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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Louis Wilkinson
K. J. GERMER 260 West 72nd Street New York 23, N.Y. Endicott 2-6799
January 21, 1948.
Dear Mr. Wilkinson,
Thanking you for your letter of January, I see that you have discussed matters of the deceased Aleister Crowley's Will with the Official Receiver, and that he wants evidence of the fact that I claim the sum of £460 found in cash, and on what grounds I base my claim.
I am the Grand Treasurer General of the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis.) Since the beginning of the war starting in 1939 we found that the financial responsibility for continuing the publication of Aleister Crowley's works rested exclusively on American shoulders. The members of the Order in the U.S.A. decided to do their utmost to make the publication of the books possible. As Mr. Crowley did not seem to have resources himself, we pledged ourselves to pay for their production, and commission Mr. Crowley accordingly.
For some years the publication of one of his major works, Liber Aleph, announced for publication since about 1939, and another smaller book, had been paramount in the thoughts of his adherents in the U.S.A. The decision was reached early in 1947 to print it. It was a question whether to print in the U.S.A. or England. The enclosed copies of extracts from letters exchanged and cables, show the situation and its genesis. I kept urging Mr. Crowley to go ahead with the printing. In February of 1947 it seemed that conditions prevalent in England made it advisable to print the books in the U.S.A. Several letters and cables were exchanged on this subject. Finally Mr. Crowley cables that his printer was ready to resume work for him, and as prices and deliveries were more favourable, I assented to the printing in England, and charged myself with paying for the costs.
The first payment I made to him for the books was on May 14th 1947 in the amount of $1400.00. A second payment of $500 on July 24; a third on Sept. 5, $500, and a last payment of £160 (hundred sixty pounds) on November 5th 1947.
Mr. Crowley's health seemed to have deteriorated considerably during this period, and I kept asking him to report on the progress of the work. Then I expected to visit him at the end of September, and when I was prevented from sailing on time, he died.
Mr. Crowley probably never used the last £160 I sent him in my worry to get the books completed; his last notes written by pencil by somebody else, showed that he was unable to attend to business.
I have as yet no Statement from the printers as to how much they have received on account, how much is owing to them for the printing; how much the dust jacket will cost and how much the binding. I had contracted for the complete book. I had figured the total cost at about $2500 to $3000, and that is approximately the sum I put at his disposal from May 14th on.
He wrote me in February that he had enough cash in hand and needed nothing for himself.
The originals of the enclosed copies can be placed at your disposal though I dislike parting with them.
The documents I am sending should prove without the slightest shadow of doubt that my claim for the remaining £460 is genuine, equitable and fair, and I trust the Official Receiver will consider this claim in that sense and not force me to unnecessary legal complications.
Yours sincerely,
Karl Germer
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