FiFth Zionist Congress - Basel 1901

The Fifth Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland from December 26 to 31, 1900. It was the fourth Congress held in Basel (ten of the 22 Zionist Congresses held before Israel’s independence in 1948 were in this city). 278 delegates attended.

Theodor Herzl opened the Congress with his presidential address. In it he indicated that although there has been significant progress in the pursuit of the Zionist idea, there have been some failures which were caused by putting the means to achieve the objective, money, before the idea. He said that only an idea can move people. He concluded his remarks by saying that the Zionist movement’s preliminary tasks have been completed, and that the Congress, like engineers, had laid an electric installation; it remains for the Jewish nation to supply the power.

The delegates authorized the establishment of the Jewish National Fund. From the establishment of the Zionist movement in 1897 it was always intended that it have two financial instruments: The Jewish Colonial Trust and the National Fund. The creation of the National Fund was agreed upon at the Fourth Congress in 1900 provided that it not take shape until the Jewish Colonial Trust began operations. By the Fifth Congress, that condition had been satisfied with capital of over 250,000 Pounds Sterling having been raised from over 126,000 shareholders.

The National Fund was designed to be property of the nation, and not of shareholders which is the case with the Trust. Herzl said of the Fund: “The Nation is not only to be the founder but also the master in perpetuity of the special fund.” Initially, the National Fund (known as the Jewish National Fund or Keren Kayement Le Yisrael) was to be funded through the sale of stamps, the unit price being the smallest coin currency in each country. A photograph of the first such stamps is in the Photo Gallery below.

The delegates resolved that “Culture” is a prime object of the Zionist movement and adopted three specific resolutions to this end: that a national library be funded, that a statistical bureau be organized and that a Hebrew Encyclopaedia is a necessity.

The Congress was intended to last four days but was extended to five to provide additional time for debate. The third day’s session ended at 2.30 am and the fifth day’s session ended at 4.30 am.

Herzl told the delegates: “Today no single one of us is any more indispensable. Whichever one of us disappears or secedes from the ranks, the cause goes on.” In less than three years, Herzl died. The cause went on.

There were 17 more Zionist Congresses held before the State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. Herzl attended one more (the Sixth Congress in 1903) before he died in 1904.

To mark the 125th anniversary of the Fifth Zionist Congress, please enjoy the images below from David’s collection.

These images are available to be downloaded and used free of charge. 

If you do, we would ask that you please provide the following photo credit:  

From the David Matlow Herzl and Zionism Collection, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com)

Photos: Kevin Viner, Elevator Digital, Toronto 

If you would like to order art quality prints and posters of any size, please contact info@elevatordigital.ca

If you have any questions about these items please contact davidmatlow@icloud.com