DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Duke University Libraries https://archive.org/details/bismarckspen01abek_0 * V Heinrich Abeken BISMARCK’S PEN The Life of Heinrich Abeken EDITED FROM HIS LETTERS AND JOURNALS BY HIS WIFE AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION BY MRS. CHARLES EDWARD BARRETT-LENNARD AND M. W. HOPER WITH PORTRAITS LONDON GEORGE ALLEN & COMPANY, LTD. 44 & 45 RATHBONE PLACE, W. 1911 [All rights reserved] Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh V a/a-a'/s I HVf. U(>l3*-3» f i. ri ^3.^.3 Caa/wo-CC /} / 3% CONTENTS BOOK I CHAP. PAGE I. Childhood and Youth.i II. Prize Essay—Medal—Examination—Italy . n III. Frascati—The Bunsen Family—Appointed Chap¬ lain to the Prussian Legation ... 21 IV. Geneva — Berlin — Home — Chaplaincy — Joy —Sorrow — In the Shadow of Death— Cholera in Rome .30 V. Bunsen leaves Italy.44 VI. Death of his Father—Osnabrück—Berlin and England.49 VII. Egypt and the Desert of Sinai—Jerusalem . 60 VIII. Return to Rome—Departure from Italy. 78 BOOK II I. 1848.90 II. In Office.123 III. Warsaw and Olmütz.132 IV. Circular Letter to Countess Hahn-Hahn— Church Affairs—Death of Relations— Becomes Councillor of Legation . 145 V. Egyptian Lecture—Church Conference in Ber¬ lin—The King’s Illness—Regency of the Prince of Prussia—The Olfers and Yorck Families.157 V VI CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE VI Bunsen’s Death—Death of Friedrich Wilhelm IV.—Coronation of King Wilhelm I. 176 VII. Under Bismarck.193 VIII. The Schleswig-Holstein War—Journey with Bismarck—To Carlsbad, Vienna, Gastein and Baden . 198 IX. Karlsbad, Vienna, Regensburg, Gastein—Meet¬ ing BETWEEN THE KlNG OF PRUSSIA AND THE Emperor of Austria—Baden . 208 BOOK III I. Death of Rudolf Abeken—Engagement and Marriage—War with Austria . 212 II. Journeys with the King—Ems—Hohenzollern —-Baden.229 III. 1870.241 IV. In the Enemy’s Country.264 V. Sedan—Stay at Ferrieres.275 VI. Versailles—Continuance of the War—Capitu¬ lation of Metz.290 VII. 1870.305 VIII. The Proclamation of the Empire . 315 IX. The Bombardment of Paris—The Kaiser Pro¬ claimed—The Capitulation of Paris . 328 X. War and Peace—Entry into Paris—Return to Berlin . 343 XI, Last Rays of Happiness—Illness and Death . 361 Index ...... 377 ILLUSTRATIONS Heinrich Abeken (Photogravure) . Frontispiece Bismarck.Tojacep. 192 Hedwig von Olfers, afterwards Frau Abeken. „ 212 By Marie von Olfers Telegram (Facsimile) in special edition of “ Köln Gazette ”.„ 253 The Crown Prince of Prussia on the Battlefield of Wörth .... „ 279 By special permission of the artist, COUNT von Harrach The Kaiser’s Letter 367 TRANSLATORS’ NOTE The translators desire most gratefully to acktiowledge the great assistance they have received in the course of this work, from Countess Victoria von Bernstorff and from Mr. Robert S. Rail, who have both most kindly read the MS. Thanks are also due to Miss E7igel and to Mr. E. L. Meinertzhagen for much help in various ways. BISMARCK’S PEN BOOK I CHAPTER I CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 1809-1828 “ Ob Form und Wort auch werde alt, Der Sinn gilt heut, der gestern galt, Jung bleibt des Geistes Leben. Und was aus rechtem Herzen kommt, Das spricht zum Herzen auch und frommt, Wird Fried’ and Ruhe geben.”—Abeken, April 11, 1829. In a lovely part of Westphalia, surrounded by hills, there lies in a valley on the left bank of the Hase, the old-world fortified town of Osnabrück. Here, where his forefathers had for centuries lived, Heinrich Johann Wilhelm Rudolf Abeken was born on August 19, 1809, at a time of deep humiliation and bitter distress for Germany. His father, Christian Wilhelm Abeken, had, more from stress of circum¬ stance than from inclination, taken to trade, for the sudden death of his father made him the mainstay of his mother and younger brothers and sisters, while he himself was still in his early youth. In later days he became a great bene¬ factor to Osnabrück, enjoyed universal esteem, and was nominated Senator, giving up business so that he might devote all his energies to the town. Heinrich’s mother, Benedicta, died in 1814, falling into ill-health after the birth of her daughter, Bernardine. The relations between Heinrich Abeken and his uncles and aunts was one of warm affection, and his uncle, Bern- hard Rudolf,1 the distinguished Goethe scholar and editor 1 Rudolf Abeken, From the Life of Goethe, Berlin, 1845, and Goethe in 1771-1775, second edition, Hanover, 1865. Rudolf Abeken had also been tutor to Schiller’s children for some time. A 2 BISMARCK’S PEN 1815 of Moser’s