95 - ZWEIG (Stefan). Signed letter, in German, to the publisher Simon Kra. Salzburg, June 18, 1927. 1 typewritten folio page, with a printed letterhead bearing his monogram and address.

ZWEIG (Stefan). Signed letter, in German, to the publisher Simon Kra. Salzburg, June 18, 1927. 1 typewritten folio page, with a printed letterhead bearing his monogram and address. “... It pains me greatly that I was unable to achieve anything in the matter concerning Rolland. I wrote to him not just once, but several times, and truly out of the most sincere conviction that this matter was really not that important. But I assure you that there is no personal animosity involved. Not at all! IT IS SIMPLY ROLLAND’S WAY TO FIGHT A CAUSE TO THE END WHEN HE CONSIDERS IT WRONG. I APPRECIATE THIS EXAMPLE SO MUCH IN MATTERS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT I MUST ALSO RESPECT IT IN MINOR MATTERS. But, as I said, I have written him at least five letters on this matter... » Translation: “It pains me greatly that I was unable to achieve anything in the Rolland affair. I wrote to him not just once, but several times, and truly with the sincere conviction that the issue itself was really not that important. But I assure you that there is truly no personal opposition on his part. Absolutely not! IT IS SIMPLY ROLLAND’S WAY OF FIGHTING TO THE END AGAINST SOMETHING HE CONSIDERS UNJUST. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR HIS EXAMPLE IN THE MOST IMPORTANT MATTERS THAT I MUST ALSO RESPECT HIM IN MINOR DETAILS. But, as I said, I wrote him at least five letters on this matter... ” STEFAN ZWEIG HELD ROMAIN ROLLAND IN HIGH ESTEEM AND FRIENDSHIP, and was committed to promoting his work and his pacifist ideas in the German-speaking world. Their relationship, however, cooled in the 1930s over differences in political convictions.