StudienVerlag - Oapen

An Margaret Storm Jameson
Green Easter, 11.10.1938
Ms. o. U., ÖNB
Thank you so very much, dear Margaret Storm Jameson, but although I am not quite
well off I do not feel I am entitled to use my English colleagues’ money.
There is one thing, though, which troubles me rather a lot these days and wherein
one of the P.E.N. people might be able to help me. I had to leave behind in Vienna
my 76 years old mother and my sister, who with her three months old child has been
turned out by her Nazi husband. They are almost destitute and have been thrown
out of their flat twice in the last four months. I just got a message that they have to
leave the country at once, the expulsion order and threat of arrest being based, as
it appears, on their still having been in secret contact with me. I saw the Quakers
about it yesterday and they feel that this case is among the worst they saw. They
want to arrange for the women’s coming to this country. But there is one essential
thing they cannot arrange for. In order to get the English visa an English person of
a somewhat settled situation (having funds or money or something) has to give to
the Home Office a declaration g[u]arantying that the emigrant will not become a
burden to public relief institutions. My sister (who is a rather well-known organist,
having given many concerts in churches and in the radio) might find a job in
a private household so that for her no g[u]aranty towards the Home Office will be
needed. But my mother is of course beyond any chance of getting some work and
for her I need that fabulous well-to-do Englishman. (I offered my own g[u]aranty of
course but they did not consider me, it appears, enough English or enough well-todo.)
Could you raise the matter at a committee meeting of the P.E.N. or anywhere
you see a chance to find a kindhearted creature for this purpose? If you do not – just
forget about it. I only thought it to be somehow my duty to mention it. There is only
one thing. If it can be done – it should be done quickly as the expulsion order works
at once and the three are threatened with either internment or being put over the
frontier without travel papers. […]
Margaret Storm Jameson (1891–1986) – Die englische Erzählerin und Essayistin,
Präsidentin des English PEN (1938–1944) und durch Jahrzehnte Vizepräsidentin des
International PEN, hatte in einem Brief (vom 10.10.1938) RN Hilfe aus dem eben (mit
1000 Pfund „Startkapital“) gegründeten Refugee Writers Fund angeboten. Ihre solidarische
Hilfsbereitschaft für RN hat sich in den schwierigen Jahren 1938 bis 1940
mehrmals bewährt.
RN konnte seine Mutter und seine jüngere Schwester Gertrud (Cornelius) im Sommer
1939 nach England holen.
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