[Cello] Döblin, Alfred. (1878–1957) & Sachs, Curt. (1881-1959) & Eberhart, Richard. (1904-2005) & Steinberg, William. (1899-1978)
Group of Letters to Helga and Rudolf Döblin
An interesting group of autograph letters written between 1941 and 1970 to Rudolf Döblin, principal cellist and assistant music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, and his wife Helga Doblin, translator and professor of German at Skidmore College. The group includes letters from writer Alfred Döblin (Rudolf Döblin's uncle), musicologist Curt Sachs, conductor William Steinberg, poet Richard Eberhart, and another unidentified German couple living in the US. Full details below.1. Autograph letter from Curt Sachs, German-born American musicologist, one of the founders of modern organology. New York, January 21, 1941. 1 p. Translated from the German: "Dear Mrs. Döblin, it was very nice of you to think of me and write your news. I knew that you would quickly find your footing here, and your letter confirms it. I wish you all success going forward, and I hope for myself, that you will let me join in it. Yours, Curt Sachs. [P.S.] I saw Uncle Alfred [Döblin] at the beginning of the year in N.Y." Fine. 7 x 10.5 inches.
2. Autograph letter in English to Rudolf Döblin from German-American conductor William Steinberg, an emigré whose first position in the United States was as conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic (1945-1952) and who also conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Boston Symphony. Steinberg apparently writes to hint at Döblin's imminent promotion at the Buffalo Philharmonic. New York, July 11, [1945?] "Dear Döblin, Mr. D. was in high spirits, said he was "just" going to call me and hopes to give me "the good news" soon. Lee thinks Mr. D... must go because nobody trusts him and all the members of the executive-branch share his opinion. Thanks again for your call. Love to you and your wife! See you soon after my return from California. Cordially yours, Steinberg." 2 pp. Fine. 5.5 x 7 inches.
3. Autograph letter from writer Alfred Döblin to his nephew, Rudolf Döblin, congratulating him on being named assistant conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic. August 22, 1945. "[I hear you] have got the conductor position [...] I already see you as a successor to Toscanini and Barbirolli. And you see: one mustn't be so pessimistic. As they say here: 'nur nit brummen, wird scho kummen' ["just don't whine, it will come"]. Your uncle..." 2 pp. of a bifolium. Folding creases and edge wear; overall very good. 4.25 x 6.5 inches. This letter is referenced in the collected letters of Alfred Döblin, vol. II (no. 191).
4. Autograph letter from poet Richard Eberhart to Helga Döblin. Hanover, N.H., April 15, 1970. 1 p. "Dear Helga Döblin: I am glad you liked the gloomy poem which the New York editors put in at Easter week! It followed a shorter one called "Despair" in a February issue which elicited much response and was about the same person. The woman was finally defeated by Hitler twenty-five years later. She got out of Germany, came here, and used to come to the Thursday poets' meetings at Dartmouth. Good-looking, smooth-skinned, she was very quiet and only rarely spoke or read a poem. She had fine, long [flaxen?] or brown hair and was young. She lived in Lebanon (N.H.) and about five or eight years ago we were shocked to learn that she had shot herself. Years later I thought about her, theretofore having had no intention of writing a poem about her. Strange how these things happen. You may or may not know that Skidmore gave me an honorary Doctor of Letters degree recently. I am on the Board of [?] and come to Sarasota usually twice a year for meetings. I assume you are a student there (what year?) and am very fond of your school. If you should come over here as many Skidmore girls do please look us up. Thanks for your letter, yours, Richard Eberhart." On the verso, a mimeographed copy of Eberhart's poem "Homage to the North." Folding creases; overall fine. 8.5 x 11 inches.
5. Two letters in German from an unidentified couple, apparently childhood friends of Helga Döblin, co-written by the wife and husband. In the first letter (Roslyn Heights [New York], December 28, 1941; TLS from the woman, with ALS from her husband; 2 pp.), the woman thanks Helga for a Christmas gift, reports that they have not been affected by the war, except that "neither people nor news are coming out of Germany. When or if the Bear will be drafted, we don't know. Last year he was sent back because of us, but who knows if that still stands?" She reports that "the Chicken" (apparently a family member) "has a series of badly-paid lectures, but since he is beginning to learn English, there is the hope that he may get further lectures through an agent." Her husband adds in an autograph postscript (translated from the German): "Dear Helga, I always said you were a particularly nice girl, and you see, I was right! How could you have become such a nice young woman, if it wasn't already in you?..." In the second letter (January 7, [n.y.]; ALS, 2 pp.), the woman writes with news of the family, including "Bear" and "Chicken." Her husband adds New Year's greetings and asks: "the editor of the "Deutsche Stimmen" in Santiage di Chile, Casilla, is asking for the address of Alfred Döblin. Please write it down..." Folding creases and one chip; overall very good. 8.5 x 11 and 8 x 10 inches.
Rudolf and Helga Döblin emigrated to the United States from Germany during World War II. Rudolf Döblin was a long-serving cellist of the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, while Helga taught German and Classics at Skidmore College, and they were well connected with many other emigrés in musical and artistic spheres. (14674)
Autograph Letter Classical Music Literature