Prince Von Bismarck’S Interest

In New Guinea

A Berlin Interview of Sixty Years Ago

By F. T. Goedicke-van-Asten (Count Van Asten) of Haapai, Tonga, holder of an old Dutch title.

IN January, 1888, I left Haapai, Tonga, in a copra vessel for Bremen, Ger many. My plan was to stay about three months in Germany and then go via the United States to Samoa, where I was sure to get one of the DH & PG’s vessels to New Britain.

While I was in Germany I visited my brother, Dr. K. Goedicke, who, at that time, was serving his one year as a volunteer in the German Army, at Berlin.

One evening, my brother took me with him to the officers’ casino, where I was introduced to several officers.

When one of the officers, a Lieutenant von Hanseman, learned that I had been in New Guinea, he asked me if I could spare an hour, next day, to meet his father, who was a big shareholder in the New Guinea Company. The next day I met his father, Banker von Hanseman, a very kind old gentleman. I had to answer many questions about New Guinea; climate, people, produce, if gold had been found, etc.

Then he told me he would like me to meet Prince von Bismarck, the Imperial German Chancellor, who was at the head of the New Guinea Company, and was the principal shareholder in the DH & PG, of Hamburg. He said that von Bismarck would go, at 11 am next day, to inspect the new Parliament House, then being erected, and that we could meet him there.

Next day we drove up to the front of the Reichstag, just as von Bismarck came down the marble steps. I was introduced: but von Bismarck excused himself—he had not a minute to spare, but he asked me to see him next day at the Chancellery, where we could, as he expressed it, have a long taki taki.

NEXT morning, as I approached the Chancellery, I was challenged by a guard. I told him I had an appoint ment with the Imperial Chancellor. He called another guard and, after a lot of red tape, I was ushered into the room where von Bismarck welcomed me. He bombarded me with questions about the different Islands in the Bismarck Archi pelago.

When I told Bismarck that I had taken part in the punishment of the natives of Kabaira bv the German warship “Alba tros,” for killing several Europeans dur ing the last few years, von Bismarck called his secretary, saving, “bring me Admiralty reports, Albatros, New Britain, 1885.”

Von Bismarck onened the portfolio, turned leaf after leaf, and at last he said: “Here we are! August 5: Albatros arrived at Kabaira, anchored in front of one of the German firm’s stations occu pied by one, Mr. Goedicke.”

Von Bismarck turned several more leaves and then he read out: “August 6: ‘Albatros’ bombarded the village, landed 140 men. As no natives were seen, huts were burnt, plantations destroyed, ‘Alba tros’ men returned on board.

“Aug. 7: 140 men were landed under command of Lieutenant von Brido. After a march of about one hour, the ‘Albatros’ party was confronted by a large crowd of natives, all armed with spears, bows and arrows, and sling stones; spears were thrown and replied to with rifles

by the Albatros party. During a skirmish of about one hour, four of the ‘Albatros’ party and Dr. Butig were seriously wounded; Mr. Goedicke also received an arrow in his hand and a poisoned spear in his back.”

Von Bismarck looked up and said, “I am sorry. Are you all right again?” I said I was.

He continued reading. Lieutenant von Brido thought that the natives had re ceived sufficient punishment. The ‘Alba tros’s’ men returned to report to Com mander Count von Baudisin.

Von Bismrack turned another leaf and read: “August 8: ‘Albatros’ left New Britain, taking Mr. Goedicke on board to be placed with the other wounded men in a hospital in Sydney.”

VON BISMARCK closed the portfolio, stood up, went to his desk and re turned with a medal. On one side was the image of Bismarck; the other side had German words engraved, mean ing: “We Germans fear God, but nobody else in this world!”

Von Bismarck told me that he had had several of these medals made to give to people who had interested themselves in the Bismarck Archipelago. He said the medal was not an Order or Decoration it was a kind of memento, to remind them of New Guinea.

“I think that, according to your own story and the Admiralty report, you are one who is entitled to receive this medal,” he said. “Whenever you look at it, re member that I, Otto Prince von Bis marck-Schoershausen had the pleasure of handing it to you.”

I thanked the Prince and we sat down again.

“Have you ever tasted a ‘Berliner Weiss’?” asked von Bismarck.

I said that I had not.

He rang a bell and told a servant to bring two Berliner Weiss (a beer only brewed in Berlin). The servant placed on the table two bottles of beer, two very large tumblers, two small liqueur glasses filled with Gilka, and a plate of caviare sandwiches.

We ate, drank and conversed for a long while. Finally, looking at the clock on the wall, I saw I had been there an hour, so I said: “Excellency, words fail me to express my thanks for the honour you have bestowed on me. I think I have occunied your valuable time too long, so with your kind permission I will wish you good-bye.”

Von Bismarck stood up, placed one of his hands in mine, the other one on my shoulder, looked me in the face and, in a very fatherly way, he said: “Goedicke, you are a young man; you have the world before you. I wish you all the best for the future, and may the blessing of our Lord rest upon you.” We shook hands.

Von Bismarck accomnanied me to the door, and I left the Chancellery.

Thus I met Otto von Bismarck- Schoershausen, the statesman more re sponsible than any other man for the unification of the German States and the foundation of the German Empire.

If von Bismarck had been alive in 1914 there would have been no World War I; and, therefore, no World War IT.

Immediately thereafter, I wrote the

whole of the circumstances of the inter view in my diary, from which I now have copied the foregoing.

I saw von Bismarck once more, but only from a distance, at the funeral of Emperor Frederic 111, father of Emperor William 11. * * * I HAVE made in my Will a provision that, after my death, my Bismarck medal shall go to Mr. R. W. Robson, editor of the “Pacific Islands Monthly,” in the belief that this interesting link between Prince von Bismarck and what was German New Guinea will be suit ably taken care of, and preserved.