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ABSTRACT
Ze'ev Jabotinsky is one of the most fascinating figures among the leaders of the Zionist movement and founder of the right-wing political movement in Zionism. Many of his disciples and followers have attributed to him, and still do, a realistic assessment and even prophetic prediction of the Holocaust of European Jews during World War II. At the core of the pervasive cultivation of the myth lies a speech whereby the Zionist leader - it is claimed - in the summer of 1938, in Warsaw, on the traditional Jewish mourning day of Tisha B'Av, forewarned the Jews of Poland against the imminent catastrophe, which he termed the 'Fires of Destruction.' This speech is prevalent in public discourse, widespread in social networks and is frequently quoted by Israeli leaders. In this article, we submit that this apocryphal speech was never delivered by Jabotinsky. Moreover, we point out that Jabotinsky gave a completely different speech on this occasion and assess the time when these citations first appeared - twenty years after the event. We shall trace the process of the later invention of the text, the agents who strove to disseminate it and the mode of its reception evidence of Jabotinsky's status as prophet of the Holocaust.
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Notes
1 Stanislawski, Zionism and the fin de siècle, 116–238; Horowitz, Vladimir Jabotinsky's Russian Years.
2 Nedava, “Avot Haziyonut Vechizuy Hashoa’a’,” 365; Nedava, Jabotinsky in The Mirror, 56; Netanyahu, Jabotinsky's Place in the History of the Jewish People, 17.
3 Svetlana Natkovich identified a possible contribution on the part of Jabotinsky to the creation of his image as a prophet among his supporters; see Svetlana Natkovich, “The Rise and Downfall of Cassandra,” 1–11.
4 Katz, “Was the Holocaust Predictable?,” 41–48.
5 Rubin, The Future of the Jews, 103–112; Goldstein, Zionism and Antisemitism in the Thought and Action of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, 362–70.
6 Michman, Holocaust Historiography: A Jewish Perspective, 209–10.
7 Michman, “Ze'ev Jabotinsky: tochnit ha-evakatsia,” 119–27; Shavit and Reinhartz, The Road to September, 275–79.
8 Shavit and Steir-Livny, “Mi qara ze'ev?,” 349–69.
9 Netanyahu, A Place among the Nations, 363. Ibid., A Durable Peace, 359. Ibid., Bibi: My Story, 108. Id., “Prime Minister's Remarks at the State Opening Rally to Commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day and Heroism,” April 18, 2012. “President Reuven Rivlin in his opening remarks for the 31st Bible Hub: “May we succeed in coming out of the strait—and be together again,’” Channel 7, May 10, 2020. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein at the opening of the Knesset Plenum to mark Jabotinsky Day – July 11, 2018, Knesset minutes, Session 357 page 50, Minister of Internal Security, Amir Ohana, at the Israeli Police Independence Day and Remembrance Day Ceremony, 2019: https://www.facebook.com/mkamirohana/videos/308265690664524/minute 1:50.
10 English samples (among many): Grunor, Let My People Go, 56; Richman, Racing Against History, 218; Balfour, The Walls of Jerusalem, 98; Goodman. CATCH-67: The Left, 183; Rose, The Question of Zion, 56; Groth, Owens, and Groth, Holocaust Voices: An Attitudinal, 118; Cohen, Israel: Is it Good; Golan, Free Jerusalem: Heroes, Heroines; Navon, The Star and the Scepter; Paldiel, Poland, the Jews and; Ben-Ami, A New Voice for Israel, 23; Chaikin, A Nightmare in History, 42.
11 Netanyahu, Jabotinsky's Place in the History, 17.
12 “Referat in Varsha” [“Lecture in Warsaw,” in the “New Theater”], Unzer Welt, Year 1, No. 32 (172), August 12, 1938. The speech was compilated into Jabotinsky's writings, published by Eri Jabotinsky around the establishment of the state: “Speech at a People's Assembly in Warsaw (at the ‘New Theater’)”, Writings, Speeches 1927–1940, 305–26.
13 Goldstein, “The Roots of the Gallows Myth,” 127–148.
14 Jabotinsky, “Referat in Varsha,” 325.
15 See, for instance, “Jabotinsky vorent di anhanger fon Havlaga”, [Jabotinsky Warns the Followers of the Policy of Restraint,”], Haynt, August 8, 1938.
