“Passport” was adopted into English from the French passeport/Italian passaporto, to denote a document that allowed a person to pass through a port. In the same way, German adopted Passborten and its abbreviated form Pass, as well as Reisepass (“travel pass”), Passbrief (“pass letter”), and Passzettel (“pass bill”). The passport became an indispensable early modern travel aid. As a certificate of identity, it was intend…