I've returned to Paris. I still haven't seen Asger [Jorn], but, according to what he said, Michele [Bernstein] still has two days before she must go to Holland (where a project has already been started by the Dutch and Asger himself). But, if we want to obtain credit for May [1960], we are obliged to submit this project to [Wilhelm] Sandberg without further delay. I will communicate to you the details after having seen Asger (tomorrow, without doubt).
Concerning the journals, this is what Michele said to Rob [Wyckaert]: our press contacts in Belgium are completely insignificant (there are perhaps 10 copies [of Internationale Situationniste], including several I left in Liege). Thus, you can do as you wish concerning the distribution of gifts or copies for libraries. You hardly risk sending a copy to someone who has already received one. This past Tuesday, a new package of 20 copies -- more exactly, 2 packages of 10 copies each -- was sent to you.
Ask us for other packages as you need them. After issue #3, several people have written to make contact with us in Paris. I'll meet them as soon as possible.
And, because they have read about our plan to hold the IVth conference [of the Situationist International] in England, the English have already asked us for the date; and they say that we have promised the ICA[1] to hold the conference there! This is very good, since we have a plan to immediately utilize [Laurence] Alloway's small talents. Constant has made his exposition at Essen, with a conference on U.U. [Unitary Urbanism]. At the same time, much more dubiously, he has a sort of historical-retrospective exposition of the Alba Laboratory, which has an unfortunate tendency to express compassion for the glorious past of the Alba Congress. Potlatch very much fails us in this period.
As for the film [On the passage of a few persons through a rather brief unity of time], it would be very good to show it when you have a valuable occasion, up to the moment when the producers will take back that copy -- which might cause you delays, because, like all the organizations started by Asger, the Danish-French [Film Company] appears to be in complete chaos at the moment: a producer[2] has disappeared! And Asger has created a third company to surveill the behavior of the second one. Since it is not likely that they will suddenly bring themselves under control, it isn't necessary for you to return your copy for two or three more days. The students at the Beaux-Arts of Liege have written to me, asking me to show it to them. I'm going to respond to them after finishing this letter to you. And you can tell them they can see it if they give it right back.
Cordially yours,P.S. I have not heard of the Soviet machine. But it is very interesting. Such an instrument would surely have a place in our labyrinth.
[1] The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
[2] Wolsgaard-Iversen.
(Published in Guy Debord, Correspondance, Volume 1, 1957-1960. Footnotes by Alice Debord. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! May 2005.)