The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters

Tonight is the Osteria Faschings ball, it is wonderfully decorated. Hess & Frau are going to the 2nd one. Now I must scram. Do write soon, & we must go to Berlin.

With best love & Heil Hitler! Bobo

1

Darling Birdie

Thanks ever so much for the postcard.

I am here quite alone except at weekends which gets rather boring. My gov is quite nice and I haven’t done any arithmetic since she came (don’t tell Muv) I can’t imagine why.

I don’t think Decca is enjoying her season much but don’t tell Muv.

Are you excited for the Cruise thing we’re going on?2 I’m not because we’re probably going to Greece and there are going to be lectures on the Greek one which I’m not going to attend if I can help it. I hate lectures. Besides, I thought the whole point of a cruise was the romance on it, not lectures. I shall be having romance while you and the others go to the beastly lectures.

Love from Dawly

Deborah, 1936.

1

Dearest Cheerless,

Thank you for your letter dear, it was quite funny in parts. But poor young gelding what a dull time you must be having. When are you scramming to Scotland?

Everyone in our party has gone from here except us & the slavers.2 The male slaver has taken a terrific hate on me because I told him a lot of lies. Yesterday we went to an extraorder nightclub in a town near here, run by an ex-Folies Bergère lady called Popo (or Pot-pot perhaps). And there are notices on the walls saying things like ‘Popo a soixante ans, elle est garantie pour cent.’3 And she did a dance & took off her jersey. Wasn’t it extraorder. And then she waltzed with Mary Sewell. Nancy didn’t come because she thinks nightclubs boring, & the Sewells (evidently) thought it was because she was shocked by them, & on the way home kept saying ‘I wonder what NANCY would have thought of it!’ Wasn’t it killing.4

I got a ’gram this morning saying I can’t go down the Danube with Tom & Boud, will you tell whoever sent it it was j.n. or jolly nice of them to spend an extra 5d on saying ‘very sorry’?

There are some lousy people called the Grevilles here & the other day they asked Chris & me to go on a picnic with them. But when the time came they simply went without us, wasn’t it rude of them. So we pretended to the others that we had been on the ’nic & that it was heaven with champagne & everything. But when I saw the slaver’s killing old père de famille-ish face believing it all I couldn’t contain my giggles so it all came out. So the s. was simply horrified at me telling such a lie & he said his faith in human nature was shaken. So now we’re always telling him lies like ‘we saw two people fall out of a boat this morning’ & then he says ‘did you really’ & we say ‘no!’ It teases like mad.

Love from Tarty

Dear Bird

Would you send me a letter with a German stamp & an Olympic Games stamp on it like you sent to Muv because Sex Hay1 longs for one. DON’T FORGET.

I’ve started a new National Movement & its slogan is FOOD & DIRT. That’s what we stand for. There are 3 members. It started with Peter Ramsbotham2 & me & then Sex joined.

It’s called Nourishilism.

It’s a very swell movement.

Goodness the weather.

What a silly muddle about the Danube thing. Poor old Squalor will be disappointed again I suppose.3 The whole family is abroad except me. Typical.

Jaky4 sends his love.

Sex has been staying here. Ivan5 has got a job about anti-aircraft intelligence at the Home Office. Isn’t it killing, I mean the intelligence bit. I’m afraid poor England will be beaten in a war if we have Ivan as chief.

Isn’t it wicked about the bombing of the Alhambra. If only all the Spaniards could be converted to Nourishilism it would never have happened. THE BRUTES.

Well DON’T FORGET about the Olympic stamp.

Hail Food!

Hail Dirt!

Hail our leader Ramsbotham!

Yours in National Nourishilism, Dawly

Diana with Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister; Heinrich Hofmann, Hitler’s official photographer; and Albert Speer, the Reich’s chief architect. Haus Wahnfried, Bayreuth, 1936.

