Letter from Seán Murphy to James Joyce (St-Gérand-le-Puy)
(Copy)

Dear Mr. Joyce,

I was both surprised and disappointed to receive a note (of which I enclose a copy herewith)¹ from the German Embassy through Count O'KELLY, to the effect that your daughter's² journey to Switzerland cannot take place.

I do not know why this decision has been reached unless it is because, as it may be possible to infer from the note, she is the holder of a British passport. I had gathered as I told you at the time from the informal talk which I had with a member of the Embassy during my visit to Paris in August last that her journey would not give rise to any difficulty in spite of her holding a British passport. I may add, however, that there is no doubt that since the month of September, the German authorities have become more strict in regard to the travelling of foreigners.