Authors: Irene Nemirovsky
Dear Monsieur Esménard, my brother-in-law told me that you gave him the 24,000 francs you were to send me on 30 June. Thank you so much for your extreme kindness towards me.
Michel Epstein to the Sous-Préfet of Autun
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2 September 1941
I have received a letter from Paris informing me that anyone categorised as Jewish may not leave the village where he resides without permission from the authorities.
I find myself in this situation, along with my wife, since, even though we are Catholics, we are of Jewish descent. I therefore am taking the liberty of requesting that you please authorise my wife, born Irène Némirovsky, as well as myself, to spend six weeks in Paris where we also have a home, 10 avenue Constant-Coquelin, for the period from 20 September to 5 November 1941.
This request is made as my wife needs to sort out some business with her publisher, visit the ophthalmologist who has always treated her, as well as seeing the doctors who care for us, Professor Vallery-Radot and Professor Delafontaine. We intend to leave our two children, aged four and eleven, in Issy and, of course, we would like to be sure that there will be no problem returning to Issy, once we have attended to our affairs in Paris.
Doctor in Issy: A. Bendit-Gonin.
From the
Progrès de l’Allier
no. 200 8 August 1941
SOVIET, LITHUANIAN, ESTONIAN AND LATVIAN RESIDENTS ORDERED TO REPORT TO REGIONAL GERMAN HEADQUARTERS
Every male resident over the age of fifteen of Soviet, Lithuanian, Estonian or Latvian extraction, as well as those who are stateless but who previously held Soviet, Lithuanian, Estonian or Latvian citizenship, are ordered to report in person to their Regional German Headquarters with their identity papers no later than Saturday 9 August 1941 (noon). Anyone who does not report in person will be penalised according to the decree concerning this order.
The Field Commandant.
Irène Némirovsky to Robert Esménard 9 September 1941
I have finally rented the house I wanted here, which is comfortable and has a lovely garden. I am moving in on 11 November if these Gentlemen don’t get there first for we are once again expecting them.
Irène Némirovsky to Robert Esménard 13 October 1941
I was happy to receive your letter this morning, not just because it confirms my hope that you will do everything possible to help me, but also because it reassures me that someone is thinking about me, which is a great comfort.
As you can imagine, life here is very sad, and if it weren’t for my work . . . Even the work becomes painful when the future is so uncertain . . .
Irène Némirovsky to André Sabatier
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14 October 1941
My dear friend, I was very touched by your kind letter. Please do not think that I underestimate either your friendship or M. Esménard’s; on the other hand, I perfectly understand the difficulties of the situation. Up until now, I have shown as much patience and courage as I could possibly muster. But, what can you do, there are moments which are very difficult. These are the facts: impossible to work and must be responsible for four people’s lives. Added to that are stupid humiliations—I cannot go to Paris; I cannot have even the most basic necessities sent here, such as blankets, beds for the children etc., my books. A general and absolute prohibition has been declared regarding the apartments inhabited by people like me. I’m not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me, but to explain to you why my thoughts can only be dark [. . .]
Robert Esménard to Irène Némirovsky 27 October 1941
I have explained your situation to my father-in-law and have also shown him the letters you recently sent me.
As I have told you, A. Michel only wishes to be of service to you in any way possible and he has asked me to offer you a monthly payment of 3,000 francs for the year 1942 which is the same amount he was sending you when it was still possible to publish your works and sell them regularly. Please be so kind as to confirm your agreement.
However, I must point out to you that in accordance with very precise instructions we received from the Syndicat des Éditeurs (Publishers’ Union) regarding the interpretation of directives included in the German Decree of 26 April, article 5, we find ourselves in the position of being required to send all royalties received from the sale of Jewish authors’ works to their “blocked account.” According to this principle, it is stated that “publishers must pay royalties to Jewish authors by sending them to their bank account after receiving confirmation from the bank that the account is blocked.”
In addition, I am returning the letter you received from GIBE Films (a copy of which I have kept). According to information I received from a reliable source, a project of this type can only be undertaken if the author of the book to be adapted to the screen is of Aryan origin, both in this zone and the other.
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I can therefore only be involved in such a project when the author whose work is to be made into a film provides me with the most formal guarantee on this point.
Irène Némirovsky to Robert Esménard 30 October 1941
I have just received your letter offering me a monthly payment of 3,000 francs for the year 1942. I greatly appreciate Monsieur Michel’s attitude towards me. I am truly most grateful both to him and to you; the faithful friendship you both have shown me is as precious to me as the material support you wish to give me by doing this. However, you know that if this money must be held in a blocked bank account, it would be of no use to me whatsoever.
I wonder if under the circumstances, it would not be simpler to send the monthly payments to my friend, Mlle Dumot,
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who lives with me and is the author of a novel entitled
Les Biens de ce Monde
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whose manuscript is with Monsieur Sabatier. [. . .]
Mlle Dumot is definitely Aryan and can give you any proof of this you may require. I have known her since I was a child and if she could come to an agreement with you about the monthly payments, she would look after my interests. [. . .]
Telegram from Michel Epstein to R. Esménard and A. Sabatier 13 July 1942
Irène suddenly taken today destination Pithiviers
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(Loiret)—hope you can intercede urgently—trying to telephone no success.
