Bertolt Brecht's FBI file is a strangely mesmerizing read.

On February 8, 1943, after applying for and receiving permission to travel, Subject left Los Angeles for New York. In his application to the United States Attorney for travel permission, BRECHT stated that he was going to New York for a period of eight weeks, to attend to business of theatrical nature. BRECHT gave no specific address in New York to which he was going, but stated that he could be reached there through ERWIN PISCATOR, 66 West Twelfth Street, New York City.