Ingelheim 25. 12.1936 Jakob Marx an Johanna Kossmann Liebe Johanna, Mit bestem Gruß verbleibe Dein Jak.(ob) Marx. | Ingelheim, 12/25/1936 Dear Johanna, I'm terribly sorry to have to say this, but I won't be able to take the binoculars, etc. with, as I don't want to expose myself to any unpleasantness, and I'm sure you also won't. I would have liked to have taken it, but then I came across a newspaper article about a Jewish black market in Leicas and binoculars, and now I'm too anxious. I'm also not taking anything for myself, and I'm happy that I still hadn't bought any Leicas. In the report I mentioned, it states, among other things, "the sale of cameras or optical devices acquired in Germany by emigrants to the United States is, in accordance with German foreign exchange laws against capital flight, a crime that is punishable by severe penalties. The relevant German authorities have carried out successful measures to prevent this indirect export of capital." The American authorities plan to deport anyone supporting this smuggling effort, and have already made a number of different arrests. Herr Marx won't expect me to take such a risk under these circumstances. I ask you therefore to pass along the address of the Marx relatives in Cologne, so I can hand the things over. Best wishes, I remain your Jakob Marx |