The Nansen Pass(port)

Fridtjof Nansen passport
Post WWI
Following the First World War, circa 1920, a sweeping wave of displacement swept across nations, uprooting a staggering number of people—up to 9.5 million souls, including a substantial cohort of Russian refugees. This human exodus posed profound challenges for Europe, grappling with the unprecedented influx of displaced individuals.
Amidst this turbulent landscape, Fridtjof Nansen, a distinguished Norwegian diplomat entrusted with the mantle of High Commissioner for Refugee Affairs at the League of Nations, ardently championed the cause for an internationally recognized travel and identification document. The culmination of his tireless efforts materialized on that momentous day, July 5, 1922, when the League of Nations, convening in the hallowed chambers of Geneva, officially ushered in a remarkable document of hope—the renowned “Nansen Passport.” Fridtjof Nansen passport
Vladimir Nabokov
famously referred to it as a “highly inferior document of sickly green hue.” The Russian writer arrived in Berlin in 1922 and experienced the arduous burden associated with applying for this document:
“Its possessor was little more than a criminal on probation, burdened with immense difficulties whenever he wished to travel abroad – the smaller the countries, the more obstacles they presented.”
While the Nansen Passport did not guarantee its holder a permanent residence, it did afford certain rights and consular assistance, such as the official certification of their identity or marital status. Thus, it served as an initial supranational solution for an internationally recognized proof of identity and a travel document.
However, how did the Nansen Passport come into existence? Fridtjof Nansen passport
Following the February Revolution, the abdication of the Tsar, and the Bolsheviks’ rise to power in October 1917, numerous societal groups found themselves subjected to persecution, confiscation, and repression. The subsequent Civil War and the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922 further exacerbated the situation. A direct consequence of these developments was the emigration from Russia: well over a million people—some estimates even suggest up to two million—were forced into exile.
After the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, all individuals who had previously left the country were rendered stateless in a formal sense. In response to this predicament, the renowned Norwegian polar explorer and then High Commissioner for Refugee Affairs at the League of Nations, Fridtjof Nansen, spearheaded the introduction of the so-called Nansen Passport in 1922 as an international travel and identification document.
The objective was to provide individuals without citizenship with a minimum degree of protection and freedom of movement. Although the passport had to be renewed annually and did not grant permanent residency, it did allow for re-entry into the issuing country.
The officials at the League of Nations Fridtjof Nansen passport
initially anticipated eventual repatriation, but this assumption was an illusion. Many refugees were unable or unwilling to return to their countries of origin. For instance, the Russian emigrants found themselves without citizenship after the establishment of the Soviet Union, unable to have their identities authenticated by a recognized state.
The Passport
Initially aimed at Russian emigrants, the initiative broadened to include Armenians in 1924. Later, in 1928, it encompassed Christian minorities from the former Ottoman Empire. Fridtjof Nansen, the visionary, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for his humanitarian efforts.. Fridtjof Nansen passport

Passport-collector.com is an extensive online platform dedicated to the study, preservation, and appreciation of passport history. Founded in 2010 by passport historian, editor & author - Tom Topol, the site offers a wealth of educational articles and resources that explore the origins and evolution of passports, their historical significance, and the impact of global events on travel documentation. With over 1000 meticulously researched articles, Passport-collector.com not only serves as an essential repository for collectors and historians but also provides insights into the role of passports in shaping national identity and cultural heritage. Passport history, passport collectors, collecting passports, passport fees, vintage passport collector, collectible documents, travel history, passport collection, diplomatic passport, passport office, celebrity passports, travel document, vintage passports for sale, old passports for sale, value of old passports, Reisepass, passport fees, most expensive passport in the world, passport colors, passport prices around the world, passport costs around the world, passport cost by country, cost of passports around the world, british visitor's passport, world passport prices, east german passport, passport fees by country, passport printers, passport printer, third reich passport,