DLA019-0099  Translation

The Prime Minister’s Office

Budapest, 25th April 1930.

My Dear Good Philip,

As the Prime Minister^[1] and Count István Bethlen spent the Easter holidays in Italy, and the Political Undersecretary of State has gone to Bozen [Bolzano] to get a rest from his labours, I had to stay in Budapest with my family.  

I enclose some press cuttings for you. I asked Vértesy, the Chef de Cabinet of the Regent’s Office, to allow the Regent’s^[2] congratulatory telegram to you to be published in the newspapers. This had the greatest effect both in artistic circles and in the Ministry of Education, as they were able to see the esteem with which he congratulated you. This is what the newspaper cuttings are about. Ruttkay,^[3] the Hungarian Consul in Barcelona who was the Hungarian delegate at the World Exhibition, came to see me today. He related to me everything that he had already told you in Barcelona. Ruttkay emphasised that Béla Déry^[4] was always very loyal in his actions and that he expressed himself very favourably about your work. I am very pleased that you were awarded the Grand Prix and I congratulate you again. Ruttkay told me that he took great pains to ensure that your pictures should be hung in the best places, and he said that [Frances?] the Spanish Academician also made sure that, as England was not officially represented, you should receive the Grand Prix in the Hungarian Pavilion. According to Ruttkay none of the other artists was awarded a Grand Prix – you were the first.   Ruttkay declared that he knew we were good friends and how much I admire you, and this is why he thought it important to tell me all this personally. Tasziló Festetics will be 80 on the 5th May 1930.^[5] You and Lucy^[6] should send him a congratulatory telegram. His address is: His Highness Prince Tasziló Festetics, Budapest, Esszterházy utca 36. I should very much like to visit London and Paris this year, but because I am so busy in my office it is hardly likely to be possible.   At most I might be able to get to Paris for a few days. I have not had any leave since the middle of July last year. I didn’t lose even one day due to illness and I was only in Paris for four days in November on official business. I shall spend the month of July together with my wife and son in Switzerland, in St. Moritz.^[7] In August I have to be here in Budapest because of the festival of St. Imre. Old Gyula Forster’s^[8] second son, Baron Pál Forster, who was Hungarian Ambassador in Belgrade for a few years and who has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the past half year, told his mother and father one day that he is getting married the same day, and he married a 32 year old Austrian girl. He is aged 52. The “Baron” did not tell his relatives of his decision. He is now on his honeymoon; it is said that his wife is wealthy. I spoke to his younger brother. He didn’t tell his brother either, so he didn’t congratulate him. Please convey my hand-kiss and my respects to Dear Lucy.

[The following in English in the margin of page 4] We lunched today at the British Legation with Mr. Montgomery, who is in the Foreign Office in London.^[9] [the following in Hungarian]  …your true friend,  

Pista^[10] Bárczy

Editorial Note:

István Bárczy de Bárcziháza (1882-1952), Private Secretary to successive Hungarian Prime Ministers, later Permanent Undersecretary of State in the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, and close friend of de László; for biographical notes, see [111342].

Pd’O  

30/03/2006