Letter of the Commissariat for Investigation and Vigilance in Figueras, Spain to Max Horkheimer, New York, October 30 1940:
This letter, found in the NLI archives, was sent to Max Horkheimer, Benjamin's colleague and friend in New York, who had procured for him an entry visa to the US. The letter was no doubt written in response to Horkheimer's inquiries regarding the fate of his friend who was scheduled to arrive in New York via Spain and Portugal. The letter clearly attempts to exonerate the Spanish authorities from any responsibility for Benjamin's fate, claiming that his death was due to his poor physical condition. Neither the fact that he was about to be deported back to France by the Spanish authorities, nor the fact that he most probably committed suicide are mentioned.
October 30th, 1940
Mr. MAX HORKHEIMER
New York
General Directorate of Security
The commissariat for Investigation and Vigilance of the Eastern Frontier
FIGUERAS (Girona), Spain
Chief Commissary
Dear Sir,
In response to your letter [of the] 11[th] of the current [month] regarding the Doctor of Philosophy Don BENJAMIN WALTER, I hereby inform you that the said gentleman entered Spain by way of Port-Bou, through the mountains, on September 25th last, at 20:00 with an authorization of entry expedited by the American consulate in Marseilles and a Spanish transit visa to Portugal. The said gentleman declared that he had left France clandestinely for lack of authorization and that he had walked from Banyuls (France) and that he had suffered a sunstroke and was quite ill. In view of his situation he moved into a hotel and was immediately visited by a doctor from Port-Bou, whose report certified that Mr. Walter was suffering from cerebral congestion and a bronchial catarrh which forced him to stay in bed. The same doctor certifies that don Benjamin Walter passed away at 22:00 on the 26th of the same month, as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage. The said gentleman made no declaration.
As you can see in the medical certificate, this is not a case of suicide but of natural death.
The Municipal Court of Port-Bou intervened In this unfortunate event, taking charge of Mr. Walter's belongings, which consisted of a leather briefcase such as are used by businessmen; a used gentleman's watch; a pipe; six photographs; one x-ray image; a pair of glasses; several letters; newspapers and a few papers, the content which is, however, unknown, as well as a sum of money from which we have deducted the expenses caused, leaving at present a sum of 273 pesetas.
All the items previously detailed are at the courthouse in Figueras, at the heirs' disposal; you may therefore contact the court as to the manner by which you can recuperate the said articles as well as any further details which might interest you. Figueras belongs to this province and is close to Port-Bou.
Very truly yours,
P.A. [Signature]
