Purely Commentary
NobelPrizeiVinnersCarry ilsrael'sMessage
ertheless, his works are considered He is the greatest poet in Israel.
(Continued from Page 1)
classics in Israel and are required No, he is the greatest poet in
of these have been lost. Her name reading in schools.
Talpiot.' This I accept."
By Philip Slomovitz
no longer appeared during the
Descendant of a long line of
Agnon published his first verses
seven Hitler years before the war. Talmudic scholars, he makes many
Ford Madox Ford—Zionist Advocate
She was designated for a concen- biblical and talmudical references in Hebrew and Yiddish when he
was 15. At age 20 he emigrated
Ford Madox Ford was the noted novelist who began to acquire tration camp, but managed to in both speech and writing.
to Palestine. Later. he studied in
literary fame at the age of 20, in 1894. His psychological novel, "The escape to Sweden through the act
Prof. Shimon Halkin, interna- Berlin and there married Esther
Good Soldier" and "Parade's End," a tetralogy based on World of a Swedish novelist.
tionally known Hebrew scholar
War I, kept him famous. He retained popularity as a writer until
Selma Lagerlof, who won the and writer on the faculty of Marx. They moved to Jerusalem
Nobel Prize in 1909, had cor- Hebrew University, called him in 1924 and have lived there since.
his death in 1939.
The Swedish Academy's Dr. °s-
Now it has become known that he was a strong supporter of the responded with Miss Sachs for the "only totally Jewish writer
Zionist movement and had claimed to have suggested a Jewish State many years. Just before her death in modern Hebrew literature, terling called Agnon's "A Guest
in 1940, she interceded with the an author whose writings em- for the Night" his greatest achieve-
before the issuance of the Balfour Declaration.
His advocacy of Zionism is revealed in his published letters, Swedish Royal Family on behalf body the whole sweep of Jewish ment. It tells of a visit to a war`
ruinedtown of the author's child-
history."
more than 250 of which have been complied by Associate Professor of Miss Sachs.
She and her mother were per-
Prof. Halkin said Agnon's influ- hood and of vain attempts to as-
of English Richard M. Ludwig of Princeton University, under the
title "Letters of Ford Madox Ford," published by Princeton Uni- mitted to leave for Sweden. None ence "will endure for generations," semble the congregation to the
of her other relatives survived.
and added that "It is a life-sustain- synagogue.
versity Press.
ing
national source for posterity
A
shy
girl,
Miss
Sachs
was
re-
As the first Israeli to win
On June 8, 1932, Ford wrote to his agent, William A. Bradley,
and for the present, a fountain Nobel Prize, Agnon was pi
proposing a series of articles, one of them on Zionism, and stated his luctant to have her first poems rejuvenating
nation's youth "for his profoundly character).
reasons for his desire to write such articles, declaring inter alia: published. At least one was printed and ensuring the
the continuity of and narrative art with motifs from
through
the
efforts
of
Stefan
"Zionism I have for long been interested in. I mentioned in Zweig.
Jewish history."
the life of the Jewish people.*
my reminiscences that I must have been the first person to pro-
Except for stories in periodicals
Now
that
her
poetic
theme
When he finally got the official
pose what afterwards became the Balfour Declaration as a part
and anthologies, only two of
of practical politics. My making that claim in my reminiscences has tended toward reconcilia- Agnon's novels, "The Bridal Can- notification from the Swedish
has caused me to have a great many communications from Zionists, tion and forgiveness, Germans opy" and "In the Heart of the charge d'affaires, Agnon apolo-
and I am actually at the moment planning out a series of articles have found in her a symbol. Seas," have previously appeared gized for the "news leak," saying
"We are a somewhat impatient
on the subject which the chief Zionist journal in America has Last year she was awarded the in English.
peace
prize
of
the
German
Book
people."
am
sure
they
would
let
part
of
these
"Two Tales: Betrothed and Edo
asked me to write. But I
Publishers Association, consider.
go to Harper's for the sake of the wider appeal."
ed the highest literary honor be- and Enam" was recently published
An editor's footnote states: "There is no trace of the publication stowed by the German Federal by Schocken Books.
A fellow prize-winning author,
of these articles."
Republic.
Elie Wiesel, said in tribute to
On Feb. 27, 1933, in a letter to Theodore Dreiser, then editor
The Rhineland city of Dortmund Agnon: "He stands above rivalry
of the American Spectator, he again mentioned his interest in Zion- has established an annual Nelly
and jealousy. He is a special case.
ism. In a postscript to that letter to Dreiser he wrote:
Sachs Prize. Her poetic drama
he has become somewhat
"Do you suppose you would like a little (article) about the "Eli" had its premiere there in Lately
of a living monument, an institu-
state of Jewry, which in Europe has become pretty perilous with 1962.
tion enjoying special privileges. In
the arrival of Hitler and the closing of Palestine? I was a little
A writer only in German, Miss Jerusalem, the street on which he
responsible for the Balfour Declaration and have for a long time Sachs has published several an- resides has been closed to traffic."
wanted to write something about Zionism. There is a great deal thologies. She also is working on
Like Miss Sachs, Agnon was sur-
to say about the matter but I might be able to boil something a new dramatic work that she prised by the awarding of the
down into about 3,000 words if you could let me have that describes as a kind of ballet.
Nobel Prize. He had been nomi-
"Eli" was specifically cited by nated twice.
amount of space in two numbers."
Dr.
Anders
Osterling,
chairman
He retained a desire to write on the subject, having written
The Swedish Academy
s
to Paul Palmer, then editor of American Mercury, on July 29, of the Nobel committee, as one annoyed that Agnon was noti-
of the works which led to her fied prematurely of his honor.
193'7:
"If you could care to let me write something about Zionism selection. It tells of an 8-year-old A few days before, wellwishers
in which for many years I have taken a great deal of interest, boy who is beaten to death by a crowded his home in Jerusalem's
Nazi soldier in Poland.
Talpiot section to congratulate
I'd put off everything else to let you have it—I mean on approval."
On the day that she and Agnon him. "I don't believe it, it can't
Then came his major epistle. On Feb. 27, 1939, he wrote to
are
to
receive
the
prize,
Dec.
10,
be true," he kept saying. "It's
Malcolm MacDonald, then British colonial secretary:
Miss Sachs will mark both her only rumors." The rumor leaked
SIR: I take the liberty of intruding on your attention on the subject of
birthday and the publishing of a out when Swedish Radio asked
Palestine as a national home of the Jews. In 1915 in common with a number
new collection of her poetry.
of historians and economists—amongst them being Prof. Gooch, Hobson,
Jerusalem Radio for some in-
Hobhouse, Sir C. P. Scott of the Manchester Guardian and others—I was
When the German book trade formation on Agnon.
approached by Mr. C. F. G. Masterman, then Chancellor of the Duchy of
awarded
its
peace
prize
to
Miss
Lancaster—in his capacity, I think, of the Chief Ministry of information—
He said, at that time, that the
Sachs, it described her as "the possibility of his receiving the
and asked for what proposals I and they thought should be made for terms
of peace by the Asquith Ministry. Amongst my proposals which included
greatest female poet writing in prize reminded him of an incident.
the creation of a Rhenan (sic) Republic to act as a buffer state between
the German language today." She He told a reporter: "Recently I
France and Germany was the creation of a National Jewish Republic in
German-born Nelly Sachs, 75,
Palestine—which amongst other things would act as a buffer state between
was the first woman to receive attended a celebration in a syna- is all smiles in her home in
the Turkish Empire and Egypt, then a British protectorate. In that proposal
the
prize
since
its
inception
16
I called Palestine the Jewish National Home, using, I think, the phrase for
gogue and the rabbi there said Stockholm, after being awarded
the first time. Since that date I have paid very prolonged and earnest
years ago.
the .Nobel Prize for literature.
about me to the group:
attention to the Jewish world problem.
Although virtually unknown to
Permit me to say that I am of the opinion that the only possible solu-
`Do you know who this man is? She shares the $60,000 award
tion is the creation of a Jewish Republic, whether independent or as a
Americans, Miss Sachs was This man is the greatest poet in with Israeli author Shmuel Ye-
British protectorate is immaterial as long as it can be represented at the
awarded the Literature Prize the world. No, what am I saying? s eph Agnon.
