|
Correspondence from Karl Germer to Aleister Crowley
Wilmersdirf
September 13, 1929.
Dear Beast,
93,
Birven [Henri Birven] had written me several days ago and I was with him last night for quite a long time. The meeting began formally, he apparently trying to put me in my proper place, warmed up and ended very cordially.
You probably realise how difficult it is for me to obtain a correct view, or rather a view at all, on people of the intellectual type like B[irven]. I lack every means for it. A man like him can crush me so entirely that I soon do nor know where I stand at all.
If you keep this in mind I would say that I think B[irven] is of the utmost importance. He formally declared it his intention to place you in the light, before the public, or however you want to call it. He fully realises the difficulty. I suppose you are familiar with the fact that he is on intimate terms with the leading order people in the various countries, among them Bricaud in Lyon, Oswald Wirth and the circle belonging to him in Paris etc. Apparently after he had read Book 4/III [Magick in Theory and Practice] in the MS. he had from I.W.E. [Martha Küntzel], and realising your knowledge etc., he tried to convince his acquaintances that you ought to be made public. He was told that too many sides of you were open to attack in the public. His argument that one had to judge you from your works, and to leave personal matters entirely aside did not have effect. These efforts taught him the lesson of the extreme difficulty. Added to this is the fact that, in his opinion, you are risen so high, that it is simply impossible for you to talk to the average people. They will either not understand your language or your thoughts. The result would be that nothing would come of any possible effort. Also, to proclaim you as a new saviour, Messiah, etc. or similar things, in his opinion would be without effect, simply because Messiahs, Saviours and such people exists by the hundreds eight at the present time in all the countries. To propagate you properly and effectively appears thus to B[irven] almost like a problem. He says that he evolved a way and that he wants to pursue it. He also thinks that stress should be laid on people of the intellectual class, the thinkers, scientists etc. He says that the translations should be on a high level and not in a popular language that caters to people without education. (This is a point probably a little hard for you to see. In her translations I.W.E. constantly tries to translate scientific termini technici by Germanised words. To exaggerate, she would translate the word algebraic, which is used by every, even little, educated man in Germany, by, let me say, "pertaining to the science of counting"; "psychoanalytic", used in its German form in every newspaper, by a two-line sentence which contains only words with teutonic roots, a sentence which naturally nobody who has ever heard of psychoanalysis, would connect with that science. Etc., etc. You will perhaps realise why I had quite a number of arguments with I.W.E. about this, and with what contempt educated people like Birven react to it. He calls her translations childish and silly, apart from regular mistakes. It is here where I agree with B[irven] 100%).
It is simply impossible to expect every servant girl to take "Magick" in her hands on a Sunday afternoon, to read it and have the translation in such "pure German" words that she can read and understand it like a novel. But this is exactly the point of view from which I.W.E. tries to make her translations. B[irven] also thinks that, apart from the pure language, the translations he wants to publish should also come up to a high literary standard, a thing which should highly appeal to your own taste. I think B[irven] will be very amused when he gets the Equinox and reads some of your criticisms of Waite's translations.
B[irven] thinks he can start publishing your things in October. I am of opinion, that one should give him full freedom and power of action and see what he attains. It is never wise to make many little efforts, if one can make one serious, big, well-though-out one. I may see B[irven] again before I leave Berlin, but already now I am inclined to advise to give B[irven] fairly wide power of action, and not spoil his plans by criss-cross acts.
B[irven] says that he has had and will have still more arguments on personal attacks on you. Not knowing the facts he is not in a position to argue except that he points to your work as apart from the personality. But what he thinks is that one should not try to conceal facts, rather admit them. The ideal thing would be to know the facts fully and completely so as to be able to answer authoritatively when attacks are made. Here is an illustration, it does not quite strike this point, but leads to a further consideration: B[irven] asked you for a formal explanation about your break with Mudd [Norman Mudd]. You answered: "Oh, he was a traitor". Now B[irven] says that was called very weak. The point in question here, seems to me, is that however correct your explanation may be, let us say in a magical sense, the main thing is: how does it sound to others, what effect does it have. In this case the effect was entirely negative and I have made the same observation on numerous occasions. You think simple, the others complicated. If both meet the result is disastrous. Isn't the obvious thing then not to make concessions? I hope I am clear enough?
What B[irven] has in mind is apparently not a weak attempt that is blown away by a slight breeze and every opposition that happens to come along. His efforts in my judgment should be used, considered and treated in that light. What he needs first of all is a more complete knowledge of your work which at the present time is extremely sporadic. I am surprised that the little he knows has sufficed to give him such a firm conviction. Thus: he must get a set of the Equinox, and if possible, the rest of your works. Also he should have access to any MSS. of yours that might be useful to him, and you. He says that Yorke [Gerald Yorke] had promised him a set of the Equinox and that Y[orke] had written for it some time ago. This can only be to Astrid [Dorothy Olsen] and I am writing her direct to-day to speed it up. As it seems to have been promised as a gift, this evidently cannot be revoked. It would have been simpler to have had B[irven] make a set buy in London where they can be got for $40.00 per set, if not less, at his own money. B[irven] appears to me sincere in his intention and serious.
One more thing before I close. He hinted that he knew who might be back of the Paris expulsion business. He seems to have made inquiries in Paris and seems to have excellent connections with high Police officials. I am almost inclined to suppose that people around Oswald Wirth might be involved. He said that he talked about you with those people in Paris very seriously. That they refrained from arguing deeply, but remained rather silent, apparently not daring to answer him straight to his face. But that when getting home he received a letter with the strict instruction "Crowley has to be dropped". Of course, he is not letting himself be influenced by that.
Your registered letter came this morning. I am sending the letter and the MS. to Wedderkop at once.
93 93/93.
Yours fraternally
|
[Karl Germer]