[To better understand the context of the letters, I decided to first publish editor’s note where some issues are clarified.]
In 1955 Schocken Books acquired from Felice Bauer Franz Kafka’s letters addressed to her. She also handed over to the publishers those of Kafka’s letters to her friend Grete Bloch that were in her possession. This part of the correspondence—about half the letters from Kafka to Grete Bloch published here—was given to her by Grete Bloch when the latter emigrated from Germany in 1935. The remaining letters to Grete Bloch were deposited by the recipient with her lawyer in Florence at a later date. It was he who placed photostats of these letters at the disposal of Max Brod, and through Max Brod this part of the correspondence nally came into the possession of Schocken Books.
The editors decided to incorporate in chronological order Kafka’s letters to Grete Bloch, as well as letters concerning the engagement written by members of Kafka’s family and friends and preserved by Felice; they form part of the history of this relationship, and help to convey a more accurate picture of Kafka’s situation at that time. Biographical notes on Felice Bauer and Grete Bloch are included; other people mentioned in the correspondence are identied in notes.
All letters to Felice Bauer and Grete Bloch, where the originals or copies are in the possession of Schocken Books, have been included in this edition and printed in full.
The editors had access to all letters in the original. The majority are in Kafka’s handwriting; the others are typed. It is apparent from this correspondence that not all of Kafka’s letters to Felice have survived; from references in the text it is clear that a number of letters and postcards are missing. Unlike Kafka’s letters to Felice Bauer, which were in perfect condition, twelve of those to Grete Bloch had been cut to pieces in a peculiar way; however, with one exception, it has been possible to reconstruct these letters, although parts of them had been in two dierent places for years on end— one lot with Felice Bauer, the other with Grete Bloch’s lawyer.
The context shows that some of Kafka’s letters were undated. In these cases an attempt has been made to ascertain the probable date. As in all other additions by the editors, such dates are printed in square brackets.
Felice’s letters to Kafka have evidently not survived.
E.H. J.B.