Lot 843
GEORGE SYLVESTER VIERECK
(1884-1962) American poet, propagandist and Germanophile; an early supporter of Hitler and general apologist for Nazism, convicted in 1942 for failing to register as a Nazi agent. Rare, fine content A.Ms.S., his hardbound 1943 prison diary with approx. 200pp. of entries in his hand, not signed although he writes out the names and addresses of several family members including sons George Sylvester Viereck, Jr. and Peter Viereck, who were both serving in the army at the time. During what Viereck refers to as his "captivity" at the "Bastille", he writes a fascinating mix of comments on the course of the war, libidinal regulation, his new poems and experimental verse, and mentions his lawyers, appeals and other legal matters and comments on American politics of the time. He also notes press attacks on him by Walter Winchell, etc. In very small part: "...I plead guilty to being an enemy of Communism...plead guilty in believe in America first. I plead NOT guilty to their fraudulent and dishonest charge, made solely to smear the political foes of the administration...Every day some friend dies. Now it is Nikola Tesla...I met him too late in life...He admired by books, Hitler, the Kaiser, and took a sentimental interest in me....All but [George Bernard] Shaw are dead...He still looks upon me as a boy, and calls me Lord Douglas 'Childe Douglas' [in reference to Oscar Wilde's lover]...Wilhite, my little murderer (butchering and rape of Jehovah's witnesses) sends pathetic request for 'My Flesh and Blood', probably misled by the title....Germans surrendered Tripoli, much of Caucasus. Hitler has lost his magic touch...Churchill and Roosevelt in Africa...R. avowed to fight for unconditional surrender Axis...echo of his words...'I'll destroy the power of Hitler, it it's the last thing I do'...busy with Reading Gaol [Oscar Wilde's memoirs of his imprisonment] It, too, is an experiment...I wonder if I am to publish the poem...under my 'pen' name, No. 43,998?...Some men are kissable, some expendable, some, like myself, indictable. Dept. of Justice pulls some indictment. Dept. of Justice pulls indictments like rabbits out of a hat...". At some point, Viereck can no longer afford his lawyers and is forced to make a pauper's oath and accept court-appointed attorneys. He muses on his new condition: "I feel like an early Christian. Wonder if I can go now through the needle or enter Kingdom of Heaven..., later adding: "selection of jury proceeds rapidly. Judge asks whether intimate friendship with the Kaiser, audience with Hitler, called 'genius', acquaintance with Goebbels, Ribbentrop, allegation of anti-Semitism, German birth, employment by Library, [German Library of Information] , ]]propaganda arm of German gov...would prejudice jury. Many drop out...[found] Guilty. The Judge's charge was fair though above the head of the Jury...I shall be vindicated by the Supreme Court of History...". Later Viereck comments on "Hitler's Fatal Blunders", which in his mind include: "Failure to invade England after Dunkirk...Attack on Russia...Reliance on Italy...Overvaluation of U-Boat...Failure to die at Climacteric Moment...". Much more revealing content. Expected wear, very good condition.
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