Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-08-10
HELGOLAND ASPIRES AGAIN
TO COME UNDER BRITISH
RULE AND RENoUNcE TEUToN

| der Germany as truly a synonym for
fortified strength as Gibraltar, most
persons probably think Of the little
island in the North Sea as being as
essentially German as Hamburg, the
goosestep or the Loreli," says a
bulletin from the Washington, d. c.,
headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society. But this bit Of
land was such a newcomer in the
German family circle when the
World War began in 1914" continues
the bulletin, that the greater part
OF its adult population had been born
under an alien flag and was watch
ed like spies by German secret
agents during the hostilities.
This rather tenuous relationship
between Germany and Helgoland is
recalled in the light of recent d.
patches stating that the people q
the island have sent a petition to
tho League Of Nations asking for
naturalization under protection Of
the League or for remuneration to
Great Britain. Tor it was to Great
Britain, strangely enough, that Hell
goland belonged for nearly 100 years
prior to 1890 wh3n it was coded to
Germany.
A Geegfaphieal Orphan
"T1elgoland lies about 40 miles
off shore from the mouth Of the F.lbe
river, and geographically might be.
long either to Holland to the south
west, TO Germany to the southeast,
or to Denmark to the northeast. AS
q matter Of fact the little island, at
one 'irja or another has belonged
to each of these countries and to
England besides. It's people were
originally Nriaians as were the in
habitants of - entire adjoining
coast, Their language, still. in use
on the island, Is closer to The old
Anglo-Saxon than any other exist
ing tongue.
THE Frisfans fought as stubborn
ly as any people in Europe against
the entertainments of great king
doms and empires, opposing sue
cessively the Romans, Franks,
Dutch, Spanish, Germans and
Danes. The people of isolated Hell
soland maintained their independ-
ence long after their brothers of
the mainland had been subjugated,
and have kept alive even today,
in the face of intensive efforts at
Communication, something Of tho
Tristan spirit,
"A repubtic-oue Of the tiniest In
Europe-from $50 until the four
teenth century. Helgoland then came
under the control Of the dukes Of
SchleSWig. This was a seni-inde-
pendent duchy under Danish infiu-
ence. The island was taken over
by Denmark at the beginning of the
eighteenth century and was in turn
captured by Great Britain about a
century later during the Napoleonic
wars. Germany came into posses
son of the island as the result of
political trade, not entirely pleasing
to the Inhabitants, who were thus
thrown under German control. The
cessiOn took place in 1890 in return
for the recognition by Germany Of
British pcotectorate over Zanzi-
bar, on the eastern coast Of Africa.
The Eve of the Empire.
mo sooner had Germany come
into possession Of Helgoland than
She began fortifying The island on a
gigantic Stale. The kaiser planned
to make the Crag the eye Of the
Empire and its guard. Turrets Of
powerful, long-range guns were
placed ON all sides, dominating the
lines of approach to the mouths OF
the Ems, the Weser, the Elbe and
the Kiel Canal. Practically the en-
tire surface Of the island, about a
FIFTH Of a square mile in area, was
made bomb-proOf. Underground
passages ran in every direction
through the solid rock and commo-
dious underground barracks and
seaplane hargers were constructed
beyond the reach of bombardment. 1T
Is believed that more than $50000,-
600 was snent in this creation of
the Gibraltar of the North Sea-
by the Treaty OF Versailles It
was required that He1goland be
stripped Of all this expensive mill
tary equipment. For months allied
experts have been supervising the
tearing Gown Of the concrete and
armor-plate Notifications and the
cutting Of the great guns by means
of the oXy-acetylene flame into sec
tons like gargantuan metal dough
nuts. But so well did the Germans
build their North Sea fortress that
it is estimated that another year
and probably two viii pass before
the last Of the war machinery will
be- dismantled.
The few thousand inhabitants OF
Helgoland are fishermen. Their
only ambition, they say, is that mil
liarism shall give them a wide berth
in the future and that they shall
be permitted to resume the making
Of thoir living from the turbulent
North Sea"