set sail for the Port of Venice under the Panamanian flag. From there, they sailed to the port of Constanța, Romania, where they were refitted and converted from freight ships into ships suited for carrying immigrant passengers. For several months, the leadership of the Jewish "Yishuv" in Palestine refused to authorize their embarkation, mostly out of fear that the arrival of illegal ships would undermine the case for a Jewish state in the upcoming vote at the United Nations, scheduled for November 29 of that year. In the end, in December 1947 the two vessels set out for Palestine of their own volition and with no formal authorization. David Ben-Gurion chose Hebrew names for the two ships – "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" – while they were still at sea. The British found out about the intended arrival of the ships shortly after their departure, and they dispatched destroyers to intercept them. Out of fear for the safety of the passengers, the commanders of the ships were instructed to obey the orders of the British authorities, and the crew therefore yielded and allowed the ships to be diverted to Cyprus, with no resistance. Once there, the ships were decommissioned. According to the terms of surrender, the ship’s commanders – accompanied by a handful of crew members – remained on board the vessels for the months-long duration of the detention. Throughout that time, they looked after the ships’ maintenance and ensured their seaworthiness, and Captain Yitzhak Ahronovitch of the "Atzma’ut" continued updating his ship’s log book on a daily basis.
On the day the independence of the State of Israel was declared – May 14, 1948 – festive ceremonies were held on board both the "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot". Soon afterward, the Panamanian flags were taken down, flags of Israel were hoisted, and the two ships set sail for the Port of Haifa. In the months after the establishment of the State of Israel, the "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" transported tens of thousands of new immigrants – now fully legal – from Cyprus, Italy, Marseilles, and North Africa to their new home in the newborn state.
Enclosed: Handwritten note listing the entries relating to significant events appearing in the deck log book. This "legend" was presumably handwritten by Captain Yitzhak Ahronovitch himself.
[62] leaves, approx. 34.5 cm. Good condition. Few stains. Creases, stains, and tears to edges of cover. Strip of cloth, with tears and blemishes, glued to length of spine. Inked stamps on each and every leaf.
Some 45 orders and documents of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, a British unit stationed in "Ras El Ein" (Rosh HaAyin) military camp during the later period of the British Mandate for Palestine. March-May, 1948 (several earlier documents). English.
The present collection documents the evacuation of British forces from Palestine, which commenced in early 1948 and culminated on May 14, 1948. On this day, as Israeli independence was declared, the British Mandate was formally concluded, the British flag was lowered at the port of Haifa, and the High Commissioner for Palestine, Alan Cunningham, departed from the country. Included are:
· A Handwritten order for the evacuation of Palestine, including a detailed schedule for the day of the evacuation, hour by hour: order of sectors and places to be evacuated, driving speed between sections, locations of roadblocks, code words for the stages of evacuation, and more.
· Draft Conducting Orders – printed communication containing orders for troops' conduct during the evacuation: An officer or senior soldier will be put in charge of every train compartment carrying troops, troops are instructed to carry their arms at all times, to avoid leaving their train compartments, to avoid sleeping near open train windows, and more (the present copy was handed to an officer of the unit's camp, whose handwritten name appears in the margins).
· Some 20 telegraph messages sent to and from Ras El Ein camp a short while before the evacuation: a report on the theft of rifles near the Lydda (Lod) railway junction (April 1948); report on attempts by the "Stern Gang" (Lehi) to raid weapon depots (May 1945); report on a British minefield map, transferred to the Arab Legion (May 1948, map included); report on a school in Jaffa, seized by a group of Jewish militants (May 1948); and more.
· Assortment of hand-written command orders, detailing various assignments and mission to be carried out by British soldiers before the evacuation – including an order issued on April 9, detailing the preparations for the funeral of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, leader of the Palestinian Army of the Holy War, who was killed in the Battle of al-Qastal the day before.
· Five booklets and circulars issued for soldiers and civil servants who completed their duties upon the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, including tables for calculating various grants, details on the rights of discharged men, application forms to continue serving in another country, etc.
· And other additional documents.
Some 45 documents and booklets. Size and condition vary.
Enclosed: "Faugh-a-Ballagh", The Regimental Gazette of The Royal Irish Fusiliers, July 1948 (containing detailed information on the activities of the regiment in Palestine, with many illustrations).
Three original pieces of ephemera from the ceremony marking the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. 4th-5th Iyar / May 13-14, 1948.