Darling:

I have so much to erzähl [tell] and as I can’t sleep I have got up to erzähl it. When I arrived here I felt so ill that I went to bed and took a lot of aspirin, and then I rang up Magda1 and arranged to meet her the next morning, and I rang up the Kit2 and told him about everything being put off.3 Next morning Bill4 came round, and then he left and Magda and I took all the papers and went to the police etc. While we were talking she happened to let it out that the Führer was in Berlin, but she added it would be impossible to see him because he was just off to the manoeuvres. Then she rang up Brückner and said she would like to talk to the Führer for a minute about my affair. We went shopping to get her clothes for Greece and while she was trying on a message came, would she ring Brückner up. She only did so an hour later, it was pure agony because I kept thinking the Führer would have scrammed. However we were asked to go round at 7.30, and in the end we stayed for dinner and saw a lovely film with Lillian Harvey.5

But now I must tell you how sweet the Führer was. He came into the room and made his beloved surprised face, and then he patted my hand and said ‘Es hat mir so eine Freude gemacht, dass Sie sind zum Parteitag gekommen und jeden Tag im Kongress gewesen sind’6 or words to that effect, and he was so wonderful and really seemed pleased we had gone every day, and he said specially to the Schlusskongress, so I said we had been freuing [enjoying] ourselves over that the whole week. He asked after Tom and I said ‘Der Judenknecht is fast National-sozialist geworden’7 and he roared with laughter and said ‘Ihr Bruder ist ein fabelhafter Junge’8 twice over. Isn’t Tom lucky. Then I said we loved the wonderful parades and he said it was the best Parteitag he had ever had because everything had geklappt [worked]. He had noticed Janos.9 He sent you his love; and darling everything is arranged for the 6th, and it is to be in Schwanenwerder10 and the Führer is giving up his day to it and everything is to be done without Joan Glover11 I am so happy now because it all seemed to be hopeless without talking to the Führer first, but now it is all perfect, and not too late for you, is it? I terribly want to bring J[onathan] & D[esmond] over, what do you think? They needn’t know what is going on but I would so love them to be blessed by a glimpse of the Führer. He has gone off last night to the manoeuvres at Kiel or somewhere. He looks in blooming health & his skin is peeling from so much sun.

All love darling, Nardy

Magda is being an angel, and she can talk of nothing but your marvellous attack on Joan Glover and how pleased they all were with you for doing it, that day you know.

Darling

I am sitting in a bower of orchids envying you, because I expect you are still in the Führer’s train. Yesterday was the loveliest and at the same time the most terrible day for me. The wedding itself was so beautiful, and the blick [sight] out of Magda’s window of the Führer walking across the sunny garden from the Reichskanzlei was the happiest moment of my life. I felt everything was perfect, the Kit, you, the Führer, the weather, my dress, Magda, the Standesbeamter [registry clerk], the Doktor, and even Bobbie1 and Bill [Allen]. The Führer’s orchids and Widemann’s roses, and the Kit’s orchids, and the ceremony, and the Führer’s wonderful present,2 and the drive to Schwanenwerder, and the wonderful essen [food], and Magda’s and your sweetness, and Maria’s3 sweetness too; and then your present and the detective reading a detective novel, and the Standesbeamter’s heart beating so loud because he was so happy to see the Führer; but in any case, I could write for ever about that part of the day.

The other part I cannot describe, how they spoilt the meeting for me, and made me late for dinner at the Reichskanzlei, and the Kit’s awful childish behaviour, and the way in which he tried to say everything he could to wound me.4 He succeeded in a way because I had been so happy and excited. However, it is all over now and I shall be frightfully busy today; and tomorrow I shall go to England.

I thought the Führer’s speech was wonderful5 and it was a perfect ending to the day when I blotted out of my mind the sad part.

Well darling, I can never thank you enough for all your sweetness and we will have such a lot to talk over at home. I will send the money.

