Man behind the Mythology

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

In which the most significant passage on anti-semitism is this one:

I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people... the main part of my descent is... purely English... I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war... I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of of pride.

(Letter #30)

There are also several personal attacks on Hitler, of which this is the longest:

There is a great deal more force (and truth) than ignorant people imagine in the 'Germanic' ideal. I was much attracted by it as an undergraduate (when Hitler was, I suppose, dabbling in paint and had not heard of it)... I suppose I know better than most what is the truth about this 'Nordic' nonsense. Anyway I have in this war a burning private grudge... against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler [for]... Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light.

(Letter #45)