16 Schectman, Fighter and Prophet, 256–57; Davar. “Mi-Pirchei Ha-Hatafa Shel Jabotinsky” [From Jabotinsky’s Preaching Flowers].” August 11, 1938.
17 Ze'ev Jabotinsky to Michael Haskel, August 9, 1938,” Jabotinsky Archives, A 1-2/28.
18 Manor, A Portrait.
19 “Jabotinsky, Last Tisha B’Av in Warsaw,” Der Tog-Morgen Zshurnal, July 20, 1958. Herut. “Batisha Be’av Ha-Acharon Be Varsha: Jabotinsky Ra Be-Einei Rucho et Mar’ot Ha-Sho’a [On the Last Tisha B’av in Warsaw: Jabotinsky Saw in His Mind’s Eye the Horrors of the Holocaust].” July 27, 1958.
20 Klarman, “Zissu Ha-Jabutinska’ee” [Zissu the Jabotinskean].
21 “July was proclaimed the month in honor of Jabotinsky,” B’nai B’rith Messenger [BBM], June 30, 1961.
22 “Iden fun gantsen land rufen arfin Jabotinsky's Zava'a” [“Jews from all over the country are exhorting to fulfill Jabotinsky’s will,]” Der Tog-Morgen Zshurnal, July 7, 1961. The text was published in Hebrew about a week later on the front page of Herut: “Sofreno Be Artsot Ha-Brit, Pniato Shel Morris Weinberg Maka Galim: Yehudei America Tovi’m Ha’ala’t ‘atzamotav Shel Jabotinsky [Our Correspondent in the United States, “Morris Weinberg’s Appeal Makes Waves: American Jews Demand the Exhumation and Reburial of Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s Bones].” July 16, 1961.
23 Isaac Ramba to Joseph Klarman, Jabotinsky Archive, L 37/4-14, July 3, 1961.
24 See, for instance, Jabotinsky Archive, L 37/4-14; Shoshani, “Brit Herut-Hatzohar Magbira et Tnufata Ba-Yabeshet Ha-America-Eit”.
25 Herut, “Gover Ha-Lahatz Ha-Tsibuti Le-Ha’ala’t a’azmotav Shel Jabotinsky” [Mounting Public Pressure to Transfer Jabotinsky’s Remains], June 13, 1958; On Jabotinsky’s reburial, see Weitz and Gruweis-Kovalsky, “The Decisions Taken by the Israeli Government,” 161–194 (in Hebrew).
26 Upon the successful completion of the campaign, Klarman spearheaded the “operation” to transfer Jabotinsky's remains: Yosef Klarman, head of the “Ze’ev Jabotinsky Returns to the Homeland” operation, left for New York, Herut, July 1, 1964.
27 On July 17, 1958, the 29th of Tammuz – Jabotinsky Remembrance Day – Klarman participated in a radio broadcast in the USA in memory of Jabotinsky: Herut, “A’atserot Zikaron Le Jabotinsky Bekol Rahavei Artsot Habrit” [Memorial Rallies for Jabotinsky Throughout the United States], July 16, 1958. Jabotinsky Archives, SL-306.
28 Herut, “Tekes Hamonim Rav Roshem ‘al Kivro Shel Ze’ev Jabotinsky” [Impressive Mass Ceremony over Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s Grave], August 1, 1958; Epstein, “Keitsad Hefera Brit Herut-Hatzohar Be America et ‘kesher Ha-Shtika’ Shel Ha-Tzionut Ha-Rishmit”.
29 See minutes from the cabinet meeting, July 20, 1958, and, especially, of August 3, 1958, State of Israel Archives.
30 Eventually, in the evening dedicated to the completed publication of the English biography, Klarman delivered the main congratulatory speech – praised the biographer, defined the book as a “masterpiece […] that faithfully reflects the personality of Ze’ev Jabotinsky,” but also noted several “inaccuracies.” “Celebration in honor of Dr. Schectman, author of The Warrior and the Prophet, Herut, July 9, 1961. “Beillinson's letter” was published on the front page of the Tog a few days after this event.
31 Ze'ev Jabotinsky to Yehuda Benari, December 30, 1938, Jabotinsky Archives.
32 Archives of the Jabotinsky Institute, “Excerpts from Jabotinsky's Speeches and Articles”, P 195 – 1/10.
33 Eventually, he would return to it on various occasions; he chose a photo featuring himself launching the event, side-by-side with Jabotinsky, who sat by the presidential table before his speech, to illustrate the article devoted to his retirement, in 1978, from his position as head of the Youth Aliyah, a post he had held for about a decade.