All love & masses of kisses, Nardy

Darling Nard,

I did so hate having to leave you in such a hurry last night & there were such a lot of things to discuss. I do hope the Kit is less nasty by now; but all the same he didn’t succeed in spoiling the day did he, it was a lovely day wasn’t it. And wasn’t the Winterhilfswerk wonderful, I simply thought the Führer’s speech was one of the best I ever heard him make. He was sweet in the train last night & we had a lot of jokes, he went to bed about 2 but I stayed for ages talking to Gauleiter Wagner1 whom I love like anything, and Hoffmann got terrifically drunk & started telling me how cold English women are. He said he had been ages in England & had only had one affair!

I do hope you will be coming south some time soon when I return. I may not arrive in London till Monday, as the Kreistag lasts till then & Wagner has promised me tickets for everything. I shall hear Frau Scholtz-Klink2 speak, aren’t I lucky.

Well I do hope the Kit is being better now.

With best love & Heil Hitler, Bobo

Darling:

I did not mean to write but I am so bored and miserable that I feel I must. I have been here a week tomorrow and I have been alone the entire time.1 The Führer is here but he is frightfully busy and I haven’t seen him. The only person who has been beloved is Wagner, he is so wonderfully sweet and he said he will ring us up in England just to say ‘Good night sleep well’. But he has gone, ages ago, back to Munich. The real reason why I am writing is because I am worried about Jonathan. He looked so sad when I left and it must seem very long to him. Please darling will you write to him. I can’t you see.2 I have got them their Reichswehr uniforms and a few other things. It is very odd you know but in the summer I spent 10 weeks on end without seeing them, and I didn’t worry about them, but I can hardly bear it this time, I feel sure they think I have forgotten my promise to be back in a very few days.

There was snow when I arrived but now it is warm and horrid. I thought I would come back on Sunday, but now it looks more like being next Sunday.

This letter is as boring as I feel, I am afraid. When I do get back I will ring up, but I expect I shall go straight to the Unexpected.3 I have missed seeing the Kit, he will be there tonight & tomorrow during his tour. Now I shall not see him for more than a week. Altogether everything is vile.

Please wish me luck.

By the way do you remember how we thought we would hate it if the Führer called us good souls? Well Wagner said to me ‘Sie sind ja eine gute Seele’4 and it made my day.

Well goodbye darling, and please write to little Jonathan and say I send him love and a hug and everything; and to Desmond too, though I don’t think he misses me very much. I miss them both so terribly much.

All love darling & Heil Hitler! Nardy

Darling Boud

Peter Rodd is going off to try & find you1 so I am writing this on the chance. I do hope he will find you. I expect you will have realized what agonizing worry the whole family has been in ever since we heard. It was really as if there had been a death in the family when I arrived – it still is, people are always coming round to condole or sending flowers, the house is a bower.

I was in Munich when I heard, oh I was sad, it seemed like my old Boud had died or something, of course I came scramming back at once, but thank goodness I saw my friend2 before I left & he was a perfect angel & comforted me like anything, tho’ he was terribly sad himself about it. When I returned I couldn’t believe that my woolgathering Boud wouldn’t be on the doorstep to greet me. I miss my Boud terribly – more than I would anyone else in the family. Debo keeps saying she is ‘bidding her messengers ride forth, E. & W. & S. & N., to summon her cenoi’.3 Oh Boud do come back & see us all, even if it’s only for a bit. It would make everything so much better. You see ever since you left Muv & Farve haven’t slept, Muv cries all night & Farve has to make her tea, and they both look 10 years older, & Blor’s face has gone all grey & she divides her time between crying & saying ‘Jessica has only taken two pairs of knickers & they are both too small for her & I’m afraid they will burst’. Tom is here nearly all day & when he’s not here he’s ringing up. Poor little Debo has had a dreadful time & misses you dreadfully. DO come back Boud, no one wants to prevent you from marrying Esmond,4 & they are all so unhappy, so is your Boud. I’m dying to see Esmond, & hear all about him, Tina5 knows him so I have heard some. Tina sends her love.

