094. Primo Levi a Wolfgang Beutin, 10 dicembre 1961

Sig. Wolfgang Beutin
HAMBURG 13, Hellerplatz 14/11.

10 dicembre 1961

Signore,

a mia volta mi scuso di scriverLe in una lingua che non è la Sua, nella speranza che possa comprendere; il fatto è che so il tedesco abbastanza bene per leggere un libro o per farmi capire a voce, ma non per esprimermi correttamente.

La Sua lettera mi è arrivata insieme alla prima copia del mio libro, inviata da Fischer Verlag; Le dico subito che è proprio la lettera che speravo e aspettavo di ricevere, e che mi ha riempito di gioia. Perché? Perché Lei è giovane, e perché è tedesco. Non so chi siano i Suoi “amici”, ma spero che siano numerosi e che abbiano, o possano acquisire, un peso sulla bilancia politica del Suo paese.

La ringrazio per le Sue osservazioni sugli scrittori tedeschi di opposizione. Le confesso che conoscevo pochissimo Thomas Mann come sostenitore del radicalismo di destra; peraltro non posso dire di sapere esattamente cosa sia il radicalismo di destra tedesco e quale sia la sua responsabilità riguardo al nazionalsocialismo. Di Th. M. le sole opere che hanno una qualche diffusione in Italia, sono i romanzi, in particolare La montagna incantata, il ciclo di Giuseppe e il Doctor Faustus.[1] Degli autori che mi indica conosco qualcosa di Freud (non i saggi filosofici) e degli altri soltanto i nomi: ma mi propongo di seguire i Suoi consigli e di ampliare le mie conoscenze di letteratura tedesca contemporanea: a cominciare da Tucholsky, di cui ho già ordinato le opere dal mio libraio. Tutto ciò compatibilmente con il poco tempo di cui dispongo, poiché (come sa) il mio mestiere di tutti i giorni è un altro.

Sarei lieto di incontrarLa. Per il mio lavoro, vado in Germania tutti gli anni verso maggio-giugno, ma mi spingo a nord al massimo fino a Colonia (sono stato ad Amburgo solo una volta, nel 1955):[2] le Sue vacanze la portano mai nel Nord Italia?

Le sono riconoscente per avermi scritto, e per ciò che mi ha scritto. Accetti i miei auguri sinceri per un nuovo anno di pace e felicità.

Suo

Primo Levi[3]

Mr. Wolfgang Beutin
HAMBURG 13, Hellerplatz 14/11.

December 10, 1961

Sir, 

I apologize in turn for writing to you in a language that is not your own, in the hope that you will be able to understand; because I know German well enough to read a book or to make myself understood orally, but not enough to express myself correctly.

Your letter reached me with the first copy of my book, sent by the Fischer Verlag; I will tell you right away that this is exactly the letter I was hoping for and expecting, and that it filled me with joy. Why? Because you are young, and because you are German. I do not know who your “friends” are, but I hope that they are numerous, and that they have, or will be able to acquire, influence on the political balance in your country.

Thank you for your observations on German opposition writers. I admit that I knew Thomas Mann very little as a supporter of right-wing radicalism; nor could I say that I know exactly what German right-wing radicalism is, and what its responsibility for National Socialism was. The only works by Th. M. that are somewhat commonly found in Italy are his novels, particularly Der Zauberberg, the Joseph cycle, and Faustus.[1] Of the other authors you mention to me, I know something of Freud (not the philosophical essays), and only the names of the others: but I intend to follow your advice, and to expand my knowledge of modern German literature: starting with Tucholsky, whose works I have already ordered from my bookseller. All this, in keeping with the little time I have available, since (as you know) my everyday profession is a different one.

I would be happy to meet you. I go to Germany every year around May-June, for my work, but I make it only as far north as Cologne (I was in Hamburg only once, in 1955):[2]  do you ever come to northern Italy on vacation?

I am grateful to you for writing to me, and for what you have written to me. Please accept my sincere wishes for peace and happiness in the new year.

yours

Primo Levi[3]

Mr. Wolfgang Beutin
HAMBURG 13, Hellerplatz 14/11.

