"We are facing success or failure" – An important letter by Ze'ev Jabotinsky

"We are facing success or failure" – An important letter by Ze'ev Jabotinsky

A handwritten letter signed by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, sent to the director of the Finance Department of the movement's leadership in London. In his letter, Jabotinsky outlines the path for building an organizational and financial infrastructure for the Revisionist Zionist movement in Europe, explaining that the formal structure of the political leadership must be based on an efficient, independent economic mechanism, otherwise it will collapse. Undated. (C. 1930s). In German.

The wording of the letter:

"To the acting director of the Finance Department,

Office, London,

Dear Dr. Danzen,

In the absence of Dr. Weil, who is devoted to the best of his ability but cannot on his own handle the preparations for the "Reger" project, I am sending you this memorandum regarding the plan to establish the financial system.

The future of our entire movement depends on the organization of the finances. The financial organization constitutes the principal foundation of all activity. There is no other foundation that can take its place. We are facing success or failure. We will not be able to achieve our goals if we do not succeed in establishing a collection system from the field. It is no longer possible to rely solely on the formal structure of political leadership - An independent economic mechanism must be established, one that has full authority from the movement, and a clear path must be opened for coordinated relations with the World Union of the New Zionism.

Such a mechanism must be established immediately – the first step must already be taken in Prague. Responsibility for this matter must be entrusted to the Finance Department while maintaining the greatest possible flexibility, but with clear accountability and precise management. In this way, we will be able to transfer powers to the regional centers, especially to the central branch of N.Z.H. (Organization of Revisionist Zionists), as well as to the Charashah Department (apparently a code name or an internal department). In order to promote the matter – a special committee must be established in Prague, whose task will be to work with the existing network and send people from it into the field with clear orders. Particular attention must be given to the regional centers and explain to them that they are now obligated to enter the process of financial consolidation, and if not – powers must be revoked from them. Any region that is unable to ensure a sufficient foundation will not be able to belong to the movement.

With regards,

Z. Jabotinsky"

Ze'ev Jabotinsky (1880–1940), a statesman, writer, journalist, and leading Zionist figure, was the founder of Revisionist Zionism and the Zionist Revisionist Organization (Hatzohar). In the years preceding the outbreak of World War II, Jabotinsky led an intensive political campaign to establish a Jewish state in the Land of Israel “at the earliest possible time, ” and adopted a firm stance against the leadership of the Zionist Organization, which he regarded as overly conciliatory. With the rise of the Nazi threat and growing antisemitism in Europe, Jabotinsky dedicated significant efforts to establishing a centralized organizational infrastructure for his movement in the Diaspora, particularly focusing on institutionalizing the movement in London and across Europe. He aspired to create an independent and functioning financial system that could support political activity, self-defense, and national education. During these years, he solidified his position not only as an ideological leader but also as an administrative one, and advanced the initiative for Jewish enlistment in the British army—an idea that materialized through his efforts to establish the Jewish Legion. Concurrently, he attempted to organize an emergency operation for mass immigration to the Land of Israel, contrary to the policy of the British White Paper. In 1940, in the midst of these efforts, he died suddenly in New York. Nonetheless, his vision and path laid the ideological and institutional foundation for the creation of the Herut movement and later the national Likud bloc in the State of Israel.

[1] Leaf. Written on both sides. Fold marks and reinforcements with paper tape adhesions. Throughout the letter, Jabotinsky edited the original text, and even struck out several words. Good condition.