The Danish Peace Academy

GANDHI AND NORDIC COUNTRIES

Edited by E. S. Reddy - ereddy@aol.com and Holger Terp

LETTERS TO PUBLISHERS

LETTER TO REV. J.V. BETHMANN, MARCH 5, 1926

Ashram, Sabarmati,

March 5, 1926

Dear friend,

I have your letter. There have been many applications for translation of the autobiography I am writing but I have not yet given to anybody the exclusive right.

The lady from Copenhagen is free to translate it if she is content to do so without claiming an exclusive right.

I thank you and Mrs. Bethmann for your kind enquiry about my health which is progressing.

With regards to yourself and Mrs. Bethmann.

Yours sincerely,

Rev. J.V. Bethmann

20 Miller Road, Kilpauk

Madras

From: SN 19346; Collected Works, Volume 30, page 81

The autobiography was translated into Danish as Mine forsøg med Sandheden [The Story of My Experiment with Thruth]; introduction by Ester Menon and published in 1930. Only the first volume of the autobiography, Navajian Press, 1927, was published in Danish since the company owned by one of the founding members of the Danish chapter of War Resistor's International, Axel Pille, went bankerupt on the experience with publishing Gandhi. The second part of the autobiography has disappeared.

LETTER TO AKSEL F. KNUDSEN, APRIL 24, 1926

Ashram, Sabarmati,

April 24, 1926

Dear friend,

I have your letter. I remember your visit. If you want to translate The Story of My Experiments with Truth for a magazine, you may do so without any difficulty but if you wish to bring out the same in book-form it is a matter somewhat difficult because the MacMillan Company is negotiating for the full copyright and, in any case, there is no hurry about it for it will take some time before the story can be finished.

Yours sincerely,

Aksel F. Knudsen, Esq.

Shanti Geha

Kodaikanal

Madras District¹

From: SN 19495; Collected Works, Volume 30, pages 351-52

LETTER TO AKSEL G. KNUDSEN, DECEMBER 7, 1928

Satyagraha Ashram, Wardha,

December 7, 1928

Dear friend,

I wish indeed that I could at once comply with your request. But it is really almost a physical impossibility. The word `almost' is a polite superfluity. Whilst therefore you have my good wishes, you will please excuse me. But you may select anything you like from my writings for your journal.

Yours sincerely,

Aksel G. Knudsen

Bredgade 90

Skern, Denmark

From: SN 13776; Collected Works, Volume 38, page 173

According to the editors of Porto Novo is the second part the authobiography of Gandhi now published and can be ordered by writing to us. The prize is expected to be around Kr. 12. Porto Novo, 1929 no. 8 pp 198.

LETTER FROM AXEL PILLE, MAY 29, 1929

Daugaard Strand,
Daugaard, Denmark,
May 29, 1929.

Dear Mahatma Gandhi,

I thank you very much for the permittance to translate your books into Danish. With the Autobiography it is so, that your dear friend Mrs. Esther Menon visited our camp last year, and afterwards my friend Bernhard Kjerulff Nielsen and I had talks with her. She asked us to translate the Autobiography, while she would not have the time for this task. We did so, but just as we had written you, she told us, that you had sold the sole rights to your Autobiography to The MacMillan Publishing Co. in New York. I got into touch with this firm, but I have not yet got any final reply. I now would like to know, if this is not too much work for you to answer, if The MacMillan really has the rights for all the world or how it is. If the firm not has the rights to other than English-speaking countries, I would like to help you to find translators in different European countries, who not only looks on your books as business matters, but also values the deep thoughts of them, and that those books also must help India in its fight for freedom not only through their spiritual value, but also through the income of the sale. I do not like to write so much about business matters, which I do not like at all, but I should like to know something about this, while I would like to help you in your fight for the freedom of India because I find it a shame not only for England but for all Europe, those conditions, which reigns throughout the colonies.

I have moved away from Copenhagen, the work here is a work for vegetarism and for youth. As last year, when Mr. Mrs. Menon visited us, we are also this year to have a camp, and I had hoped that this place should have the honour to be one of the places, where you would come and have “quiet talks with the youth of the West,” but I understand well enough, that the fight for the freedom of India is more important than your visit to Europe, and not alone more important to India itself, but also to all other countries. I do know, that Indian students in London, with whom I am in close touch, will come to our camp, I also know that most of them coming here will be your followers, but I should be glad indeed, if I could welcome one of your special representatives in Europe here at this place or even only have a message from you, because I know that the youth coming here all will stand together with you in the fight against imperialism and in the work for non-violence.

Please, excuse me for taking your time with this long letter, but if I only could do something for you –

Yours humble servant

(sd.) Axel Pille

Source: SN15222

[There is handwritten note in Gujarati, probably by an assistant to Gandhi, which I do not understand]

LETTER TO DR. KRISTIAN SCHJELDERUP, SEPTEMBER 29, 1931

88 Knightsbridge,

London, W.,

September 29, 1931

Dear friend,

I thank you for your letter of the 21st inst. I do not know if Norway is abandoned altogether.

In any case you will please forgive me for not writing you the article you want;¹⁵ I have not a moment to spare. If I do not come at all to Norway, you will perhaps write to me again and I might be able to write you something.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Kristian Schjelderup

The University of Oslo

Norway

From: SN17810; Collected Works, Volume 48, page 89.

