Letter from Edward Renouf to Anny Schey von Koromla

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Postal address:
c/o Leisure League of America, Inc.
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York City

12 December

Dearest Annerl!

Please don’t think that my long silence might mean I could have stopped thinking about you for even a moment, or that anyone or anything could have undermined my loyalty to you. Heaven knows your prophecy – you’ll become a Nazi yet! – has not come to pass. Germany for me is finished. On the one hand there’s the over-inflated, slogan-spouting, narrow-minded, self-seeking, blood-thirstiness of its loud, uncultured tyrants. On the other there’s the stifling suppression of the few cultured people who remain, those who can do nothing but mutter anxiously about the daily violations of decency, who flee into the other-worldly realms of the spirit – or pretend to go along with it all because they have neither the strength nor the courage nor the will to defend themselves against the rabble-rousers . . . . . . . . But there’s no use even talking about it! You remember how agitated and indignant you were when you came to Paris from Munich. Now I can understand how you felt! No Nazi will ever be a friend of mine, even if it’s my dear Uncle Putzi. I may ‘make my peace’ with such men, but as Nazis I reject him 100%, even my brother-in-law Kurt. Just as I could never have got along with the Catholics who burnt Giordano Bruno at the stake, or the communists who put people up against the wall and shoot them for no other reason than their nobility, nor could I get along with the Nazis, who are not just attacking our external freedoms but also the freedom of conscience, and who are ready to slaughter mankind en masse for their ‘dogma’. Perhaps all this is an historical inevitability. Perhaps it’s a necessity. Perhaps these nightmarish catastrophes are the precursor to some powerful reaction and the further liberation of mankind from its barbaric prejudices. BUT – neither you nor I, Annerl, shall ever be Nazis!

It pains me to know that my little sister is in Germany. The only consolation is that she’s kept her American citizenship and that our situation will soon be comfortable enough for us to bring her back here immediately if need be. Europe still has some wild and hard times ahead. I doubt whether you should ever settle in Germany or Austria again. Work hard on your English, Annerl! You may end up coming to America after all! In the next few months I’m going to surround myself with an especially nice circle of people here – in preparation for your arrival! For what’s mine is yours. And New York has no shortage of marvellous things to do; certainly nowhere else in the world has better museums! From Chinese watercolour painters to Italian primitives, from El Greco to Picasso, Braque, Derain, Rousseau and the Surrealists, they’re all here, the whole lot of them! And the concerts! Bruno Walter, Toscanini . . . . . everything you could possibly want to hear. And theatres, cinemas, radios, automobiles, the most perfect modern apartments; the atmosphere in society is optimistic, even cheerful, tending slightly to the left, striving for human kindness rather than prejudice! Did God not create this country for you?! Just you wait! You and the kids will find peace, happiness and fulfilment here. Be sure to work hard on your English. I think you have in your nature something of the spirit of discovery that the Pioneers had. And if you’ve already discovered the language (don’t read too much of the LONDON TIMES, which is probably the most boring newspaper in the whole world, and boredom poisons life and puts memory to sleep), if you’ve been reading TIME and THE NATION every now and then, weeklies that can’t be surpassed for their overviews of the times and their lively opinions, or the ever-reliable monthly magazines HARPERS and THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY – then by the time you come you’ll already have this country and its people in the palm of your hand. Over the winter I’ll seek out the best ‘just published’ novels for you and I’ll send them to you every now and then.

When I was in Munich I received a cable saying that our grandfather had died. In spite of ‘everything’, the family fortune seems to be in the best possible shape: it is and remains in the hands of a ‘trustee’ who, through the worst of times, hasn’t lost a single cent. So it looks as though your Etl won’t have to worry about his daily bread for the rest of his life, even if his portion of the inheritance won’t tempt him to live a life of Reilly. The testament hasn’t yet been confirmed by a court, and several fastidious weeks will pass before we can receive our income, but everything seems to be in impeccable order.

I almost wish that you too had your fortune in a reliable ‘trust’ like mine. You never have to worry about it and the crises and bank scandals don’t affect you. And you receive a cheque every month, as if the good Lord himself were providing for you.

