1936 HANDWRITTEN JERUSALEM DIARY young british girl "a recording angel" witness to arab terror campaign Start Price USD 435,000.00 Current Price USD 435,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, July 16, 2008 End Time Saturday, July 26, 2008 Location Toronto See more about '1936 HANDWRITTEN JERUSALEM DIARY young british girl' Description Note: this is an original, historically significant handwritten diary by a young British girl who observes and records the atrocities of the first Arab uprising. As such this is guaranteed to be authentic and not a copy, replica or facsimile. 1936 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT JERUSALEM DIARY BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN BY A 16-17 YR. OLD BRITISH GIRL - A ONE OF A KIND DIARY IN A SINGULARLY EVENTFUL YEAR: THE FIRST ARAB INTIFADA: THE PALESTINIAN UPRISING OF THE BRITISH MANDATE AND THE ROOTS OF MODERN TERROR AND TERRORISM THE DIARY OFDOREEN C. Evidential to the roots of Middle Eastern terror, this is the extraordinary handwritten diary of Miss Doreen M. C., daughter of General and Mrs. J. C., sister of Cynthia. This British family witnesses the very beginnings of the modern era of Middle East tensions and terrorism having been residents of Jerusalem from January 1st to mid-June of 1936. Doreen writes one of the most exciting, insightful and well written diaries we have ever come across. A girl of 16 or 17 we estimate (too young for boys - she detests them - and too old for the usual games that girls play [paraphrase]) writes of her time spent travelling throughout British mandated Palestine recording daily her comings and goings and more importantly all that goes on around her. She also does a great job drawing maps and other illustrations to further enhance her writings.    In a handwritten copy of a 1963 letter to the famed Leonard Mosley of the Sunday Times found in the book she admits to having in 1936 "a passion for keeping a large diary; I wrote down incidents of the strike, riots, and daily murders and ambushes like a recording angel!" She is being very modest. Historians and buffs will recognize 1936 as a very intense, very interesting and very disturbing year - Mussolini advancing against the Abyssinians in Africa, Hitler on the rise in Europe, Franco tearing apart Spain, the King of England dies, Edward VIII rises and starts to fall and Palestine is in foment as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem has taken money from the Italians and made his infamous, heinous pact with Hitler and called on the arab populous to strike - politically and through armed conflict murdering British soldiers and Jewish civilians and many, many of their own people.   Doreen is eyewitness - "recording angel" - to all this and more. She provides her thoughts, analysis and personal feelings on every single page. From January 1st until mid-June she is for the most part based in Jerusalem, living first at the King David Hotel before moving to Talbiyeh Colony in Jerusalem. There are very few idle days; many day trips, visits, shopping and when they move residence on 'Murhurrem', Jerusalem's famed moving days, which date changes yearly, and her description of the movers and hubbub are a delightful counterpoint to the atrocities she documents. Not a single day passes that she does not fully detail her travels around the country and the news/politics of the day - even a trip to the dentist is fraught with dangers to report. Her father is highly placed at Air Headquarters (research has found he ends his service a General and OBE recipient) with the British Air Department. [See historical notes that follow or email me.] He meets frequently with generals and 'big bugs' as Doreen calls them. She even admits that he is doing the "hush-hush work". Doreen names many of the British Colony and quite frequently makes comments - Mr. Such and Mr. Other 'complete scoundrels'.   Doreen is an information and current events savant. She reads the papers, listens to the radio and pumps the transient English men and women who travel throughout the Middle East and North Africa in service of Britain for the inside info and stories. [A short wave (ham) radio operator Doreen diligently records calls and conversations as she reaches out for more news.]   She can quote to the day a year before when 'Mussy' promised not to go to war. Abyssinia is very important to her. The Italians, the Germans and the plight of the Jews under Hitler disturbs her to no end. Many times in her writings she makes mention, for example; PC 459 (police constable) said such and such giving her info which she then reports: "contrary to the newspaper reports" this is what really happened.... Simply breathtaking as she coalesces all the info and confides to her diary the real story as she finds it. Here are just a very few snippets:    "Mussolini is the greatest liar on earth. Hitler is number 2. Hitler is "bats" or something for he is daring to order every German Jew youth back to Germany (those who have been turned out included) for conscription." "[I] was told a few tales of storm troops that dared not to be published. They may sound a little far fetched but I do believe them as true. Poland is treating the Jews disgustingly." "I don't know what the Arabs have to grumble about...they were only too glad to sell their land to the Jews because they thought them useless and unpaying and were glad...then they saw the Jews making them pay the[y] get wild and demand them back. More Bombs thrown." "Arab watchmen bumped off by the strikers for not stopping work." "When I look at the finely built young Jewish blokes I cannot help wondering what holds them back, they could make mince meat out the Arabs. I cannot make sense of the Jews won't retaliate." "Every one of us knew there would be trouble in Acre. Two days ago the Grand Mufti was there he addressed a large crowd and said 'The Jews are doing their best to get us out of Palestine, they are killing our brother Arabs and burning our homes', up to date not a single case has occurred of an Arab home being burned but tons of Jews are homeless through arson and looting. He must be stopped." "An Arab tried to blow up a bridge today up near Nazareth and blew himself up by mistake...I expect PC 239 is chasing round finding bits of ears and toes..." "Big show at Acre, the Jew shot early this morning had been in the police station all night for breaking curfew and had just been released."   