LOT 322 θ:  SIR GEORGE SITWELL's EXECUTORS v SISTER LISA BOZENMAYER.

SIR GEORGE SITWELL's EXECUTORS v SISTER LISA BOZENMAYER. A group of five typescript letters, includes two facsimile copies, 1955.  Correspondence between Sister Lisa Bozenmayer, a German nurse, Sir Osbert Sitwell, and his Italian Advocate Mr. Ferdinando Bosi, and Zurich Advocate Dr. Hans Berger. The letters relate to a financial settlement of 10,000 lira offered to Miss Bozenmayer by the executors and heirs of Sir George Sitwell. Sister Lisa Bozenmayer explains in her detailed letter the reasons for declining their offer, and tells her story of time spent caring for Sir George in Italy and Switzerland during the early years of the war from 1939-1942.   comprises:  Sister Lisa Bozenmayer, to Dr. Hans Berger, (unnamed recipient), February 15, 1955.  a facsimile copy typescript letter, 3pp., typed to single sides of three leaves, 109 lines, the address Florence, 22 Vicolo S. Marco vecchio to top r.h.,  'Dear Sir, Il Signor Avvocato Bosi communicated to me Sir Osbert Sitwell's and your decision to offer me L. 10.000., for not recognising the last will of Sir George Sitwell. I thank you and Sir Osbert very much for this offer, but feel obliged to answer that i am not in a position to accept alms . . .  But I will tell you about Sir George and myself it may help you to get a clearer understanding of this legacy . . .', In September 1939 Sister Lisa, being of German nationality, was granted permission by the German consul to nurse Sir George Sitwell in Florence. 'I found there, in a cold room, a very miserable terribly smelling man in desperate conditions . . . , Sister Lisa takes command of the dire situation and her patient, 'Sir George I have been called to nurse you and I will do my best to get you into a better state, but we have to make a pact' . . . 'From this time Sir George and I became great friends . . . You know Sir George is not an easy man, in fact he did not like anyone . . . he began to talk to me about leaving a small sum to me to remember him . . .  This Sir George told me over and over again, but I refused all the time to accept it . .  In the winter 1941-42, Mr Woog . . . ordered us to come to Switzerland, he presented himself to me as a relation of Sir George; he called Sir George 'Uncle' . .  telling me that he was administrating Sir George's great fortune. But Sir George said he is a swindler, don't believe him, he wants to get at my money . . .',  Sir George and Sister Lisa were forced by Mr. Woog to make a long, difficult journey together from Florence to Switzerland, . . . 'we had a little apartment to ourselves and tried not to come into contact with anybody . . .  after two months Woog told me he could no longer get permission for me to stay and that I had to leave. I cant tell you the despair of Sir George, we cried together . . .  the day before I left Sir George told Woog to call a notary he wanted to have a paper made out for me, I again told him not to do it, but he said 'Sister Lisa: these last years of my life have been good for me, because you have been with me: you have been my family and my protection . . . and many things more . . . '.  Sir George gave the order for 2500 lira to be paid to Sister Lisa monthly, and signed the document given to him by Mr. Woog. Sister Lisa bid a sad farewell to Sir George Sitwell, '. . . he took my hand and kissed me (hardly to believe of Sir George, much as Sir Osbert describes in his books). I left Sir George with a broken heart and it took me months to get over this tragedy . . . Only back at Florence I saw that Woog had interchanged the terms monthly and annuity . . .So you will understand that I cannot accept alms for what I have done for Sir George. It was his heart's desire that I should have this money. . .  If Sir Osbert can't do it for his father, I feel very sorry . . . and will ask him to be so kind as to buy for the money you offered me a bunch of red roses in my name for Sir George . . .  I am sure nobody knew this poor man as I did . . P.S. I would be much obliged to you, if you would send this memorial on to Sir Osbert Sitwell, Sister Lisa Bozenmayer (facsimile signature);  Mr. Ferdinand Bosi, Italian Advocate, to Dr. Hans Berger, 17 February, 1955.  a copy of a typescript letter, 1pp., typed to one side of a single leaf, 26 lines, with the firms Florence address top l.h., 'Dear Colleague,  . . .  I am sorry to be compelled to bother you with this further communication on the part of Miss Bozenmayer . . . I find it difficult to separate the behaviour of nurses, nuns and physicians from the sinister influence of the man Woog that resulted in the impossibility of establishing any contact with Sir George . . .  all I can say is there is no last will or codicils or any other testimony provision left by Sir George concerning a legacy in favour of Miss Bozenmayer . . .  ' Mr. Ferdinand Bosi, states that the document shown to him by Miss Bozenmayer is typewritten, not in Sir George's handwriting, only bears his signature certified by a notary, and is deprived of any validity either as a legacy or an obligation. He concludes there is no reason on the part of Sir Osbert to continue, Bosi advises,  ' . . .  a brief concise note from you addressed to me which I may show to Miss Bozenmayer will, I hope, leave to her a door open for action, if any, against Mr. Woog's successors', with Mr. Bosi's facsimile signature below;   Dr. Hans Berger, Zurich Advocate, to Mr. Ferdinando Bosi, Italian Advocate, 2nd March, 1955.  Autograph typescript letter, 1pp., single leaf, 6 lines, the firms printed address at top, 'Dear Colleague . . . ', Dr. Berger acknowledges receipt of Mr. Bosi's letter of 17th February with enclosures, and advises his colleague he will be passing these on to Sir Osbert. . . .'I am of your opinion that you write to Miss Bozenmayer that under the present circumstances you cannot do anything else. For this purpose I am enclosing you an official letter which you may show to Miss Bozenmayer'. the letter unsigned by Hans Berger; Dr. Hans Berger, Zurich Advocate, to Mr. Ferdinando Bosi, Italian Advocate, 2nd March, 1955.  Autograph typescript letters, 1pp., single leaf, 16 lines, the firms printed address at top,  . . . Dr. Berger states that Sir George's executors and heirs are not in a position to pay any claims which are not legally established, made against them dating from the time when Sir George was robbed by Mr. Woog,  . . .  'Despite this fact a lump sum of lire 10,000. - has been offered to Miss Bozenmayer without being obliged to do so. If Miss Bozenmayer does not wish to accept this payment I cannot do anything else. I must leave her to try to get compensation from the heirs of Mr. Woog who has apparently misled her as he did also Sir George'. the letter unsigned by Hans Berger;   Dr. Hans Berger, Zurich Advocate, to Sir Osbert Sitwell, The St. Regis Hotel, New York, 2nd March, 1955.  Autograph typescript letter, signed, 1pp. typed to one side of a single leaf, 19 lines, 'Dear Sir Osbert . . .  Enclosed I beg to let you have a photocopy of a letter of Ferdinando Bosi and a photocopy of a letter of Sister Bozenmayer. . . .  Of course, if anybody, it will be you who will be able to have an opinion as to how far the truth and fiction are mixed in this letter. In any case Sister Bozenmayer appears to have read quite carefully your Biography . . . ',  with manuscript signature in blue ink, 'Dr. Hans Berger'; 

Provenance: 
The Sitwell Family Library, Weston Hall.

(Qty. 5)

Est. £300-350