054. Primo Levi a Hermann Langbein, 6 gennaio 1982

6/1/1982[1]

Caro Hermann,

hai ragione e io sono colpevole. Avrei dovuto dirti prima quanto ho apprezzato la tua opera, per il suo sforzo di equanimità e oggettività, e soprattutto per la sua volontà di comprendere. È esattamente la mancata comprensione dei meccanismi dello Stato totalitario che ha reso possibile Auschwitz e potrà renderne possibile una reviviscenza; ma a mio avviso non sarà né in Germania né in Italia, almeno per qualche anno: c’è una sorta di vaccinazione…

Sì, ora tocca a me raccontare. Avevo iniziato la lettera in tedesco,[2] e poi mi sono stancato. Neanch’io posso lamentarmi della salute. Forse ti ho già detto che da molto ho lasciato la chimica: adesso sono pensionato e scrittore full-time; il che non vuol dire che scrivo tutto il tempo, ma solo che non ho nessun’altra occupazione fissa. Ho da poco finito il mio primo «romanzo», ovvero la mia prima prova di scrittura creativa a misura di libro e non solo di racconto. È lo sviluppo (arbitrario) di una storia che mi ha raccontato un compagno:[3] un gruppo di soldati ebrei dell’Armata Rossa si trova accerchiato dai tedeschi verso la fine del 1942. Si organizzano in banda partigiana autonoma (dopo che i partigiani ufficiali li hanno rifiutati); combattono la loro guerra privata dalla parte tedesca del fronte;[4] raccolgono strada facendo altre displaced persons, uomini e donne, ebrei e no; sorpassati dal fronte bellico, si rifiutano di deporre le armi e si presentano così (piuttosto selvaggi e minacciosi) alla Comunità Ebraica di Milano, suppergiù nel settembre 1945. Mi sono divertito a fare questo mestiere nuovo, a metà strada fra la storia e la fantasia; quanto al risultato, vedremo.

Come te, ho due figli: Lisa, 33 anni, che è biologa e lavora in un Museo di Storia Naturale; Renzo, 24 anni, che sta finendo il dottorato in Fisica. Con loro ho un buon rapporto, anche se non conto di poterli avere con me quando (forse ad aprile o maggio, se il signor Jaruzelski[5] sarà d’accordo…) andrò a visitare Auschwitz per la seconda volta. Non sono granché interessati a questo argomento; o forse è una paura inconscia e retrospettiva.

Sì, l’anno appena trascorso non è da rimpiangere; anch’io ho amici polacchi che si disperano. Più di una volta mi sono chiesto: se fossi polacco (e avessi qualche anno in meno), che cosa farei?

Come mi hai consigliato tu, ho scritto a Mursia, autorizzandola a usare la mia traduzione. «Mazl tòv» («Buona Stella») per il tuo libro in Italia, e soprattutto per la vostra nuova impresa; i miei sinceri affettuosi auguri per questo Anno Nuovo.

1/6/1982[1]

Dear Hermann,

You are right and I am at fault. I should have told you before how much I enjoyed your book, its effort at fairness and objectivity, and, above all, its desire to understand. A lack of understanding of the mechanisms of the totalitarian State is exactly what made Auschwitz possible, and could make its repetition possible; but, in my opinion, not in Germany or Italy, at least for a few years: there is a kind of vaccination…

Yes, it’s my turn to update you. I had started this letter in German,[2] and then I became tired. I too have no complaints about my health. Perhaps I have told you already that I have quit chemistry for a long time now: I am now a pensioner, and a full-time writer; that does not mean that I write all the time, but only that I have no other set occupation. I have just finished my first “novel,” meaning my first attempt at creative writing on the scale of a book, not just a story. It is the (arbitrary) development of a story that a friend told me:[3] a group of Jewish soldiers from the Red Army found themselves surrounded toward the end of 1942 by the Germans. They organized themselves as an independent group of partisans (having been refused by the official partisans); fought their own war on the German side of the front[4]; picked up along the way other displaced persons, men and women, Jewish and not; overtaken by the front, they refused to lay down their weapons, and arrived bearing arms (and quite wild and threatening) in the Jewish Community of Milan around September 1945. I have enjoyed myself in this new profession, halfway between history and imagination; as for the result, we’ll see.

Like you, I have two children: Lisa, 33, who is a biologist and works in a Museum of Natural Hist.; Renzo, 24, who is finishing his degree in Physics. I have a good relationship with them, but, for me, there will be no hope of having them with me when (perhaps in April or May, if Mr. Jaruzelski[5] agrees…) I go to visit Auschwitz for the second time. They are not very interested in this subject matter; or perhaps it is an unconscious, retrospective fear.

Yes, the year that has just ended will not be missed; I too have Polish friends who are desperate. I have asked myself more than once: if I were Polish (and if I were a few years younger), what would I do?

As you suggested, I have written to Mursia authorizing him to use my translation. “Mazl tòv” (“Lucky Star”) for your book in Italy, and especially for your new undertaking; my sincere and warm wishes for this New Year.

