Lot 375

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 375
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4
Extraordinary Moshe Dayan Archive of 13 Letters Handwritten on Fragile Prison Tissue & Smuggled Out of British Prison, Ca. 1939-1941
Extraordinary Moshe Dayan Archive of 13 Letters Handwritten on Fragile Prison Tissue & Smuggled Out of British Prison, Ca. 1939-1941
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4
Description:

Extraordinary Moshe Dayan Archive of 13 Letters Handwritten on Fragile Prison Tissue & Smuggled Out of British Prison, Ca. 1939-1941

Autograph Letters Signed by Moshe Dayan, 13 letters consisting of 47 handwritten pages, in Hebrew and English, Acre Prison, Palestine, 1939-1941, as a prisoner. Forty-seven leaves of fragile original prison tissue, each approximately 4.5" X 8.5", writing on rectos only, each mounted on brown card stock. Small handwritten numerical notation in the upper right corner of each piece of card stock. Typewritten date in lower right corners. Text quite clean and fresh despite its fragility. Two small holes in card stock at upper margin without affecting text. A quite exceptional archive of documents in near-fine condition.

Moshe Dayan was one of Israel’s foremost soldiers as well as statemen. Born on a kibbutz in Palestine, he joined the Haganah while still a teenager, and agitated for independence from Britain. But his commitment to the liberation of the Jewish people was put to the test in October of 1939, when the British, nervous about increasing Jewish military activity, arrested the 24-year-old Dayan along with 42 other Haganah members for illegal firearms possession. The young freedom fighter was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. At this point, Dayan’s actions become obscured from history, as his words from prison were tightly controlled. However, in this unique and intimate archive of letters, written by Dayan on toilet tissue, the only paper he had available to him in the austere fortress-prison of Acre, he tells the story of his and his compatriots’ lives during this pivotal time in the history of the founding of the state of Israel.

The first letter in this archive is dated December 19, 1939, three weeks after the birth of his first child (Yael, nicknamed “Yulik”). As the months wear on, he describes his impressions of his imprisonment: “We are gathered here many types of Jews, the devil knows how and from where. In any case, they are very far removed from communal life and since there is nothing to do, nothing to think about, nothing to deal with and no way to stand out, they criticize every little thing, argue, squabble, aggravate and poke into the smallest detail of each other’s lives. Perhaps you know that at the beginning, meaning on the outside, I did not have the highest rank and in any case I did not need to take this problem into my hands. In the five months we have been in detention, there have already been four or five committees and several types of ‘government.’ The ‘defeat’ of each government and the ascension of a new one is a source of aggravation and endless arguments. In the end (I do not think this is the end there will certainly be many more changes)—I am now the sole ‘ruler.’”

In these intimate letters, he frequently expresses his love for his wife and daughter, and the difficulties of being a husband and father behind bars: “Don’t get too aggravated and don’t argue with my parents. I know all of their shortcomings and do not think that you need to be involved in the family if you don’t want to be… I did not do the one simple thing I should have done—I should have worked at home [and so not been arrested]… My Ruti, I daydream that suddenly, by some miracle, I will be able to come home to you, not just for a moment… There is neither a pickup truck nor a horse nor freedom here. Oh freedom, you know that any time I had a chance I would find a way to reach you, in any place, at any time, but now it will not be.”

Much time is devoted to his description of prison conditions, and plans and hopes for getting out. “You exaggerated in your estimation of the difficulty of two days in solitary confinement and of the last period in Acre and, in any case, about its effect on me. If I wrote anything in a depressed spirit, it was only because of a chance mood that occasionally overtakes me, unconnected to any particular physical difficulty. Obviously the ‘barometer’ drops whenever we think about the end and do not see any real chance for a change in the verdict.”

As the months wear on, he begins to study English in earnest, eventually writing some of his letters in the language. He provides a window into the hopes and dreams of Jews in Palestine in the early days of World War II. Other highlights of his letters include a description of a protest the prisoners held on Rosh Hashanah when the guards tried to end their prayers early, and Dayan’s description of his daily life in prison. “Do not even think about sending me private food for Passover… There is also no point in buying good things and bringing them to me when you visit. Buy more chocolate for Yulik, so she can eat and get dirty up to her ears and enjoy her life like a little sweetie with her pants hanging off of her.”

In 1940, with the war in Europe worsening, “both the British and the Palestinian Jews feared a Nazi invasion of the Middle East,” and as the Haganah prepared “to cooperate with British forces in defending Palestine… Moshe Dayan reentered the stream of history” (Katzberg, Foundations of Excellence). The British responded to the Nazi threat by releasing Dayan and his 42 fellow inmates on February 16, 1941, enlisting his and the Haganah’s assistance in the fight ahead. The final letter in the archive is dated February 11, 1941. Though less than a week before his release, Dayan did not know when the day would arrive and expresses all of his frustrations about the uncertainties to his wife. Upon release, he immediately began the fight against the Nazis, and only four months later he would be wounded in the eye while battling Vichy forces in Lebanon, acquiring the eye patch that made him so recognizable while Israel’s Defense Minister. Some text in Hebrew.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

February 21, 2024 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000