From the Viktor Klemperer Diaries ΓÇô 1935 ΓÇô1936
From the Viktor Klemperer Diaries ΓÇô 1935 ΓÇô1936
Source: Viktor Klemperer, Ich will Zeugnis ablegen bis zum Letzten (Berlin 1996). [Viktor Klemperer, born in 1881, was a Jewish professor for literature at Dresden University. His diaries, published in 1996 in Germany, describe his life in Dresden during the Nazi years. Married to a non-Jew, he was protected from deportation, and spent the war with other mixed families in one of the Jewish houses'. He died in Dresden in 1960.]
2 May 1935 Tuesday morning, without any warning, I received two documents by mail: a) I have proposed your dismissal on grounds of paragraph 6 of the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service.... Notification of dismissal is hereby enclosed. The Commissionary Head of the Ministry for the People's Education.' b) In the name of the Reich' - the notification itself, signed in childish handwriting: Martin Mutschmann. I phoned the university; no one knew anything…. First I fluctuated between numbness and a degree of romanticism; now I feel bitterness and hopelessness. My situation is grave. I am to receive my salary the RM 800, through the end of July. After that, I will receive a pension of about RM 400. I already find it so difficult to live on RM 800. On Tuesday afternoon I went to Blumenfeld, who has by now received a definite request from Lima. I asked him for the addresses of the organisations dealing with aid. On Wednesday, the 'National Labor Holiday', it was snowing. I wrote letters for hours. Three identical letters to the Notgemeinschaft deutscher Wissenschaftler im Ausland (The Emergency Association of German Scientists Abroad), in Zurich; to the Academic Assistance Council in London; and to the Emergency Committee in Aid of German Scholars, in New-York City. In addition, cries for help (I wrote 'SOS') to Dember in Istanbul and to Vossler: Spitzer is moving from Istanbul to the US. (He spoke about me with little warmth to Dember). In every letter I emphasise that I can teach German or comparative literature as well... that I can now (!) lecture in French and Italian, and within a short while (!) in Spanish, that I can lecture in English, and will be able, if need be, to speak it within a few months. But what is the use of all this trying? The chances for a position are slim, as the unpopular flight from Germany has been going on for the last two years. And more than that - what position could I hold?
20 June 1935 The conclusion of the naval agreement with England - an incredible success in foreign affairs - is strengthening Hitler's position immensely. I have earlier gained the impression that many favourably predisposed people have become insensitive to injustice and have not clearly grasped the disaster that has befallen the Jews. They are now halfway pleased with Hitler. Their judgement: If he reinstates Germany's international power at the price of internal political regression, it is worth it. One can always repair the internal damages later. Politics is never a clean business. Kuehn came to see us one afternoon about one or two weeks ago, and I felt that this was his opinion...
11 August 1935 The incitement against the Jews is enormous, much worse than during the first boycott. Here and there, there are beginnings of pogroms, and we feel that we might be killed right here within a short while. Not by our neighbours, but by 'sweepers' who are activated as 'the spirit of the people'. Signs reading 'Whoever buys from the Jews is a traitor to the People' are posted on the Prager street tramway. The windows of the small shops of Plauen are covered with phrases and verses...full of hate, such as 'we don't want to see Jews in our pretty town of Plauen'. Everywhere, the Stuermer with disgusting stories of race defilement, wild speeches of Goebbels. In many cases open acts of violence. Almost as much incitement against Catholicism.... In recent weeks the feeling increases daily that the situation cannot go on like this. And it keeps going on.... After many months we went back to the movie theatre, Prinzesstheater , 'Kerak and the nightingale'. Such a horrible piece of trash that it deserves no mention. But the film has one character who is a Levantine weapon-dealing monster. The girl sitting next to me whispered right a way 'The Jew'....
19 October 1935 The situation has changed in all respects. A Modern Linguistics Convention was held in town this week. One lecturer spoke of the religion of the ancient Germans, one about the new language instruction in the national socialist spirit, not for 'spirit' and 'culture', but for the 'German man'. E. von Jahn about France's 'national symbols'. Not one of all the colleagues made an attempt to look me up. I am like a pariah.
12 April 1936 The hopelessness of the situation. A decree for civil servants: they are not permitted to have any contact with Jews, not even with so-called decent Jews, and other dubious elements'. We are totally isolated. We haven't heard from Annemarie Koehler or Johannes Koehler in weeks *...
*Annemarie Koehler kept in touch with the Klemperers and helped throughout the war in any way, including financial aid and hiding of the diaries.
27 September 1936 The latest attempt of the mayor: creation of public disturbance by the condition of my garden'. I am enclosing the letter and my answer. This affair has caused me such worry and bitterness since yesterday, that everything else seems unimportant. We are as helpless as in the Middle Ages....
9 October 1936 This morning I was told in the library that being non-Aryan, I could no longer use the reading room. They would give me everything I need to take home or to be used in the registry room, but there is an official prohibition for the reading room…
