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Leon Ingall’s passport application to the French consulate in Berlin. July 23, 1936. Archives Nationales, France. Governments issued “Nansen Passports” to stateless refugees like Leon. Leon lists his profession as a designer for Max Behrendt who produced ready-to-wear fashion for women. In 1904 Behrendt founded his business in Hausvogteiplatz, the center of Berlin’s Jewish fashion industry. In 1935 Behrendt emigrated to London. The Nazis liquidated the company in 1940. As a reference, Leon lists Behrendt’s client Arnold Grief, 48 rue de Richelieu. Leon was seeking a one-year visa in order to conduct business. He explains in his application that he travels to Paris four times a year on two-week trips in order to purchase examples of haute couture. According to scholar Uwe Westphal, designers like Leon would copy the originals and companies like the one owned by Behrendt would produce them en masse.
Leon Ingall’s passport application. April 5, 1938. Archives Nationales, France. He held a Nansen passport, an internationally recognized refugee travel document issued between 1922 to 1938 by the League of Nations to stateless refugees.They quickly became known as "Nansen passports" for their promoter, the Norwegian statesman and polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen.