When Joyce left Paris in January 1940 he left almost all his possessions behind, including his library, manuscripts, and many personal possessions. Paul Léon later went to the Joyce’s apartment and, at great personal risk, rescued all the material he could and dispersed it among friends for safekeeping for the duration of the war. Léon himself was later arrested by the Nazis and was interned in a concentration camp in Silesia where he was killed in 1942. Because of his secretarial work for Joyce, Léon had a substantial archive of papers relating to Joyce’s business and personal affairs at his home. These papers were lodged with Count O’Kelly at the Irish legation in Paris for safekeeping, and after the war they were lodged at the National Library of Ireland where they remained under seal for fifty years, and were opened to the public in 1992.
Press ‘A’ to learn more about Joyce’s use of this furniture… Press ‘B’ to learn more about Léon’s role in saving Joyce material…