I Send You "A Woman's Mind" ...

“I send you my Kvindesind (A Woman’s Mind), so you can have a companion piece to Pigesind (A Girl's Mind), which is so hard to grow out of [...]." These are the words of Tove Ditlevsen to her lifelong friend Britta Jørgensen in one of the 49 letters, which are now up for auction.

Letters About Life as a Mother, Wife, Author and Depressive

The many letters written between 1949 and 1962 provide a brutally honest insight into the often turbulent and difficult life of one of the most distinctive Danish literary voice in her different roles as a mother, wife and not least famous author during the 1950s. The letters primarily focus on issues close to her heart, such as family, marriage and love.

But Ditlevsen's manic and depressive sides are also expressed with sincerity in several letters, including in the passages that deal with the author's marriage to Carl T. Ryberg and Victor Andreasen, respectively. Several letters originate from the years around 1950, where Ditlevsen had a period of frequent hospitalization. In one letter she writes: "I ended up here, deadly ill and miserable, but I am slowly becoming human again, which is also what I need to be, what I must be – I have to get home again to the kids and be a Mother and Caregiver, while Carl is strapped down under the belt and threatens and roars at all those who come close to him. I do not want to tire you with the details of what sounds more like a fanciful story than real life."

At Risk of Losing One’s Self

Despite great ups and downs in her own life, Ditlevsen is always encouraging and admiring in her words when it comes to Britta: "By the way, I have come to the conclusion that it is not so crucial where you are in the world and with whom and when, as well as how, the only thing that matters is the mindset with which you deal with the dice throws of destiny, and your mindset is, after all, something you are born with. If you have the ability to feel joy at all, there are always things in your daily life to enjoy, and I believe you have that ability."

The many letters touchingly document the story of an exceptional writer who, both strongly and in a vulnerable way, fought for her art and her family with her own mind and being at stake. Thus, it is concluded in a letter from 1954: "[...] despite the gloomy underlying tone of this letter, I am still full of spirit, basically, I do not know why? Perhaps it is because I've become a mother hen and I don’t really care about the rest, even about myself."

Preview and Auction

The preview of the book auction will take place as usual at our premises at Baltikavej 10, Copenhagen, Monday 10 December between 10 am and 5 pm and on Tuesday 11 December between 10 am and 5 pm. The online auction will begin to close on Tuesday 11 December at 6 pm.

View all the lots with books here