Erika Mann and Therese Giehse, 1968
Erika Mann and Therese Giehse, 1968
Erika Mann and Therese Giehse had gone their separate ways following the failure of the “Pepper Mill” in the USA and Therese Giehse's return to Switzerland, but they resumed their friendship following Erika Mann's return in 1952. For her 70th birthday (6 March 1968), Erika Mann wrote a marvellous tribute to the great actress that was broadcast on the Bavarian radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk and printed in modified form in the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. This mainly recalls the Pfeffermühle era:
“On 1 January – 29 days before the new Chancellor took office – we started a cabaret at the Bonbonnière in Munich, you, Magnus Henning, our musician, Klaus and I. – What did we want? To fight the Nazis. So we said we were literary. Out of circumspection and because that was what we were, unavoidably, incurably, by nature. We gave extremely aggressive performances and enjoyed the most glorious success – until the Reichstag burnt down. But that didn’t stop us performing that evening. Only then came exile, which was to be our home from then on for who knew how long. We weren’t at home anywhere, only everywhere.”
Erika Mann: Therese Giehse zum 70. Geburtstag. In: Blitze überm Ozean. Hrsg. von Irmela von der Lühe und Uwe Naumann. Reinbek 2000, S.449–461, hier S.452f.
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