USC Rare Books and Manuscripts
Collection 31

JULIUS BERSTL

8 Boxes

Scope/Content:

Literary archive of the German emigre author (1883-1975), containing typescripts, manuscripts, and correspondence and clipping files in English and German.

Provenance: Donated by Mr. Berstl in 1975.

Biography:

Born on August 6, 1883 in Bernburg, Germany to a theatrical family; after studying German and English literature at the universities of Goettingen and Leipzig, he was the dramaturgist, or literary adviser, of the renowned Barnowsky theaters in Berlin from 1909-1924, and was also a novelist and playwright; emigrated in 1936 to England; in 1943 became a scriptwriter and translator for the London BBC, for which he wrote 60 radio dramas, many on biblical themes; translated works by J. B. Priestley, Coward, and Daphne du Maurier; moved in 1951 to New York City, and after the death of his wife in 1964, to Santa Barbara, CA, where he died in 1975.

Inventory:

Al        Diary. Begun May 27, 1897. 50p.

A3      "Bilanz. Gedanken - Erinnerung." T. 56p. and h. notes. 2 cc. T. 60p. plus 1 cc. 1 fragment.

Bl,2     Personal correspondence. Ca. 230p. (2 F.)

           Business correspondence. 400p. plus 1 small F. Correspondence with other authors. 50p.

           Correspondence concerning translations. 30p.

B2,      80th birthday materials. 30p.

H3      85th birthday materials. Ca. 120p. (2 F.)

           90th birthday materials. Ca. 50p.

B,        Miscellaneous correspondence and photos.

Cl        A Roman Courtesan. T.cc. 293p.

Adams Urgrossvater. Familienportrdt aus der Steinzeit. T. 194p. plus several cc.

Adam's Great-Grandfather. Family Portrait from the Stone Ages. Original T. and T.cc. 222p.

Anthony und Hummel-Dummel: Eine Geschichte fur Kinder von 8-80 Jahren. T.cc. 175p.

Briefe an einen Toten. T.cc. 218p.

Dissertation zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Philosophie. Vorqelegt von Peter Petronius Putz. A. llp. T. 56p. Ms. fragments. Ca. 200p.

Eine Prise Gold. Original T. 216p. T. 316p.

                       A Pinch of Golddust. T.cc. 245p.

           Erst Brot dann Kuchen. T.cc. with corr. 327p.

                      Bread before Cake. T. 88p. A. 83p. T.cc. plus-additional T.cc. Original T. 288p.

           Die Fahrt ins Rosenrote. T.

                       Traveling into a Rosy Future. A. 89p. Dated 3.7.1973.

           Der grofsse Kean. 2c. 249p. ea. Notes. Also 1 F. music and various Ms.

           Der heiliqe Zahn. T.cc. 240p. Another c. with corr. 240p.

                       The Sacred Tooth. Original T. and 2 cc. 235p. ea.

Hornissl. Reisen Abenteuer und unmassgebliche Meinungen des letzten Individualisten. T.c. 127p. cc. 127p.

Hornissl. Travels - Adventures and Unpretentious Opinions of the Last Individualist. Original T. with corr. 108p. Multiple c.

           Irrgarten der Liebe. T. with corr. 276p. Another 2 cc.

                       Labyrinth of Love. T.cc. with numerous corr. 251p. Another 2 cc.

           Kaiserallee. T. with corr. 247p.

           Marietta. Eine heitere Tier- und Menschengeschichte. T. 134p.

                       Marietta, the Highbrow Hen. Story on Hens and Human Beings. T.c. 134p. and A. notes.

Strom ohne Ufer. Original T., no corr. T. with corr.240p. Alternate titles: Alarich, Konig der Lemminge. A Battling for Rome (River without Banks). T. 36p. River without Banks. Final version. T. with corr. 225p. plus additions. 2 additional c.

           Der Teufel in Berlin. T.c. 51p.

           Tolstoy und Sonya. Several original T. versions, some with corr. 237p. H. original. 60+p.

           Zeltmacher. T. 120p.           Untitled Ms. A. 300p.

C2     A Woman of Many Faces. T.c. 74p.

           Chu the Sinner. T. Mult-iple c.

           Dover-Calais. Lustspiel. 6c. ea. 85p. Buhnenmanuskript.

           Dover-Calais. Light Comedy. English adaptation by Eleanor Farjeon. T. 2c.

           Feenhande. Schauspiel. Original T. and cc. 83p. ea.

           Die Gräfin Lavalette. Schauspiel in drei Akten. T.cc. 89P.

           Mendelssohn und Malibran. Lustspiel. Original T. and cc.106p.

           Die Nachtigall und der Pudel. Sinfonia Domestica. cc. 81p.

Napi. 3cc.

Pinke & Co. Burleske in 3 Akten von Peter Pistorius.

Scribby's Suppen sind die Besten. A. notes, with otation "New Yorker Bearbeitung." Also printed version.

Der Teufel schlaft nie. A. Ca. 200p. 2cc. 107p. ea.

The Devil Never Sleeps. Original T. 101p. Notes. A. loop.

           Die Venusfliegenfalle. Lustspiel in 3 Akten. T. 87p. 2cc '

                Venus' Flytrap. Light Comedy. T.c. 79p. cc.

           Von vorn anfangen. Cc. with numerous corr. 91p.

Begin from the Beginning. The tragic comedy of the opportunistic Dolitician. T. 104p. Corr. A. 30p.

The Widow of Ephesus. T. Several c. with notes.

           Mimeographed acting versions of the following plays:

                      Napi, Penelope, Scribbys Suppen sind die Besten.,

                      Endlich ein Kaufer, Der lasterhafte Herr Tschu,

Der Flußgott, Hier bin ich, hier bleib ich, Mrs. Cheney's Ende, Ein Monat auf dem Lande, Zur gefl. Ansicht.

C3       Ein Menschenleben. Gedichtkreis. 1905-1965. T. 2cc. Ca. 50p. 2 notebooks of poems.

C4      "An Idyll with Ominous Undertones." A. 3p.

                      "Idylle mit ominbsen Ufttertbnen." T. 3p. 2 T.cc,

"Die grobe und die kleine Welt. Anekdoten, neu erzdhlt von J.B." T. and cl. (of pub. pieces).

           "The Rivergod." A. 6p.

           Synopses of short stories. German and English. 200p.

           Short stories. T. 200p.

           Short stories and fragments. T. 70p.

           Short stories. A. 50p.

           Miscellaneous short T. 70p.

C4,5   Short stories and film scenarios. 1 F.

C8      2 notebooks on graphology.

C9      3 plays tr. into German from French and English.

           Catto, Max. Das Blut singt. Tr. by Julius Berstl.

           Ich komme wieder. Komodie von John Copard. Tr. by Julius Berstl.

D4     Lichtenbergers Idyll. Liebesgeschichte. Reclam 1927. 71p. 2c.

Misc. magazine issues with contributions by Berstl.

H4      Berlin Schlesischer Bahnhof, Odyssee eines Theatermannes. Reviews. 50p.

Der grobe Kean. 40 cl.

Paulus von Tarsus. 30 reviews, 50 cl., 1 envelope reviews.

Materials on Berstl's plays tr. by Berstl and produced in the U.S.

H4, O Playbills and reviews of plays. Ca. 100 items.

I          Personal documents from high school, university.

J          3 albums with photos.

L         Miscellaneous cl. and short pieces. 100p. (2 F.)

Bible quotations. 1 F.

Miscellaneous World War II cl.

M        1 book of recipes.

Ca. 100 picture postcards.

O        Collection of playbills.