French ID of Jabotinsky sold for $25k by Tom Topol

Repost from 2017 French ID Jabotinsky

I was quite skeptical when I saw the estimate of $20k to $30k but at the end the result is still surprising at $25k (incl. premium) for his ID card. Congratulation to the seller, buyer and the auction house (J GREENSTEIN & COMPANY, INC.).

Issued by France in 1938 and valid from July 11, 1939 – August 11, 1942. With original picture. Contains his original signature. Indicates his profession as Journalist. This is the identification card for foreigners living in France. Indicating refugee from Russia. Showing Jabotinsky living in Paris. This card was not a work permit. Zeev Jabotinsky was born Vladmir Yevgenyevich Zhabotinsky on October 18, 1880 in Odessa.

In his lifetime, he was an author, poet and soldier. He was mostly known for founding the Jewish Self Defense Organization in Odessa as well as starting Zionist Revisionism. He also co-founded the Jewish legion of the British Army during World War I. He was also a founder of Beitar, HaTzhohar and the Irgun, in then Palestine.

He was ordained a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1919.Sometime before the Kishinev pogrom, Jabotinsky founded joined the Zionist movement and created the Jewish Self Defense Organization with more pogroms being sensed in the future. The goal was to safeguard the Jewish communities of Russia. French ID Jabotinsky

At this time, he learned Hebrew and abandoned his name Vladmir, to become Ze’ev. Self defense and gun ownership was his main goals for the Jewish population of Russia. In 1903, he was elected as the Russian delegate to the Sixth Zionist Congress, eventually replacing Herzl after his passing. During World War I, he led the Jewish legion with Joseph Trumpeldor.

In 1920, he was elected to the the First Assembly of Representatives in Palestine and founded Keren Hayesod becoming it’s director of propaganda only to leave the mainstream Zionist movement to create Betar in 1923 with the main objective being the establishment of a Jewish State in then Palestine with the help of the British.

In the 1930’s he became deeply concerned with anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe and prepared an evacuation plan for Jews to immigrate to Palestine. Jabotinsky passed away of a heart attack in NYC in 1940, then buried in New Montefiore Cemetery. He was re-interred on Mount Herzl in 1964 along with his wife. Estimate $20,000 – 30,000 French ID Jabotinsky

Provenance: Jabotinsky family Dov and Harriet Kaminetzky Estate of Harriet Kaminetzky

Tom Topol | Passport History Expert & Author.
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