Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
World War II. Second and Third American Tour (1939–1945)
1 940 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE certain unsupportable”. 15 October - They proceed from Geneva by car at 6 a.m., having lunch in Grenoble, tea in Montelimar, dinner and a nights sojourn in Nîmes. 16 October - They leave Nimes in the morning. In Port Bou, on the French-Spanish border they mail their bags as express goods to Badajoz (Extremadura). 17 October - They proceed by train (via Barcelona and Madrid) to Badajoz on the Portuguese-Spanish border, to where their bags have not arrived. 19 October - After a wrangling of two days they proceed to Lisbon without their bags. 20 October - They arrive in Lisbon at dawn. In the afternoon they board the ship Escalibur and leave Europe. 27 October - The ship puts into port at the islands of Bermuda, from where in a long letter Bartok gives his son Béla an account of their trip so far and of the missing packages. He gives instructions in financial and tax declaration matters. 28 October - They proceed. 29 October - Notice No. 1097/1940 arrives from the Music Institute of Higher Education (Music Academy), according to which Bartok is put in temporary retirement (with Pres. No. 17922/1940) by the Minister of Religion and Public Education, starting with 1 November. 30 October - They arrive in New York and stay at Buckingham hotel. 2 November - Bartok writes transport contractor Riley about the missing bags. 3 November - At the New York Town Hall Mr and Mrs Bartok give their first American concert organised by New Friends of Music. They play Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussions with the participation of Saul Goodman and Henry Denecke Jr. 4 November - At the Hungarian Consulate General of New York Bartok hands in his request, registered under No. 5832/1940, for the extension 458