Works, exercised a great influence over him and in the development of his character. Like most of the burghers of Osnabrück, Wilhelm Abeken had a large garden outside the town, in addition to the small one belonging to his house in town. Thither the family would often go and take their meals in the open air, and every expedition of this kind was a festival to Heinrich. His great-grandfather had had a picture painted, in the summer-house, “ J acob wrestling with the Angel;” and the text beneath it, “I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me,” was all his life a source of strength to him, for he too wrestled from a child, in joy and sorrow, until the end. The only large room in his father’s house was the family sitting-room, where each member brought his work, and Abeken used to say that this had been of great service to him, for it taught him to concentrate his mind on his own work, so that afterwards, both in the office and in travelling, he was able to work under the most difficult conditions. In 1815 his uncle Rudolf was appointed to the Evan¬ gelical Gymnasium at Osnabrück, which he preferred to better appointments, and Heinrich found in him a good and affectionate teacher, and in his aunt a motherly friend,1 who, despite many domestic cares of her own, looked after the bodily and, spiritual welfare of the nephew and niece. She was an instance of what a delicate woman of strong character and unflagging energy, combined with intellectual gifts, can do for others. The brother and sister, Heinrich and Bernardine, were very different from each other, both physically and mentally. Bernardine had inherited her mother’s slight figure, large brown eyes, high forehead, and dark hair; she was delicate^ thoughtful, and rather slow and dreamy. Heinrich’s some¬ what broad forehead, clear blue eyes, and fair curls were inherited from his father. They were alike in their great affection for one another and for their father, and in the genuine goodness of heart, and sunny gaiety and light¬ heartedness with which they entered into the joys of life. 1 Christiane von Wurmb, Lady-in-Waiting to the Princess Regent of Rudolstadt. 1815 CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 3 Heinrich was not tall for his age, and was often the smallest in his class, but he was a sturdy lad, strong and muscular, and, as his aunt said, would not easily get knocked about. He was quick-witted and impetuous, and did every¬ thing eagerly and rapidly. His first lessons began when he was five years old, and his teacher praised his memory and the way in which he learned his lessons. His aunt, writing of him, says : “ He leaves all books, and keeps to the Bible stories, but he says none of them are as beautiful as in the Bible itself, and he goes on reading it.” He made rapid progress at the Gymnasium, showing talent and a desire to learn. His iron determination to aim at goodness often cost him a struggle, but so much the more did he strive after it. His father affectionately followed the bent of his son’s inclinations, and left him entirely free to decide upon his career. He rejoiced at his striving after a larger sphere of activity, and allowed him to continue his studies in Prussia, which he regarded as the centre, even then, of the Germany to be. So he took leave of the Gymnasium in the spring of 1817, with a speech on Justus Meyer,1 and on April 21, he left his home for the first time to plunge alone into the sea of houses, Berlin. He wrote to his father after his arrival: “ It is hard and painful to leave the dear, quiet home, particularly when one has been as happy there as I have been. This feeling of home one can only have in a town like Osnabrück, where one’s home is the house of one’s forefathers ; I pity those who have not got it.” Young people were brought up simply in those days, Berlin was small, and Heinrich himself, although his father sent him an ample allowance, was modest and unpretentious in outward matters, and indeed always remained so. He only paid seven thalers a month for his two rooms in Dorotheenstrasse, and but four or five for his dinners each month. The pleasant life among the families of his ac¬ quaintance helped to make social intercourse easy for the shy young man, and he was soon received into family circles as though he were a necessary part of the household, which, indeed, he was, for with the Hausfreund of that 1 1720-1794. Osnabrück History, 1868. 4 BISMARCK’S PEN 1817 time there were such intimate relations of give and take that one could hardly tell which of the two parties gave or took the most.