Dialogue with Death
Encyclopedia
Dialogue with Death, a book by Arthur Koestler
, was originally published in 1937 as a section (Part II) of his book Spanish Testament
, in which he describes his experiences during the Spanish Civil War
. Part II of the book was subsequently decoupled from Spanish Testament and, with minor modifications, published on its own under the title Dialogue with Death (see quotation below). The book describes Koestler’s prison experiences under sentence of death. The book was written in the late autumn of 1937 immediately after his release from prison, when the events were still vivid in his memory.
In the second volume of his autobiography The Invisible Writing
, written by Koestler fifteen years later, the following footnote appears:
. He was at that time working on behalf of the Comintern
and as an agent of the Loyalist Government's official news agency, using for cover accreditation to the British daily News Chronicle
.
Koestler had taken an ill-considered decision to stay at Málaga
in southern Spain when the Republican forces withdrew from it. He had only narrowly escaped arrest by Franco
’s army on his previous sojourn into rebel territory, when on his second day in rebel-held Seville
he was recognised by a former colleague of his from Ullstein
’s in Berlin, who knew that Koestler was a Communist. This time he was less fortunate and was arrested, summarily sentenced to death and sent off to imprisonment in Seville.
The book describes Koestler's time in the prison, in the company of numerous political prisoners - most of them Spanish Republicans. Prisoners lived under the constant threat of summary execution without trial, without warning and without even any evident logic in the choice of victims. Every morning, prisoners would wake to find that some of their number had been executed during the night.
The book was written in German, except for the prison diary, which Koestler wrote in English to avoid attracting the Gestapo's attention.
, published in 1941.
Arthur Koestler
Arthur Koestler CBE was a Hungarian author and journalist. Koestler was born in Budapest and, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria...
, was originally published in 1937 as a section (Part II) of his book Spanish Testament
Spanish Testament
Spanish Testament is a 1937 book by Arthur Koestler, describing his experiences during the Spanish Civil War. Part II of the book was subsequently published on its own, with minor modifications, under the title Dialogue with Death...
, in which he describes his experiences during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Part II of the book was subsequently decoupled from Spanish Testament and, with minor modifications, published on its own under the title Dialogue with Death (see quotation below). The book describes Koestler’s prison experiences under sentence of death. The book was written in the late autumn of 1937 immediately after his release from prison, when the events were still vivid in his memory.
In the second volume of his autobiography The Invisible Writing
The Invisible Writing
The Invisible Writing: The Second Volume Of An Autobiography, 1932-40 is a book by Arthur Koestler.It follows on from Arrow in the Blue, published a mere two years earlier, and which described his life from his birth in 1905, to 1931, and deals with a much shorter period, a mere eight years...
, written by Koestler fifteen years later, the following footnote appears:
Background
Koestler made three trips to Spain during the civil war and on the third occasion he was captured, sentenced to death and imprisoned by the rebel forces of General FrancoFrancisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. He was at that time working on behalf of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
and as an agent of the Loyalist Government's official news agency, using for cover accreditation to the British daily News Chronicle
News Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
.
Koestler had taken an ill-considered decision to stay at Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
in southern Spain when the Republican forces withdrew from it. He had only narrowly escaped arrest by Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
’s army on his previous sojourn into rebel territory, when on his second day in rebel-held Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
he was recognised by a former colleague of his from Ullstein
Ullstein-Verlag
The Ullstein Verlag was founded by Leopold Ullstein in 1877 at Berlin and is one of the largest publishing companies of Germany. It published newspapers like B.Z. and Berliner Morgenpost and books through its subsidiaries Ullstein Buchverlage and Propyläen.The newspaper publishing branch was taken...
’s in Berlin, who knew that Koestler was a Communist. This time he was less fortunate and was arrested, summarily sentenced to death and sent off to imprisonment in Seville.
The book describes Koestler's time in the prison, in the company of numerous political prisoners - most of them Spanish Republicans. Prisoners lived under the constant threat of summary execution without trial, without warning and without even any evident logic in the choice of victims. Every morning, prisoners would wake to find that some of their number had been executed during the night.
The book was written in German, except for the prison diary, which Koestler wrote in English to avoid attracting the Gestapo's attention.
Influence on later work
Koestler's prison experience contributed psychological insight for his subsequent best-selling anti-Communist novel Darkness at NoonDarkness at Noon
Darkness at Noon is a novel by the Hungarian-born British novelist Arthur Koestler, first published in 1940...
, published in 1941.