Hermann Hesse's letters from the years 1933 to 1939 make us witnesses to his daily life from the beginning of the National Socialist era until the outbreak of World War II. Although he had long held Swiss citizenship, he was also significantly affected by the cultural and political harassment of the new rulers. Almost all German journals that had previously published his contributions were now closed to him, and the publication of his socially critical books was thwarted by the objections of the Nazi authorities. Moreover, he found himself caught in the crossfire of both sides. While the National Socialists were outraged by Hesse's commitment to exile literature, the fact that his books were still available in Germany was a point of contention for the emigrant press. At the same time, the letters illustrate the poet's practical efforts on behalf of the refugees and his.