The present ephemera items were issued to the journalist Moshe (Ron) Danzigerkron (1904-1985), the first Secretary-General of the Tel Aviv Journalists Association, and one of the participants at the ceremonial gathering for the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence:
1. "Gathering for the Declaration of Independence", official entrance ticket, printed, and filled out in handwriting. Stapled onto the inside is a note designating the seat number (Hebrew): "Row III, Seat 6, Middle".
[4] pages (ticket folded in half), approx. 14 cm. Minor blemishes. Small strips missing in two bottom corners.
2. "Gathering for the Declaration of Independence", official invitation. Sent one day prior to the declaration, May 13, 1948, with brief instructions (Hebrew): "Dear Sir, we hereby have the honor of sending you an invitation to the Gathering for the Declaration of Independence which will take place on Friday, 5th Iyar 1948, at 4:00 PM in the museum hall… We request you keep secret the content of this invitation and the time of assembly of the council … Dress: Dark suit".
Enclosed, the original envelope in which the invitation was submitted.
[4] pages (sheet folded in half, printed on front only). 21.5 cm. Fold line. Minor blemishes.
3. "Declaration of the People’s Council, 5th Iyar / May 14, 1948" ("Blue Copy" of the Declaration of Independence): Mimeographed booklet containing the final approved version of the declaration, printed on the morning of May 14, 1948, and distributed to individuals invited to participate in the ceremony.
3 leaves + [1] cover, on blue paper. Approx. 26.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Punch holes in margin. Tears, incl. open tears, to bottom margin, professionally mended. Sheets and cover not bound.
The "Blue Copies" of the Israeli Declaration of Independence
The final version of the Declaration of Independence – which most people naturally associate with the famous signed parchment scroll – was approved and completed close to midnight, May 13-14, 1948. The few hours remaining between the final approval and the declaration itself did not afford sufficient time for preparing the official parchment scroll, and thus, at the appointed time, the parties to the declaration put their signatures to a blank scroll, and the formal text was only added later, above the signatures.
Participants in the ceremony were handed printed booklets, prepared that same morning. Each booklet consisted of a three-page document enclosed within a blue paper cover. These booklets were often termed "the Blue Copies" of the Declaration of Independence; they represented the very first printed versions of the declaration, with the exception, of course, of the truly original copy, which was typewritten using a regular typewriter on a regular sheet of paper the night before the declaration ceremony.
The booklets were mimeographed by Dorit Rosen, the personal secretary of Ze’ev Sherf, secretary of the People’s Council, on mimeograph sheets she purchased at the Lautman stationery shop in Tel Aviv. Some 100 copies of these booklets were put together on the morning of the declaration (actually fewer according to some witnesses, who insist only a few dozen copies were made). They were the earliest printed versions of the declaration. At the official ceremony of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, David Ben-Gurion publicly read out the declaration from one of these "Blue Copies".
For reference, see Hebrew.
![Postcard bearing a message handwritten and personally signed by David Ben-Gurion. Tel Aviv, 6th Iyar [May 15], 1948. The post](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale97/140_1.jpg "\"The State of Israel is Born\" – Autograph Postcard, Signed by David Be")
![Postcard bearing a message handwritten and personally signed by David Ben-Gurion. Tel Aviv, 6th Iyar [May 15], 1948. The post](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale97/140_2.jpg "\"The State of Israel is Born\" – Autograph Postcard, Signed by David Be")
Postcard bearing a message handwritten and personally signed by David Ben-Gurion. Tel Aviv, 6th Iyar [May 15], 1948.
The postcard is addressed to Ben-Gurion's lifelong friend, Shlomo Lavi; written the day following the establishment of the state of Israel:
"When we first arrived here in Palestine, you as Levkovich and I as Grün, holding the banner of labor in our hands, we discovered malaria, swamps, and an Ottoman regime rife with corruption. But now, though the roar of artillery has yet to be silenced, and our sons fight on the front, our heart is joyful at the sight of such great progress" (Hebrew).
The postcard is signed off with something of a personal declaration regarding the establishment of the new state: "The Jewish people have attained the epitome, the very essence of their existence; the State of Israel is born, D. Ben-Gurion".