League of Nations and be capable of sending properly accredited diplomatic
representatives to powers committing atrocities against Jews. I will spare
of the Swedish Poets Associa-
you my reasons for this conclusion; you must be aware of them yourself
tion in 1957, the Merit Award
at least as well as I. And sir, you must be at least as well acquainted as
am with the physical and mental atrocities which are being committed
of the Federal Association of
I against
Jews in every nation whose territory lies between the Baltic and
German Industries, the Droste
the Black Seas. That being so, I do not see how you can do anything but
Prize of the town of Meersburg
agree that if the public opinion of Christendom— and I use the term ad-
Schocken Books is the publisher of Nobel Prize Winner in Lit-
visedly—could be really made aware of these things, an immense move-
and the Dortmund prize.
to
Shmuel Yosef Agnon. On Sept. 9, Sehocken published his
erature
ameliorate
the
Jewish
world-lot
must
eventuate.
But
ment determined to
Dr. °sterling, who praised the "Two Tales."
bring this about the Jews themselves must be in the position of a sovereign
authority having power to obtain publicity for those same atrocities. It is
two laureates as writers who "com-
Other Agnon titles published by Schocken in English are "In
a question of concentration of effort. Today individual reports from the
plement each other in a splendid the Heart of the Seas," "Days of Awe," and two short stories in the
press correspondents and others of atrocities such as take place daily, and
particularly in Romania, are simply suppressed by the press of almost
striving to present the cultural collection "Israeli Stories." "The Bridal Canopy," a novel originally
every nation whereas a diplomatic report addressed from the Jerusalem
heritage of the Jewish people," issued in 1935, will appear in a new Schocken edition early in 1967.
Government to the White House or the Court of St. James or an authori-
tative speech before the League of Nations must attract some attention.
defended the Academy's selection Among Agnon titles now being translated for Schocken is the full-
I am aware, sir, that in your official capacity it is no part of your func-
of Agnon, little known outside length novel "A Guest For The Night."
tion to ameliorate the world condition of the Jews but that desire must
exist in the heart of every civilized man and it must be of benefit to our
Israel.
country should she conduce disinterestedly to that end. I am aware that it
Agnon was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Hebrew
Agnon's reputation, he said, "as
must be prejudicial to the Empire to create in the Arab and Mahometan
sections of the Empire a feeling of hostility to the Empire, but I beg you,
the foremost writer in modern He- Letters by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1936. He has received
Sir, to give weight to the consideration that it must be infinitely more pre-
brew literature has gradually pene- an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Hebrew University
judicial to Great Gritain to earn the reprehension of the whole of the civil-
in Jerusalem in 1959.
trated linguistic barriers."
ized world.
When on the third of July, 1914, Sir Edward Goschen addressed to Beth-
Agnon was the first recipient of the Bialik Prize in Hebrew
Born
in
the
little
town
of
Buc-
ma.nn-Hollweg the proud words: "When it is a question of the observance of
zacz in eastern Galicia, Agnon Literature in 1935. In 1962, he was made an Honorary Citizen
-
treaties, it is not the custom of His Majesty's Government to count the
costs."—I am quoting without the White Book—England at once stood higher
came to Palestine early in this Jerusalem, where he continues to live and work.
in the estimation of the community of nations than she ever stood or than
century. Not a Zionist, Agnon pre-
any other nation ever stood. It is all important for the very existence of
our Empire that you should not at this juncture find yourself under the
ferred to retreat to a world of
necessity of saying—like Lord Randolph Churchill—that you had "forgotten
writing and mysticism, which per- `Witch of Buchenwald' Wants Government Pension
Goschen."
