186. Emil Davidovič a Primo Levi, 12 novembre 1965

12 novembre 1965

Caro Primo!

ti ringrazio di cuore per la tua lettera del 2 ottobre 1965. La gioia è reciproca. Anche per noi è stato un grande piacere poterti ospitare a casa nostra, e mia moglie è stata particolarmente lieta di conoscerti di persona.

Chissà se riusciremo davvero a venire in Italia l’estate prossima; in tal caso approfitteremo volentieri della vostra ospitalità, anche solo per un giorno.

Devo confessarti che subito dopo la tua partenza ho ordinato il tuo libro La tregua, che ho ricevuto pochi giorni dopo. Ciò nonostante, sono molto onorato di averne ricevuto una copia in dono direttamente dall’autore. Anche per questo ti ringrazio di cuore. Spedirò la mia copia negli Stati Uniti a mio fratello che ha molto apprezzato anche Se questo è un uomo. Quando noi eravamo a Buna, infatti, lui era a Mauthausen, e dunque ha vissuto esperienze simili. 

Devo confessarti anche un’altra cosa: negli ultimi tempi sono talmente indaffarato che non sono ancora riuscito a leggere il libro. In questo periodo di lavoro così intenso non voglio neppure cominciarlo, perché so già che dovrò leggerlo tutto d’un fiato, senza tregua, appunto, dunque meglio farlo più avanti. Poi ti scriverò le mie impressioni.

Per il resto, grazie a Dio, come hai potuto vedere anche tu, non ce la passiamo male. Vogliamo sperare che sia così anche per voi.

Con i saluti più cari da casa a casa, sempre 

tuo

Em D

November 12, 1965

Dear Primo!

Thank you very much for your letter dated October 2, 1965. The pleasure is mutual. We, too, were very happy to be able to host you here in person, and my wife was especially delighted to meet you in person.

Perhaps we shall be able to make it to Italy next summer after all, in which case we would be happy to accept your hospitality for a day at the very least.

I must tell on myself: immediately after your departure, I ordered your book The Truce and received it a few days later. Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate having received a copy as a gift from the author himself. My heartfelt thanks for that as well. I am going to send the copy I had ordered to my brother in the U.S.A., who also really liked If This is a Man. He was actually in Mauthausen while we were in Buna, so had experiences parallel to ours.

I have a second confession to make: I have been so busy lately that I have not gotten around to reading the book yet. I do not want to start reading it now, when I am so swamped, because I know I will have to read it nonstop—so I shall save it for later. Then I will write you with my thoughts on it.

Otherwise, thank God—as you have seen—we are doing quite well. We hope that is the case for you, too.

With warmest regards from our home to yours, I remain always

Yours,

Em D

12.11.1965

Lieber Primo!

Ich danke Dir herzlichst für Dein Schreiben vom 2.10.1965. Die Freude ist gegenseitig. Auch wir haben uns sehr gefreut Dich bei uns persönlich beherbergen zu können, und meine Frau freute sich besonders Dich persönlich kennenzulernen.

Vielleicht wird es uns doch nächsten Sommer gelingen nach Italien zu fahren, so werden wir gerne wenigstens für einen Tag Eure Gastfreundschaft in Anspruch nehmen.

Ich muss Dir verraten, dass sofort nach Deiner Abfahrt habe ich Dein Buch Atempause hier bestellt und einige Tage später auch bekommen. Nicht destoweniger schätze ich es hoch vom Autor selbst ein Exemplar geschenkt bekommen zu haben. Auch dafür habe recht herzlichen Dank. Ich werde mein Exemplar meinem Bruder nach den USA schicken, den auch Ist das ein Mensch? sehr gut gefallen hat. Er war nämlich in Mauthausen als wir in Buna waren und hat somit auch etwas mitgemacht.

Ein zweites Geständnis muss ich Dir machen, dass ich in letzter Zeit so sehr beschäftigt bin, dass ich noch nicht dazu gekommen bin das Buch zu lesen. In dieser Vollbeschäftigungszeit will ich damit nicht beginnen, denn ich weiss, ich werde es müssen ohne Atempause lesen, so will ich das später tun. Dann werde ich Dir auch meine Meinung darüber schreiben.

Sonst geht es uns Gott sei Dank – wie Du sehen konntest nicht schlecht. Wir wollen hoffen, dass auch bei Euch das der Fall ist.

Mit den herzlichsten Grüssen von Haus zu Haus, verbleibe ich stets

Dein

Em D

November 12, 1965

Dear Primo!

Thank you very much for your letter dated October 2, 1965. The pleasure is mutual. We, too, were very happy to be able to host you here in person, and my wife was especially delighted to meet you in person.

Perhaps we shall be able to make it to Italy next summer after all, in which case we would be happy to accept your hospitality for a day at the very least.

I must tell on myself: immediately after your departure, I ordered your book The Truce and received it a few days later. Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate having received a copy as a gift from the author himself. My heartfelt thanks for that as well. I am going to send the copy I had ordered to my brother in the U.S.A., who also really liked If This is a Man. He was actually in Mauthausen while we were in Buna, so had experiences parallel to ours.

I have a second confession to make: I have been so busy lately that I have not gotten around to reading the book yet. I do not want to start reading it now, when I am so swamped, because I know I will have to read it nonstop—so I shall save it for later. Then I will write you with my thoughts on it.

Otherwise, thank God—as you have seen—we are doing quite well. We hope that is the case for you, too.

With warmest regards from our home to yours, I remain always

Yours,

Em D