With best love from your Boud

Darling Sue

I got back to find such a mass of things to do that I haven’t time for a long letter.1

I saw the family yesterday & they are miserable. Susan it isn’t very respectable what you are doing & I see their point of view I must say.

Oh dear you were stupid on the platform, those men were quite bamboozled until you got back on the train – battering on my door & asking if you were there. Why didn’t you stop in the cabinet?2

Here is a letter from Rodd. I am inclined to agree with it – after all one has to live in this world as it is & society (I don’t mean duchesses) can make things pretty beastly to those who disobey its rules.

The Daily Express named the wrong ‘peer’s daughter’ and had to pay £1,000 to Deborah for compromising her prospects of marriage.

Susan do come back. No Susan. Well Susan if anything happens don’t forget there is a spare room here (£4.10. bed).

Love from Sue

Darling:

Thank you so much for your lovely long letter. I am so terribly sorry for Muv over everything and I do not blame her for not letting Debo come.1 It is obviously no good to argue that no one need know she has been here. I have left it and did not answer her letter at all because I could not think what to put; but I answered her long and marvellously ausführlich [detailed] letter about her visit to Decca, without mentioning Debo’s visit.

I suppose they will let them be married and I suppose it is better so. Apparently (the Wid rang up and told me this) poor Muv is again plunged in melancholy gloom.

In the mean time the Kit and I spent the long Easter weekend here in a sort of delirium of happiness. You know how that sometimes happens quite unaccountably. We were so happy, the weather was so fine, the landscape so beautiful, the horses such fun, the flowers so pretty, our walks and rides so delightful, and the food so delicious, that really it seemed like Heaven on earth.

I was depressed last week about the Debo thing (as I expect you noticed in my letter) and so it was all the more lovely in a way. After all, my darling Kit is more to me than all the visitors who are not allowed to come here.

You will see from the enclosed Private Document that Beckett & Joyce2 have been too vile for any words. All the others (102 of them) have behaved nobly and written the most wonderful loyal letters etc, but these two are really disgusting rats. I am sending it to you so that if anyone of importance asks you will know the facts. Keep it carefully or send it back.

Do write all about Frank,3 I am sure he is frightfully marling [embarrassing] but I expect he has got a personality – in fact of course he must have. Mr Holme4 wrote me a very terrible marling letter which I must answer.

How LOVELY the new Führer-stamps are. Oh darling I wish you were here there is so much to tell & to hear.

All love Nardy

Darling Boud

Jung va ja leddra.1 I’m glad the stockings are useful.

Your letter is really so extraorder, on reading it over again I can hardly believe you wrote it yourself, it’s so unlike you. However I suppose my good Boud has been changed by recent events.

It’s really hard for me to describe how Aunt Iris & everyone reacted to your scramming, as you ask. You see I didn’t return until after they first heard of it, & when I saw them they were mostly only thinking of the poor Fem & Male & how miserable they were & how they could possibly comfort or help them. But the vile Aunt Weenie2 was heard to remark that it would be better if you were dead! But I know she thinks that about Diana & me too, & has probably often said it.

Boud how extraorder of you to say did I know that Muv went out to see you, of course I knew, a) because otherwise how could I have sent you the stockings and b) there was a terrific family conference about it beforehand, & no-one talked of anything else, & at first the idea was that I should go too, of course I wanted to awfully to see my Boud, but then it was decided that as Esmond is by way of hating the idea of me so, it might do more harm than good. So I came here instead, in the new car Farve gave me.

I met the Führer by great good luck last Tuesday, I was driving along in my car & met him at a street corner driving in his car, he hadn’t known I was back & seemed very pleased to see me & got out into the street to speak to me & everyone rushed from all directions shouting ‘Heil!’ when they saw him. He asked me to go back to tea with him & I followed his cars to his flat & sat with him for 2½ hours alone chatting. He wanted to hear all about you & what had happened since I saw him last. He had forbidden it to appear in the German papers which was nice of him wasn’t it – at least perhaps you won’t think so as Nancy says Esmond adores publicity. However he got enough of it in other countries.

