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Correspondence from Frederic Mellinger to Karl Germer
Hamburg.
31-10-51.
Dear Karl,
93,
This will probably be my last message from Germany. Everything is prepared to move on for a new cycle in a few days. From Friday last week to Monday Metzger [Hermann Metzger] was here and we spent about 24 hours altogether in talking Thelema. The task was not at all difficult for me, but rather enjoyable, as M.[etzger] turned out to be a sincere student, highly gifted and devoted to the New Law with full and genuine submission to its Logos. All he desires is to receive as much of the material as possible to study and pass on to his group, the wisdom and knowledge offered in Master Therion's work. I lent him for a start my copy of the Blue Equinox [Equinox Vol. III, No. 1] which he intends to have duplicated by microfilm. As he and his lodge are initiated into the I to III degrees of the O.T.O. (Reuss [Theodor Reuss] version), I did not hesitate to promise him the corresponding manuscripts and asked him to get them from Lekve whom he was going to visit from here last Monday. He copied the application form I had used in Hildesheim, and is going to have it nicely printed at home and signed by his seventeen Brethren and send the applications on to you. He is eager to put on the Gnostic Mass and I promised him to assist him with a revision of the German translation which he is going to send us, and with all instructions available. He also wants to initiate his group ceremonially into the first three degrees of the "reformed" Order as soon as he will receive the authorization for that and will be prepared technically. He states that he considers himself just the gatekeeper for his group, and hopes that he soon will be relieved by a worthier man. But he mentions every now and then that he is looked at as the authority in every respect by his sheep. Still, his modesty appears to be well grounded in wisdom, and reliable. I promised him that I would recommend him to you for all the support he wants, and that I would always be glad to assist him in every way I might be able to do so. I could assure him that I felt he was sound and true in every essential respect, and that he obviously knew by inheritance and experience more than many learned and less naive men. He showed me a photo of his spiritual father, Dr. P., which impressed me as the face of a great man. In one respect, I told him, do I feel that he could not expect your authorisation to use the material you might send him, namely to edit or adapt it for the planned magazine. He took my remarks on his apparent lack of nearly all the qualifications needed for a good editor, with splendid and convincing modesty. His printing shop will be ready to serve the work without any ambition on his part to play a role at it. The situation looks quite promising with regard to a publication of A.C.'s works in German language in the future. While he has a keen and realistic intelligence, he surprises with an attitude of a mystico-magical miracle-man in modern attire. He reminds physiognomically of Groning, the famous German healer ala Rasputin, only with more suave features, a childlike smile glorifying his rotten teeth of a Tibetan rodent. Read the enclosed oracle and what L. writes about it. I feel exactly the same way about it, but I own that I may be overcritical in that respect. It is not my line, anyway, and I think I am not lead in by sheer literary snobbery. He is well informed about various people and movements in Germany, among them apparently a number of salesmen offering their brand of "O.T.O." I will bring these informations along and M. will send you copies of certain letters and give you all the details in writing. M. is initiated by Dr. P. in the Sanctuary of the Gnosis. In a very original form, as it seems, which P. might have devised by combining traditional instructions with the results of his own studies and experiences. M. promised to send us copies of certain inherited documents, and I promised him the VII° and VIII° manuscripts with the higher two following when you would consent to that. With regard to his attempts to get the letters, etc. from Genja Jantzen, he said that one of his brothers had visited the lady, but had not succeeded to get the documents. Another attempt will be made by somebody who is supposed to have more influence with her. M. is informed that the Self Realization Fellowship in California own the "Golden Book" of Reuss, with all the charters issued by him, etc. I saw their letterhead:
SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP and OTO — MMM — SRM
I could go on reporting all the interesting stuff he told me, but I feel there is no hurry about it and no need to put all that on paper, as I will now soon enough have the pleasure to give you a broad piece of my mind at leisure in talking to you.
Alexandra reciprocated your kind greetings and I saw that she started on a letter to you. So I warn you that by Christmas you might receive a letter with overweight and will have to pay additional postage. Let me close for today with a happy Au revoir to you and Sascha [Sascha Germer].
Yours ever,
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