Charles Morgan letters to Edith Koch

Charles Morgan first wrote to Edith Koch regarding her proposed translation of his 1932 novel The Fountain, but continued a conversation regarding the political situation developing in Germany through an additional four letters.

In his first letter Morgan informed Koch that Herr Herlitschka was already preparing a German translation of The Fountain and wondered if recent political developments in Germany would interfere with that publication. In the letters to follow Morgan and Koch continued an exchange concerning the current political events in Germany. In response to a letter from Koch, Morgan suggested that the "double root" of the English distrust of Hitlerism, was namely, "the English love of toleration and hatred of all the extremes of violence, and, secondly, a fear that any movement as fiercely emotional as this will lead inevitably to aggression and to another European war." He also said, "The atmosphere of the world is too like that of July 1914 to be very easy to breathe."

In a seven-page third letter, Morgan responded to the idea that the Jewish persecution in Germany was "all lies" (his quotation marks). Morgan suggested that was impossible, noting that British newspapers tended to neutrality on Jewish issues and further pointed to the exiles of Einstein, Reinhardt and Bruno Walter. Morgan elaborated on the fear that Hitlerism was producing in Europe. He disagreed with Koch that the German persecution could be compared with the treatment of the Boers, and noted the differences in Hitlerism from the Mussolini regime in Italy. He mentioned the persecution of Catholics in Germany, and noted that the military preparations, threats and violence was "driving England into the arms of France and isolating Germany in Europe. The isolation of any great country is the way to war." Finally Morgan argued that any war, no matter who wins, would only result in ruin and communism.

In the extensive fourth letter, Morgan began by suggesting that he and Koch "not be at cross-purposes" because, as he stated, "I care nothing for politics except in so far as they affect art." Morgan wrote of his preference for "an ancient, traditional, aristocratic and benevolent rule...above all, preserving order and peace." In his letter, Morgan defended Hitlerism as "probably the only alternative to Communism." However, Morgan felt there were dangers in Hitler's success, comparing it to the failure of Cromwell's revolution in England. In his letter, Morgan continued to convey his perspective on Hitlerism and his fear that Europe was nearing war, mentioning Goering, a Hohenzollern restoration, and the appearance of aggression by Germany. He offered his belief that if war didn't ruin everything a "great romantic revival is coming...a romantic & spiritual revival." He concluded, "The statesman and the nations will perish, but one line of poetry or one sentence of prose will live on, and we shall be judged by our art...."

In the fifth and final letter, written from The Castle Builth, Breconshire, Morgan noted the serenity of the country and that politics "seem far away." The content of this letter focused on other topics, including Morgan's books, The Fountain and Portrait in a Mirror, on having received the Hawthornden Prize, and his current writing projects. Morgan referenced the growing European threat only once, saying "Better to go on working while there is yet time, for I think that Europe's truce is short."