Brief von Frieda Harris an Karl Germer, 02.Januar 1948

Nach dem Tod von Aleister Crowley am 01.12.1947 herrschte ziemliche Ratlosigkeit wer denn nun Nachfolger Crowleys sei. Frieda Harris (Marguerit Frieda Harris, geb. Bloxham, geb. 1888, gest. 11.05.1962), bekannt durch ihre Zeichnungen des Crowley Tarots, war die engste Vertraute von Aleister Crowley zum Zeitpunkt seines Todes. Der Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) bestand in England praktisch nur auf dem Papier.   
Am 02.01.1948 schreibt sie folgenden Brief an Karl Germer (Frater Saturnus, Karl Johannes Germer, geb. 22.01.1885 in Elberfeld (heute Stadtteil von Wuppertal), gest. 25.10.1962 in Jackson, Kalifornien, USA, dem späteren Nachfolger Crowleys als O.H.O. (Outer Head of the Order) und Oberhaupt des amerikanischen O.T.O.1 (nach dem Tod Germers war der O.T.O. von 1962-1969 führungslos, da auch er keinen Nachfolger benannte) studierte Maschinen-Bau an einem deutschen Technikum, wurde im 1. Weltkrieg von der Deutschen Wehrmacht eingezogen und erhielt das Eiserne Kreuz, 1. und 2. Klasse. Später arbeitete er beim Münchner O.W. Barth Verlag. Er gründete zusammen mit Martha Küntzel den Thelema-Verlag in Leipzig und publizierte etliche Schriften Crowleys. Am 13.02.1935 wurde er wegen Verbreitung von okkulter Schriften von der Gestapo verhaftet und für 10 Monate ins Gefängnis Alexanderplatz und dann ins Konzentrationslager Esterwegen im Emsland verbracht. Er floh über England nach Dublin und zog nach Brüssel, von wo er am 10.05.1940 nach Frankreich deportiert wurde. Nach seiner Entlassung am 01.02.1941 immigrierte er in die USA), in dem sie Gerald B. Gardner als "Head of the O.T.O. in Europe" (mit seiner Anschrift in Tennessee, wo er zu dieser Zeit auf Besuch war) bezeichnet. Sie war sich zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht einmal mehr sicher, ob sie selbst Mitglied im O.T.O. sei.   

(Abschrift inkl. der Tippfehler:)

 

3, Devonshire Terrace,
Marylebone High St.,
London W.1.

January 2, 1948.

 

Dear Mr. Germer,

Thank you very much for your letter of 26th December. Before coming to the extremely involved matter of A.C.'s finances, may I answer the other points you raise?
The printers' address is Guy and Sons, 82 High St., Hastings, and a Mr. Jones is dealing with the matter.
The Watson you refer to is Mr. H. Watson, the Ridge Stores, The Ridge, Hastings. I'm sure he would be very grateful for any token of appreciation you might care to make, but I would suggest either a cheque or a gift, as you think most suitable, to the value of, say, £15.
A.C. had among his affects a sum of about £400, which he regarded as a kind of trust fund. It may be that this money belongs to you, and if so, it would be well for you to claim it, as otherwise the Official Receiver will get it, A.C. being an undischarged bankrupt. This is the only substantial sum of money to be found. The debts outstanding at the moment are: Funeral expense, £50, Nurse and Watson, £17, Doctor's fees £50, Hotel bill £50. There will also be legal expenses. Some of A.C.'s belongings are in store, and the bill has accumulated to the tune of some £45. It is questionable whether it is worth while paying the bill in order to get them, or whether it would not be as well to abandon them. John Symonds has been to see them and says that there is very little there.
The £104 you mention as owing to the printer does not include the cost of binding the book, nor does it include the cost of the dust-jacket which A.C. was anxious to have done.
There is very little we can do until probate of the will has been obtained, and the legal position is a bit clearer, but would you be good enough to let me know, by return airmail, anything you may know about the £400. If it is yours, you might be ready to allow me to use it to meet the outstanding debts.
With kindest regards, and best wishes for 1948,

Yours Sincerely

Frieda Harris

handschriftliches Postscript:

I think I am a member of the O.T.O.
I used to get the Word of the Equinox.
G.B.Gardiner, 282 Strathmoore Circle Memphis 12 Tenn. is head of the O.T.O. in Europe - Dr. W.B.Crow, 227 Glenfield Road Western Park Leicester has authority from A.C. to work the O.T.O. & the Gnostic Catholic Church. Would you write to him. also G. Waal Fitzgerald 24 Belsize Road N.W6. seems to have been asked to initiate Mr. Gardiner & may be a member Pat McAlpine is a dignified young woman, generally attached to A.C. She is separated but the husband has disappeared. She had money but I think she has quarreled with her Mother & may not have much. She has 2 children by her husband and an adopted little girl They are all nice children but I found Aleister very charming. He refuses to learn to read, he has his own ideas, he complained of dark forms around the house the 2 days before Aleister died. It shows the child is lovable but I think for the moment the less he is confused by his origin the better. He should be more normal Mrs. McAlpine, c/o Mrs. Valentine. Woodside House. Woodside. Cougar Angus. Scotland She is not the kind of woman who would ask for money even if she needs it.

1 Kopie der Ernennung Germers zum Repräsentanten Crowleys in den USA vom 18.01.1941