Book Reviews - Review 371

I have to begin this review of the autobiography of the artist and writer Fred Uhlman (1901 - 1985) by adding the sub-title "Erinnerungen eines deutschen Juden" (Memoirs of a German Jew) of the German edition, which I was obliged to read, as the out of print English original (Gollancz, 1960) proved inaccessible. This represents an ironic reversal because initially, in keeping with prevailing attitudes in the early years of the Federal Republic, no German publisher was interested and the first German edition only appeared in 1992 thanks to the Municipal Archive of Uhlman's native city of Stuttgart. A publication in the GDR would have been impossible because of the author's anti-communism. Finally, in relation to the title, it should be noted that England only enters the narrative about three quarters of the way through when Uhlman begins to recount his experiences following his arrival in Britain in 1936. Moreover, his main narrative stops with the end of the war in 1945.

Given the period in question, this autobiography is unsurprisingly a social history with several important themes running through the book. One is inevitably anti-Semitism, since it was Nazi racial policy, together with his association with the Social Democratic Party, which forced Uhlman into exile. Whilst being aware of latent prejudices, he speaks of not suffering much himself in his early years. As for Jews in general, he sees Zionists as a small minority, with most not being particularly observant and more intent on showing their identification with Germany. In a postscript he notes that Siegfried and Sigmund became almost exclusively Jewish names. Recalling his student days, he recounts that Jewish fraternities, even if their existence was a sign of discrimination, indulged in as much drinking and bad behaviour as any others.

An arguably related topic, if one thinks of Kafka, is Uhlman's relationship with his father, like Kafka's a physically strong man. He would not allow his son to study anything as impractical as History of Art but reluctantly accepted Law. When Fred became moderately successful and bought a car, his father threatened to disown him, as such ostentation went against family traditions. He duly obeyed.

Uhlman's legal career ended with emigration, clearly another topic of major interest. As the only member of his immediate family to take such a step, he became the only survivor, his parents and his sister, like so many others, blinded by their trust in Germany, delaying such a step for too long. He confesses that without Hitler he would not have become an artist and writer. The relevant sections of the book show that this was not achieved without difficulties. He settled in England only after uncertain periods in other countries. In England, too, he faced complications, being interned on the Isle of Man during wartime. The account of this time is one of the most fascinating parts of the book. Given the number of academics interned, there might be a choice between lectures on Chinese theatre or Etruscan language. One incident recalled is an exchange between the Dada artist Kurt Schwitters and a Viennese businessman consisting of dog-like barking.

Another gripping account is that of his meeting with his future father-in-law Sir Henry Page Croft, a xenophobic Conservative politician. It was love for his daughter, whom he met in France, that brought him to Britain, a country of which he knew little. The latter part of the book shows how incomprehension, not least about the underestimation of Hitler, gave way to respect. This is expressed in the Conclusion, which speaks of honesty, decency, political maturity and fairness, whilst regretting a lack of intensity.

I hope to have shown at least that Uhlman's autobiography would be worthy of a new English edition, not to mention translations into other languages. At the wider political and cultural levels, my personal conclusion, which applies to Uhlman and so many contemporaries, would be a variation on Brecht: "Unhappy the land that cannot see the benefits of immigration."

Review by Stuart Parkes