Item #313029 Typed letter signed to Seymour Halpern, in response to Halpern's inquiry regarding the key to success in life. Friederich von Prittwitz.

Typed letter signed to Seymour Halpern, in response to Halpern's inquiry regarding the key to success in life.

Washington, D.C: December 15, 1930.

Price: $75.00


About the item

1 p. 4to. On Deutsche Botschaft German Embassy stationery.

Item #313029

"As for the question you ask me I should prefer to leave it unanswered. The Latin poet and writer Phaedrus says: 'Nisi utile est quod facimus stulta est gloria'. How useful a man's life has been – to his community, to his country, and to humanity – seems indeed the only criterion of his success in life. It is for others to decide if we have attained suh success. We, however, must content ourselves by saying that we are trying to do our best."

Von Prittwitz (1884-1955) served as German ambassador to the United States from 1928-1933. He resigned in protest the day after Hitler was appointed Chancellor.

As a high school student, Seymour Halpern (1913-1997), wrote letters to many notables of the day including politicians, military officers, entertainers, diplomats, artists, activists, writers, and businessmen, inquiring about their ideas to the keys to success in life. Halpern would later go on to serve as Republican from New York to the 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st and 92nd United States Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1973.