LETTER TO PAUL SANDEGREN, JULY 9, 1926

The Ashram, Sabarmati,

July 9, 1926

Dear friend,

I have your letter for which I thank you. I shall be prepared to give the publishing house you mention the right of publication of the autobiography that is now being published in Young India. The first part of it will be presently published in India in a revised condition. Will the publishers want to publish the translation of the first part? And, if so, will they mention the terms they desire to offer for the Swedish edition?

Yours sincerely,

Rev. Paul Sandegren

Church of Sweden Mission

Kungstensgatan 5

Stockholm

From: SN 32257; Collected Works, Volume 91, page 375

LETTER FROM SVENSKA KYRKANS DIAKONISTYRELSES BOKFORLAG, FEBRUARY 8, 1928

Stockholm,

February 8, 1928

Dear Sir,

Referring to Rev. Paul Sandegren’s correspondence with you as to the Swedish rights to your Autobiography, we now, the first volume of the said work having appeared in English, beg you kindly to grant us your formal permission.

Rev. Sandegren acting as our agent offered you ?10.0.0/Ten pounds/ and your reply was favourably disposed towards such an agreement.

We should be very thankful if you trusted us to bring out your Autobiography in Sweden. We are planning a first edition of 2000/Two thousand/copies. Would a second edition be needed, we of course are willing to pay you further ?10.0.0/Ten pounds/ for the same number of copies.

We are thankfully looking forward to your favourable reply and remain,

Yours faithfully

Aktiebolaget Svenska Kyrkans

Diakonistyrelses Bokforlag

(sd.) Per Hasselrot Rev.

Mahatma M.K. Gandhi,

Ahmedabad

India

Source: SN15033

LETTER TO SVENSKA KYRKANS DIAKONISTYRELSES BOKFORLAG, JUNE 8, 1928

Satyagraha Ashram,

Sabarmati,

June 8, 1928

Messrs Svenka Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses Bokforlag

Stockholm 7

Gentlemen,

With reference to your letter of the 8th February, you are at liberty to publish an unabridged Swedish translation of the first volume of the "Story of My Experiments with Truth".

Any payment you make will be utilised for the furtherance of some of my public activities.

Yours faithfully,

From: SN 15024; Collected Works, Volume 36, page 377

LETTER FROM SVENSKA KYRKANS DIAKONISTYRELSES BOKFORLAG,
SEPTEMBER 27, 1928

Stockholm

September 27, 1928.

Dear Sir,

Red. Paul Sandegren wrote you last year on our behalf regarding the Swedish rights to your autobiography which was to be issued at the beginning of this year. Kindly enough you was favourably disposed towards a Swedish translation and you also wrote him about the question. On appearance of the English edition we wrote you on the 8^th February this year asking you for a formal authorisation of a Swedish translation to be published by us.

But as we have not had the pleasure of hearing from you we now allow ourselves to ask you once more to authorise us to translate and to publish your Autobiography in the Swedish language. Kindly name us also your economical terms for the transaction. As a suggestion oursides a sum of ? 10./Ten pounds/ has been named as fee for an edition of 2000 /Two Thousand/ copies. With the greatest thankfulness we should like to hear your opinion regarding this matter. We are eagerly hoping to be allowed to begin with the publication as soon as possible and are vividly looking forward to your favourable reply.

Yours faithfully

Aktiebolaget Svenska Kyrkans

Diakonistyrelses Bokforlag

(sd.) Per Hasselrot Rev.

Source: SN12783

LETTER TO SVENSKA KYRKANS DIAKONISTYRELSES, BOKFORLAG, OCTOBER 26, 1928

Satyagraha Ashram, Sabarmati,

October 26, 1928

Messrs Svenska Kyrkans Diakonistyrelses, Bokforlag,

Stockholm 7 (Sweden)

Dear friend,

I have your letter. I am surprised that you have not yet received my letter. The purport of my letter was that you were at liberty to translate the Autobiography in the Swedish language and that whatever you sent me would be utilised for some public purpose.

Yours sincerely,

From: SN 12783; Collected Works, Volume 37, page 397

LETTER TO PER HASSELROT, NOVEMBER 8, 1929

Camp Hathras,

November 8, 1929

Dear freind,

I have your letter as also the sum mentioned in it by you. I enclose herewith the form sent by you duly receipted. The second volume of My Experiments with Truth may be translated by you whenever you wish to upon the same terms as the first.

Yours faithfully,

Encl. 1

Per Hasselrot, Esq.

Postgiro 675, Stockholm 7.

From: SN 15652; Collected Works, Volume 42, page 120

Letter [addressed to “Mr. Gandhi’s private secretary”] from S. Lonnberg, September 12, 1931

STOCKHOLMS-TIDNINGEN

London Office:

24, Bride Lane, E.C. 4.

Dear Sir,

On behalf of my paper, the Stockholms-Tidningen in Stockholm, Sweden, I write to you to ask you if it could be possible for me to get a signed picture of Mahatma Gandhi with a few words of greetings to our readers, among which Mr. Gandhi has many admirers.

If Mr. Gandhi, as I hope, would be kind enough to let me have a picture with his signature and if possible a few words in English as greetings, I should very much appreciate if you could send it to me under the above address: Mr. S. Lonnberg, Stockholms-Tidningen, 24 Bride Lane, London, E.C.4. India and Indian questions have always been followed with the keenest interest in Sweden and since Rabindranath Tagore in 1913 was awarded the Swedish Nobel prize in Literature the Swedish public, and especially our readers, have always highly esteemed all things about and from India.

Thanking you on beforehand,

I am, Yours

S. Lonnberg

To Mr. Gandhi’s private secretary

Kingsley Hall Settlement

Bow, E.

Source: SN18220

Notes

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