039. Primo Levi a Hermann Langbein, 14 gennaio 1974

14/1/1974

Caro Hermann,

ti ringrazio molto per l’invito a Berlino, che ho appena ricevuto con un leggero ritardo. Purtroppo mi è praticamente impossibile prevedere i miei spostamenti in luglio: da quando c’è la crisi del petrolio, il mio lavoro (quello di chimico: l’altro, di scrittore, continua in tutta tranquillità nelle[1] domeniche senz’auto) ha assunto un ritmo frenetico, tanto che ogni sera fatico a sapere quel che farò l’indomani. Forse le cose cambieranno fra qualche mese, e allora ti scriverò nuovamente: per intanto vorrai scusarmi, ma mi trovo nell’impossibilità di dirti «sì».

Nel frattempo ti stringo la mano con viva cordialità

P.S. Dall’inizio di dicembre Uomini ad Auschwitz dovrebbe essere in lettura presso l’editore Mursia di Milano: ti terrò al corrente degli eventuali sviluppi.

1/14/1974

Dear Hermann,

Thank you for your invitation to Berlin, which I have just received with a little delay. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible for me to predict if I will be able to come in July: since the oil crisis, my work (my work as a chemist: my other work, as a writer, is moving along quite slowly on[1] car-free Sundays) has taken on a hectic pace, to the point where I hardly know each evening what I will be doing tomorrow. Perhaps things will change in a few months, and then I will write to you again: for now, please forgive me, but it is impossible for me to say “yes.”

Until then, I warmly shake your hand

P.S. As of early December, People in Auschwitz should be under consideration at the publisher Mursia of Milan: I’ll keep you informed of possible developments.

14/1/1974

Cher Hermann,

je te remercie bien de ton invitation à Berlin, que je viens de recevoir avec un peu de retard. Malheureusement, il m’est à peu près impossible de prévoir si je pourrai venir à Juillet: depuis la crise du pétrole mon travail (mon travail de chimiste: l’autre, d’écrivain, se poursuit bien doucement par[1] les dimanches sans auto) a pris un rythme frénétique, si bien que j’ai de la peine à savoir chaque soir ce que je ferai demain. Peut-être que les choses vont changer d’ici quelques mois, et alors je t’écrirai encore: pour le moment, tu voudras m’excuser, mais je suis dans l’impossibilité de te dire «oui».

Jusque là, je te serre bien cordialement la main

P.S. Depuis début Décembre, Menschen in Auschwitz devrait être en lecture chez l’éditeur Mursia de Milan: je te tiendrai au courant des développements éventuels.

1/14/1974

Dear Hermann,

Thank you for your invitation to Berlin, which I have just received with a little delay. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible for me to predict if I will be able to come in July: since the oil crisis, my work (my work as a chemist: my other work, as a writer, is moving along quite slowly on[1] car-free Sundays) has taken on a hectic pace, to the point where I hardly know each evening what I will be doing tomorrow. Perhaps things will change in a few months, and then I will write to you again: for now, please forgive me, but it is impossible for me to say “yes.”

Until then, I warmly shake your hand

P.S. As of early December, People in Auschwitz should be under consideration at the publisher Mursia of Milan: I’ll keep you informed of possible developments.