Details:

Inga Arvad autographed two-page typed letter (TLS), Christmas Day 1943, typed on both sides of a single sheet and signed in bold red ink “Your, Inga-Binga,” addressed to John F. Kennedy as "Jack Dearest." The letter is an intimate, reflective wartime communication written while Kennedy was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

In this deeply personal letter, Arvad writes from Hollywood on December 25, 1943, describing Christmas Day in vivid detail, reflecting on loneliness, separation, and her emotional attachment to Kennedy. She recounts memories of time spent together, references Kennedy’s naval service and promotion to lieutenant, and speaks candidly about the uncertainties of wartime, separation, and the hope of reunion. The tone is affectionate, introspective, and emotionally charged, offering a rare glimpse into Kennedy’s private life during the height of World War II.

Arvad references Washington, New York, Central Park, Kennedy’s military advancement, and the broader wartime atmosphere, including President Roosevelt’s speeches and the global conflict. The letter closes with a heartfelt expression of love and longing, underscoring the personal cost of war on relationships.

Fine condition, with expected age toning and light handling wear consistent with a wartime typed letter. Signature remains strong and well-contrasted.

Inga Arvad (1913–1973) was a Danish journalist, beauty queen (Miss Denmark 1936), and prominent social figure in Washington, D.C. during the early 1940s. She became romantically involved with John F. Kennedy while he was a young naval intelligence officer and the son of Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy.

Their relationship became the subject of concern within U.S. intelligence circles. Arvad had previously interviewed Adolf Hitler in the 1930s and maintained European journalistic connections, which—combined with her relationship with Kennedy—led the FBI to place her under surveillance during World War II. While no evidence ever proved Arvad to be a Soviet agent, declassified FBI files confirm that her communications and associations were closely monitored, and Kennedy was ultimately reassigned away from Washington in part due to security concerns surrounding the relationship.

This letter dates squarely to that sensitive period, making it an exceptional primary-source artifact linking Kennedy’s private emotional life, wartime service, and early exposure to national security scrutiny—a formative moment in the life of a future president.

Letters from Inga Arvad to John F. Kennedy are exceedingly rare, particularly examples that are explicitly romantic, signed, and written during the war years. A trio of letters sent by Kennedy to Arvad realized $144,000 at Christie’s in 2007, underscoring the strong institutional and collector demand for material documenting this formative and controversial relationship.

A museum-caliber artifact documenting a pivotal, personal chapter in the life of John F. Kennedy—where romance, wartime service, journalism, and intelligence history intersect.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11665 1413000-1