59/08

From Karl Polanyi
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KPI Description

To Ilona - 19 September 1947

Confidential - To share with no one

[236] Dear Ilko, when {Marika} was here she told me she was engaged in {casting} (and {communicating} on) {Mucsi}'s literary work. She came across the Bohemian quotation. I told her of the English pamphlet & how very strongly you reached to all that. This might be an occasion for you to rectify should you really feel like it. On your Canadian visit you could deal with this too. For many bona fide person, freedom is very real in the English world, not excluding this country. Also we would start making new plans for permanent reunion, which would be all the more [237] urgent should we now turn out to agree less than before. My own conclusions which the world knows and respects, are unshakeable, {midee} {at} they are stranger than ever. Incidentally, in Toronto, I gather you might be able to continue on your academic research work. Also there is here the largest genuinely Hungarian groups in existence.

We have disagreed before, but as long as there is true mutual confidence between us, and you remain a truly independent person we need not to despair to cool deliberate mastery of life is the only thing that can save us. I see no other hope, I am convinced, there is none (nor do I really believe that are truly deserve to be saved on other terms). Of course, all such plans need time to mature. I [238] thought of such long term plans at once, but until I know your mind is stable and constant. I have not sufficient confidence to base prospects of future places on them. I need cool {sag}, I don't believe anybody but ourselves is able to judge of the true inner conclusions of life of you and me. In these depths even the purest heart, sharpened mind and was___ friend is a helpless {dilettante/deliberate}. Think well and love me. Love me and think well. I trust you.

The Dicki Grad

To Ilona - 20 September 1947

First Letter

Confidential - To share with no one [242] Dear Ilko,

when {Marika} was here she told me she was engaged in publishing (and writing about) Gyurgi's work. She came, accross your 'Neuer Weg' article (in Bohemean, I suppose). {Itoerow} of Gollanz's pamphlet and your very strong realism towards {thrist}. I believe this might be an excellent _______ for you to {publing} rectify anything your felt needed rectification on this score. Should you now come to {towads} could deal with this, too. Aeivgother, you should not nuderate the value of the {freeknis} still maintained [243] in the British world, and - in actual fact - even overthere; they are very considerable (the Consul's threats mean very little, since there are simple ways to eliminate them altogether.)

However, once over here, or in Canada we could start making new plans for reunion ({Kemancy Baust}'s wife has just been back to Hungary and {Halevy} has been there 3 times, recently). Altogether, a cool & deliberate masters of life which comes from {inner}. Clarity is the only thing that can save us. I see no other hope, I am convinced that there is none (nor do I {tny} {belcene} that we deserved to be saved on other terms).

Of course all such plans need time to nature. I thought of them at once, but {nutess} have more clearly whether I [244] can rely on you absolutely I have not sufficient confidence to leave prospects of future plans on them. Another piece of informations on which I cannot now amplify is that in Canada you might expect to be able to get research work on your own lines.

Incidentally, it is the only comity outside Hungary with a really large & highly active Hungarian progressive group in existence. I need not say that I do not believe anybody but ourselves is able to judge of the true miners convictions of life, of you & {we}. In this vast field even the purest heart + {warmeal} of friends is a mere dilettante. Brinck well and love me. Love me and think well. I {tued} you.

Dicki Grad

Second Letter

On Tuesday I'll have your cable on meeting in Canada. Once that's secured, it might be even left over a while - maybe you get a cheap sailing - since we now need our money as never before.

I'll try and see Julishka {om} since she's over here.

To Ilona - 23 September 1947

My own -

Last night your cable arrived that we would stand together. The blood is not flowing from me anymore, my mind is healing up, I am myself again, I live, breathe, hope and work.

Time will clear up its contents and the truth will reveal its ways. Then I will know what saved us, who saved us and will understand why the two are one.

Panamerican will let have anytime the L___ New York Toronto round trip ticket, for which I pay here same $ 620 or so, the ticket [254] will then be mailed to your L____ address, you make your reservation yourself. […]

As soon as the documents arrive, I'll take up the matter with Chamberlain again, and, prepare us in the light of his advice, for the steps {have}.

You must consider every step, also from the angle of eventual immigration …

[258] My position at Columbia need not be [259] affected by the development since your visit to Canada with ____ about a ____ of normalization of the situation (my opponents will not be able to press the point and {tue}: you cannot make KP permanent, this decision is due very soon, since he cannot stay anyway his wife having stayed in Europe for good). From this angle all is will as long as you are preparing to go to Canada. However, I leave all this to you. Only you can judge the situation in its essentials. Your {wire} has also completely removed the hidden weakness of my position, and opened up the {proud/grand} avenue of for true solutions. Our life will widen out again as we are secure in one another.

{LonMreight}

Give a kiss to my daughter.

Dicki

To Ilona - 24 September 1947

Darling sister,

Two events happened today in my life of work: a student who had made ___ of my sociological draft and is leaving for Palestine to write her thesis on communist agricultural settlements, unexpectedly sent me a brief paper with a complete elaboration of the application of my ____ + definitions to her future field! They ___ is not a student of mine had {hanty} {rpohen} to her; she had p___ made notes of my draft whing I refused to leave with her.

I regard this as the experimentum crucis. It proves fully the relevance of the new approach.

In the afternoon I discovered a paper written in 1924, and presented to the Prussian Academy, which completely bears out my theory on primitive feudalism & "feudalism of {deoy}" which I intend to make my chief ___ of study.

[261] The man had broken into the sanctum, but ____ I have the key. I possess the key, but was not certain what I would find in the sanctum. Actually I now know what my _______ was correct. But of course my explanation is much simplest and its inexplications are highly relevant to our time.

This was a wonderful day.

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