BONN (JTA) — Use Koch, who Buchenwald death camp, has re
It is perhaps not exactly pertinent for me here to advert to the policy
vades his work.
of the Government to which you belong when it "forgot Goschen" at Berch-
became
known as the "Witch of newed her application for a gov-
His
stories,
in
Hebrew,
are
in
a
tesgaden and Munich. It causes us—whether deservedly or not— to stand
today in the estimation of nearly every moderate, instructed and liberal-
style that links both traditional Buchenwald" when testimony at ernment pension.
minded man in this country, a little lower morally than perhaps any nation
Hebrew and European literature. her Nazi war crimes trial revealed
ever stood. And I do not need to tell you that the Prime Minister's declara-
She is serving a life term for
tion yesterday in the House of Commons to the effect that he has recognized
He is considered more of a Jewish she had ordered lampshades made atrocities
at the camp during the
the Franco regime without sufficient guarantee for the protection of the
from
the
skins
of
victims
of
the
writer
than
an
Israeli
writer.
Nev-
Republican population has roused in this country a feeling of horror that
period when her husband, Karl,
has probably never been paralleled. They see in the Prime Minister a dictator
was commandant. He was shot by
with no one to control him, who, at the bidding of the totalitarian dictators,
the Palestinian situation. We inveigled these unfortunate people into
has delivered infinite thousands of innocent humanity to a certain butchery.
German troops the day before
that
country
by
a
promise,
at
least
inferred,
of
protection.
unhindered
I may add that in the view of a great many political thinkers in this country,
immigration and measure at least of independence—for what other mean-
the Allies liberated the camp. Her
the Prime Minister's surrender of Spain to the totalitarian powers renders
ing could the words "National Home" be taken to bear? There is, sir, a
Great Britain for strategic reasons of almost infinitely diminished value as
first pension application was re-
Nemesis that attaches to nations—a Nemesis in no way supernatural but
an ally in case of war I am talking now of people who would otherwise
as much a matter of cause and effect as is the force of gravity. That
jected. She filed a complaint
have been willing to engage this country in a war on the side of her
equation can be thus expressed: If a nation earn the detestation and
against the rejection, contending
former allies.
contempt
of
the
public
conscience
of
the
world,
it
shall
find
no
one
to
come
I ask you to understand that I am not here expressing my own
to its assistance in the moment of extremity. And living as I do amongst
that she was entitled to a pension
views but those of, I am convinced, almost the entire thinking and work-
the class that forms public opinion in this country and in France, I am,
ing class population of the United States. And I ask you to believe, Sir,
because her husband was a mem-
I take the liberty to imagine, more aware than you how near we have
that in writing this letter I am attempting to make you aware of a situation
already
come to having earned the approbrium and contempt of the civilized
ber of he Waffen SS and not of
as to which you are probably little instructed. I think that until yesterday,
world.
the majority of the population in this country would have favored aiding
the General SS.
I
have
the
honor
to
be,
Sir,
your
obedient
servant.
the European democracies in the struggle against totalitarian powers. Today,
P.S. I am sending copies of this letter, omitting two sentences of Para-
that chance has diminished nearly to the vanishing point. In giving you that
use Koch was sentenced to a
graph (seven), which I have indented, to the Times and Manchester Guardian
considered opinion, I think myself, therefore to be performing a patriotic
with the request that they publish it. I presume that if you consider that
term
of life imprisonment at hard
duty.
the publication could be of any national disservice, you can take steps to
labor by an Allied court in 1947.
And I trust your daily Fate may not be as mine is to hear such men,
prevent its being published.
who till yesterday were the friends of our country, averring everyday both
Ford Madox Ford died June 26, 1939—four months after he had The sentence was reduced by
in public and in private, that the British Empire is a concealed fascist or-
ganization in the hands of venial commercial interests and under the dic-
written
the letter to MacDonald. His hopes to express his views on American occupation officials a
tatorship of a ruler who is known to a great part of the world as "Judas,
Zionism, as far as it is now known, never materialized. But what he year later to four years. After
the son of Judas." And how much more will that accusation be heard
if you proceed to a further betrayal in Palestine itself.
did say, his warm interest in the Zionism movement, make even his a public outcry, a new trial was
I will however add, for what it is worth, my own private opinion on
brief comments an indelible part of the Christian interest in the held in 1950, and she received
the life term she is now serving.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Zionist movement.
2 Friday, October 28, 1966
Schocken Books: Agnon's Publisher
—