Gilon, “Matter of Principle”.
34 Jabotinsky, “Shvirat Ha-Havlaga hi davar hechrechi” [Breaking the Restraint is a Necessary Thing], 305.
35 Jabotinsky Institute, 3 6 a – 1 / 24, as well as File 32. For further reading, see Schwartz, “Shutfuyot muzarot: Hatnua'h Harevizionistit ve-Agudat Israel bitkufat Ha-soa'h,” 465–492.
36 “From a Conversation with Joseph Klarman: A Sensational Fact from the Polish Tragedy: On the second day to the outbreak of the war, Edward Rydz-Śmigły demanded open negotiations for peace’, HaMashkif, March 31, 1940.
37 It is not uncommon, of course, to find biased evidence concerning various events in autobiographical writing. See, for example, Michael Stanislavski's discussion of how Jabotinsky recounted in his autobiography a meeting between himself and Theodor Herzl during the Zionist Congress of 1903. Stanislawski, Zionism and the fFin de Siècle, 167–168.
38 Ibid.
39 Jabotinsky Institute Archives, Excerpts from Jabotinsky's Speeches and Articles, F – 195 – 1/10.
40 Ibid., Klarman, “Iver Ze'ev Jabotinsky”.
41 Ibid.
42 For full details of the analysis, see Goldstein and Houry, “Dvarim sheZe'ev Jabotinsky lo amar meolam: hamza'at textim u'mekoma betahalich yezirat dimui Jabotinsky ke-navi Ha-shoa'a,” 413–440.
43 Meckler, “Main letse bagegenish mit ze'ev Jabotinsky far zain toyt”.
44 See for example: Sofer Herut, Herut. “Atzeret Zikaron Le Rosh Beitar Be-Hechal Ha-Tarbut Be-Meliat 25 Shana Le-Ptirato [Remembrance Rally for the Head of Beitar at the Cultural Hall on the 25th Anniversary of His Death].” July 29, 1965.
45 See, for example, Minutes from the Preparatory Committee Meeting (Centenary of the Birth of Ze'ev Jabotinsky), February 28, 1979, and also May 7, 1979, Jabotinsky Archive, 1-15/5.
46 Jabotinsky, Guiding Principles for Current Problems, 160.
47 Ibid., 167.
48 Netanyahu, Jabotinsky's Place in the History, 17.
49 For exemple: Lazar-Litai, Despite: The Second Aliya, 11; Nedava, Jabotinsky in the Mirror, 56.
50 See, for instance, Lustick, “The Holocaust in Israeli Political Culture,” 125–70; Patt, “On ‘Holocaustia’,” 187–91.
51 Peleg-Uziyahu, “Milhemet brira musarit,” 219–248.
52 Naor, “Lessons of the Holocaust versus Territories for Peace, 1967–2001,” 130–152.
53 Knesset minutes, July 17, 2007.
54 PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the State Memorial Ceremony for Ze'ev Jabotinsky, 16.07.2015
55 Aryeh Dubnov brought up a novel view on this matter in a side note in his article “The Netanyahus, Bloom and the Next Catastrophe,” HaZman HaZeh, January 2022.
56 Netanyahu, The Founding Fathers of Zionism, 281–82. The last edition was published in 2006; see Ibid., 280–85.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Amir Goldstein
Amir Goldstein is a historian at Tel-Hai College and The Herzl Institute for the Study of Zionism, University of Haifa. His recent publications include: ‘War and Peace within the Israeli Right (1970–1978): The Path of a Hawkish Party towards Pragmatism.’ British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 50, 5 (2023): 1–23; ‘From Reconciliation to Confrontation: Menachem Begin and the Kibbutz Movement 1968–1981.’ Middle Eastern Studies 58, 1 (2022): 120–135. ‘The roots of the gallows myth in the Revisionist movement during the 1930s,’ The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 48, 1 (2020): 127–148. Tel Hai, 1920–2020: History and Memory, Jerusalem: Yad Yitzhak Ben-Zvi & the Chaim Weizmann Institute, Tel Aviv University, 2020 (Hebrew, co-editor with Yael Zerubavel.)
Efi Hoory
Efi Hoory is an Independent researcher.