Letter from Manfred Kridl written 26.12.1946

Author Manfred Kridl

Category incoming correspondence, Polish researchers

Archive Archive of Science of PAN and PAU in Cracow

Date of creation 26.12.1946

Reference code in archive K_III-26_D_38

Resource type letter

Subject matter personal issues

Field Polish philology

Tags #Chair of the Theory of Literature, #contemporary American novel, #emigration, #Europe, #immigration, #immigration laws, #Ingarden's sister, #Kridl's books, #Mexico, #migration, #Ministry of Education, #Polish Literature, #refugees, #return to the country, #Smith College, #translations, #UWroclaw University

54 Belmont Avenue
Northampton, Mass.
26 December ’46

My dear sir,

I received your letter of October and a card from Rome. I’m late in responding, for which I ask you to forgive me, but the Wrocław matter required reflection, and other activities and problems got in the way.

Thank you very much for your thought and concern for me and for your efforts in the matter of the Wrocław chair. The chair of the theory of literature suits me perfectly, of course, but as (it seems to me) I have already written to you, I am being detained at the moment in the States by the education of the children, a contract with Smith College where I have lectured for 6 years – yes, and by other matters which would take a long time to recount. I recently learned that the Ministry of Education has announced a call for professors in exile to either inform them, by February 1947, of the date of their arrival during the current academic year, or to send ‘substantiated requests’ for leave. All that can be done at the moment, then, while accepting the chair in Poland in principle, is to send a request for leave, at least for this year. Maybe by summer my situation will be cleared up.

I have had no news of your sister. I once again inquired into the matter of immigration from Mexico and was told the same thing, i.e. that refugees from Europe had priority. I know a Polish farmer here who wants to bring an entire Polish family from Mexico; he filed ‘affidavits’ for them, but in spite of that they cannot get visas. So, for your sister, entering the country will be difficult, but not completely hopeless. The president of the US as well as the government and powerful Amer. organisations are thinking about changing the immigration laws and admitting hundreds of thousands of refugees to the US. So let’s not lose hope.

I’m very glad that you have managed to get out a little into the world. I envy you for working so intensively and it seems like interesting work – I will be very grateful for your sending it to me. Unfortunately, at the moment I can’t repay you for anything. I’m currently working on the contemporary American novel (there are some outstanding authors) and am thinking about an English edition of my Polish Literature, which has come out here in Polish.

Cordial greetings and salutations to the whole family,

Hugs for Pampuś M Kriedl[O1]

[O1]tak? indziej Kridl