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Royall Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, March 12, 1946

12.III.46

Dearest Mildred—I was much moved by your cable,See letter of February 22, 1946. which was the first intimation I had that Hayford was no more. Yes—the torch. . . . but is one ever going to be able to think of torches again? It doesn’t look very encouraging, just at present. I often find myself gazing, as I take a few steps up and down in my room, at a map I have on my wall—a map of the Balkan peninsula and Thrace. It was given to me by Paul Teleki,Pál Janos Ede Count Teleki de Szék (1879–1941), prime minister of Hungary from 1920 to 1921 and from 1939 to 1941, when he committed suicide as the Germans invaded Hungary. He also was an expert in geography, a university professor, and a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. and as I look at it I see many places where Hayford and I pursued our quarry.

I ran into Walter StuckiOtto Walter Stucki (1888–1963), a Swiss politician and diplomat. In 1945, he was the head of the Swiss Foreign Affairs Division and the Commission for Swiss-Allied negotiations. The following year he was a delegate of the Swiss Federal Council for special missions and led the Commission for the Swiss-Allied negotiations in Washington, D.C. yesterday, just as he was taking off for USA, where he heads the Swiss delegation that is to negotiate with our people. You’ll no doubt see him—he’ll be often with BruggmannCharles (Carl) Bruggmann (1889–1967), a Swiss diplomat and Swiss minister to the United States.—He is a bit rugged externally, but I think you’ll find him interesting, very, if you give him a chance. You remember he was Swiss Minister in Paris, and then at Vichy, until that place folded up, and his stories about that period are enthralling. He’s now Under Sec., Berne.

A little story from Berlin. A GI strays into the Russian sector, is stopped by a Russki who asks if he has a watch. No, says GI. Nonsense, says Russki; how do you tell the time? GI, who has a stick, draws a circle on the ground, makes out a dial, plants stick in the middle, & says “11.30.” Russki pulls up his sleeve displaying his 8 watches and sees that sure enough, 11.30 it is. “Here” he says to the GI, “What’ll you take for that stick?”

Elisina is in England. She’ll be saying good-bye to Pitzy & the children, who are due to sail, I believe tomorrow.

Much love to you both, dearest Mildred

Yrs

RT

 
Associated People: Linetta Richardson; Hayford Peirce