Letter from Josefine Harms to Marie Schiele, 13th Dec. 1918

This is the first part of the letter, which is continued on this sheet.

Transcription:

Vienna, 13th Dec. 18.

I had to let a few days pass and re-read
your letter repeatedly, because I cannot
believe its insulting content. I would not
have thought it possible that the person
I have known you to be from the beginning,
until recently, could ever write such words.
I presume you wrote them in an extremely
aggravated state of unsound mind filled with
disastrous L. [?].
You doubt that Egon [Schiele] wrote a testament
and so does my own son (which son do you mean?)
so the testament must be forged and probably
by me; it would be better if you chose your
words more carefully, I will take it as an outpouring
of your sick imagination this time, but I insist
that you do not test my patience again.
You write that Egon did not think about dying

but he was thinking, since he was married
and a soldier, first and foremost of his
wife; after she preceded him in death,
his estate is yours by law.
What are you complaining about?
You speak of things that have gone missing,
to our mutual distress we had
two thieves as maids at the time in question:
the apprentice of whom your daughter allegedly said:
she only had six pairs of pants and so few
things it was disgusting!
But I am not competent to confirm any
such remarks nor can I believe it,
since the girl is imprisoned at the state court
after she stole 200 c. [crowns] from my purse
and misappropriated 384 c. of collected money
that belonged to my daughter; I made inquiries
about the second one and learned that she
was expelled from the girls’ home
because of her poor conduct.
As for the emptying of the sideboard
it is once more clear that your memory

fails you; on the evening we visited you
we agreed to go to the studio together
the next day, Sunday, at ½ 9, and from
there to the photographer on Lainzerst.[raße]
I was not feeling well, so my daughter-in-law
accompanied Dela [Adele Harms] in my stead.
I thank you for your lecture on children’s clothing,
I paid for it for my Edith; since she cannot
use it and since it goes to Dela
according to the testament, the matter
is closed.
Now for a word on exploitation. I could not
forgive you this crass word if I didn’t
presume you wrote it in a moment of
mental confusion; you are probably investigating
Egon’s income, but not his
expenses, my way of exploiting them was that I
helped them out as much as I could in the years
[19]15 and [19]16, Egon’s situation
did not improve until he joined the
consumers’ co-operative, while I continued
to help them until I myself got into financial
difficulties and had to sell

my house.
This is how I exploited them!
In the year [19]18, Egon earned quite a lot,
but unfortunately he spent even more,
apart from the horrendous cost of his
studio, he needed 200 c. daily to support
his impoverished colleagues and his sister,
who was not living in splendor, as well as
her husband and children and, not least,
his mother.
You wrote in a letter to my son that you know
now why Egon spent so much time at the
café, this insinuation could not be misunderstood,
after the above-mentioned apprentice told me
that you asked her whether Egon was happy,
I don’t think she knew because she was not his
confidante; but for your peace of mind I will
inform you that the café was more important
to Egon than bread and salt to us mere mortals,
he went there three times on some days to
read foreign newspapers, he needed that
for his profession.
In reference to your senseless remark
that I would never have another son-in-law

like Egon, today is not the first time
that I repeat to you that I opposed
the marriage with all the power of my
authority and was only forced to agree
because I was told that the alternative
was that it would happen with or
without my consent and I am certain that is
exactly what would have happened because,
as I’m sure you know, Egon was very
headstrong. As much as I respected his
character, I would not have wished him
to be my son-in-law. Because I have always
felt that artists should not marry; fortunately,
Egon was an exception as an artist as well
and my Edith was the right woman for him,
he told me so himself.
We alone know what sacrifices she made
to help Egon in the early days of his
military duties. He despaired so much
about his unworthy treatment in the military
in Neuhaus that he would have taken
his own life had Edith not done everything
in her power to keep him going.

The true ordeal for both of them
began only after Neuhaus, however;
I helped them as much as I could,
they did not reveal their concerns to you
since you could not have helped them anyway
but in confidence and between us, from
mother to mother, I want to tell you about
how these two good souls fought for their
existence; but these two distinguished people
were not fit to struggle constantly. Egon
easily made much money because
of his eminent talent and he knew how to enjoy
life, I am not surprised that the heirs are
disappointed.
I am not accountable for anything
you are missing, our maids
were notorious thieves but it is
possible that there was yet a third
thief involved! –
To conclude I cannot help but accuse
you of being unfeeling and tactless;
the eagerness with which you asked for
Edith’s fur and her bag, because your
own fur will no longer do for you and your
bag is impractical. This has really shaken
us, as have the words of your daughter

that Egon would not walk behind a cadaver,
I am sure he never said that, educated as he
was, because he knew
what that word meant.
With all the respect you deserve,
Yours,
Mrs. Jos. [Josefine] Harms.