161. Helga Redmann a Primo Levi, 8 ottobre 1962

Helga Redmann – (718) Crailsheim[1] Wttb. – Krankenhaus^I

Egregio Signor P.L., autore del libro SQEUU,

un’amica mi ha mandato la Sua opera, ed io stento a descrivere con quali sentimenti la ho letta. Sebbene le atrocità commesse a Dachau, Auschwitz, Birkenau e altrove non mi fossero ignote, ed io le sentissi come una lesione al diritto umano, tuttavia, per essere onesta, esse non avevano toccato le fibre più profonde della mia sensibilità. In tutte le narrazioni e documentari cinematografici si trattava sempre di schiere di senza-nome. Invece il Suo libro, egregio signore, ha fatto risorgere davanti a me uomini come Alberto[2], Resnyk,[3] Walter Bonn, Schmulek.[4] Essi escono dall’esercito dei senza-nome,[5] tanto che io ho sentito in me il loro destino, la loro pena e la loro morte. Questa lettera non è adatta a placare il «vuoto doloroso» di cui Lei parla in una lettera al traduttore: ma che cosa mai occorrerebbe, che cosa sarebbe adatto, per comprendere gli uomini tedeschi, anzi, gli uomini?

Solo questo io posso fare: diffondere il Suo libro, così come esso mi è stato fatto pervenire: diffonderlo fra i giovani, fra le compagne ventenni con cui attualmente faccio vita comune. E inoltre, sperare che dalle nostre file non esca più una Frau Mayer che dice «Stinkjude» ad un prigioniero derubato di ogni diritto umano.[6]

Gradisca, la prego, questo saluto dalla Germania; sono la a Lei sconosciuta 

Helga Redmann 

Oct. 8, 1962

Helga Redmann
Crailsheim[1] Wttbg.
Hospital

Dear Mr. Levi—esteemed author of the book If This is a Man

 A friend sent me your work, and I find it difficult to describe the feelings I had while reading it. Although I was aware of the atrocities committed in Dachau, Auschwitz, Birkenau, and elsewhere, and although I considered them violations of human rights, to be completely honest, they did not deeply move me. All the reports and documentaries always featured an army of nameless people. But your book, esteemed author, brought people like Alberto,[2] Resnyk,[3] Walter Bonn, and Schmulek[4] to life before my eyes. They have stepped out of the army of the nameless,[5] and so I felt their fate—torment and death—personally. This letter cannot suffice to fill the painful void you speak of in your letter to the translator. But what would suffice to understand German people, or people in general? What I can do is pass your work along, just as I have passed it on to young people, twenty-year-old comrades with whom I currently share my life, and hope that no woman like Mrs. Mayer—a woman who calls a prisoner deprived of all human rights a “stinking Jew”—ever emerges from our midst.[6]

Greetings from Germany, and I remain, even though we have not met, yours,

Helga Redmann

8 Okt. 1962

Helga Redmann
Crailsheim[1] Wdd bg.
Krankenhaus 

Sehr verehrter Herr Levi – verehrter Autor des Buches Ist das ein Mensch?

Eine Freundin schickte mir Ihr Werk und ich kann schlecht beschreiben mit welchen Gefühlen ich dasselbe gelesen habe. Sind mir die Gräueltaten die in Dachau, Auschwitz, Birkenau und anderweitig begangen wurden, nicht im bekannt gewesen und habe ich sei als Verletzung des Menschenrechts empfunden so haben sie als im ganz ehrlich zu sein, nicht die die felsen Fasere meines Empfindens berütot. Bei all den Berichten und Dokumentarfilmen handelte es sich stets um ein Heer Namenlosen. Ihr Buch hingegen, verehrter Autor, hat Menschen wie Alberto,[2] Resnyk,[3] Walter Bonn, Schmulek[4] um vor mir erstehen lassen. Sie sind aus dem Heer der Namenlosen[5] herausgetreten und so habe ich ihr Geschick – Qual und Tod persönlich empfunden. Dieser Brief ist nicht geeignet die schmerzhafte Leere, von der Sie in einem Brief an den Übersetzer sprechen, zu stillen. Was wäre aber an die wohl geeignet uns den deutschen Menschen zu verstehen oder den Menschen überhaupt? Was ich tun kann, ist Ihr Werk weiterzureichen genau wie ich es auch gereicht bekannt habe mich zwar an jungen Menschen, zwanzigjährige Kameradinnen mit denen ich augenblicklich mein Leben Teile und dareibes hinaus zu hoffen, daß aus unseren Kreis nie eine Frau Mayers herausdritt, dei “Stinkjude” zu einem alles Menschenrechte beraubten Gefangenen sagt.[6]

Empfangen Sie Grüße aus Deutschland und es verbleibt unbekannterweise 

Helga Redmann  

Oct. 8, 1962

Helga Redmann
Crailsheim[1] Wttbg.
Hospital

Dear Mr. Levi—esteemed author of the book If This is a Man

 A friend sent me your work, and I find it difficult to describe the feelings I had while reading it. Although I was aware of the atrocities committed in Dachau, Auschwitz, Birkenau, and elsewhere, and although I considered them violations of human rights, to be completely honest, they did not deeply move me. All the reports and documentaries always featured an army of nameless people. But your book, esteemed author, brought people like Alberto,[2] Resnyk,[3] Walter Bonn, and Schmulek[4] to life before my eyes. They have stepped out of the army of the nameless,[5] and so I felt their fate—torment and death—personally. This letter cannot suffice to fill the painful void you speak of in your letter to the translator. But what would suffice to understand German people, or people in general? What I can do is pass your work along, just as I have passed it on to young people, twenty-year-old comrades with whom I currently share my life, and hope that no woman like Mrs. Mayer—a woman who calls a prisoner deprived of all human rights a “stinking Jew”—ever emerges from our midst.[6]

Greetings from Germany, and I remain, even though we have not met, yours,

Helga Redmann