ALLENBY, Edmund (Field Marshal, 1st Viscount Allenby, 1861-1936) – Comparisons of German and British Military Law (Judeo-Arabic headline). [No place, but probably Jerusalem, no date, but probably early 1918].

Rare large poster declaring Jerusalem to be under British martial law and comparing the conquerors favourably with the vanquished.

Large poster, (745 x 485 mm.), folded, text printed in Judeo-Arabic, English and French, borders printed in red. (One vertical and 3 horizontal creasefolds, insignificant chipping and tiny marginal nick to top left-hand corner, otherwise in fine condition.)

EXTREMELY RARE PROPAGANDA PIECE, comparing British martial law with that of the recently defeated German-backed Ottomans. Allenby states that it is his intention not to intervene with lawful business and to maintain the religious status quo. This is contrasted with an edict by Colonel Gloss, that all workers over the age 15, are compelled to work in the fields from 4am-8pm, otherwise various punishments, including 'slacker companies' overseen by German corporals, imprisonment, and corporal punishment, will be inflicted.

The language of Judeo-Arabic suggests that the audience for this poster would have been parts of the old yishuv, Sephardi Jews and other citizens of the Ottoman Empire.