Secret booklet for use by German Wehrmacht soldiers prior to their arrival in the Middle East during World War II / ...

Secret booklet for use by German Wehrmacht soldiers prior to their arrival in the Middle East during World War II / Map of the Middle East

Schlag nach über den Nahen Osten 1941 - "Get to know the Middle East" - Classified pamphlet intended to the 'Internal Department' of the High Command of the Armed Forces of the German Wehrmacht  (Tornisterschrift des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht. Abt. Inland), In preparation for their conquest of Palestine and the East in the midst of World War II in 1941. At the top of the cover page is written: "Nur fuf den Gebrauch innerhalb der Wehrmacht", "For internal use by Wehrmacht soldiers only" and 'Pass on'. / A colorful map of the Middle East, which was attached to the booklet with a title page matching the booklet title page. German.

The booklet is intended for use by German troops in preparation for the arrival of the troops to the Middle East, and it includes chapters dealing with the internal population of the countries of Palestine, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Transjordan, Arabia, Egypt and Libya. The description of each country and country includes a geographical description of major mountains, rivers and lakes, city size and population, state constitution, dominant armed forces, and economy, exports, movement, press, and a historical overview that includes a list of rulers and presidents.

In the chapter dealing with Palestine, a detailed description of the geographical structure of the Land of Israel from north to south, the numerical ratio between Jews and Arabs, as well as the deployment of the spread Jewish settlement in the various settlements, Growing the soil in Palestine and its various regions. It is also written about the rule in Eretz Israel which is given to the British High Commissioner, the English bureaucracy, the Balfour Declaration and its results in Jewish-Arab relations, as well as the fact that the number of Jews in palestine has doubled since World War I, with a detailed list of Jews living in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and other places. It is also noted that the British government is particularly hostile to the Arab population, and more.

During World War II, Eretz Israel under British Mandate rule twice faced the danger of an invasion by the Nazis and their allies. The first danger began in June 1940 when Germany occupied France, and control of France and its colonies was in the hands of the pro-Nazi Vichy regime. Syria and Lebanon came under pro-Nazi rule. The British working assumption was that a German invasion of Eretz Israel from the north was a viable option. In the summer of 1940 the British began to build fortification lines to protect the country from invasion and to prepare acts of resistance to the occupiers, should it fall into the hands of the enemy. Later in 1942, General Rommel's Africa Corps advanced in North Africa to the east and the fear of the fall of the Suez Canal increased. Due to this fear, the British devised the "Palestine final fortress" plan. To create a line of defense in the mountainous areas of the north of the country. As the Corps of Africa advanced toward the Suez Canal, anxiety prevailed in the settlement, and the leadership of the settlement began to formulate a "Masada on the Carmel" plan to concentrate all the people of the settlement on Mount Carmel and its environs for a heroic and possibly final defense battle. This period in the history of the settlement was nicknamed "Two Hundred Days of Anxiety." Finally, as is well known, in light of the British victory in the Battle of El Alamein II and the repulsion of the enemy from North Africa in November 1942, the threat of Nazi occupation was removed from Eretz Israel.

[4], 39, [1] p. 21 cm. Map: 64x48 cm. Very good condition.