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Hungarian-born Austrian founder of Zionism (1860–1904). Autograph note in German by Theodor Herzl, unsigned, handwritten in pencil on both sides of his personal 3.75 x 2.25 visitor’s card, August 20, 1910, dated shortly after the Fourth Zionist Congress, which was held in London, England, from August 13-16, 1900. The note was sent to “Maida Vale 37,” the address of Moshe Gaster, Chief Sephardic Rabbi of London, who served as the vice-chairman of the Congress. It reads, in part (translated): “Ask Mr. Dr. [name redacted] to handle Mr. Rosenfeld's case with attention.” In fine condition, with a light paperclip impression to the top edge. “Mr. Rosenfeld” is ostensibly Morris Rosenfeld (1862-1923), the Yiddish publisher, poet, and Zionist activist, who served as a delegate at the Fourth Zionist Congress.
The Fourth Zionist Congress was held in London, England, from August 13 to 16, 1900. It was the first Congress not held in Basel, Switzerland, and the only Congress prior to Israel’s Independence not held in continental Europe. The selection of London to host the Congress reflected Herzl’s strategic decision to focus on Britain to assist him in his project to establish a Jewish state.
In his opening address to the Congress, Herzl remarked: ‘England, great England, free England, England looking over all the seas, will understand our aspirations. From here the Zionist idea will take its flight further and higher, of that we are sure.’
Per The Herzl Collection: ‘In 1903, England offered to the Zionist movement the possibility of a territory in East Africa (commonly referred to as Uganda, but actually in the area that is Kenya today) and, in 1917, the English government issued the Balfour Declaration, which reflected its support for the establishment in Palestine of a home for the Jewish people.
The Congress discussed the crisis, which was then unfolding for the Jews of Romania, where thousands were forced to flee the country, and those remaining were subject to harassment and pressure. Herzl viewed this situation as proof of the need for the Jewish homeland that Zionism was working to secure.
At the Congress, the religious Zionists demanded that the Zionist movement restrict itself solely to political matters. The Congress also discussed issues relating to the Zionist workers in Palestine and the question of a national Jewish sports movement.
The Congress did not resonate greatly with English Jewry, many of whom were skeptical about Zionism. An article in the September 1, 1900, edition of the Reform Advocate (an English-Jewish weekly) stated: ‘The Zionists have chosen to come to London in the dead season of August when Londoners are out of town. We can scarcely suppose that they are satisfied to preach to the converted. But if they wished to make converts among Jews, they chose a curiously inopportune moment for spreading their propaganda. Had Dr. Herzl and his colleagues come a month or six weeks earlier, he would have found our communal life in full swing. This would have given them an opportunity of conferring with our communal leaders on the Roumanian situation and it is not unlikely that some good might have resulted from such deliberations.’
There were 18 more Zionist Congresses held before the State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. Herzl attended two more before he died in 1904.’
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