Letters to: Lorey, August (Sr. and Jr.), 1925-1957

The letters from 1925-28 are from August Lorey, Sr.; the rest from August Lorey, Jr. In German and English, from Frankfurt, Germany, unless otherwise noted. The letters from August Lorey, Jr., detailed below, discuss Lorey's views of Nazi Germany, the Jewish people, and racial ideology.

1932 1/1. [differences between Germans and Americans and their universities] 1932 12/4. [more on differences between universities; political situation in Germany with a discussion of the political parties] 1935 2/24. [letters out of Germany are opened, not for censorship, but to be sure that not too much money leaves the country -- except for letters of Communists which are censored. The letter refers to a typescript on the political situation in Germany; an unattached typescript which the donor dated as from 1935 or 1936 may be the one to which Lorey refers. In it, Lorey discusses the perception of some in the U.S. and Germany that Hitlerism represents the upper classes, but that Hitler’s backing is for what he promises -- improved working conditions in a classless society and a takeover by the government of larger trusts and a general election each year -- and that fears of a military dictatorship are unfounded (S.A. is not military, but political). Lorey discusses the preservation of racially good stock or eugenics, and that war would decimate this stock, therefore Hitler opposes war. The Weimar constitution is still in place; German States have disappeared to be replaced by Reichsgaue to accomplish unity. Lorey discusses whether the church should or should not be abolished and the big race issue, including cause of racial deterioration; Hitler’s irrational hatred against Jewish people. (While Lorey has never much cared for Jewish people, decent Jewish people should be treated decently.) Comparison of Marxist socialism and national socialism; the latter includes patriotism to the Fatherland and the creation of political soldiers. Finally, that national socialism is not as bad as it is usually made out to be outside of Germany, and unlikely to be overthrown in Germany where large majority agree with it] 1938 9/4. [has passed oral exams for doctorate; western democracies have historically prevented union of Germany and Austria, but German military strength has allowed union -- incorrectly called “annex” by French and English hypocrites; a plebiscite should allow Czechoslovakia to decide if it wants to belong to Germany; the zeppelin is nearly finished, and, as helium cannot be obtained from U.S., will use hydrogen] 1938 12/15. [illness of his nephew; Lorey addresses a point Cooper made in a previous letter that Quakers “share the opinion that the virile German nation should be allowed to expand for economic reasons”; Lorey is surprised, if Cooper’s idea is territorial. Hitler, Lorey contends, is not interested in any territory, but that which was Germany’s or where Germans live, nor in economic gain, citing areas which Hitler would not take. He refutes Cooper’s point on the low social status of Sudeten Germans, explaining the “reasons” for their neglect; astonished at U.S. response to German monetary, social and political discrimination against Jews given American attitudes toward African Americans, the Japanese, and own anti-Semitism; burning of synagogues in Germany; deaths of Wilhelm Gustloff, national socialist leader in Switzerland and a German diplomat; ships being built] 1939 11/5. [hopes war will soon be over; doesn’t know which side is right, as he hasn’t privilege of facts, but all should be done to avoid a second Versailles; is in the army and leaving soon for western front; Britain’s censorship of German mail] 1946 5/12. [difficulties after the war; marriage in 1942] ink spill makes some parts of the letter illegible. 1946 6/[16]. [has read in papers that U.S. Army in Germany has put 3 million rations at the disposal of German civilian population; people are undernourished, and asks for Cooper’s help; about the past, Lorey writes “...I was too optimistic and refused to believe that sheer madness might reign supreme in the councils of a civilized nation.”] ink spill makes some parts of the letter illegible. 1946 9/19. [requests of material assistance; sense of hopelessness except for his daughter] 1946 11/2. [great concern regarding relations between U.S. and Russia, for fate of Germany hinges on them, hoping, too, that Russia will assent to compromise; striving to make U.N. effective instrument of peace; working as technical translator; scarcity of certain goods] 1947 3/8. [reports his earnings and remainder after expenses; black market; thanks for parcels; because of food and fuel shortages, Germans are critical of the Americans; ex-President Hoover stated that German civilian needs have “sunk to the lowest level in 100 years of history” and advocated relief program; without relief, it is said, Germany may turn to Communists] 1947 4/17. [calorie content of German diet; American assistance to Greece and Turkey without U.N. involvement; U.N.’s slow progress on solution of atomic energy issue; Russians and the Balkans; question of European economic union; extent to which views of newspapers of individual journalists represent influential political groups in America] 1947 9/23. [question of whether war over the Greek question will begin, thus enabling Russia to occupy Germany, France, the Lowlands and Spain, Scandinavian countries and possibly Italy, creating a dictatorship more ruthless than that from which they have been freed] 1947 11/30. [during the war, Helga Lorey had sent some fabrics out of Berlin to preserve them from destruction, but Russians plundered everything when they came through that area] 1947 12/16. [London Conference of Foreign Ministers has broken down; while a divided Germany is serious, armed conflict is worse] 1948 7/25. [Allied forces countries seem on brink of war amongst themselves, with Soviet Union a more formidable opponent than Nazi Germany; Russian labor camps; hope Berlin crisis will be resolved peaceably; economic state in Germany] 1948 8/8. [house of Goethe, destroyed during war, being rebuilt] 194812/31. [Americans should not impose educational reforms on German schools -- even though they can as victors in the war; layout of German school requirements] 1949 5/1. [further information on German school system and struggle with American Military Government] Toronto, Canada, 1957 12/1. [has recently visited Germany, seeing his wife and children for the first time since 1951]