Autograph letter to John Russell, British art critic 20 November 1963 My dear John, Thank you very much for the splendid advertisement of 'King Lear'. I am not a political cartoonist; if I were, I would now draw a biting actual scene from Richard III, Act 1, Scene 2, where the murderer is shedding tears and courts the Queen, widow of his victim. I liked that mention in the papers how Gromyko [Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union] cried at the condolence visit at the American Embassy in Moscow, and what an unfortunate hazard that Kennedy had to sit in the car next to Connally [The Texas Governor], whom to shoot [i.e. in order to shoot Connelly] the communist boy [Lee Harvey Oswald] had especially got an exit visa, together with his wife from the Soviet authorities. That he never intended to kill the Head of the American State was his confession, at least, before he also was silenced! This is the official version in order to save society from another world war and to allow the continuation of peaceful commercial relations. Some people may be doubtful whether the reason for suddenly buying reserves of wheat has not been for purely humanistic purposes. Any case, I would not like to be among the High personalities at the funeral ceremony; I would not feel well if, for example, the Queen has to stand next to Mrs Gromyko! I wonder if one of the many newspapers would dare to suggest that, in order to show some compassion for the kill[ing] of the Head of the American State, the Communist government ought to demolish the Berlin Wall. It certainly would be more (word crossed out) helpful for the Eternal Place of that poor victim than all the flowers, tears and especially the speeches which we have to read soon in the papers of the Free World. Love to both. Yours ashamed, O.K. (ashamed to have to digest all that!)" *[JFK was assassinated on 22 November, so this letter was presumably pre-dated or incorrectly dated by Kokoschka. The letter begins with a few lines in what seems to be a lighter coloured ink, so perhaps he began the letter then took it up again after the 22nd]