Communist Movement in Eretz Israel - Collection of Early Publications and Documents - 1917-1948

Communist Movement in Eretz Israel - Collection of Early Publications and Documents - 1917-1948
About 270 leaflets, posters, broadsides and various items issued by the communist movement in Eretz Israel. Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, 1917-1948. Hebrew, Yiddish and some Arabic.
A diverse and rich collection, encompassing years of operation of the Communist movement in Eretz Israel since its foundation towards the end of World War I until the Israeli Independence War.
The communist movement in Eretz Israel was organized as a party for the first time in 1919, following the retirement of the right wing from the "Po'alei Zion" party. The separation from "Po'alei Zion" and the success of the communist revolution in Russia, encouraged the followers of left wing-radical ideology to form an organization and they founded the "Hebrew Socialist Workers Party" which was the first communist party in Eretz Israel.
Over the years the movement was involved in various political activities: many youth movements were established, bulletins and leaflets were printed and arguments between members led to splits between parties several times. The Zionist-Communist movement reached its peak in the elections to the second Knesset (the communist party got seven mandates), but in the decades to come, due to various political disputes and tensions, the popularity of the party faded. This collection presents a unique and diverse selection from the various phases during the Yishuv period.
Among the items:
· "Telegrams", collected news from world media through the telegraph. Nine stenciled paper sheets distributed during World War I, 1917-1918. The nature of the reports reflects a pro-Russian attitude, and it is possible that the news were reported by the first supporters of Communist Russia in Eretz Israel. Several issues appear in a number of copies.
· Ten issues of "The Communist Party of Palestine" official newspaper (sub-title: "tzentral-rat fun der arbiter-fraktsye" (organization of Eretz Israel workers), printed between April and December 1925. Printed under different names, due to the "Journalism Law", which enforced financial limitations and censorship on papers which were officially printed. On the upper margins appears an inscription: "proletaryer fun ale lender, faraynikt aykh!" (Workers of the world - unite!).
· Issues 1-3 of "HaLapid", first bulletin of "Palestine Communist Youth League", printed in May-July 1928, (issues 2 and 3 bound into one brochure). Colorful illustrated title pages.
· "HaLochem HaTza'ir", booklet published by "HaNo'ar HaOved BeEretz Israel named after B. Borochov", June 7, 1925. Short writings, sayings by Marx, and more.
· "The Young Communist", three issues on behalf of the "Palestine Communist Youth League", dated 1926 and 1927 and the third with no date (most probably from late 1920s). Each issue is devoted to a different affair in the history of the communist party: life of Rosa Luxemburg, fall of the Parisian Commune and the rise of the Soviet Union.
· About 40 broadsides and posters issued by "Mifleget Po'alei Zion", mid-late 1920s. Adoption of an extreme ideological view, which is different from the one introduced by the party and using a language of the communist propaganda. Printed on some: "Workers of all nations - unite!".
· Four booklets and a broadside in Arabic, printed on behalf of Jewish communist organizations in Eretz Israel in mid-late 1920s.
· Issues 1-3 and 5-8 of the communist party bulletin "Igeret LaChaver", printed between February-October 1948.
· Nine large posters (average size 65X50 cm) on behalf of the communist party. 1940s. Four are electoral posters and five are posters about various subjects.
Size and condition vary. Fair-good overall condition. Stains and creases. Folding marks to some items. Some posters are printed on brown paper with crumbling margins.