Guide to the Papers of Arthur Wheen
MS 3656
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Arthur Wesley Wheen
- Title
- Papers of Arthur Wesley Wheen
- Date Range
- 1915-2005 (bulk 1920-1940)
- Collection Number
- MS 3656
- Extent
- 5.73 metres (24 ms boxes + 2 large folio boxes + 1 map folio + 1 folder)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
MS 3656 comprises manuscripts, typescripts and galley proofs of Wheen's translations, letters and a small number of books and pamphlets (see MS 3656, Boxes 1-10).
Additional material received in 1980 includes notes relating to Wheen, given to the National Library by his brother, John Wheen (see MS 3656).
Additional material received in 1998 comprises a photo of Arthur Wheen in London, 8 March 1941 (see MS 3656, Box 8).
Additional material received in 2005 includes copies of Wheen's military records and medical reports, 1915-1920; correspondence of Ian Campbell with Brian O. Murdoch (the second translator of Erica Maria Remarque's works) and others, 1997-2001; and a copy of a 2005 paper by Ian Campbell on Australian connections with Remarque (see MS 3656, Box 10).
Additional material received in September 2012 features letters written by Wheen to his family whilst a soldier in World War I, together with photographs taken in Egypt in 1916. There are also letters written by Wheen to others, including Ray Kershaw, T.S. Elliot, Herbert Read and Frank Morely; correspondence and other material related to All Quiet on the Western Front, letters to Wheen from various correspondents; student papers from New College, Oxford; essays and manuscripts; four diaries; and family photographs. There are also letters from Aldwyth Wheen to her daughter, Gretchen Wheen (1950s-1970s); a sketchbook, drawings and etchings by Wheen; a letter and original woodcuts by Alec Buckels; and a letter and original sketches by M. Johannsen (see MS Acc12.113, Boxes/Folios 1-17).
Additional material received in October 2012 features a small amount of family correspondence, including letters to Wheen's mother, Kathleen, and to his brother, Harold (aka 'Wheen'), together with an incomplete manuscript of a short essay by Wheen entitled 'Sensation, perception, imagination, conception', dated 1915. There are also some notes on the Wheen family history (see MS Acc12.138, Folder 1).
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn721190).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Arthur Wesley Wheen, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file number]'.
Alternate Formats Available
The papers were microfilmed in 1999. Microfilm Mfm G 28132-28140.
Biographical Note
Arthur Wesley Wheen was born in Sydney in 1897. He enrolled at Sydney University, but in 1915 enlisted in the Australian Expeditionary Force and left to fight in Europe, where he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. On demobilisation he was chosen as a Rhodes Scholar and went up to New College Oxford in 1920. He joined the staff of the library of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1924.
His only original literary work Two Masters, a brief novella based on his life at the Front was published in 1929. Over the next ten years he translated a number of works from German, several of them novels dealing with the First World War. He is especially remembered for his translation of Eric Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front which was an outstanding success. For a while Wheen had close connections with a circle which included Herbert Read and T.S. Eliot. In 1939 he was appointed Keeper of the Library and stayed in this position, achieving some distinction, until he retired in 1962. He died in March 1971.
