Letter 28

2nd May 1933

Well, I am in a state! I went to the Hochschule and found that I had to join in an inauguration of the new director. Talk about political speeches! I very markedly refrained from clapping, and when they all raided an arm and yelled Heil! I did not. All about how the Nazis are artists and everything nasty about them is lies. Then a long bit about hospitality of the German people but they weren’t going to have any beastly Jews holding any positions in Germany. Follows rather unsuitably a tribute to Joseph Hoachim, who was director at the Hchschule for forty years. Now Joseph Joachim was a Jew. And that was about all. But I shouldn’t be surprised if I (together with other Auslanderin) were requested to depart.

7th May

I found a superb Bechstein standing idle and open in the Hochschule, so I sat down and began. In comes the Haus Herr or whatever he calls himself and gives me a ticking off to which I replied quite truthfully “but I didn’t know,” “Yes, you did” says he. Whereupon I turned a blooming pink (I’ve a prejudice – rather a violent one – against being contradicted) and he, perhaps thinking that I was about to dissolve into tears hastily said I might stay another 1/4 hour and marched out. At the end of my hour I went downstairs and as I was walking p the Berlinerstrasse to buy sausage and dripping I had a brainwave. I shall just darn the heels of my stockings so that they are at least whited sepulchres wear them till they have no soles and then throw them away. As I have close upon 20 pairs (some mine, some not) they ought to last me.

Today I had a couple of hours lecture from Prof Sachs. He’s a jew, I may say, so I wonder why he remains. I shouldn’t have thought it would have weighed in the least with the Regierung that he is easily the ablest man on the staff. My head is bursting with knowledge about vibrations and harmonics. I had to stand up and swing a washing line with another youth in order to illustrate the vibrating of its half and its third etc. My arm nearly came out, and the young man the other end got very hot. Prof. S. drew pictures on the board and indulged in subtle witticisms. I like the man. Bless me! He has a brain, he hasI have counterpoint on Monday, much to the fury and envy of the whole class who proceeded to chant “and may I?” “Nay, nay!” sayd Prof. T. “That you mayn’t! but this young lady, she’s such a model of what all budding musicians should be – etc. etc.” What he really said was that I was leaving in the summer and so it was a special arrangement.