Stefan Zweig and Joseph Roth at Ostend, Belgium 1938 book originally written in German. 8/2/25
An “émigré society” of authors and journalists – many Jewish – all opposed to and banned by Nazi Germany, try to continue with their lives and work in Ostend. The contrast between the bleak overall European situation and the sunny interlude., Irmgard Keun was in exile by choice, after her books were banned she tried to get compensation via the court but no case could be opened. Her books were far too modern and suited for the Weimer Republic. She had a Jewish lover in American a doctor Arnold Straus he would have given up his wife to marry her.
In occupied Poland an index of 1,500 prohibited authors was created. Under Alfred Rosenberg a list of Jewish authors was drawn up that contained 28,000 names in May 1944 when the project was stopped due to lack of staff. Not all on the list are Jewish. In 1936 German publishers could no longer publish their books and so some looked to the US that had a big German speaking population. Lotta Altman had studied languages and was looking for a job as a librarian when the job with Zweig came up. He took her with him to Scotland when he researched Mary Quean of Scots. Zweig was 13 years older than Roth but they had an affinity to each other. Stefan Zweig was a German speaking assimilated Jew born to wealth.
When Roth finally wrote Job and the Radetzky March both books should have brought him fame and fortune they were banned in Germany and Austria. Roth's books yearned to travel back in time. He was an advanced alcoholic and had swollen feet as a result. His book The Wandering Jew portrayed East European Jews and how they were treated by the more Westernized German Jews. This was the world that he came from and knew and Jews had no home. Zweig was moved by this book and this created the lifelong friendship. They were both in a situation of flight.
Roth was back at his family home with Irmgard Keun here he did not have to act somebody he was not, and could enjoy speaking Yiddish his mother tongue. His novel Strawberries documents this .
Roth had a plan for emperor in waiting Otto van Habsburg to take over from Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg but he is tipped off to get out of Austria. He is sent a message by the head of state security. He goes to Paris the day before the Anschluss on 12 March 1938.
1938 Stafan Zweig meets up with Roth in Paris who is in a bad shape as Irmgard Keun has left him for a naval officer. For almost 2 years they had a fantastic relationship of writing together. Roth's last book The story of a holy Drinker but is not able to get it published. When he hears that Ernst Toller committed suicide , Fredrika Zweig is with him and takes him hospital where is dies from his liver disease. Freidl Roth after her parents emigrated to Palestine was in a mental home and was murdered by the Nazi euthanasia program.
Author Koestler born in Budapest and received money from Willi Meunzenburg to write a sequel to the Good soldier Sweik unfinished a satirical dark comedy novel by Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek. Koestler was too Jewish and later became a Zionist. He was disillusioned with communism when he wrote Darkness at Noon.
The Spanish civil war started after the monarchist opposition leader Jose Calvo Setoto was murdered by the fascist led by Franco. Koestler was to go to Spain and find evidence of German and Italian support for Franco.
Ernst Toller play No More Peace was produced on the London stage it was translated by WHAuden into English. Christinana was supposed to act in the1933 Nazi propaganda movie Hans Westmar (based on the Horst Wessel story ) but declined and married Ernst Toller in London when she turned 18. She had been a child star at 15.
The boxer Max Smelling 1905 to 2005 refused to bow to Nazi pressure and divorce Czech-born actress Anny Odra wife or leave Jewish manager Joe Jacobs.
Stefan Lux a Czech Jewish reporter committed suicide during the packed assembly of the League of Nations.
Franz Josephs brother Maximillian was crowned emperor of Mexico here, Kirsh claims he was Napoleons grandson.
Irmgard Keun read all Roth's books. He got her to be a disciplined writer a writing was a sacred duty. Roth knows he has no home anymore. Irmgard Keun can't get a divorce from her Nazi soldier husband in Germany ,Roth tell her to write about the Negroes and Jews that she is sleeping with in Belgium.
1940 May German troops marched into Ostend and the city was destroyed and had not ever reverted to how it was then.
Willi Meunzenburg 1889 to 1940 in Weimer he was a Communist Press Czar. Disappeared in France under the Vishi regime?
Egon Erwin Kisch went to NY then Mexico and after the war returned to Prague where he died in 1948 where he received a big state funeral. He was a leading anti fascist reporter.
Author Koestler 1903- 1983 Hungarian born, repudiated Communism in his book Darkness at Noon. He spoke a number of languages went from writing in German to French and then English. In 1983 with his wife Cynthia committed suicide
Irmgard Keun hid in Holland under the German troops. Nazi's had claimed in the press he had died. In 1977 the magazine Stem discovered her and her books were reprinted, so her financial position recovered. Died in Cologne in 1982.
In the post war period the old exiled writers were not able to get their recognition again as a new younger wave of German writer took over. In the 12 Hitler years a generation never knew them.
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