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  • Photographed by Pamela L. Caughie
  • Images prepared by Matthew Gallagher
  • Transcription completed by Kristin Jacobsen
  • Translation completed by
    • Kristin Jacobsen
    • Maiken Boysen
  • Translation reviewed by
    • Marianne Ølholm
    • Maiken Boysen
  • Encoding completed by Tyler Monaghan
  • Encoding assistance and/or XML proofing completed by
    • Rebecca J. Parker
    • Nikolaus Wasmoen
  • Encoding assistance and/or XML proofing completed by
    • Rebecca J. Parker
    • Adeline Azungue
  • XML transformed into HTML on 08/04/2019 by Rebecca J. Parker
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Description of original facsimile: The handwritten documents are written in cursive, which was customary for the time. The pages themselves are tinted a brownish-yellow with slight crinkles and a 4-way fold, but have otherwise been well preserved. The date has been provided in the upper right-hand corner of the first page.

January 31, 1931 Letter to Poul Knudsen -- Lili Ilse Elvenes

Transcription

Lindevangen 8 31-I-1931

Kære Poul

(d02) Jeg har lige læst Hr. Erwin Magnus Brev til Direktor Hasselbalch – og for nylig Brudstykket af Manuskriptet. Fru Loulou Lassen har arrangeret det efter mit og afdæmpet det til Brug for om jeg saa maa sige ”kyske og kyniske danske Øren” - og saa har det endda været for skrapt.

(d03) Det har ikke været beregnet paa Export, og havde Hr. Hasselbalch spurgt mig, havde jeg gjort opmærksom derpaa.

(d04) Det hele beror altsaa paa Misforstaaelser og Fejltagelser o.s.v.. Mit Manuskript er langt mere pikant og fuldt af næbbede Bemærkninger.

(d05) Der er pjanket som jeg selv – en Dyd ogsaa for et Manuskript!

(d06) Det er en Apotheose til Werner von Kreutz – naturligvis!

(d07) Men det er lige nedskrevet og ikke omarbejdet – altsaa Raamateriale paa daarligt Dansk, da jeg havde glemt en hel Del af Sprogets Finesser og Grovheder. Du husker jo nok, Bé var og er en læst og pæn fransk Forfatter. ”Le Livre de Viking”. 20 Oplag.

(d08) Jeg vil ikke skjule for Dig, at jeg er meget ulykkelig over Forsinkelsen med min Bog – som jeg skylder min Skyhed og jomfruelige Tilbageholdenhed. Jeg har endnu ikke talt med Hasselbalch.

(d09) Tusinde Hilsener til Vibeke

(d10) Men hvorledes kan vi organisere et Samarbejde Paa Grundlag af mit Manuskript?

(d11) Ser Du, kære Poul, jeg ejer nu lidt over 25 Kr. saa Penge begynder at interessere mig. Der skal noget til til [sic] de daglige Silkestrømper.

(d12) Hvorledes kan vi arrangere os rent økonomisk?

(d13) Altsaa Delingen af Rovet!

(d14) Jeg kan laane Penge og komme en Tur til Berlin, hvis det vil være godt.

(d15) Vær rar hurtigst at tale med Hr. Magnus derom; thi det haster! Jeg kaster Blod op af Sorrig over denne Historie, men er ligeglad. Gaar det ikke med min Bog, gaar det heller ikke med mig.

(d16) Maa vi betragte Hr. Hasselbalchs Mission som endt – eller vil det være honnet af Hensyn til Hr. Erwin Magnus at lade det gaa igennem den danske Forlægger, hvis det er Meningen eller at henvende sig til Ullstein -@Translator: KJ.

(d17) Jeg venter iøvrigt snart Svar fra "Drei Masken -@Translator: KJ"

(d18) Forøvrigt giver det første Brudstykke slet ikke nogen komplet Idé om Bogen, der er fast komponeret – og Slutningen er det bedste.

(d19) Som Titel havde jeg: ”Hvorledes Lili blev til en rigtig Pige”

(d20) ”Fra Mand til Kvinde” er lidt tør og misvisende. Bé var nok en Gentleman, men eller [sic] tror jeg ikke han havde meget at rose sig af. Sligt husker heldigvis Din lille uskyldige Veninde ikke noget om.

(d21) Din
Lili

Translation

Lindevangen 8 31-I-1931

Dear Poul

(#d02) I have just read Mr. Erwin Magnus’ letter to Director Hasselbalch – and recently the fragment of the manuscript. Mrs. Loulou Lassen has arranged it and toned it down for what I call “chaste and cynical Danish ears” – and even then it was too blunt.

(#d03) It has not been intended for export, and had Mr. Hasselbalch asked me, I would have made him aware of this.

(#d04) Therefore it is all due to misunderstandings and mistakes and so on. My manuscript is far more graphic and full of bickering comments.

(#d05) It is just as giddy as I am – a virtue also for a manuscript!

(#d06) It is an apotheosis to Werner von Kreutz – of course!

(#d07) But it is just written and not edited – thus raw material in bad Danish, because I had forgotten some parts of the language’s subtelties and harshness. As you remember, Bé was and is a read and respectable French author. “The Viking Book,” 20th printing.

(#d08) I do not want to hide from you that I am very unhappy about the delay of my book – which I blame on my shyness and virginal restraint. I have not yet spoken with Hasselbalch.

(#d09) A thousand greetings to Vibeke

(#d10) But how can we organize a collaboration based on my manuscript?

(#d11) You see, dear Poul, I now own a little more than 25 Kr. so money begins to interest me. It is necessary to buy the daily silk stockings.

(#d12) How can we arrange ourselves financially?

(#d13) That is, the sharing of the spoils!

(#d14) I can borrow money and make a trip to Berlin, if it will be good.

(#d15) Please talk soon with Mr. Magnus about this; for it is urgent! I throw up blood in sorrow over this story, but I don’t care. If it is not going well with my book, it won’t go well with me.

(#d16) Must we consider Mr. Hasselbalch’s mission as ended – or will it be respectful of Mr. Erwin Magnus to let it go through the Danish publisher, if that is the intention or to turn to Ullstein -@Translator: KJ.

(#d17) By the way, I am awaiting a response from ”Drei Masken -@Translator: KJ” soon

(#d18) However, the first fragment by itself does not give a complete idea about the book, which is tightly written – and the end is the best.

(#d19) As the title I had: ”How Lili Became a Real Girl”

(#d20) "From Man Into Woman" is a little dry and misleading. Bé might have been a gentleman, but apart from that I do not think he had much to boast of. Fortunately, that is something your little innocent friend does not remember.

(#d21) Your
Lili