Consulate staff's passport used for France up to 1933. Sometimes the simplest of items can conceal inside the smallest of treasures and once exposed, history unfolds in your hands. The passport here seems rather ordinary and not unique, early 1930's simple Polish consular passport issued in Western Europe, one of hundreds if not thousands that were issued during the time throughout the continent....
Not every day one can admire an early issued Americana passport. These are becoming rarer and more desirable by the day. United States and British diplomatic relations were established in 1785 during the reign of King George III....
The 1951 massive Jewish exodus that stunned everyone. This was one of Israel’s largest absorption of immigrants in its early years. Following the founding of Israel in 1948, it was now possible for every Jew in every corner of the world to arrive freely into the new Jewish State, and doing so without any hindrance or obst...
Passport & documents. Prior to 1939 many Jews found a new home in the British Mandate. Those who were lucky enough to escape Europe, before those horrific events that destroyed hundreds of Jewish communities on the continent, arrived with immigration...
1938-1941 Kennkarte für Juden. These were printed around August of 1938 on grey-clothed linen material, that could be folded in half and fit into a pocket-coat or bag (though Kinderausweis (ID cards for children under the age of 15) appeared already before 1939 with a hand applied red J on them). The difference between an Aryan and non-Aryan identity card is the Swas...
Extended by the diplomatic legation in Harbin in 1935. The interesting part of the document can be found at the back: Manchurian Foreign Ministry official registration permit that was applied to passports or identity documents after verifying that the holder proved to have previous residence in region prior to June 2nd 1933. The permit nu...
1944 late-war Service passport. Here is a lovely well-preserved sample, issued to a civilian working most likely in the transport/logistics sector. His additional documents also indicate that he is a Kaufm...
Part of Lithuania today known as Klaipėda. Up to WWI it was controlled by several old German states and this all changed following the Treaty of Versailles...
Crossing the border on the last day! In previous articles, I wrote extensively about the special short period of time that existed, following the outbreak of war, a short-lived "window of opportunity" that enabled thousands of refugees and military personnel, to escape into neighboring Romania and Hungary. This period of time is very important; not only because of the human...
The passport is beautifully used for nearly every western European country including the desired Allied Military Government (AMG) visas, most likely for visiting his "hom...
