Barthold Fles

Infobox Writer
name = Barthold Fles

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imagesize =
caption =
pseudonym = Jan van Straaten
birthname =
birthdate = Birth date|1902|02|07
birthplace = Amsterdam, Netherlands
deathdate = death date and age|1989|12|19|1902|02|07.
deathplace = Laren, Netherlands
occupation = literary agent, author, translator, editor and publisher
nationality = Jewish-Dutch-American
period = 1928-1982
genre = non-fiction, juvenile
subject = music, literature
movement =
notableworks = books: Slavonic rhapsody, Briefwechsel; translations: Music here and now, Bambi's children; article: Chávez lights new music with old fires
spouse = Ruth Grunwald
partner =
children = none
relatives = Louis Fles, George Fles,
Michael John Fles, Bart Berman, Helen Berman, Thijs Berman, Giorgio van Straten
influences =
influenced =
awards =


website =
portaldisp =

Barthold Fles (February 7, 1902 - December 19, 1989) was a Dutch-American literary agent, author, translator, editor and publisher. [Bleiler EF: "The Guide to Supernatural Fiction", page 189. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1983.] Among his many clients were Raymond Loewy, Heinrich Mann, Joseph Roth, Ignazio Silone, Bruno Walter and Arnold Zweig.

Barthold Fles was born in Amsterdam into an assimilating Jewish family. His father, Louis Fles, was a successful businessman and an activist against religion. Barthold had a tense relationship with his father, who wanted him into business, while the young Fles was mostly interested in reading. Barthold read in Dutch, German, English, and French, anytime and at a tremendous pace. He did study business at a vocational school and found employment at De Lange publishers. In 1925 he left for the United States.

In New York Fles found temporary employment as a violinist, painting apartments, selling vacuum cleaners and working for publishers.Spoor A: [http://www.nrcboeken.nl/recensie/een-literaire-vroedvrouw-briefwisseling-van-heinrich-mann-en-zijn-amerikaanse-uitgever Een literaire vroedvrouw; Briefwisseling van Heinrich Mann en zijn Amerikaanse uitgever] (English: A literary midwife; Letter exchange of Heinrich Mann and his American Publisher). "NRC Handelsblad" 1994-05-06. Accessed 2008-07-15.] In 1933 he established a literary agency in Manhattan, New York. Initially many of his clients were German refugees and other foreign authors.Rietra M: "Muß man dann immer postwendend Geld senden um überhaubt mit Ihnen verkehren zu können? Joseph Roth und Barthold Fles in Briefen", in Onderdelinden S: "Interbellum un Exil", page 199. Rodopi Publishers, 1991.] Ester, H: [http://archief.trouw.nl/artikel?REC=tr-19930930-000041348 "Correspondentie Heinrich Mann-Barthold Fles: Soms waait er een gure wind uit de brieven, dan kan er geen groet vanaf"] , "Trouw", September 30, 1993.] He organized evenings for these authors in New York, in order to get them acquainted with the American book market. [Groth, M: "The Road to New York: The Emigration of Berlin Journalists, 1933-1945", page 248. K. G. Saur, 1988.] From the forties onwards, however, most of his clientèle was from the United States. [Cazden, R: "German Exile Literature in America, 1933-1950", page 147. American Library Association, 1970.]

As an author, Fles wrote two juvenile books: "Slavonic rhapsody: the life of Antonín Dvořák" (1948) under the pseudonym Jan van Straaten (Van Straaten being his mother's maiden name), and "East Germany" (1973). He also wrote introductions to compilations and many articles and translated several books from German to English. Although really a side activity, his nonfictional writings received considerable praise, except for his book on Germany. This book was clearly outside his (music and literature) expertise and sealed his writing for publication, set aside an intro to "More by Dell Shannon" (1982) by his prolific client Elizabeth Linington.Shannon, D (Linington, E): "More by Shannon". Doubleday, 1982.]

Fles was a special figure in the lives of many of his clients. He kept closely in touch, encouraged his authors to concentrate on their art, gave out loans to overcome economic hardship, arranged fellowships. Still, some clients moved on to larger agencies, or were later represented by publishing houses, lawyers, or by themselves, often after long relationships. An exception was Anaïs Nin, who left him soon after she joined his client circle, out of disappointment with his unorganized business conduct. "Bonjour, friend, and good-bye, literary agent," she wrote to him.Nin A: Fire. Harvest ,1996. ISBN 978-0156003902.] In biographical notes on Fles, she claims that he had refused to take on Henry Miller. This would have been acceptional, as Fles had a rare ability for detecting literary talent.

In 1986, at the age of 84, Fles closed his agency. Subsequently he returned to his native Netherlands,"Agent Barthold Fles to retire to artists' colony near Amsterdam." Publishers Weekly 228 (Nov 29, 1985): 14.] where he spent his last three years in Laren's Rosa Spier home for retired artists. ["Barthold Fles (Obituary)."Publishers Weekly 237 (Jan 12, 1990): 19.] His letter exchange with his client Heinrich Mann was published in book form in 1993, excerpts from his letter exchange with Joseph Roth in a bookchapter in 1991.Heinrich Mann: "Briefwechsel mit Barthold Fles". Aufbau, 1993.]

