March–April 1938

Schulz redecorates the apartment at Floriańska* so that he can have a room to himself. It is probably dictated by “attacks of family irritation”, which have inclined him to consider moving out since the year before¹. Renting a flat would not be a financially viable solution², thus Schulz makes a compromise. Reorganising space proves equally costly. “I am furnishing a separate room for myself in our house but the expenses — divan bed, etc. — frighten”³ The space which he is to inhabit includes a 36 sq. m room and another, smaller room⁴. Schulz assesses the undertaken actions fairly negatively. On the one hand, he admits that the room is spacious, light and beautiful, but the thought of the expenses will not leave him. “I am doing it without much faith or desire”⁵ – he writes in a letter. He has some furniture but he does not have net curtains, a carpet and most importantly, a divan bed, which he mentions several times in his correspondence with Romana Halpern. On 31 March, he informs her that the bed has already been ordered⁶. In the middle of April the room is furnished but Schulz does not feel satisfied, considering the whole fuss unnecessary – “In essence, I do not care about luxury or comfort”⁷. In spite of his earlier declaration,  Schulz does not finalise the purchase of the divan bed, admitting in a letter from the end of May to “reserve this expense for later”⁸ because of a planned trip to Paris. (ts) (transl. ms)

See also: 2 August 1938*.