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From 1942 to 1947 John Larson, of Taylors Falls, corresponded frequently with a German academic that he’d met while attending Hamline University.  Prince Hubertus zu Lowenstein was a guest lecturer at small colleges throughout the midwest.

Lowenstein opposed the forced subordination of the individual;  as the National Socialist State grew in his homeland over the years, and he had fled Germany as early as 1933.   

Larson,  a self-described “unique character” at Hamline, was assigned to show Lowenstein hospitality when his lecture tour brought him to Minnesota.

The two shared the mindset that blind obedience to leaders should be questioned.   Larson guesses their friendship was probably cemented during a memorable day of canoeing on the St. Croix River.  Lowenstein’s wife Helga confided to Larson many years later,  “He needed someone and he found someone.”

As an anti-Nazi, Lowenstein-the-refugee had found in Larson a fellow rabble rouser and contrarian.

And, now, seven decades later a book has been born out of that friendship and collection of letters.

Just released by the Ramsey County Historical Society, Larson’s book puts  his friend’s  correspondence in historical context illuminating the unsung refugee.

 Larson’s own letters have also been preserved and are in an archive in Frankfurt, but are not included this book.  He has promised that Lowenstein’s actual letters (which Larson stores in cardboard files tied with shoestring) will also be presented to this Frankfurt archive.

In the letters Lowenstein preferred to address Larson as “Hans Christian.”  Larson explained that the Hans Christian moniker was  the result of Lowenstein having another friend named John.

It was maybe three years ago that Larson  got the idea of putting the letters into readable form.

And so,  he began organizing and compiling “The German Friend, War and Postwar Letters from German Anti-Nazi Prinz Hubertus zu Lowenstein to American Hans Christian.”

Larson, who is now 91,  and his wife Ingrid are very appreciative of the assistance from a host of friends in the Taylors Falls area in developing the manuscript.  

Things started to gel on the project when the  Larson’s piano-tuner Fred Meissner,  introduced them to his daughter-in-law Deborah Meissner, who will be accompanying the Larsons to a book release party November 11.  She offered to do typing, but became an integral part of  the project.  She holds a degree from Hamline.

Neighbor Cliff Bjork provided photo-copying of the Lowenstein letters for marking up and for composition needs.

Ward Moberg helped proofread and commented on the manuscript. He too plans on attending the book release event next week.

And, Elliott Frokjer was a 15-year-old student when he became indispensable helping do various tasks.  Larson said he is at college now.
 
In the letters, and on the lecture circuit, Lowenstein was critical of political stances and military methods used in World War II, sharing viewpoints which few people were ever given a platform for.  

Larson said, “They (writers of history) weren’t willing to take a stand then.”  He is pleased when any contemporary publication, including his own book, serve to broaden our understanding of history.  

John Walter Larson had to quit Hamline when he was drafted into the Army in 1943, and the war ended soon thereafter.  He did eventually graduate from Haverford College in Pennsylvania.  

Of his military service, Larson says,  “The closest I ever got to the war was Fresno.”  

The book release event, he confides was scheduled for Veterans Day on purpose.  

If there is a message these collected letters want to tell,  it would be to remind us the empire isn’t always right.

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