King Carol as a diplomat--Lichnowsky as a Secretary of Legation--The
scandal about his chief’s (Prince von Bülow) wife--I see
something at Bad Hall--A great ladies’ man: he goes too far at
length and is “promoted” to another sphere--Kiderlein-Wächter,
genial and popular--An unfortunate dinner-party over which his
housekeeper presided--Prince Gulochowski and his wife--Some
British ambassadors: Sir Frank Lascelles and Sir Charles (now
Lord) Hardinge--How the latter rendered me a great service--Sir
Henry Drummond Wolff--Sir John Kennedy and Lady Kennedy and
their family--Better times for the British colony--The British
colony--Its religious interests--Bishop Collins and his visits to
Bucarest--His tragic end deeply regretted--Since the war Bucarest
has many more British visitors--A British Chamber of Commerce, and
a projected club.
The late King Carol was considered one of the best diplomats in Europe.
Was it because of this the German Embassy had always more secretaries
on their staff than any other embassy? It was the case, at any rate.
Some twenty years ago the present Prince von Bülow was German Minister
at the Court of Roumania. One of the secretaries was the young Prince
Lichnowsky, who ended his career in London as German Ambassador at the
outbreak of war.
Young Lichnowsky was considered to be very clever, in spite of his
abnormally large head (his hats were always specially made for him);
and for a German he was remarkably well groomed, but one did not wonder
at that when one learned that he had all his clothes from Poole’s.
There was a good deal of talk in Bucarest at that time concerning
Lichnowsky’s weakness for Mme. von Bülow, the wife of his chief. As
the lady was considerably older than he, I never gave any credence
to the reports, till some facts came under my own observation. I was
staying for a few weeks at Bad Hall, a small village in Austria, rather
celebrated for the health-giving properties of its springs. At the
principal hotel Mme. von Bülow was staying, and in close attendance
upon her no other than Prince Lichnowsky. He was most attentive,
accompanying her to the Casino, to the springs, and always carrying a
formidable array of wraps, as she was not a very robust woman. After
seeing this, I could no longer disbelieve the stories that had been
current.
Lichnowsky was considered a great ladies’ man in Bucarest, and the most
of his time was spent amongst the fair members of the local society.
His attentions to a certain personage since dead became so marked, that
it was deemed advisable to cut short his adventurous career, and so he
was “promoted,” and the society of Bucarest knew him no more.
Another diplomat was Kiderlein-Wächter, also German Minister during
part of my stay in Bucarest. He was a genial man and very popular, but
it must be confessed that he was anything but abstemious; he did not
even confine himself to beer, as most Germans do.
His household was composed of three or four servants, a valet,
and a lady housekeeper. In regard to the last-named he rather got
into hot water with the Roumanian ladies. He issued invitations
for a dinner-party, and, when the guests arrived and dinner was
announced, the head of the table was taken by the lady housekeeper!
Indignation was general among the Roumanians, as, although they are
not at all strict among their own set, they are very particular as
to what they require from an outsider. The consequence was that Herr
Kiderlein-Wächter could never again show hospitality to the Roumanian
ladies, as in no case would it have been accepted. Poor man! he died a
year or so ago at Stuttgart, very suddenly, I believe.
Prince Gulochowski was also in Bucarest some time before as Austrian
Minister. I remember him as rather short, portly, and wearing bushy
whiskers. His wife was just the contrary. She was thin to attenuation.
Mme. Gulochowski was once present at the Elisabeth Ball, given at the
Royal Theatre every year. It was the Queen’s express desire that every
lady should appear there dressed in Roumanian costume, as she wished to
encourage the national industries.
One would have thought that Mme. Gulochowski would have eagerly seized
upon the chance of covering up her thin shoulders, but not she. In
spite of the well-known wish of the Queen, she appeared in ball
costume, most conspicuous as the only lady present who was not dressed
in national costume.
Of our own diplomats, not a few of our well-known men spent some time
in Roumania.
Sir Frank Lascelles, a relative of the Earl of Harewood, was English
Minister at Bucarest before being appointed to Teheran.
Our late Viceroy in India, Lord Hardinge, spent some time there also as
chargé d’affaires. I always feel grateful to him for helping me out of
a difficult position. I had been in Russia for some months and wished
to return to Roumania, but no Russian préfet would sign my passport
or give me permission to leave the country. Each one insisted that
I must be provided with a new passport, as it was not admissible to
leave the country with the same passport that I had on entering it.
In my extremity I wrote to Bucarest, and the sympathy of Sir Charles
Hardinge, as he then was, was enlisted on my behalf. He did his best
for me, even interviewing M. de Fonton, the Russian Minister, with the
result that a préfet was found who signed my passport.