6/1/1982[1]

Cher Hermann,

tu as raison et je suis coupable. J’aurais du te dire avant combien j’ai apprécié ton ouvrage, son effort d’équanimité et d’objectivité, et surtout, sa volonté de comprendre. C’est justement la non-compréhension des mécanismes de l’Etat totalitaire qui a rendu possible Auschwitz, et qui pourrait rendre possible son renouvellement; mais, à mon avis, pas en Allemagne ni en Italie, au moins pour quelques années: il-y-a une sorte de vaccination…

Oui, ich bin dran, zu erzählen. J’avais commencé cette lettre en allemand,[2] et puis je me suis fatigué. Moi non plus, je n’ai pas le droit de me plaindre de ma santé. Peut-être je t’ai déja dit que j’ai quitté la chimie depuis longtemps: je suis maintenant pensionnaire, et écrivain full-time; ça ne veut pas dire que j’écris tout mon temps, mais seulement que je n’ai pas d’autre occupation fixe. Je viens de finir mon premier «roman», c’est à dire mon premier essai d’écriture créative à l’échelle d’un livre, pas d’un conte seulement. Il s’agit du développement (arbitraire) d’une histoire qu’un camarade m’a raconté:[3] un groupe de soldats juifs de l’Armée Rouge s’est trouvé encerclé vers fin 1942 par les allemands. Ils se sont organisés en bande partisane autonome (ayant été réfusés par les partisans officiels); ont fait leur guerre particulière du côté allemand du fro<…>[4]; ont recueilli en route d’autres displaced persons, hommes et femmes, juifs et non; enjambés par le front de guerre, ont réfusé de déposer les armes, et sont arrivés armés (et assez sauvages et ménaçants) à la Communauté Juive de Milan vers Septembre 1945. Je me suis amusé à ce nouveau métier, mi-chemin entre l’histoire et la fantasie; pour ce qui est du résultat, on verra.

Comme toi j’ai deux enfants: Lisa, 33 ans, qui est biologue et travaille dans un Musée d’Histoire Naturelle; Renzo, 24 ans, qui est en train de finir son travail de doctorat en Physique. J’ai un bon rapport avec eux, mais, pour moi, il n’y aurait pas d’espoir de les avoir avec moi quand (peut-être en Avril ou Mai, si Mr. Jaruzelski[5] sera d’accord…) j’irai visiter Auschwitz pour la deuxième fois. Ils n’ont pas grand intérêt pour cet argument; ou c’est peut-être une peur inconsciente et rétrospective.

Oui, l’année qui vient de s’écouler n’est pas à regretter; moi ausssi j’ai des amis polonais au désespoir. Je me suis demandé plus d’une fois: si j’étais polonais (et si j’avais quelques années en moins), qu’est-ce que je ferais ?

Comme tu me l’as conseillé, j’ai écrit à Mursia, l’authorisant à utiliser ma traduction. «Mazl tòv» («Bonne Etoile») pour ton livre en Italie, et surtout pour votre nouvelle entreprise; mes vœux sincères et amicaux pour cette Année Nouvelle.

1/6/1982[1]

Dear Hermann,

You are right and I am at fault. I should have told you before how much I enjoyed your book, its effort at fairness and objectivity, and, above all, its desire to understand. A lack of understanding of the mechanisms of the totalitarian State is exactly what made Auschwitz possible, and could make its repetition possible; but, in my opinion, not in Germany or Italy, at least for a few years: there is a kind of vaccination…

Yes, it’s my turn to update you. I had started this letter in German,[2] and then I became tired. I too have no complaints about my health. Perhaps I have told you already that I have quit chemistry for a long time now: I am now a pensioner, and a full-time writer; that does not mean that I write all the time, but only that I have no other set occupation. I have just finished my first “novel,” meaning my first attempt at creative writing on the scale of a book, not just a story. It is the (arbitrary) development of a story that a friend told me:[3] a group of Jewish soldiers from the Red Army found themselves surrounded toward the end of 1942 by the Germans. They organized themselves as an independent group of partisans (having been refused by the official partisans); fought their own war on the German side of the front[4]; picked up along the way other displaced persons, men and women, Jewish and not; overtaken by the front, they refused to lay down their weapons, and arrived bearing arms (and quite wild and threatening) in the Jewish Community of Milan around September 1945. I have enjoyed myself in this new profession, halfway between history and imagination; as for the result, we’ll see.

Like you, I have two children: Lisa, 33, who is a biologist and works in a Museum of Natural Hist.; Renzo, 24, who is finishing his degree in Physics. I have a good relationship with them, but, for me, there will be no hope of having them with me when (perhaps in April or May, if Mr. Jaruzelski[5] agrees…) I go to visit Auschwitz for the second time. They are not very interested in this subject matter; or perhaps it is an unconscious, retrospective fear.

Yes, the year that has just ended will not be missed; I too have Polish friends who are desperate. I have asked myself more than once: if I were Polish (and if I were a few years younger), what would I do?

As you suggested, I have written to Mursia authorizing him to use my translation. “Mazl tòv” (“Lucky Star”) for your book in Italy, and especially for your new undertaking; my sincere and warm wishes for this New Year.