Arnold Zweig: copy correspondence to Joyce Weiner

In April 1933, Joyce Weiner was a young free-lance journalist who had recently spent 2 semesters as Hilfslektorin at the University of Leipzig, where the Englisches Seminar was presided over by Professor Levin Schücking. She had many friends in Leipzig and was, therefore, aware of the situation in which the Jewish population found itself. In view of this, she agreed to become the Honorary Secretary of the Hospitality Committee organised by the ladies of the B'nai Brith (in association with the main German Refugees Committee) from the late Mrs E. Layton who had resigned as she was having a baby. At the committee she met many talented and distinguished refugees from Germany, the vanguard being professional people, artists, writers, doctors and scientists etc. Amongst them was Frau Irma Sernau, a well-known fashion editor from Berlin. Because Joyce Weiner was able to render some service to friends of Frau Sernau, that lady desired to make some return. Her sister, Lola Sernau, was, at that time, private secretary to Leon Feuchtwanger, who was, in Sanary with other famous writers. Lola Sernau was good enough to arrange for interviews with four of these writers, it being understood that these would be published in John O'London's Weekly, then a reputable and highly regarded literary paper of a popular nature. This was in the summer of 1933. Her sister had an honoured place among the exiled writers in Ascona, where eventually Irma died and is buried.

Donated April 1980

Donor: Joyce Weiner