For fifteen years, he told
Citations (1)
- The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family whole source · open book
For fifteen years, he told Eric, Brinckmann had “been surrounded by yes-men” and was “inclined to take the attitude that anybody who does not agree with him is unfriendly, or ‘treulos,’ or lacking in kindness.”32 It grated on Siegmund when Brinckmann said he had inherited the shell of a bank in 1938, whereas Siegmund believed he had taken over a firm with a superlative name and excellent earning power. Siegmund pointed out to him that more than two thirds of Brinckmann, Wirtz’s reserves dated from the old firm—the bank building, plus stakes in Beiersdorf and Karstadt.33 In letters to Eric, Siegmund described Brinckmann as vicious, senile, ruthless, and bullying.34 Brinckmann, in turn, dropped all pretense of civility, muttering to visitors that the Warburgs should be grateful to him, not vice versa.35 Both Siegmund and Eric probably underrated the stubborn cunning and resourcefulness of their old retainer.
chapter: 45 - The Quality of Mercy