One may imagine that I did not let the grass grow under my feet once
I had the required permission. It always seemed so strange to me
that permission to leave Russia was just as difficult to obtain as
permission to enter it.
Sir Henry Drummond Wolff was British Minister to Roumania for a short
time, but his stay was so brief that scarcely any members of the
English colony ever saw him.
The most popular by far of the British Ministers was Sir John Kennedy,
who with his family remained for some seven or eight years in Bucarest.
The family consisted of four sons and one daughter. “Pat” Kennedy I
refer to elsewhere as a playmate of Prince Carol. Two of his gallant
brothers fell in the Great War. Miss Kennedy was, and still is, a great
favourite with the Queen of Roumania.
Sir John and Lady Kennedy with their daughter (the sons were for the
greater part of the time at school in England) were constant attendants
at the English church services. They took a great interest in all that
concerned the British colony, and were much kinder and more hospitable
than any of their predecessors.
Of all the foreign colonies in Bucarest the English was, until a few
years ago, the smallest. The Embassy, a few business men with their
families, a number of governesses, an English doctor, and a bank
manager were the sum total. There was no English church, but service
was held once every Sunday in a schoolroom of the Jewish mission, by
the missionary to the Jews, who spoke English remarkably well and had
taken orders in England, although himself of Jewish descent. His wife
was English, and perhaps on that account their house was the centre of
any hospitality that was shown to the English colony. Very pleasant and
homely were the little meetings that were held at the vicarage near the
school--the working parties once a fortnight at which garments were
made for the poor Jews, the weekly choir practice, and the informal
afternoon teas.
The visitors were mostly governesses, and what a delight it was to have
a cup of real English tea and a good chat without being obliged to be
on the _qui vive_ for any mistake that the speaker would be likely to
make (as one had to be when speaking to one’s pupils)! How one laughed
at any little _faux pas_ made by the native handmaiden, as for instance
one afternoon, when our hostess rang for another cup and saucer, and
the little maid put her head into the room to inquire in a hushed
voice, “A _clean_ cup and saucer, Madame?”
The working parties were always well attended. Each member cheerfully
paid her franc monthly in order to pay for materials, and no element of
discord was ever present till much later on, when some fresh arrivals
from England took it upon themselves to cavil at the manner in which
the garments were distributed. These were always given to the Jewish
poor (there were no English poor in Bucarest), and, as some folk have
no love for Jews, the newcomers protested that the articles should
be distributed to people of all nationalities. This arrangement was
finally decided upon, although it was quite unnecessary as it turned
out. The German poor were well looked after, the French also, and it
was really only the Jewish poor who seemed to be in need. Besides, as
we were considerably indebted to the Jewish missionary for his kind
help on Sundays, as well as for the hospitality shown us on every
occasion, it was, in my opinion, only right to help on their work by
every means in our power. At the time of which I speak the missionary
had no remuneration for the English service on Sundays. In later years
an arrangement was made by which the missionary gave a third part of
his time to the English community, in consideration for a fixed sum
raised by them annually.
I am glad to learn that an English church has now been built to meet
the needs of the greatly increased colony.
The English Church in Roumania, as in most parts of southern Europe,
belongs to the diocese of Gibraltar. We were visited pretty often by
the Bishop--Bishop Collins--who proposed to visit all parts of his
diocese, which included Smyrna, at least once a year. Poor man! he did
not live to carry out very many of his plans. He caught a severe cold
whilst travelling in Russia, but still insisted on preaching during his
stay in Bucarest. The consequence was that he became seriously ill, and
for a long time had to refrain from any active work. When his health
improved he again resumed his duties, hoping that a journey to the East
would complete the cure. Great was the pleasure when it was announced
that we might expect a visit from the Bishop. He arrived, but how
changed in appearance! he was not the same man. He left Roumania with
the intention of visiting Smyrna. A great reception was planned for
him there, all the English colony was _en fête_, and at the hour when
the steamer was expected all those who could possibly manage it wended
their way to the quay. Alas! their pleasure was turned into grief by
the news that it was only a dead body they were to meet--the Bishop had
died on board.
The mourning was great throughout the whole diocese, as Bishop Collins
was so greatly beloved. A charming personality, a student in his tastes
more than an active worker, he had gained the esteem and affection of
all those (preachers and people) who belonged to his diocese. His wife,
too, had been very much liked. She was his elder by some years, but
they were very devoted to each other. Indeed, there is no doubt that
her death, which took place only about a year before his own, had such
an effect upon him as to hasten the sad event.
The war has been responsible for many things. One of the few good
things is that the English have at last discovered Roumania. The
presence of British visitors in a Bucarest hotel no longer calls for
comment. A British Chamber of Commerce has even been established, and a
British club is talked about, and will no doubt soon be an accomplished
fact.
How good it is to know that the British is now not the smallest but the
largest colony!