The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-25
NM -Four Years In Germany"
Ambassador Gerard's Experiences at German Court
Until Entrance of the United States Into
the Great War

J ram German submarine. They
therefore, took Fryatt from the Rub
ieben camp and sent him to Bruges
for trial When ] heard of this
Immediately sent two formal notes to
the German foreign office demanding
the right to see Fryatt and hire coun-
sci to represent him and inquiring
what sort of counsel would be per-
mitted to attend the trial and asking
for postponement OF the trial until
these matters could be arranged. The
German foreign office had informed
me that they had backed up these
requests, and / believed them; but the
answer of the German admiralty to
my note was to cause the trial to pro-
coed the morning after the day on
which my notes were delivered. and
10 shoot Fryatt before noon of the
same day.
As to the evidence regarding the
watch, the British foreign Office
learned that when captured Captain
Fryatt had neither watch nor any
letter to indicate that he had tried
To- ram submarine.
This cruel and high-handed outrage
caused great indignation in England
and even tn certain circles In Ger
many and the manner in which my
request was treated was certainly Il
direct insult to tho country which /
represented In conversation with
Zimmerman and the chancellor and
Won Jagow all expressed the greatest
regret over this incident, which shows
how little control the civilian branch
Of the government has over the mill
tary in time or war. Later on. when
similar charges were made against
another British sea captain, the for
HI 30 0V7a
ence of the emperor--was able to pre-
vent a recurrence Of the Fryatt out
rage.
As have said. many OF the camp
commanders in Germany were men,
excellent and efficient and kind~heart
ed, who did what they could for the
prisoners, IT is a pity that these men
should bear the odium which attaches
to Germany because of the general
bad treatment OF prisoners of war In
the first days of the war ind because
certain commanders OF prison camps
were not fitted for their positions.
PRISONERS, IMBUED
WITH HATRED OF THE GERMANS
The commander at the camp at
Wittenberg was replaced. but the Ger
mans have never acknowledged that
bad conditions had existed In that
camp. Shortly before We left Ger
many the war department seemed to
gain more control of the prisoners-of-
wai situation, and on our representa-
iions at least one camp commander
was permanently relieved. II exam
Piles had been made early In the war
of the camp commanders who were
not fit fer their places and of those
who haa In any way mtshandled pris-
oners of war. the German people as
n hpfs va.f >, hnd to han
the burden OF this odium. The many
prisoners will return to their homes
with deep and bitter hatred of all
things German.
The British government took a
great interest in the British prisoners
in Germany. Nothing was omitted.
and every suggestion made by me was
Immediately acted on. while many
most valuable hints were given me
from London as to prisoners affairs
Their majesties. the King and queen.
showed a deep personal concern in
the welfare OF the unfortunate Brit
ish In German hands. and this con-
Germ never tagged during the period
OF my stay in Berlin. Lord Robert
Cecil and Lord Newton were contin-
ually working for the benefit of Brit
ish prisoners.
AT time when the British prison
ers were without proper Clothing
oeerpoats and the like. the British
government sent me uniforms, over
coats and so on, and / hired a ware
house In Berlin as a distributing point
but after some months the German
authorities refused to allow nae to
continue this method OF distribution
on the ground that 1t was the duty of
Germany to provide the prisoners with
n ieg
forming this duty and the British
prisoners had to suffer because of this
German official observation-disclosures.
In the spring of 1915, quite charac-
teristcaily. the Germans broke their
treaty" concerning visits to prison
ors and refused to permit us to speak
10 prisoners out of hearing. Won ia
cow told me that this was because OF
the trouble made among Russian pris-
oners by the visits Of Madame Saxon
off. but this had nothing, to do with
the arrangement between Great Brit
ain and Germany
think that the Germans suspected
that l had learned from fellow pris-
oaeFs of the cruel and unnecessary
shooting OF two Irish prisoners at
Ltmburg. II was not from prisoners,
however, that / obtained this informa-
ton. but from Germans who wrote
to me.
In addition 10 the English and Jap
anese, I had the protection OF the Ser
Liam and Rumanian subjects and the
protection Of the interests of very
small country. the. republic OF San
Marine, Soon after the Serbians and
Rumanians appeared In the prison
camps of Germany we made reports
on the condition and treatment OF
these prisoners. as well as reports con-
corning the British.
/ was able 10 converse with some
Serbtans in the first days of the war
in their native tongue. which. curious
~ enough. was Spanish. Immediately
after the persecution of the Jews In
Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella and
other kings a number OF Spanish Jews
emigTatei to Serbia, where they have
remained ever since, keeping their old
customs and speaking the old Span
ish of the time of Cervantes.
The German authorities, in the most
petty manner, often concealed from
me the presence of British prisoners,