Edda’s wedding – though I found the spiritual atmosphere in Germany desperately stifling! – was a splendid party. Hubertus, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and I were the best men. The wedding ceremony was held in the private chapel at Groß Rietz. From the house we marched slowly and solemnly . . . . . the way to the chapel lined with SA men from the region, who stood in tight formation either side of the path, right hands raised in [struck out: the Hitler] salute, left hands holding high torches. The chapel was lit only with candles. My little sister Edda looked like the most beautiful of Gothic Madonnas; pale, with beaming eyes, in her long, soft bridal veil, her bridal tiara, with a bunch of white lilies on her arm. The priest gave a good speech. Then it was back to the house for a pompous dinner: Rietz carp, saddle of venison, wild duck, countless wines, champagne . . . . . . . . . ! After dinner I gave a splendid speech underlining the importance of the Marwitz family for Prussian history and flattering the family to such an extent that several of the older aunts and uncles, tears running down their cheeks, encircled me with raised champagne glasses and wanted me to promise I’d never go back to America. Kurt wanted to ‘reserve’ one of his Marwitz cousins for me so that I too could be married at Groß Rietz. There were several hundred telegrams from well-wishers over the course of the evening. We admired the sparkling display of bridal gifts and danced in the great hall under the stern eyes of the Marwitz ancestors. The SA men gathered in tight formations under the windows outside, held their torches aloft and sang their Brandenburg folk songs at the tops of their voices. Edda and Kurt went out to meet them, and Edda gave her hand to each of them (about fifty men), then they struck up again and marched off across the estate, singing as they went, torches flickering between the ancient trees until they disappeared into the misty November night.

Before long we took the happy couple to their car and showered them with rice and well-wishes. The tyres of the car crunched on the gravel, and the couple disappeared under the flowers and garlands of pine that adorned the gatehouse . . . . . . . .

I met Fritz in Hamburg. He looked thin but healthy. Seemed friendlier, more mature, more philosophical, humanly more on top of his fate than I’ve ever seen him. Intellectually I think he’s actually found his path in life; he spoke with excitement, real interest and deep earnest. His rather irresponsible ‘bachelor’s lifestyle’ – he’s free to pursue any interest that takes his fancy, without plans or obligations – is certainly the only way to productivity for him, for his Ulyssean soul. I couldn’t stand him as a father and a family man, as you know, but being an author suits him well. I thought he was witty, talented and perfectly congenial.

Our steamer the HAMBURG had to struggle through the storm of storms. Later on the officers themselves admitted there twenty hours or so when they didn’t know if we were going to make it. All sorts of things got smashed to pieces and several people were injured; there was oil spilling out onto the towering waves all night long.

Heinzl came to meet us at the dock and we’re now living in a hotel room together, which is cosy. Heinzl has fallen in love and wants to get married soon. His girl is neither rich nor talented nor beautiful, but she’s a sharp wit and she’s an exceptionally loyal and decent person. She loves him so much that her eyes well up with tears of joy whenever she sees him coming. She’d go to hell and back for her Heinzl . . . . . . . . . . But ‘no-one’ is allowed to know about it yet, because this girl is married to another man, and she still has the long and tortuous process of divorce to go through.

As soon as our incomes are sorted out I plan to live alone again and continue with my work at twice the intensity. I have a few things underway already. Also, I was at the tailor’s yesterday having a suit made to measure for the first time in my life – black, extremely elegant, for the ‘distinguished’ evening guest! – and at the same time I’m being given the opportunity to write articles so I can earn an honest dollar. Truly, Annerl, if this goes on you’ll hardly recognise your tatty old Etl!

I’m glad to be in America, away from tired, sceptical, pessimistic France, away from the raging madness of Germany. I’d had enough of it and didn’t find it hard to say goodbye. Everything I love about Europe I shall find there again one fine day, by which point all the hatred and gloom will perhaps have dissipated. My girl will always have her enchanting sparkle in the mild nights of May, and Sainte Chapelle will always catch the sun in its windows. And you and the kids aren’t absolutely tied to Europe, thank goodness! I shall see you all again!

By the time this letter arrives you’ll be together for Christmas! What I wouldn’t give to be able to look in on you and say SERVUS IHR LIEBEN! FRÖHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN! Or are you already saying HAPPY CHRISTMAS in English? Rolling a YULE LOG into the room and eating PLUM PUDDING?! You know, Heinzl recently said he’s not at all curious about Germany and has no desire to travel there, though he definitely wants to visit Ireland and ENGLAND soon. And of all the Europeans you’ve told me about, he said, ANNERL AND HER CHILDREN ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE I MUST SOON MEET!

Heinzl and I are going up to Waldfrieden to spend Christmas with Gwadl. From there we’re going to Boston to visit relatives and to discuss future finances with our ‘trustees’ and attorneys.

A THOUSAND GREETINGS, WISHES AND KISSES from your

Etl

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