Shlomo Lavi (Levkovich; 1882-1963), among the foremost visionaries behind the original concept of the kibbutz, close, lifelong friend of David Ben-Gurion, described by Ben-Gurion as "the most extraordinary individual of the Second Aliyah". Like Ben-Gurion, Lavi was born in the Polish town of Plonsk, and was a member of "Ezra", the Zionist youth group founded by Ben-Gurion and Shlomo Zemach. Lavi immigrated to Palestine in 1905, worked as a laborer in the Sejera agricultural colony, at the Atid Company’s vegetable oil factory, and at the Kinneret Farm, and was one of the founding fathers of the HaShomer Jewish civil defense organization. As a member of Kvutzat Kinneret (Kinneret Group), he conceived the idea of "HaKvutzah HaGedolah" (the "Large Group") – a concept that would soon develop into what became known as the "kibbutz". In 1921, he became one of the founders of Kibbutz Ein Harod. Following the establishment of the State of Israel, he served as a member of the First and Second Knesset.
9X14 cm. Postmark and "Doar Ivri" postage stamp. Good condition. Stains, mostly to bottom right corner. Punch hole in left margin, causing slight damage to text.
"Proclamation to All Inhabitants of the State of Israel", poster-form proclamation sheet issued by the Provisional Government of Israel. Tel Aviv: "HaPo’el HaTza’ir" Cooperative Print, 5th Iyar / May 14, 1948. Hebrew.
The first proclamation issued by the newly constituted Provisional Government of Israel. Printed in the national colors of the State of Israel, blue on white, and bearing an official message from the new government to its citizens (Hebrew): "In a period of supreme challenge, in days in which we are under malicious attack by our enemies, the Provisional Government has taken the rule in Israel into its own hands. Our State is the finest expression of a vision [which has persisted] for generations. We are commanded to defend the realization of this vision with all our strength".
Approx. 60X92 cm. Good condition. Fold lines. Minor blemishes to edges. Tiny pinholes in corners. Inked stamp and several notations on verso. Mounted with strips of adhesive tape on verso. Framed.
29 issues of newspapers and special publications circulated on the day of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and two days thereafter. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other places, May 14-16, 1948 (one newspaper issue dated May 13). Hebrew and other languages.
Extraordinarily large collection of issues of newspapers and special publications printed on the day Israel’s Declaration of Independence was delivered (Friday, May 14, 1948), and on the subsequent Saturday night and Sunday (May 15-16).
The headlines are dedicated to the Declaration of Independence, and other newsworthy events, namely those that came in the immediate aftermath of the Declaration: the invasion of Arab armies, the battles of the War of Independence (who's most challenging and troubling phase had broken out then and there), the annulment of the restrictions of the White Paper, recognition granted to the newly established State of Israel by nations of the world, and more. The collection includes issues of the vast majority of the country’s Hebrew daily newspapers of those days, in addition to one-off publications issued specially in honor of the Declaration; issues of newspapers from embattled Jerusalem (then completely under siege); and newspapers printed for the benefit of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust still stranded in Europe.
Included in the collection:
Eleven Hebrew newspaper issues and special publications dated to the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, 5th Iyar, May 14, 1948: · "Yom HaMedinah", a joint newspaper of all the country's newspapers; · "Hazofeh"; · "Al HaMishmar"; · "Davar"; · "Mivrak"; · "HaBoker"; · "Yedioth Ahronoth"; · "HaYom"; · "Yedioth Yerushalyim"; · "HaMagen"; · "Likutei Devarim LePoalei Yerushalayim".
Five newspaper issues and special publications from Saturday night, May 15, 1948, following the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: · "Mivrak"; · "Yedioth Maariv"; · "Iton Haitonayim"; · "Befrayung" (Yiddish); · "Wyzwolenie" (Polish); · "Witamy Pierwszy Zydowski w Niepodleglej Palestynie" (Polish).
Twelve newspaper issues and special publications from Sunday, May 16, 1948, following the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: · "Haaretz"; · "HaBoker"; · "Hatzofeh"; · "Al HaMishmar"; · "Yedioth Yerushalayim"; · "Davar"; · "Davar", special issue; · "HaMashkif"; · "Yom Yom"; · "Yedioth Hadashot"; · "Yedioth Hayom" (German); · "New York Post" (English).
Newspaper issue from May 13, 1948, the day preceding the reading of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: "Ashmoreth".
Enclosed: four additional Hebrew publications: · "Iton Rishmi", issue no. 1 (May 14, 1948); · "Iton Rishmi", issue no. 1 (typewritten and stenciled copy) [May 14, 1948?]; · "HaBoker – Children's Magazine" (May 20, 1948); · "Kol Yaldei Alyiat HaNoar" (May-June 1948).
[29] newspaper issues. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.