I think Rodd was boring about the whole thing, right from the beginning he wanted to arrange everything & adored it, & he was dying to be the Heroic Brother-in-law who rushed out to France (expenses paid by Farve) to bring you back. Also it was his silly & expensive idea to make you a ward in Chancery. I don’t suppose, either, that you much loved his interview to the Daily Mail – or perhaps you didn’t see it – in which he said that you only became a communist in order to ‘get even’ with me.

Well I wonder when your wedding will be, I don’t suppose I shall be invited but still.

Bedsd Lodge Vruddemb3, Je Boudle

Dear Madrigal1

I was pleased to get my old Hen’s letter. I thought I should never hear from her again.

A good many things seem to have happened since you left, but nothing of much importance.

It’s pretty dull down here without a Hen to chat to. Muv & Farve have been so depressed since you left, it’s made them look quite ill.

The cruise would have been so good for Muv but it’s rather natural she doesn’t want to go any more.2 She said all the fun would have gone without you & I think she meant it. I do hope you have enough to eat & everything. I envy you the coffee you must get there.

Do write & give an exact description of Esmond. It’s so fascinating to think of my old Hen in love that I must hear everything about him.

The hunting all the winter has been fun, & now I am training a horse.

The Grand National was marvellous, but Derek’s3 horse got knocked over by a loose horse which was disappointing. Lord Berners4 had a horse in for the first time in his life & the Mad Boy5 said to us before the race ‘If it falls at the first fence Gerald will be broken hearted’. And it did! Wasn’t it awful. But luckily he is very short-sighted & he thinks it was the second fence so all is OK.

Well dear, do write & if you want anything in the way of clothes just write to your Hen & she’ll get them for her Hen. Or anything else in fact.

Do write often to Blor. It would cheer her up. She has gone to Hastings for a week as I’m going to Castle Howard next week.

Much love from Scott Wallace

Dear Henri Heine,

Thanks for your letter, I did like getting it. I expect you are at Castle Howard now. If so will you ask George1 what was in his Greetings ’Gram that Nancy brought out with her among my letters? I opened it & saw some message about Dolly2 but I didn’t really take it in as I was so busy reading all the other letters, & now it’s lost. Anyway tell him that jokes about Dolly are rather ‘vieux jeu’ [old hat] now, & give him my love!

Well here’s a description of Esmond which you ask for. He has got blue eyes & beige hair about the colour of mine and he talks rather like Michael Farrer3 only with a slight cockney pronunciation – for instance he says riowd instead of rood for rude. Also he can do awfully good imitations of people like Winston Churchill4 & he talks French so well you’d take him for a Frenchman, because once a Frenchman said to him ‘vous êtes Alsacien, Monsieur?’ which proves it. (He is frightfully good at languages altogether & has already learnt enough Spanish to talk in quite easily, but your poor old Hen can hardly speak a word.) I expect you know most about his doings such as scramming from Wellington etc from seeing it in the papers so won’t bother to tell you. Didn’t you guess slightly what your old Hen was up to in London the week before I left, for instance when I hurriedly rang off when you came into the room one day & you asked me why I did & I was cross?

Now dear about my clothes; it’s very cheery & Hen-like of you to say you’ll get them for me etc in fact you are the only one to have made a nice suggestion like that. I’ll tell you what though; you know my Worth satin dress that’s been dyed purple? Well I don’t suppose I shall need a dress like that for ages by which time it’ll be out of fashion; so I wonder if you could very kindly try & sell it for me? Being Worth & just newly cleaned & dyed it might fetch quite a lot. I suggest you should take it to Fine Feathers or somewhere & try & get about three to five pounds for it. It would really be most Beery of you if you could dear & I would be grateful. I don’t actually need any of my other clothes at present but when the hot weather comes I’ll write to you for them.