Clients

* Rankin Barbee [http://library.georgetown.edu/dept/speccoll/fl/f204%7D1.htm "Margaret Bearden papers: Folder listing"] .]
* Cedric Belfrage [New York Public Libraries: [http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/rbk/faids/NYhtml/appendixa.html "References To Notable Authors In Agents' Files"] .]
* Don Berry
* Robbie Branscum [Branscum R: "Cheater and Flitter Dick". Viking Press, 1983.]
* Otto Eisenschiml
* Guy Endore
* Margaret Larkin [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10C16F63A5F1A718DDDA80994DD405B878AF1D3 "Margaret Larkin, Writer, 67, Dead; Poet and Ex-Union Activist Aided Lewis on 'La Vida'."] "New York Times" May 11, 1967, page 47.]
* Raymond Loewy [ [http://www.hagley.lib.de.us/A2251s2.htm Raymond Loewy Archives: "Accession 2251"] , Hagley Museum and Library.]
* Walter Lowenfels [Miller H and Laughlin J: "Selected Letters", page 2. W. W. Norton & Company, 1995.]
* Elizabeth Linington
* Heinrich Mann
* Walter Mehring [Ullmann L and Rose PI: "The Dispossessed: An Anatomy Of Exile", page 321. University of Massachusetts Press, 2004.]
* Gorham Munson [Munson G: "The Writer's Workshop Companion", page v. Farrar, Straus and Young, 1951.]
* Anaïs Nin
* Theodor Reik
* Jean Rikhoff
* Joseph Roth
* Ignazio Silone
* Bruno Walter
* Jacob Wasserman
* Arnold Zweig Serke J: "Böhmische Dörfer: Wanderungen durch eine verlassene literarische Landschaft", page 92. Zsolnay, 1987.]

Bibliography

Books written

* 1948 - [http://lccn.loc.gov/48010002 Slavonic rhapsody: The life of] Antonín Dvořák [Typton G: " [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4321(194905%2F06)35%3A6%3C46%3ATB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9 Review: Two Biographies] ." "Music Educators Journal" 35 (6) (May-Jun, 1949): 46-47.]
* 1973 - [http://lccn.loc.gov/73005816 East Germany] [Jackson MM: "East Germany (Book Review)." "School Library Journal" 21(1): 103, 9/1974]
* 1993 - Briefwechsel mit Barthold Fles, 1942-1949 (with Heinrich Mann; editor Madeleine Rietra)

Books compiled

* 1948 - [http://lccn.loc.gov/48002985 The best short stories from] Collier's
* 1949 - [http://lccn.loc.gov/49027390 Seven short novels from the] Woman's Home Companion
* 1951 - The Saturday Evening Post [http://lccn.loc.gov/52022902 western stories]

Books translated

* 1939 - Ernst Krenek: [http://lccn.loc.gov/40001094 Music here and now] [Birge EB: [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4321%28194002%2926%3A4%3C48%3AMHAN%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P "Music here and now (bookreview)."] "Music Educators Journal" 26 (4): 48, Feb 1940.]
* 1939 - Felix Salten: [http://lccn.loc.gov/39032485 Bambi’s children] [Lewis Buell E: [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50C11F8395A177A93C1A91789D95F4D8385F9 A Fine Sequel to That Modern Classic, "Bambi"] . "New York Times" Dec 3, 1939: BR105.]
* 1943 - Hans Natonek: [http://lccn.loc.gov/43015812 In search of myself] [Gould J: [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0E13FF3E5C167B93C5A9178AD95F478485F9 America Through a Refugee's Eyes] . "New York Times" Nov 7, 1943: BR5.]

Articles

* 1928, Sep 15 - Chávez lights new music with old fires. "Musical America" 48 (22): 5 & 21. [Oja CJ: "Making Music Modern: New York in the 1920s". Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000, page 445. ISBN 0195162579.] [Stevenson R: [http://aztlanjournal.metapress.com/index/M853X984Q1703M42.pdf "Carlos Chávez’s United States Press Coverage"] . "Aztlán" 14 (1) (Spring 1983): 21-33.]
* 1932, May 18 - [http://www.thenation.com/archive/detail/13545389 The Price of Being Sensible] . "The Nation" 134 (3489): 576.
* 1935, Mar 10 - [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F7091EF73859107A93C2A81788D85F418385F9 In Holland Writers Favor the Exotic] . "New York Times": BR 8 & ?.
* 1935, Oct 27 - [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0D12FB3555147B93C5AB178BD95F418385F9 Van Gogh Letters and Other Dutch Books] . "New York Times": BR 8 & ?.
* 1935, Dec 24 - [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F15FC3A54107A93C6AB1789D95F4D8385F9 The Literary Scene In Holland] . "New York Times": 61.
* 1936, Aug 23 - [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00C1FFC3D5F167B93C1AB1783D85F428385F9 Holland Turns to the Historical Novel] . "New York Times": BR 8.
* 1936, ??? ?? - [http://books.google.com/books?id=qtMvAAAAMAAJ&q=barthold+fles Literature in Exile] . "Story" 9 (??): 8-?.
* 1950, Jun 4 - [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10916F9355E10728DDDAD0894DE405B8089F1D3 A Literary Letter about Holland] . "New York Times": BR 11.

References

Further reading

* Rietra M: "Der New Yorker Literaturagent Barthold Fles als Vermittler zwischen der alten und neuen Welt (1933-1945)" in Batts MS (ed.): "Alte Welten - neue Welten, Akten des IX. Kongresses der Internationale Vereinigung für Germanische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft". Tübingen: Niemeyer, 1996, p. 164. ISBN 3484107189.
* Rietra M: "Heinrich Mann/Barthold Fles: Autor/Agent" in Würzner H, Kröhnke K (eds.): "Deutsche Literatur im Exil in den Niederlanden 1933-1940." Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1994, p 151-162. ISBN 9789051836493.