Autographs and Manuscripts
ISHERWOOD, Christopher (1904-1986). Writer.. ()
Two Autograph Letters Signed ("Christopher Isherwood") to Fredric Kroll in Wiesbaden, discussing the work and views of Klaus Mann [author of Mephisto and son of Thomas Mann].2 pages folio on aerogram forms, Santa Monica, California, 9 September 1978 and 23 September 1979.
". . . I cannot even remember the short story called 'Speed' to which you refer. Yes, it is true that Klaus and I discussed my pacifism when we were both in California in 1939. He, of course, didn't agree with me. I should . . . be most interested to know what he wrote about this. . . he dedicated the English version of his Tchaikovsky novel to me chiefly because I had liked the German version so much . . ."A year later, Kroll had evidently sent Isherwood one of Mann's novels: "Thank you so much for sending me the passages from Klaus Mann's last novel . . . As you say, the Kenneth-Wystan character is composite. Auden is described physically, with some of his mannerisms . . . But Auden was never a pacifist. I was and still am a pacifist, but my interpretation of pacifist was and is somewhat different from the ideas Klaus puts into his character's mouth. . . Later I joined the Quakers."In 1939, Isherwood had emigrated to America together with Auden. A conscientious objector to the war, Isherwood spent some time working with European refugees under the aegis of a Quaker organisation.Klaus Mann, who became a naturalized American citizen and served with the US forces during the Second World War, was the author of the scandalous Mephisto, a roman a clef about an actor who renounces his principles in order to further his career under the Nazi regime.
Stock Code: AU5555
