The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-02
HENRY GEFrckEN DEAD.
A Famous Authority on International
Law-Friend Of Emperor Frea rics.


Law Friend of Emperor Frea ric>.
Munich. May 1.--Prof. Geffcken. the we'll
known authority on International law and
editor of she diary of Emperor Frederick.
has been suifoostsd in q fire caused by the
explosion OF lamp.
Henry Geffcken was born December 2.
1890. in Hamburg. and came of an old
patrician family there After the conclu-
sion Of his studies and extended travels.
In 1854. he became secretary of the lega-
tion Of the free cities in Paris. In 1876 he
was made commissary Of thu Paris world 5
exposition. In 1856 he became charge
daffaires in Berlin. In 1859 he became
Hanseatic minister resident there. After
the inauguration Of the North German
Union he went in the same capacity TO
London.
He kept a great house there. In which
all eminent English statesmen went In
and out: and he was very 10th TO leave
there and return home after his post in the
British capital had become superfiuous.
In Hamburg he was syndicus of the senate.
There. too. his home soon got TO be
center of lively social intercourse. For
eign diplomats. learned men, literates and
artists found hospitaaie reception in his
house. Ii was conducted entirely in the
English fashion. Geffcken's wife was the
only daughter OF Carl Immermann. the
famous writer. With the crown prince OF
Prussia Geffcken had long before been in
innate. In Bonn they had become ac-
quainted as students. In London they
saw each other again, and the cultured
man soon gained for himself the SYM
pathies of the pr.nceiy couple, whose predi-
lection for British customs agreed with
theirs, while the political views OF tho
Hamburg diplomat. in view OF the toll
- ~ - n -.
different political belief could not shake
their friendly relations. To the influence
OF the crown prince Geffcken owed 1t that
u the year 1S1 he was called To REGULAR
professorship In the University bi Stras-
burg. During the Strasburg period he
wrote the book 'Staat und kirche." which.
in very incisive manner. attacked the
Prussian Kulturkampf policy Gefrcken's
increasing Illness made a regular activity
as professor impossible. SO that at the
close OF 1851 he asked for his dismissal.
which was granted him. also the title of
private councillor OF justice. Since then
he had untiringly been busy as a writer.
living as a private pers> I IN his native
city. His literary activity was OF rare
extent and surprising range. His scien-
the chef-d'oeuvre was a new elaboration
of Heffter's European International Right.
In 1S72 there appeared his book on the Ala
bama question. Numerous essays on IN
ternational right are scattered in various
periodicals in German and also In English
and French. since Gencken with equal
facility wrote In all the three languages.
and has been especially an esteemed CO.
faborer in several English periodicals. II
has not passed unnotlced that particularly
there he often gave expression, In a very
bitter way. to his dissatisfaction with Bis
marcks policy. Besides that he wrote
numerous books and essays about the his
tory OF modern times. A series OF such
political essays he wrote for The Deutsche
Rundschau. Of which he had been a am
gent co-laborer.
At the death OF Emperor Frederick OF
Germany Prof. Gcffcken received the en-
peror's diary. II is said, from the emperor
himself. and published II. II revealed A
great number OF state secrets. and Bis
marck and young Emperor William were
furious C;efYcken was arrested nrosa.
cuted and acquitted.