Item Descriptions
Class MS 3656. Original consignments received 1973-2005
Series 1. All Quiet on the Western Front, 1929 - Box 1 (MS 3656)
This series covers the whole process of the translating of the famous novel by E.M. Remarque. It contains a bound typescript in German (1927), a printed German text, Wheen's manuscript in English, versions of the English typescript and galley proofs. (Files 1-6)
Series 2. The Road-Back, 1931 - Box 2, 3, 4, 5 (MS 3656)
This series covers the translation of the sequel to All Quiet on the Western Front. There are various German typescripts, an English manuscript. and several English typescripts. (Files 1-16)
Series 3. Three Comrades, 1937 - Box 6, 7 (MS 3656)
This novel was started in 1933 under the name of 'Abscheid' (Departure) which Remarque sent to Wheen in instalments. This early version was later greatly revised. This series contains the original typescript instalments of 'Abschied' with covering notes from Remarque still attached; the start of Wheen's translation of it; two versions of the German typescript of 'Three Comrades' (the first incomplete); an English manuscript; Galley proofs of the finished translation. (Files 1-7)
Series 4. Other Works of Remarque - Box 7 (MS 3656)
This series contains incomplete German and English typescripts of a later novel by Remarque, which Wheen doesn't appear to have finished. This was later translated and published in America in 1941 under the name of Flotsam. There are also translations in typescript of various short stories: 'The Fatal Idyll', 'Silence Round Verdun','KarlBroeger in Fleury', 'Strange Facts III', 'Johan Bartok'. (Files 1-2)
Series 5. Four Infantrymen, 1930 - Box 8 (MS 3656)
This series covers the translation of the novel by E. Johanssen. It contains part of a German proof copy, Wheen's translation in manuscript. a first version of the English typescript (mixed and incomplete), a complete final version and proofs. (Files 1-4)
Series 6. Bushmen Drawings, 1930 - Box 8 (MS 3656)
This series consists of one file covering the work by Overmaier and Kuhr. It contains a German typescript and a manuscript translation. (File 1)
Series 7. The Kaiser Goes, 1933 - Box 8-9 (MS 3656)
This covers the translating of the novel by T. Plivier. It contains the German book,an incomplete English manuscript, an English transcript, proofs and two copies of the final printed version. (Files 1-5)
Series 8. Vergil, 1934 - Box 9 (MS 3656)
This series consists of one file covering the translation of the short work by T. Haecker, 'Vergil, Father of the West'. It contains part of a German proof copy. a complete German typescript a few pages of an English manuscript and a typescript of the finished translation. (File 1)
Series 9. Wheen's own Writing - Box 10 (MS 3656)
This series is one file containing the galley proofs of Wheen's short story 'Two Masters' (1929) and an essay of 1931concerning Dr Bean's proposed history of the Great War for children, manuscript and typescript. (File 1)
Series 10. Correspondence - Box 10 (MS 3656)
This series contains a file of family correspondence containing four letters from Wheen to his mother, written between 1924 and 1953. Accompanying one of these is a letter from his wife and seven letters to his sister Lilly (Mrs R. Tebbutt) written between 1960 and 1967. There is a second file of correspondence relating to Wheen's translation work arranged as follows - firstly letters from publishers in chronological order, accompanying one of these (3/7/29 - Pegasus Press, Paris) a copy of the contract for the translation of 'Bushmen Drawings'; secondly letters from Remarque (often undated); finally a letter from the writer E. Johanssen and two from C.E, (Eiserstein?). There is also an undated letter from the British Embassy Berlin addressed to "Dear Constance" with illegible signature. (Files 1-2)
Class MS Acc12.113. Consignment received September 2012
This consignment of additional material received in September 2012 features letters written by Wheen to his family whilst a soldier in World War I, together with photographs taken in Egypt in 1916. There are also letters written by Wheen to others, including Ray Kershaw, T.S. Elliot, Herbert Read and Frank Morely; correspondence and other material related to All Quiet on the Western Front, letters to Wheen from various correspondents; student papers from New College, Oxford; essays and manuscripts; four diaries; and family photographs. There are also letters from Aldwyth Wheen to her daughter, Gretchen Wheen (1950s-1970s); a sketchbook, drawings and etchings by Wheen; a letter and original woodcuts by Alec Buckels; and a letter and original sketches by M. Johannsen.
Papers including letters written by Wheen to his family; other correspondence including letters written by Wheen to Ray Kershaw, T.S. Elliot, Herbert Read and Frank Morely; papers relating to All Quiet on the Western Front; student papers from New College, Oxford; essays and manuscripts; four diaries; family photographs; letters from Aldwyth Wheen to her daughter, Gretchen Wheen ; a sketchbook, drawings and etchings by Wheen; a letter and original woodcuts by Alec Buckels; and a letter and original sketches by M. Johannsen, c. 1915-1971 (File [various files]) - Box 1-5, 8-16 (MS Acc12.113), Folio-Box 6-7 (MS Acc12.113), Map-Folio 17 (MS Acc12.113)
Class MS Acc12.138. Consignment received October 2012
This consignment of additional material received in October 2012 features a small amount of family correspondence, including letters to Wheen's mother, Kathleen, and to his brother, Harold (aka 'Wheen'), together with an incomplete manuscript of a short essay by Wheen entitled 'Sensation, perception, imagination, conception', dated 1915. There are also some notes on the Wheen family history.