In this short letter, Levi writes that he is happy to have seen Davidovic and his family, and he invites them to Italy. He will have a copy of Atempause sent to his friend.
2/11/1965[1]
Lieber Mendi,
Ich bin recht froh und dankbar, dass ich dich wiedersehen und deine Familie kennenlernen durfte.[2] Ich hoffe sehr, dass diese denkwürdi[3] Begegnung eine Fortsetzung haben wird: ich habe meiner Frau von Ihnen erzähl[4] und sie hat darauf sofort ebenfalls den Wunsch geäussert, sie bei uns zu beherbergern wenn sie eine Sommerreise nach Italien beabsichtigen.
Atempause habe ich hier für dich bestellt: ich bitte sehr, dieses Buch als Zeichen meiner Freundschaft und Dankbarkeit von mir anzunehmen.
Mit herzlichen Grüssen auch an deine Gattin und Robi, bin ich dein ergebener.[5]
2/10/1965[1]
Caro Mendi,
sono davvero felice e grato di aver avuto la possibilità di rivederti e di conoscere la tua famiglia.[2] Spero tanto che questo memorabile[3] incontro abbia un seguito: ho raccontato di voi[4] a mia moglie e lei ha subito espresso il desiderio di ospitarvi qui da noi, caso mai pensaste di fare un viaggio in Italia d’estate.
Ho ordinato per te una copia della Tregua: ti prego di accettare questo libro come segno della mia amicizia e della mia gratitudine.
Con i miei saluti più cari anche a tua moglie e a Robi, tuo devoto.[5]
October 2, 1965[1]
Dear Mendi,
I am truly happy and grateful that I was able to see you again and get to know your family.[2] I very much hope this memorable[3]encounter will have a sequel: I told my wife and you about it,[4] and she immediately expressed the same desire to host you at our home if you plan a summer trip to Italy.
I have ordered The Truce for you: please accept this book as a token of my friendship and gratitude.
With warm regards to your wifeand Robi as well, I remain your devoted.[5]
2/11/1965[1]
Lieber Mendi,
Ich bin recht froh und dankbar, dass ich dich wiedersehen und deine Familie kennenlernen durfte.[2] Ich hoffe sehr, dass diese denkwürdi[3] Begegnung eine Fortsetzung haben wird: ich habe meiner Frau von Ihnen erzähl[4] und sie hat darauf sofort ebenfalls den Wunsch geäussert, sie bei uns zu beherbergern wenn sie eine Sommerreise nach Italien beabsichtigen.
Atempause habe ich hier für dich bestellt: ich bitte sehr, dieses Buch als Zeichen meiner Freundschaft und Dankbarkeit von mir anzunehmen.
Mit herzlichen Grüssen auch an deine Gattin und Robi, bin ich dein ergebener.[5]
2/10/1965[1]
Caro Mendi,
sono davvero felice e grato di aver avuto la possibilità di rivederti e di conoscere la tua famiglia.[2] Spero tanto che questo memorabile[3] incontro abbia un seguito: ho raccontato di voi[4] a mia moglie e lei ha subito espresso il desiderio di ospitarvi qui da noi, caso mai pensaste di fare un viaggio in Italia d’estate.
Ho ordinato per te una copia della Tregua: ti prego di accettare questo libro come segno della mia amicizia e della mia gratitudine.
Con i miei saluti più cari anche a tua moglie e a Robi, tuo devoto.[5]
October 2, 1965[1]
Dear Mendi,
I am truly happy and grateful that I was able to see you again and get to know your family.[2] I very much hope this memorable[3]encounter will have a sequel: I told my wife and you about it,[4] and she immediately expressed the same desire to host you at our home if you plan a summer trip to Italy.
I have ordered The Truce for you: please accept this book as a token of my friendship and gratitude.
With warm regards to your wifeand Robi as well, I remain your devoted.[5]
Info
Notes
Tag
Sender: Primo Levi
Addressee: Emil Davidovič
Date of Drafting: 1965-11-02
Place of Writing: Turin
Description:carbon copy on onionskin paper of a typewritten letter (mm140x180) with handwritten insertions in blue ballpoint pen and black ballpoint pen. On the sheet, overlapping a portion of the letter, is a pencil drawing of a cube and other shapes.
Archive: Archivio privato di Primo Levi, Turin
Series: Corrispondenza, Corrispondenti particolari, fascicolo 22, sottofascicolo 1, f. 8.
Folio: 1, front only
DOI:
1Levi corrects the month from “10” to “11” by hand in black ballpoint pen.
2Levi encountered Davidovic on October 27, 1965 during a work trip to Leverkusen. On October 31, he wrote a short account of it in a letter to Heinz Riedt: “by evening, I was so bored and saturated with organic chemistry that I took a train and went to Dortmund to visit rabbi Mendi. I found a quiet man, a bit too sure (for my taste) of his metaphysical convictions, less vivacious than the image I had retained of him (Ist das, pag. 109), but compassionate and likable.” Cf. P. Levi, Il carteggio con Heinz Riedt, cit., p. 194.
3There is a lacuna at the end of the sheet, “denkwürdige.”
4There is a lacuna at the end of the sheet, “erzählt.”
5On the lower margin of the sheet, Levi notes by hand in blue ballpoint pen: “Visita a D. | 27/10/65.”