She has so much to report she has taped many other pages of paper to the days that require more words than the book proper allows. Everything is intensely interesting to Doreen and she pumps her dad for info all the time: he quite pointedly informs Doreen that he 'has specific proof the Italians are funding the Arab uprising.' Though her adoration for her father is apparent he makes remarks regarding current events which she rightly disagrees with [Father believes the Germans are not a worry. With the way they are spending money re-arming themselves they will be bankrupt in a year or two.] Maybe her father is trying to save her from worry but Doreen is near clairvoyant in comparison.    Toward the end of June Doreen, her mother and sister Cynthia are off to England and though life in London is different, lacking the daily horrors of terror in Palestine, Doreen delivers - never faltering in detailing her daily life and more importantly as she continues to report on the conflict. In keeping up with the news, never letting up on her chronicle of the times. Simply sensational diary.   The book is an indexed monthly journal that she faithfully records at the start of each month the books she has read, the trips she has taken. Rarely will one find as diligent, as thoughtful, as opinionated and as colorful a diarist as this young lady. A number of pieces of ephemera are included with the book as Doreen inserted them - one piece is a copy of a letter she writes in 1965 from her home on the Isle of Wight. Save for a loose hinge and the crack that comes with it this book is in great shape.   HISTORICAL NOTE: One online source sets the tone: On April 15th, 1936, two Jews were murdered by Arab 'bandits' (the official term) on the road between Tulkarm and Nablus. Next day two Arabs were killed near the Jewish town of Petah Tikvah. The funeral of the Jews in Tel Aviv on April 17th produced, as such events often did, serious violence, and in neighboring Afar two days later dozens of Jews were attacked in the streets. Nine were beaten, stoned or stabbed to death, and killings continued over the following days. Police had to open fire to keep an Arab crowd out of Tel Aviv, and armored cars were brought in. The situation was grim, but it did not yet seem unprecedented: indeed, it seemed all too familiar. A new kind of Arab organization was, however, emerging. A 'National Committee' met in Nablus on the 20th and declared a general strike. The strike call was repeated by national committees in other towns, and finally by a Higher Arab Committee in Jerusalem on the 25th..."   ***Please email for extracts available in pdf format.***   The diary proper is in super shape save for a cracked front hinge, closed but loose. This book is entirely legible and very easy to read.   I would like to repeat - this book is historically significant, one of a kind and singularly important to historians of the Middle East conflict, the war between the Arab world and Israel, the roots of terror and terrorism.                 THIS ITEM WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO THE COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN LISTING UNLESS DISCUSSED PRIOR TO PURCHASE.   PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS PURCHASE UNLESS YOU HAVE MORE THAN 25 FEEDBACKS AND ZERO NEGATIVES.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi there and welcome to my auctions! My name is Ben and I am a one-man operation based in the Toronto area and have been successfully buying and selling on ebay for several years now, but recently took the plunge and have decided to work at this full-time. I am dedicated to searching out unique, unusual and rare books, manuscripts and one of a kind ephemera items for presentation and consideration of the book and paper buying public on ebay. I hope you will find my auctions all of that and more! Below you will find the most up-to-date terms and conditions. Please read them prior to bidding so that we are all 'on the same page' with regard to the auction requirements. As much as I am a handshake-on-a-deal kind of guy, nobody likes surprises so my terms and conditions are spelled out - and please do not hesitate to write for any reason at all! THANK YOU in advance for your consideration of my books!   BEN.FINDS.BOOKS > BEN.BUYS.BOOKS > BEN.SELLS.BOOKS > BEN.IS.BOOKS! "To be loved is nothing, I want to be preferred." - Gide The Smaller Print I will always mail items, appropriately wrapped, (usually in a bubblewrap, padded/stiffened envelope or box) within 24 hours of a cleared payment. Postage for a postcard 'lot' is for the least expensive package rate, but understand that Canada Post does not offer inexpensive 'media rate' so buyers must be prepared to pay more than a USA originating item. 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