Michel Epstein.
Telegram from R. Esménard and A. Sabatier to Michel Epstein July 1942
Just received your telegram. Immediately making joint effort by Morand, Grasset, Albin Michel. Yours.
Irène Némirovsky’s final two letters:
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Toulon S/Arrox 13 July 1942—5 o’clock
[written in pencil and legible]
My dearest love, for the moment I am at the police station where I ate some blackcurrants and redcurrants while waiting for them to come and get me. It is most important to stay calm, I believe it won’t be for very long. I thought we could also ask Caillaux and Father Dimnet for help. What do you think?
I shower my darling daughters with kisses, tell Denise to be good and sensible . . . You are in my heart, as well as Babet, may the good Lord protect you. As for me, I feel calm and strong.
If you can send me anything, I think my second pair of glasses are in the other suitcase (in the wallet). Books please, and also if possible a bit of salted butter. Goodbye my love!
Thursday morning—July 1942 Pithiviers
[written in pencil and legible]
My dearest love, my cherished children, I think we are leaving today. Courage and hope. You are in my heart, my loved ones. May God help us all.
Michel Epstein to André Sabatier 14 July 1942
I tried to reach you by telephone yesterday without success. I have sent both you and Monsieur Esménard a telegram. The police took my wife away yesterday. It appears she is going to the concentration camp in Pithiviers (Loiret).
Reason: general order against stateless Jews between the ages of sixteen and forty-five. My wife is Catholic and our children are French. Can anything be done to help her?
André Sabatier’s reply
In any case will need several days. Yours Sabatier.
André Sabatier to J. Benoist-Méchin, 15 July 1942
Secretary of State to the Vice President of the Council of Ministers
Our author and friend I. Némirovsky has just been taken to Pithiviers from Issy-l’Évêque where she was living. Her husband has just informed me of this. A white Russian (Jewish as you know), never been involved in any political activities, a novelist of very great talent, having always paid the greatest tribute to her adopted country, mother of two little girls aged five and ten. I beg you to do everything you can. Thank you in advance and yours very truly.
Telegram from Michel Epstein to R. Esménard and A. Sabatier 16 July 1942
My wife must be at Pithiviers by now—Think useful to intercede at the regional police headquarters in Dijon—
Sous-Préfet
Autun and authorities Pithiviers. Michel Epstein.
Telegram from Michel Epstein to Robert Esménard 16 July 1942
Thank you dear friend—I put my hope in you. Michel Epstein.
Telegram from Michel Epstein to André Sabatier 17 July 1942
Counting on you to send telegram with news good or bad. Thank you dear friend.
Lebrun
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to Michel Epstein—Telegram 17 July 1942
Pointless sending package as haven’t seen your wife.
Telegram from Michel Epstein to André Sabatier 18 July 1942
No news of my wife—Don’t know where she is—Try to find out and tell me truth by telegram—with advance notice can phone me day or night. ISSY-L’ÉVÊQUE.
Telegram from Abraham Kalmanok
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to Michel Epstein 20 July 1942
Did you send Irène’s medical certificate—must do so immediately. Send telegram.
Michel Epstein to André Sabatier 22 July 1942
I have received a letter from my wife, from the Pithiviers camp, dated last Thursday, telling me she would probably be leaving for an unknown destination, which I assume is far away. I have sent a telegram, and prepaid reply, to the commandant of the camp, but I have not heard from him. Would your friend possibly have more success, perhaps he could obtain the information they are refusing to give me? Thank you for everything you are doing. Keep me informed, I beg you, even if it’s bad news. Yours truly.
Reply
Have personally seen my friend.
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Will do everything possible.
André Sabatier to Michel Epstein Saturday 24 July 1942
If I haven’t written to you it is because I have nothing precise to tell you at present and I can only bring myself to tell you the kind of things that might lessen your suffering. Everything necessary has been done. I saw my friend again who told me that all we can do now is wait. I pointed out, after receiving your first letter, that your children are French citizens, and after receiving the second letter, of [Irène’s] possible departure from the Loiret camp. I am waiting and this waiting, please believe me, is very
painful
to me as a friend . . . I say this to assure you that I am putting myself in your place! Let us hope that very soon I will have some definite good news to tell you. My heart goes out to you.
Michel Epstein to André Sabatier 26 July 1942
Perhaps we should point out that in my wife’s case they are dealing with a White Russian who never wanted to accept Soviet citizenship, who fled Russia after a great deal of persecution, with her parents whose entire fortune was confiscated. I myself am also in the same position and I am not exaggerating when I calculate that about one hundred million pre-war francs were taken from my wife and myself in Russia. My father was President of the Syndicat des Banques Russes (Union of Russian Banks) and Executive Director of the Bank of Commerce of Azov-Don. The authorities concerned can therefore be assured that we haven’t the slightest sympathy for the current Russian regime. My younger brother, Paul, was a personal friend of the Grand Duke Dimitri of Russia and the Imperial Family living in France was often received by my father-in-law, in particular, Grand Duke Alexander and Grand Duke Boris. Moreover, I would point out to you, if I have not already done so, that the German non-commissioned officers who spent several months living with us, in Issy, left me the following document when they left: