My Co-workers in the Administration
It behooves me to remark that I found particular pleasure in working
with His Excellency von Stephan and in dealing with him. He was a man
of the old school, who fitted in so well with me that he always grasped
my ideas and suggestions and afterward carried them out with energy
and power, owing to his firm belief in them. A man of iron energy and
unflagging capacity for work and joyousness; endowed, moreover, with
refreshing humor, quick to perceive new possibilities, never at a
loss for expedients, well versed in political and technical matters,
he seemed to have been born especially for creative co-operation.
I trusted him implicitly, and my trust in him was never betrayed.
I learned much from my association with this stimulating, shrewd
counselor.
The Post-Office Department reached an unimagined degree of excellence
and aroused the admiration of the whole world. The great invention of
the telephone was utilized to the limit, was applied extensively to the
public service, and was developed so as to facilitate it. Likewise in
the domain of building Stephan brought about a decided improvement,
which received my approval and support.
All great state building projects depended on the vote of the
investigating "Academy of Building," which, at that time, was a
slow-moving, cumbrous, and backward body. I had already had experiences
of my own with it. The "White Drawing Room," originally merely
provisional, had been put up without much attention to style--it had
been intended at first for an Indian masquerade, a "Lalla Rookh"
festival, in honor of the Grand Duchess Charlotte, daughter of
Frederick William III, and her husband, later Tsar Nicholas I. An
investigation instituted at my order showed the material to be spurious
and inferior; the structure was in the worst possible state of decay
and in danger of collapse; a new one was needed.
With the co-operation and collaboration of the Empress Frederick,
projects and plans were made, and, finally, a big model was provided
by Building Councilor Ihne--the "modern Schlüter," as the Empress
Frederick used to call him--which won unanimous approval. Only the
Building Academy opposed wearisome objections, stating that the "White
Drawing Room" ought to be preserved "in its old historical beauty," and
required no alterations. When the new structure was completed, however,
it also met with the approval of the gentlemen who had been formerly so
critical.
Herr von Stephan also was at loggerheads with the Academy of Building.
He wanted to alter many post offices, or build entirely new ones,
especially in the big cities, but, in view of the fearful slowness
and devotion to red tape of the aforesaid official body, he used to
receive no answers at all, or else refusals, when he brought these
matters to its attention. The rule of thumb was supreme there. Herr
von Stephan was of the opinion that, in its buildings as well as in
other directions, the youthful German Empire must give an impression of
power, and that the Imperial post offices must be built accordingly;
he believed that they should harmonize with the general style of the
towns where they were located, or, at least, conform to the style of
the oldest and most important buildings there. Nor could I do otherwise
than agree with such a view.
ACADEMY'S SHACKLES BROKEN
At last there came a rupture with the aforementioned Academy. His
Excellency von Stephan lost patience and informed me that he had freed
his office, and the buildings erected by it, from the supervision of
the Academy; that he had even formed a committee from among his own
architects and officials for supervising purposes; and that all he
asked of me was to subject the more important plans for buildings to a
final inspection. I did so willingly.
Stephan was an enthusiastic huntsman, so that I had additional
opportunities, while on the court hunts, to enjoy association with this
refreshing, unchanging, faithful official and counselor.
Among the Ministers whom I particularly esteemed His Excellency Miquel
took first place. He it was who, as my Finance Minister, put through
for Prussia the great reform which placed the land on a sound basis and
helped it toward prosperity. Intercourse with this astute political
expert gave me great pleasure, and a wealth of teaching and stimulus.
The degree to which Miquel was versed in all possible matters was
astounding. In conversation he was brisk, humorous, and keen in
elucidating and arguing on a subject, in addition to which a strong
historical bent ran, like a red thread, through his quotations. In
history and ancient languages he was marvelously well equipped, so
that, in his reports, he was able often to hark back to the times
of the Romans and quote from his store of knowledge--not out of
Büchmann[7]--pieces of Latin in support of his arguments. Even when
he was instructing he was never tiresome on account of his brilliant
dialectics, but used to hold his hearers spellbound to the very end.
It was His Excellency Miquel likewise who incited me to favor the
great canal projects and supported me when the Prussian Conservatives
opposed the Central [Rhine-Weser-Elbe] Canal, and caused the failure
of the plan to build it. He lent strength to the King and made the
latter decide not to let up in this fight until victory was won. He
knew, as I did, what blessings the canals in Holland and the splendid
canal network of France had brought to those lands and what a relief
they were to the ever more hard-pressed railways. In the World War we
might have had a splendid east-to-west artery of transportation for
ammunition, wounded, siege material, supplies, and the like, which
would have made it possible, by thus relieving the railways, for the
latter to transport troops on an even greater scale--moreover, this
would have lessened the shortage of coal. In time of peace also, for
which the canal was destined, it would have been most beneficial.
Minister von Miquel was a most ardent enthusiast for the Imperial
German idea and the German Empire of the Hohenzollerns: I lent an
attentive ear to his spirited handling of this theme. He was a man who,
clinging to the old tradition, thought in a great German, Imperial way;
he was fully adequate to the requirements and demands of the new era,
rightly appreciating when these were of value.
From the start I concerned myself with the completion of the railway
system. From the reports relating to national defense and the
complaints of the General Staff, as well as from personal observation,
I knew of the absolutely incredible neglect suffered by East Prussia in
the matter of railways. The state of affairs was absolutely dangerous,
in view of the steady, though gradual, reinforcing of the Russian
troops facing our frontier, and the development of the Russian railway
system.
During the last years of his reign Emperor William the Great had
commanded Field Marshal Moltke to report on the situation, since the
Russian armies, under the influence of France, were being posted
ever more conspicuously on the eastern frontier of Prussia, arousing
apprehension as to the possibility of irruptions of great masses of
Russian cavalry into Prussia, Posen, and Silesia. Quartermaster-General
Count Waldersee and I were present at the reading of this report. From
it came the resolve to shift Prussian troops eastward and to push
toward completion the neglected railway system.
The measures ordained by Emperor William I and begun by him required
time, particularly as the new railway bridges over the Vistula and
Nogat had to be built by the military authorities in the teeth
of strong official opposition (Maybach). Since the railways were
considered a "national pocketbook," there was a desire to build only
"paying" lines, which caused prejudice against outlays for military
lines designed for the defense of the fatherland, since it diminished
the fine surplus funds by which such great store was laid.
Not until my reign were the plans of Emperor William I brought to
realization. Anyone taking up a railway map of 1888 will be amazed
at the lack of railway connection in the east, particularly in East
Prussia, especially if he compares it with a 1914 map showing the
development in the intervening years. If we had had the old network,
we should have lost our eastern territory in 1914.
Unquestionably, Minister von Maybach rendered valuable services in the
promotion and development of the railway system. He had to take into
account the wishes and demands of the rapidly developing industrial
sections of Western Germany, in doing which he naturally considered
military desires also, as far as he could. But during his régime
Eastern Germany was very badly treated with regard to railway lines,
bridges, and rolling stock. Had there been mobilization at that time,
it would have been necessary to transfer hundreds of locomotives to the
east in order to maintain schedules capable of meeting even part of
the requirements of the General Staff. The only means of communication
with the east were the two antiquated trestle bridges at Dirschau and
Marienburg. The General Staff became insistent, which brought quarrels
between it and Maybach.
Not until Minister Thielen came into office was there a change,
occasioned by his self-sacrificing work, for which thanks are due him.
Realizing correctly what the military requirements were, he pushed
forward the completion of the eastern railways. Thielen was an able,
diligent, thoroughly reliable official of the old Prussian type,
faithful to me and enjoying my high esteem. In common with Miquel, he
stood faithfully by the side of his sovereign in the fight for the
Central Canal. Characteristic of him were the words which he said in
my presence, before a big assembly of people, at the opening of the
Elbe-Trave Canal: "The Central Canal must and will be built." Relations
between him and me remained harmonious until his retirement.
Despite the railway construction work in the western part of Germany,
there were in that region likewise serious gaps in the network of
railways, from the point of view of mobilization and deployment of
troops, which had long since needed remedying. The Rhine, as far up
as Mainz, was crossed by one railway bridge only; the Main could be
crossed only at Frankfort. For a long time the General Staff had been
demanding the remedying of these conditions. Fortunately, general
traffic moved in the same direction--for instance, if a traveler coming
from the west wished to reach one of the watering places in the Taunus
Mountains, or some place on the railway along the right bank of the
Rhine, he had to go as far as Frankfort, and then return in the same
direction whence he had come, although at Mainz he had almost been
opposite Wiesbaden.
Minister Budde was the man chosen for the accomplishment of this work.
As chief of the railway department of the General Staff he had long
since attracted my attention by his extraordinary capacity for work,
his energy, and his promptness in making decisions. He had often
reported to me on the gaps in our railway system, which would hamper
quick deployment of troops on two fronts, and always pointed out the
preparations being made by Russia and France, which we were in duty
bound to meet with preparations of equal scope, in the interests of the
national defense.
The first consideration, of course, in railway construction had been
the improvement and facilitation of industry and commerce, but it had
not been able to meet the immeasurably increased demands of these,
since the great network of canals, designed to relieve the railways,
was not in existence. The war on two fronts, which threatened us more
and more--and for which our railways were, technically speaking, not
yet ready, partly from financial-technical reasons--made necessary that
more careful attention should be paid to military requirements. Russia
was building, with French billions, an enormous network of railways
against us, while in France the railways destined to facilitate the
deployment of forces against Germany were being indefatigably extended
by the completion of three-track lines--something as yet totally
unknown in Germany.
Minister Budde set to work without delay. The second great railway
bridge over the Rhine at Mainz was constructed, likewise the bridge
over the Main at Costheim, and the necessary switches and loops for
establishing communication with the line along the right bank of the
Rhine, and with Wiesbaden; also the triangle at Biebrich-Mosbach was
completed. Budde's talents found brilliant scope in the organization
and training of the railway employees, whose numbers had grown
until they formed a large army, and in his far-sighted care for his
subordinates.
I respected this vigorous, active man with all my heart, and deeply
regretted that a treacherous ailment put an end to his career in the
very midst of his work.
In His Excellency von Breitenbach I acquired a new and valuable aid
and co-worker in my plans regarding the railways. In the course of
years he developed into a personage of high eminence. Distinguished and
obliging, of comprehensive attainments, keen political insight, great
capacity for work and untiring industry, he stood in close relationship
to me.
His co-operation with the General Staff in military matters was due
to his thorough belief in the necessity of strengthening our means
of defense against possible hostile attacks. Plans were made for the
construction of three new Rhine bridges, at Rüdesheim, Neuwied, and
the Loreley, which were not completed until during the war--they
were named, respectively, after the Crown Prince, Hindenburg, and
Ludendorff. In the east, great extensions of railway stations, bridges,
and new railway lines were built, some of them while the war was in
progress.
Other important works carried out by Breitenbach in the west were the
great railway bridge at Cologne, to replace the old trestle bridge; a
new bridge, by the Beyen Tower, for freight traffic; and new railways
in the Eiffel Mountains. Moreover, at my special suggestion, a through
line was built from Giessen to Wiesbaden, which included reconstruction
of the stations at Homburg and Wiesbaden and the building of a loop
around Frankfort and Höchst. In addition, trains were provided with
through cars from Flushing to the Taunus.
To show that it is impossible to please everybody, I wish to observe
in passing that we were violently attacked by the hotel proprietors of
Frankfort, who were naturally not at all pleased at this elimination of
Frankfort and of the necessity, existing previously, for passengers to
change trains there, since they lost thereby many customers formerly
obliged to spend a night in some Frankfort hotel. This element brought
particularly strong opposition to bear against the loop line around
Höchst.
The battle concerning the Central Canal was decided at last in favor of
my plans. Under Breitenbach, construction on it was pushed forward by
sections with great energy. Those portions of this canal which it had
been possible to place in operation have fully met expectations.
During this period, also, the extraordinarily difficult extension and
deepening of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, almost equivalent to building
an entirely new waterway, was brought to completion, likewise the
great Emden sea lock. These were remarkable achievements in the domain
of bridge and lock construction, which aroused the admiration of the
world; in the matter of locks, for instance, those built at this time
far surpassed the locks of the Panama Canal in size. The difficult
tasks were brilliantly and thoroughly completed by the officials in
charge; in so far as the construction work was in the hands of the
Empire, it was carried out mostly with the supervising co-operation of
the Prussian Ministry of Transportation.
I often went to Breitenbach's home, where I had an opportunity, thanks
to him, of having interesting talks on commercial-political and
economic subjects with a highly intelligent circle, of meeting a lot of
eminent men and discussing important questions. The plans and sketches
of all the larger railway stations, locks, and bridges were submitted
to me before the work of building or rebuilding them was begun, and
reports concerning them were made to me.
I have intentionally gone into detail in this matter in order to
show the following: First, how a monarch can and must influence the
development of his realm by personal participation; second, how, if
he makes his selections quite independently of party reasons, he can
place able men at the head of the various departments; third, how, by
the honest co-operation of these men with the sovereign, whose complete
confidence they enjoy, brilliant results can be achieved. Everything
that we did together was aboveboard and honest; nothing mattered but
the welfare and development of the fatherland, its strengthening and
equipment for competition in the world market.
As was natural, I had close and lasting relations in the regular course
of events with the Ministry of Public Worship and Instruction. Herr
von Gossler and Herr von Trott may surely be considered the most
important and prominent occupants of this post. In this Ministry a
co-worker almost without equal arose in the person of Ministry Director
Althoff, a man of genius.
I had been made acquainted with the dark side of the high-school
system of education by my own school experiences. The predominantly
philological character of the training led, in the whole educational
system as well, to a certain one-sidedness.
When I was at the Cassel High School in 1874-77 I had observed that,
although there was great enthusiasm for 1870-71 and the new Empire
among the boys, there was, nevertheless, a distinct lack of the right
conception of the German idea, of the feeling "civis Germanus sum"
("I am a German citizen")--which I impressed later upon my people at
the laying of the foundation-stone of the Saalburg. To create such
sentiments and awaken them in the rising generation and to lay the
foundations for them firmly in the young hearts was a task somewhat
beyond the powers of the teaching staff, in view of the fossilized,
antiquated philological curriculum.
There was great neglect in the department of German history, which
is exactly the study through which young hearts may be made to
glow, through which the love of one's native country, its future
and greatness, may be aroused. But little was taught of more recent
history, covering the years since 1815. Young philologists were
produced, but no German citizens qualified for practical co-operation
toward building up the flourishing young Empire.
In other words, no _youths who were consciously Germans_ were being
turned out. In a small reading club composed of my classmates I often
tried to inculcate the idea of the Greater Germany, in order to
eliminate parochial and similar conceptions which hampered the German
idea. Admiral Werner's _Book of the German Fleet_ was one of the few
works by means of which the living feeling for the German Empire could
be fanned into flame.
Another thing that struck me, in addition to the one-sidedness of the
education in the schools, was the tendency, among youths planning their
careers in those days, to turn their attention to becoming Government
officials, and always consider the profession of lawyer or judge the
most worthy goal.
This was doubtless due to the fact that the conditions obtaining in the
Prussia of olden days still had their effect in the youthful German
Empire. As long as the state consisted, so to speak, of government and
administration, this tendency among German youths in the shaping of
their lives was understandable and justified; since we were living in
a country of officials, the right road for a young man to select was
the service of the state. British youths of that time, self-reliant and
made robust by sports, were already talking, to be sure, of colonial
conquests, of expeditions to explore new regions of the earth, of
extending British commerce; and they were trying, in the guise of
pioneers of their country, to make Great Britain still stronger and
greater, by practical, free action, not as paid hirelings of the state.
But England had long been a world empire when we were still a land of
officials; therefore, the youth of Britain could seek more remote and
important goals than the German.
Now that Germany had entered into world economics and world politics,
however, as a by no means negligible factor, the aspirations of
German youth should have undergone a more prompt transformation. For
this reason it was that I, during the later years of my reign, used
to compare, with a heavy heart, the proud young Britons, who had
learned much less Latin and Greek than was required among us, with the
children of Germany, pale from overstudy. To be sure, there were even
then enterprising men in Germany--brilliant names can be cited among
them--but the conception of serving the fatherland, not by traveling
along a definite, officially certified road, but by independent
competition, had not yet become sufficiently generalized. Therefore I
held up the English as an example, for it seems to me better to take
the good where one finds it, without prejudice, than to go through the
world wearing blinkers.
With these considerations as a basis I won for my German youths the
_School Reform_ against desperate opposition from the philologists,
inside and outside the Ministry and school circles. Unfortunately, the
reform did not take the shape which I hoped, and did not lead to the
results which I had expected.
The Germanic idea in all its splendor was first revealed and preached
to the astonished German people by Chamberlain in his _Foundations
of the Nineteenth Century_. But, as is proved by the collapse of the
German people, this was in vain. To be sure, there was much singing of
"Deutschland über alles," but Germans, obeying the commands of their
enemies, allowed the Emperor to fall and the Empire to be broken to
pieces; and, placing themselves under the orders of Russian criminals
vastly inferior to them in culture, they stabbed their own army in the
back while it was still fighting valiantly.
Had Germans of all classes and conditions been educated to feel joy and
pride in their fatherland, such a degradation of a great nation would
have been unimaginable.
This degradation--which, it must be admitted, occurred under
remarkable, extremely difficult circumstances--is all the more
difficult to understand in view of the fact that the youth of Germany,
although it was impaired in health by overstudy, and not so toughened
by sports as the English, achieved brilliant feats in the World War,
such as were nowhere equaled before.
The years 1914-18 showed what might have been made out of the German
people had it only developed its admirable qualities in the right
direction. The 4th of August, 1914, the heroes of Langemark, countless
splendid figures from all classes, rise up from the chaos of the long
war to show what the German can do when he throws away Philistinism and
devotes himself, with the enthusiasm which so seldom reveals itself
completely in him, to a great cause. May the German people never forget
these incarnations of its better self; may it emulate them with its
full strength by inculcating in itself the true German spirit!
In the post of Minister of Justice I found His Excellency Friedberg,
the intimate, faithful friend of my father, whom I had known ever since
my youth, when he was a welcome guest in the home of my parents. This
simple, affable man enjoyed with me the same consideration which had
been shown him by my parents.
In later years I had frequent and welcome dealings with His Excellency
Beseler, who also enabled me to hear informal discussion at his house
of many an interesting legal problem by prominent lawyers, and to come
into touch with legal luminaries. I felt no particular inclination
toward the lawyers in themselves--since pedantry, remoteness from
actualities and doctrinaire leanings often assert themselves in the
domain of the law altogether too much for my taste--but the compilation
of the _Citizens' Law Book_ interested me greatly. I was present at
sessions dealing with it, and was proud that this fundamental German
work should have been brought to completion in my reign.
When I met the Lord Chief Justice of England, while I was on a visit to
that country, at the home of Lord Haldane, I asked that great jurist
what he thought of the administration and interpretation of the law
in Germany. His answer ran thus: "You pronounce judgment too much
according to the letter of the law; we according to the spirit and
content of the law."
I have often pointed out how unfortunate it was that we have not been
able to introduce, in police cases--connected with traffic, streets,
etc.--the prompt procedure of the English "police court." For, in
England, punishment in such cases is meted out on the very next day,
whereas in Germany months often elapse, what with gathering of evidence
and examination of witnesses, until, finally, some insignificant
sentence is pronounced long after the case has been forgotten. I should
also have liked to introduce into Germany the heavy penalties for
libels published in the press which are customary in England.
I have often pointed out how unfortunate it was Prince, with Minister
of Finance Scholz, and had taken part in sessions wherein that famous
man, His Excellency Meinecke, figured. Meinecke was Under Secretary of
State in the Finance Ministry and had, therefore, much to do with other
Ministers, since finances were an important thing everywhere. He had
achieved a certain degree of fame because he--as he thought--was always
able smilingly to find the best way out of tight places.
Scholz was faithful to his duty and able, but he did not succeed in
making the dry substance of taxes and the like particularly interesting
and pleasant to me, nor was there any change in this state of affairs
until the versatile Miquel took charge of the Finance Ministry. When
Miquel reported to me concerning the Prussian financial reform, he
suggested three plans: one modest, one medium, one ambitious. To the
delight of the Minister I decided, without hesitation, for the third.
Both the monarch and the Minister were filled with satisfaction when
the reform was carried out.
The Minister of the Interior, Herr von Puttkamer, had been forced to
retire during the ninety-nine days, to the great sorrow of him who was
then Crown Prince. He was an able, tried old Prussian official; one
of those Pomeranians of the old school, filled with loyalty to the
King--a nobleman through and through. Rumor had it that the Empress
Frederick had driven him from office by a plot, but this is not true.
The Empress, with her inclination to English Liberalism, doubtless did
not like the old-time Prussian Conservative, yet she was not at all to
blame for his going. Prince Bismarck pushed him aside, perhaps out of
consideration for the Empress Frederick.
I was deeply interested in forestry and its improvement along practical
lines, especially as new gold reserves could be created for the state
by reforestation.
Next to Herr von Podbielski, the ablest Minister of Agriculture and
Forests was Freiherr von Schorlemer. Just as Herr von Podbielski
bent his efforts toward creating great stretches of forests in the
east, in order to keep off the east wind by a compact forest zone and
thus improve our climate, and, at the same time, provide a natural
protection against Russian attacks, so Herr von Schorlemer opened up
the eastern forest reservations by extensive construction of roads, and
by thus facilitating the transportation of wood helped Germany greatly
in making headway in competition against wood from Russia.
Both Ministers sought, in co-operation with me, to improve our splendid
Prussian forestry personnel and better living conditions among them,
and to help toward promotions in their ranks--all of which these
officials, zealous in their work and faithful to their King, fully
deserved.
The influx of large sums into the state's pocketbook depended indeed
on the honesty, industry, and reliability of these men. I expected
much toward the restoration of the fatherland from the statesmanlike
shrewdness and ability of Herr von Schorlemer, who was always quite
conscious of the goal at which he was aiming.[8]
I learned much about forestry from Head Foresters Freiherr von
Hövel (Joachimsthal, Schorfheide) and Freiherr Speck von Sternburg
(Szittkohnen, Rominten) on my many hunting expeditions with these
excellent huntsmen and administrators.
Let me say a word here regarding a Russian curiosity in the domain of
preserving wild game. The Tsar, who had heard a great deal about the
fine antlers of the stags at Rominten, wished to have some of the same
sort at Spala, in Poland. Freiherr von Sternburg was sent to the Spala
hunting lodge one summer in order to give advice regarding this project.
He was received very cordially by a general, who had charge of the
hunting there and lived at the lodge. Sternburg noticed that all the
apartments, even those not inhabited, were always kept heated. When he
spoke of the enormous waste of wood occasioned by this, the general
shrugged his shoulders and remarked that one never could tell, the Tsar
might put in an appearance some day, after all. A gamekeeper, who was a
German, was assigned to Sternburg, since the general did not know his
way about on the reservation and was quite ignorant of game feeding.
In the course of his tours about the place Sternburg observed a number
of places where meadows could be turned into pastures or good feeding
places could be installed. He drew attention to the need of such
arrangements, having noticed that the deer had already begun to shed
their horns to a considerable extent, thereby causing much damage to
the trees.
But the gamekeeper shook his head sadly and remarked that he had
already reported all that, but in vain, since the hay for the deer
had to be brought by rail from the Black Sea and the shipments
sometimes either did not arrive at all or were greatly delayed and
arrived spoiled. But nothing would be done to alter this, continued
the gamekeeper, since too many people made a good thing out of this
transporting of the hay, which was paid for at huge prices.
He also told how--after he had called attention to the many splinters
of wood found in the intestines of the deer, in order to prove
that they were insufficiently fed and that feeding places must be
provided--a committee of animal doctors had been brought from St.
Petersburg to investigate the matter. The said committee lived and ate
for weeks in Spala at the Tsar's expense, shot many deer, examined
them, and held sessions; and the upshot of all this was a report that
the animals had wood in their stomachs, which proved that they could
live on wood, for which reason feeding places would be superfluous and
the hay from the Black Sea would suffice to supplement the wood. And
there the matter remained, in spite of Sternburg's visit!
When I heard this yarn, I involuntarily thought of an anecdote which
Prince Bülow especially delighted to tell in connection with his
sojourn at St. Petersburg. While there, he had attended the salon of
Madame Durnovo, where society used often to gather. One day a prominent
general was complaining to the hostess that he had been trapped in a
money matter, which had brought him much unpleasantness from "above."
Apparently he wished, by his mournful description, to arouse sympathy
for his bad luck, but Madame Durnovo retorted, in her rough way: "Mon
cher Général, quand on fait des sâletés, il faut qu'elles réussissent!"
("My dear General, when you play dirty tricks it is necessary that they
be successful!")
As Secretary of State in the Imperial Postal Department likewise, Herr
von Podbielski, after I had chosen him and declined a number of other
candidates, did excellent work, treading worthily in the footsteps of
Stephan. Very practical; endowed with the business sense and a great
knowledge of business; well versed and clever in financial matters; of
innate administrative talent, and, at the same time, quick to fight;
caustically witty; a good speaker and debater--he worked with zeal and
skill, often as a pioneer, particularly in matters of world postal
service, wireless telegraphy, etc. This former colonel in the Ziethen
Hussars made a name for himself in the service of his fatherland which
will never be forgotten.
An amusing contrast to his career is that of a Russian Hussar officer
under Nicholas I. This Tsar, being full of anger against the Holy
Synod, had driven away the man at the head of it. Shortly afterward
he inspected the Hussar Body Guard Regiment, commanded by Colonel
Count Protassoff. The immense satisfaction of the Tsar at the splendid
appearance and maneuvering of the fine regiment found expression
in the words, amazing alike to the commander and his men: "Thou
hast maneuvered thy regiment magnificently, and, as a token of my
satisfaction, I name thee Procurator of the Holy Synod, which thou must
put into good shape for me!"
Mention must be made here of another excellent and worthy man, Minister
Möller. He came from Bielefeld, like Hinzpeter, and was bound to my
old teacher by lasting ties of friendship. In the legislature he was
one of the leaders of the National Liberals, by whom he was highly
esteemed, as he was in the Reichstag, on account of his upright,
distinguished Westphalian characteristics and his great experience in
the commercial-political domain.
When Imperial Chancellor Bülow suggested Möller to me as Minister I
remarked that he was a party man and member of the Reichstag. The
Chancellor said that the National Liberals would be pleased at Möller's
appointment. I observed that the state Ministry of the Prussian King
could not and must not be a party Ministry, but must stand above
the parties in entire independence of them; that I esteemed Möller
personally very much, but, should he become Minister, every member
of the legislature would have the ambition to become one likewise;
that, through Möller's appointment, the ambitions of the other parties
to obtain ministerial chairs would also be aroused and nobody could
foresee the consequences; that, moreover, Möller would be greatly
missed in the Reichstag, from which I did not wish to take him on
account of his influence with all parties.
Despite these objections and my advice against it, Bülow stuck to his
idea. Möller became Minister, and, as such, stood very well with me.
But what I had prophesied occurred comparatively soon: Minister Möller
was obliged to retire by circumstances partially connected with the
inner workings of his party.
[7] A German philologist who compiled a well-known book of quotations.
[8] His recent death, which snatched him away in the midst of
beneficial labors, is a serious loss to the fatherland.