TCG Letter #33 / Carpenter Letter #29

From

J.R.R. Tolkien

Stanley Unwin

Date

25 July 1938

Type

Autograph Letter Signed

Transcript

Complete

Tolkien encloses the letter from Rütten and Loening and describes it as stiff. He (perhaps with sarcasm) asks Stanley if it is his German sounding name that causes such "impertinence" or do all people have to prove their Ayran heritage. He goes on to say that he is inclined to let a German translation "hang" and notes his friendship with many Jewish people and would not be comfortable giving the impression that he supports any such "race-doctrine".

Tolkien accepts that GA&U must of course have a say in whether he scuppers a German translation. As such he encloses two draft responses and leaves it to Stanley to decide which one is most suitable.

Tolkien describes further the various edits that might be made to his proposed letter to the German publisher, and says at the end that it should be Unwin's decision what to send.

Notes

Tolkien wrote to Stanley Unwin in response to a letter from a German publisher, Rütten & Loening Verlag. They wanted to publish a German translation of The Hobbit, but need Tolkien to confirm his Aryan descent.^{Letter from Rütten & Loening Verlag, Potsdam to J.R.R. Tolkien • 22 July 1938 (#1981)[1]}

Stanley Unwin decides to send the shorter of the two drafts, and the longer is published as Carpenter #30: Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Rütten & Loening Verlag • 25 July 1938 (#34)

¹ Letter from Rütten & Loening Verlag, Potsdam to J.R.R. Tolkien • 22 July 1938 (#1981) ↩

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