Kästner, Erich

with virtuosically varied salutations "Mein Schätzchen, meine Doppelschätze", "Mein Schatzgrübchen und mein Schnupfenprinz", "Meine zwei Liebchen, Marzipanschatz und Napfkuchen, Apfelbaum und Hopskäse, Frau von Hoppel und Herr von Poppel", "Meine Goldvögel", "Meine Doppelschätze, mein Wiesengrund, verehrter Herr Napfkuchen, liebe Frau Venusbruuust", "Mein Goldvogel, mein Schwarzmeertürke, meine Gulgarin, geehrter Herr Napfkuchen", "Mein Schatz, mein Jüngchen", "Liebe Friedel"  etc., MENTIONING HIS WRITINGS, INCLUDING DER KLEINE MANN, reporting that he has sent the corrected 'Emil-II Stück' to Berlin to be copied, noting that he has written so much that his writing hand hurts, correcting a manuscript sent by Krüss, humorously describing his life in the sanatorium, joking about his weight, bathday, assessments by the medical staff, his fever, laziness, and the frequent taking of his temperature, plotting robbing a bank, so that Friedel might be able to pay the rent, referring to Horst Lemke, Kurt Hoffmann, Hermann Hesse, Adenauer, negotiations with Disney, a recording session in Lugano, and many other matters

...Hoffentlich kriegen Sie den "Emil" ordentlich hin. Um den Bengel wär's ja schade. Aber ihn zu amerikanisieren könnte eigentlich nicht schwierig sein. Der Junge ist ja strapazierfähig...Nun will ich mal rasch einen Banküberfall durchführen und zur Post gehen, damit Du die Miete einzahlen kannst &tc. Ich schicke 2T.



   Mit der Arbeit geht's "immer langsam voran." Aber schon wieder hab ich einen Block vollgepinselt und schreib diese Zeilen auf der Umschlagpappe...



over 50 pages, 4to, two letters written in blue ballpoint pen, the rest in pencil, two letters with drawings, one of a cake, another of a hill-top tower, six letters on illustrated postcards, two on correspondence cards, Agra and Lugano, 8 January 1962 to 16 April 1966

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Almost all the letters in this remarkable collection date from the two extended spells (January 1962-May 1963 and January-August 1964) Kästner spent at a sanatorium in Agra, in the Swiss canton of Tessin, for the treatment of his tuberculosis. The recipients of this amusing and tender correspondence were his friend Friedel Siebert (1926-1986) and their son Thomas (born 1957). Kästner's liaison with Friedel, which the author maintained while in a long-term relationship with Luiselotte Enderle, ended in 1969, when Friedel moved to Switzerland with her son. Der kleine Mann, work on which is reported in these letters, was written for Thomas, and published in 1963. The sanatorium letters were published in 1977, as Briefe aus dem Tessin, and in 1995, as Briefe an die Doppelschätze.