Nachtmaschine, Issue 3 ("Burroughs Special"), March 1978

A Burroughs-focused issue from multiple contributors, including (mostly in German):

• Letter from Milton Rosenbaum to Grove Press Managing Editor Richard Seaver on Burroughs;
• “Einsame Lemuren” by Jürgen Ploog, an essay with recollections of Burroughs, beginning with a brief quote, pp. 4-6;
• “London S.W. 1” by Udo Breger, a recollection of Burroughs in London, pp. 7-9;
• “Madeira. Erzählung” by Guido Bachmann, an excerpt from his 1976 book of the same name in which Burroughs is discussed, pp. 10-11;
• “Damals in Berlin” by Walter Hartmann, on a reading by Ginsberg and Burroughs, pp.12-13;
• “The 23 Enigma” by Robert Anton Wilson, an English-language entry on the importance of 23 to Burroughs and in general, p. 14;
• “Have you seen El Hombre Invisible?” by Carl Weissner on a visit by Burroughs to his Heidelberg apartment, in English, p. 15-16;
• an advertisement for Gasolin 23, noting Burroughs in issues #2 and #4, p.17;
• “Der Tod der Nilpferde” by Jörg Fauser, a “radio-play” where Burroughs is a character among other contemporary literary figures, pp.18-31;
• “M.O.B. – My Own Business” by William S. Burroughs, as printed in High Times, December 1977, p.31;
• “Und Gysin” by William S. Burroughs, translated by Udo Breger, on Brion Gysin, p.32;
• “Literary Autobiography” by William S. Burroughs (as published in the Descriptive Catalog of The William S. Burroughs Archive, pp. 33-38;
• A “Burroughs Bibliographie” assembled by Walter Hartmann, pp. 39-46;
• an advertisement for Pociao’s Books, including multiple Burroughs items.

Published in Basel, Switzerland by Matthyas Jenny in March 1978.

2000 copies were printed of this item, but it is yet quite difficult to locate. Luzius Martin, long-term collector based in Basel mentioned to me:

I am pretty sure, there were far less copies printed than the 2000 stated. Maybe a typo, 200 sounds more reasonable for a Swiss small press production.

In over 30 years I only spotted 2 copies & I know Basel quite well.

Acquired from MeRz Kunstbuchhandlung (Hannover, Germany).

Bibliographic Information:

• Shoaf III.280
• Not in Schottlaender (v4)
• Raven 19780300NACH.0.3

Contents as noted above.

Publishing Information:

• Publisher/Editor: Matthyas Jenny
• Layout: Walter Hartmann
• Printing: Matthyas Jenny (Rotaprint machine)