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Wien, 10. August 38.

Verehrtester Freund!

Soeben empfing ich von Ihnen meinen ersten Sonnenstrahl in meinem düstersten Dasein! 1 Die brutale Wirklichkeit entwickelt meine Empfänglichkeit bis zur Romantik u. da will ich lieber meine Dankbarkeit, um sie nur recht wahrhaft erscheinen zu lassen, in stummes Schweigen hüllen!

Sie wünschen wol [sic] die Personaldaten?

1.) Moriz Violin geb. in Wien 30. 3. 1879
verh. mit
2.) Valerie Violin, geb. in Wien Bielitz am 13. 2. 1885.
Beide zuständig [?narr.] Wien.

Nun will ich Sie mit einer kleinen Sache noch belästigen, die aber viel Zeit ersparen kann. Bekannte von mir erhielten ein Affidavit, denen Erledigung sich dadurch verzögerte, daß der Aussteller vergaß die Steuerbestätigung beizulegen, die das hiesige Konsulat verlangt.

Also bitte daran zu erinnern!


Könnte Ihnen je seine Dankbarkeit erweisen
Ihr getreu ergebener
[signed:] M Violin

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2020


Vienna, August 10, 1938

Most revered Friend,

I have just received from you the first ray of sunshine in my bleak existence! 1 The brutal reality develops my susceptibility to a romantic level; and thus I would rather veil my gratitude in speechless silence, so that it may make a truly authentic appearance.

You are presumably asking for personal details?

1.) Moriz Violin born in Vienna, March 30, 1879,
married to
2.) Valerie Violin, Born in Vienna Bielitz February 13, 1885.
Both resident [illegible word] Vienna.

Now I would like to burden you further with a small matter, which can however save a great deal of time. Acquaintances of mine received an affidavit whose execution was delayed because the originator forgot to include the tax confirmation, which the present consulate required.

So please remember this!


Could his gratitude ever be rendered to you by
your faithfully devoted
[signed:] M. Violin

© Translation William Drabkin, 2020


Wien, 10. August 38.

Verehrtester Freund!

Soeben empfing ich von Ihnen meinen ersten Sonnenstrahl in meinem düstersten Dasein! 1 Die brutale Wirklichkeit entwickelt meine Empfänglichkeit bis zur Romantik u. da will ich lieber meine Dankbarkeit, um sie nur recht wahrhaft erscheinen zu lassen, in stummes Schweigen hüllen!

Sie wünschen wol [sic] die Personaldaten?

1.) Moriz Violin geb. in Wien 30. 3. 1879
verh. mit
2.) Valerie Violin, geb. in Wien Bielitz am 13. 2. 1885.
Beide zuständig [?narr.] Wien.

Nun will ich Sie mit einer kleinen Sache noch belästigen, die aber viel Zeit ersparen kann. Bekannte von mir erhielten ein Affidavit, denen Erledigung sich dadurch verzögerte, daß der Aussteller vergaß die Steuerbestätigung beizulegen, die das hiesige Konsulat verlangt.

Also bitte daran zu erinnern!


Könnte Ihnen je seine Dankbarkeit erweisen
Ihr getreu ergebener
[signed:] M Violin

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2020


Vienna, August 10, 1938

Most revered Friend,

I have just received from you the first ray of sunshine in my bleak existence! 1 The brutal reality develops my susceptibility to a romantic level; and thus I would rather veil my gratitude in speechless silence, so that it may make a truly authentic appearance.

You are presumably asking for personal details?

1.) Moriz Violin born in Vienna, March 30, 1879,
married to
2.) Valerie Violin, Born in Vienna Bielitz February 13, 1885.
Both resident [illegible word] Vienna.

Now I would like to burden you further with a small matter, which can however save a great deal of time. Acquaintances of mine received an affidavit whose execution was delayed because the originator forgot to include the tax confirmation, which the present consulate required.

So please remember this!


Could his gratitude ever be rendered to you by
your faithfully devoted
[signed:] M. Violin

© Translation William Drabkin, 2020

Footnotes

1 i.e. Schoenberg's letter, LC ASC 7/50, [2], July 30, 1938, alerting him to the likely imminent arrival of an affidavit.

Commentary

Format
1p letter, holograph salutation, message, valediction, and signature
Rights Holder
Heirs of Arnold Schoenberg, permission to publish granted
Provenance
Arnold Schoenberg (document date–1951) -- family of Arnold Schoenberg (1951–19??) -- Library of Congress (19??–)
License
Permission to publish granted by author's son, Mr. Lawrence Schoenberg, July 16, 2013. Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to Schenker Documents Online, at schenkercorrespondence@mus[dot]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk.

Digital version created: 2020-08-23
Last updated: 2013-07-01