The Forgotten Ally by Pierre van Paassen, published by Dial Press, New York, 1944 (the book was reprinted multiple times beginning in 1943) – an important publication calling for support of the Jewish people’s struggle for freedom and statehood during the height of World War II, written by a non-Jewish author: “As one who is aware of and personally feels Christianity’s guilt in the sufferings of the Jewish people and the continuous deepening of their anguish, I could no longer remain silent…” – A copy dedicated and signed by the author: “For Theodor Herzl Teplow With good wishes & Theodor Herzl’s Zion’s greetings – Pierre van Paassen Nov. 1944”.
A foundational publication issued near the end of World War II, emphasizing the crucial role of the Jewish people in the fight against the Nazis – and the historic promise of the establishment of a state of their own. The book seeks to present the Jews’ contribution to the global struggle, while offering sharp criticism of British policy in Palestine, which blocked Jewish immigration. The author accuses Britain of dragging its feet in assisting Jews to immigrate to Eretz Israel, leading to a situation in which “the homeless and hopeless Jewish masses in Europe, still searching for a way out of what had become, for millions, either a horrifying death trap or a living hell since Hitler’s rise to power…”. Van Paassen further charges that, as the ruling power in Palestine, Britain not only prevented persecuted Jews from reaching their homeland, but also obstructed them from establishing a significant fighting force within the land itself. He highlights the immorality of British policy, particularly in light of the Holocaust that was reaching its peak in the death camps of Europe. Van Paassen argues that the Jewish people were among the most important allies of the Western democracies in the fight against fascism, yet their contribution was neglected and insufficiently acknowledged. He describes the significant role of Jews fighting Nazi Germany, both in underground movements and through the Jewish Brigade, detailing the contributions of Jews serving in Allied armies, as well as in intelligence and resistance operations. Van Paassen presents the Zionist movement as a noble ideal and sees Eretz Israel as the national and just solution for the Jewish people, especially after the unimaginable suffering they endured under the Nazis. The book concludes with a call to recognize the Jewish people as a full partner in the global struggle against Nazism and to support the establishment of a Jewish state as a moral and historical necessity following the war. This book helped raise awareness in the Western world about the Jewish contribution to the war and the urgent need for a Jewish state, significantly influencing public opinion, particularly in the United States, regarding the future of Palestine after the war.
“This is a book that ought to be read by all peoples, regardless of race or creed.” (From the publisher’s introduction)
Pierre van Paassen (1895–1968) – a Dutch-born journalist, author, and Unitarian minister who worked in Canada and the United States. A committed anti-Nazi and anti-fascist, Van Paassen was a strong supporter of Zionism and of the Jewish Yishuv in Palestine, about which he wrote from an overtly sympathetic perspective in several books. He reported for newspapers such as The Toronto Star and The Atlanta Journal, eventually becoming an international journalist focused on political and military affairs. He traveled extensively across Europe and the Middle East, covering the rise of Nazism, the conflict in Palestine, and the Zionist struggle. Van Paassen was one of the first Western journalists to expose the brutality of Nazi Germany as early as the 1930s. He was among the few non-Jewish voices unafraid to publicly express a pro-Jewish stance at a time when antisemitism and anti-Zionist views were widespread—even in the West. His works contributed greatly to the support of the Zionist cause. In 1984, the city of Jerusalem honored Van Paassen by naming a street after him, located between Bar-Lev Road and the Sheikh Jarrah and American Colony neighborhoods.
341 pages. Hardcover with original dust jacket, all intact. Very good condition.
