Postcard Photo of Emir Abdullah of Transjordan’s Visit to the Turkish Military Academy 1937 Jordan

Postcard of Emir Abdullah of Transjordan’s Visit to the Turkish Military Academy (1937)

Description

This historical postcard bears the printed heading “Cartolina Postale” on the reverse side. In handwritten Ottoman Turkish, it notes that the card relates to the visit of Emir Abdullah of Transjordan to the Military Academy (H.O. – Harp Okulu), dated 2 June 1937. The card includes a handwritten signature; however, due to the difficulty of reading the handwriting, the signature cannot be conclusively identified and is most likely that of one of the soldiers depicted in the photograph.

The photograph shows Emir Abdullah standing together with uniformed Turkish officers, capturing a significant moment of diplomatic and military interaction. Particularly striking is the presence of images of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, including both a photograph and a statue visible on the reverse side, emphasizing the symbolic importance of the Turkish Republic during this period.

Emir Abdullah (later King Abdullah I of Jordan) was the son of Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca, leader of the Hashemite family. With British support, Abdullah became the ruler of the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921, and in 1949 he was crowned the first King of Jordan. Relations between Turkey and Transjordan, then under British mandate, began to improve during the 1930s. The Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood signed in 1931 was followed by King Abdullah’s official visit to Turkey between 30 May and 8 June 1937, lasting approximately ten days.

This postcard and photograph were produced during that historic visit and represent one of the notable visual records of King Abdullah’s 1937 trip to Turkey, reflecting the diplomatic rapprochement between the two countries. As such, it is a valuable collectible that combines political history, military symbolism, and early Republican-era Turkish iconography.

Key Features

• Type: Postcard (Cartolina Postale)

• Date: 2 June 1937

• Subject: Visit of Emir Abdullah of Transjordan to the Ankara Turkish Military Academy (Harp Okulu)

• Photograph Content: Emir Abdullah with uniformed Turkish officers (Abdullah I of Jordan)

• Reverse Imagery: Photograph and statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

• Historical Figure: Emir Abdullah (later King Abdullah I of Jordan)

• Political Context: Part of King Abdullah’s official visit to Turkey (30 May–8 June 1937)

• Diplomatic Significance: Reflects improving Turkey–Transjordan relations in the 1930s

• Signature: Present but not fully legible; likely one of the soldiers in the photograph

• Collectible Value: Important visual document of Middle Eastern–Turkish diplomatic history in the early Republican era