10 décembre 1961

Monsieur, 

à ma fois, je m’excuse de vous écrire en une langue qui n’est pas la vôtre, dans l’espoir que vous puissiez comprendre; puisque je connais assez l’allemand pour lire un livre ou pour me faire comprendre à voix, mais pas suffisamment pour m’exprimer correctement.

Votre lettre m’est parvenue avec la première copie de mon livre, envoyée par la Fischer Verlag; je vous dis de suite, que c’est bien là la lettre que j’espérais et attendais, et qu’elle m’a rempli de joie. Pourquoi? Parce que vous êtes jeune, et parce que vous êtes allemand. Je ne sais pas qui sont vos “amis”, mais j’espère qu’ils soient nombreux, et qu’ils aient, ou puissent acquérir, un poids sur la balance politique de votre pays.

Je vous remercie des observations que vous m’écrivez sur les écrivains allemands d’opposition. Je vous avoue que je connaissais très-peu Thomas Mann sous la lumière de souteneur du radicalisme de droite; ni d’ailleurs je pourrais dire de savoir exactement qu’est que c’est le radicalisme de droite allemand, et quelle a été sa responsabilité à l’égard du nationalsocialisme. Les seules œuvres de Th. M. qui soient quelque peu répandues en Italie sont ses romans, en particulier Der Zauberberg, le cycle Joseph et le Faustus.[1] Des autres auteurs que vous m’indiquez, je connais quelque chose de Freud (pas les essais philosophiques), et rien que les noms des autres: mais je me propose de suivre vos conseils, et d’élargir mes connaissances de littérature allemande moderne: à commencer par Tucholsky, dont les oeuvres j’ai déja ordonné chez mon libraire. Tout ça, compatiblement avec le peu de temps dont je dispose, puisque (comme vous savez) mon métier de tous les jours est un autre.

Je serais heureux de vous rencontrer. Je vais en Allemagne chaque année vers mai-juin, pour mon travail, mais je me pousse au nord seulement jusqu’à Cologne (j’ai été à Hamburg une fois seulement, en 1955):[2] est-ce que vos vacances ne vous portent jamais dans le nord de l’Italie?

Je vous suis reconnaissant de m’avoir écrit, et de ce que vous m’avez écrit. Veuillez agréer mes souhaits sincères d’une nouvelle année de paix et de bonheur

votre

Primo Levi[3]

Mr. Wolfgang Beutin
HAMBURG 13, Hellerplatz 14/11.

December 10, 1961

Sir, 

I apologize in turn for writing to you in a language that is not your own, in the hope that you will be able to understand; because I know German well enough to read a book or to make myself understood orally, but not enough to express myself correctly.

Your letter reached me with the first copy of my book, sent by the Fischer Verlag; I will tell you right away that this is exactly the letter I was hoping for and expecting, and that it filled me with joy. Why? Because you are young, and because you are German. I do not know who your “friends” are, but I hope that they are numerous, and that they have, or will be able to acquire, influence on the political balance in your country.

Thank you for your observations on German opposition writers. I admit that I knew Thomas Mann very little as a supporter of right-wing radicalism; nor could I say that I know exactly what German right-wing radicalism is, and what its responsibility for National Socialism was. The only works by Th. M. that are somewhat commonly found in Italy are his novels, particularly Der Zauberberg, the Joseph cycle, and Faustus.[1] Of the other authors you mention to me, I know something of Freud (not the philosophical essays), and only the names of the others: but I intend to follow your advice, and to expand my knowledge of modern German literature: starting with Tucholsky, whose works I have already ordered from my bookseller. All this, in keeping with the little time I have available, since (as you know) my everyday profession is a different one.

I would be happy to meet you. I go to Germany every year around May-June, for my work, but I make it only as far north as Cologne (I was in Hamburg only once, in 1955):[2]  do you ever come to northern Italy on vacation?

I am grateful to you for writing to me, and for what you have written to me. Please accept my sincere wishes for peace and happiness in the new year.

yours

Primo Levi[3]