“HANDBOOK TO THE LAWS OF ETHIOPIA” – A complete, typewritten manuscript by the Jewish-American attorney Nathan Marein concerning Ethiopian law. Sent to Attorney Mordechai Eliash in Jerusalem with a signed dedication from the author. Addis Ababa, November 1949. Rare – As far as we know never to have been published as a book. English.
“I have endeavored in this Handbook to give a picture of the laws of Ethiopia as they are currently administered in the country…” – An unknown treatise by Nathan Marein on Ethiopian law, in which he extensively addresses the practical laws in force in Ethiopia at the time. Marein states in the introduction: “This Handbook is intended primarily for the use of Ethiopian lawyers and judges, but I believe it will be useful to all who in their commercial and financial dealings may need to know ‘how they stand in relation to the law here.” The work covers an extremely wide range of legal subjects, including: The Administration of Wills, Copyrights and Trademarks, Succession and Distribution of Estates, Enemy Property, Control of Gold and Precious Metals, Immigration Law, Marriage Law, Prison Regulations, Stamp Duties, and more – all according to Ethiopian law. In every chapter, Marein provides a detailed explanation of both the various statutes and their practical implications.
Nathan Marein was a Jewish attorney, born in Jerusalem, who specialized in international law. He gained prominence primarily through his service as Legal Counsel to Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie in the 1940s and 1950s, and subsequently as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Ethiopia. He also served as the Attorney General of the Imperial Ethiopian Government. In his youth, he fought with the Jewish Legion in the Land of Israel during World War I, and later moved to the United States to study law. He served as Ethiopia’s principal advisor on legal and international matters, representing the Empire in efforts to reconstruct its judicial system following the period of Italian occupation. Among other activities, he helped defend Ethiopian assets in the Land of Israel from attempted Italian seizure and managed legal disputes on behalf of the Ethiopian Consulate. He possessed extensive knowledge of Ethiopian law and authored several books on the subject, the most important of which was The Ethiopian Empire: Federation and Laws, which detailed the country’s constitution and judicial system. In his official capacity, he was also involved in diplomatic affairs, including a visit to Jerusalem where he discussed the possible recognition of Israel and trade relations between Ethiopia and Israel. His career represented a fascinating confluence of law, diplomacy, and Jewish history on the international stage during a period of dramatic political change in Africa.
Mordechai Eliash (1892–1950) – jurist, public figure, and diplomat during the Yishuv period and the early years of the State of Israel. He served as the first envoy of the State of Israel to Britain. Eliash lived in Jerusalem and became one of the most prominent lawyers in the Land of Israel during the British Mandate. He was chairman of the Bar Association (the body that preceded the Israel Bar Association). A passionate Zionist, Eliash frequently provided legal services to the institutions of the Yishuv, served as legal adviser to the Jewish National Council, and was counsel for many members of the Haganah organization. He also served as legal adviser to the Chief Rabbinate. In 1949 he was appointed Israel’s first envoy to Britain. He passed away in March 1950 while serving in London and was buried in the Sanhedria Cemetery in Jerusalem, in a funeral attended by many public figures.
[4], 207, [9] pp. Bound in old cardboard covers. Covers exhibit wear. Condition: Good – moderate.
