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an open book with a handwritten note on the coverthe people don ' t know the american press and the cold war
Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin

1297 - Seldes, George
See original version (German)

Estimate €360 - €450
Sale commission
Description
Seldes, George The People Don't Know. The American Press and the Cold War. New York: Gaer Associates, 1949. 342 pp. Original cloth binding with original dust jacket. (The dust jacket is scuffed at the edges and has small tears). A signed copy dedicated to Mátyás Rákosi. Dedicated in the author’s own hand on the endpaper: “To Deputy Premier Rákosi with many thanks for the interviews – and my best wishes, George Seldes, 1 November 1949”. This book has an exceptional provenance. The American investigative journalist and media critic George Seldes (1890–1995) presented it to the man he had interviewed himself: Mátyás Rákosi, General Secretary of the Hungarian Workers’ Party, Deputy Prime Minister and, at the time, the most powerful man in Hungary. The interview is reproduced in the book as the final chapter (Appendix 6: ‘Rákosi Speaks on Tito, Russia, the U.S.’). From 1940 to 1950, Seldes published the advert-free newsletter ‘In Fact’. In ‘The People Don’t Know’, he accuses the American press of one-sidedly steering public opinion at the onset of the Cold War. The dedication dates from November 1949, shortly after the show trial of László Rajk, who was convicted as a “Titoist”. It vividly illustrates how close a Western left-wing intellectual and the Stalinist leadership of Eastern Central Europe had become at that time. Catholic critics later accused Seldes of publicising Rákosi’s attacks on the Church in the context of the Mindszenty trial. In 1953, he was compelled to testify before McCarthy’s committee. Original cloth binding in the original dust jacket (jacket rubbed at the edges, with small losses). Presentation copy to Mátyás Rákosi, inscribed by the author on the front endpaper: “To Deputy Premier Rákosi with many thanks for the interviews – and my best wishes, George Seldes, 1 November 1949”. This copy has a remarkable provenance. The American investigative journalist and press critic George Seldes (1890–1995) gave it to the man he had interviewed himself: Mátyás Rákosi, General Secretary of the Hungarian Working People’s Party, Deputy Prime Minister, and at that time the most powerful man in Hungary. The interview appears as the book’s final chapter (Appendix 6: “Rákosi Speaks on Tito, Russia, the U.S.”). From 1940 to 1950, Seldes published the advertisement-free newsletter “In Fact”. In “The People Don’t Know”, he accuses the American press of steering public opinion in a one-sided manner during the early Cold War. The inscription dates from November 1949, shortly after the show trial of László Rajk, who was convicted as a “Titoist”. It is striking evidence of just how close a Western left-wing intellectual and the Stalinist leadership of East Central Europe could be at that time. Catholic critics later accused Seldes of publicising Rákosi’s attacks on the Church during the Mindszenty trial. In 1953, he was called to testify before McCarthy’s committee. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to the standard tax regime. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
See original version (German)
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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