The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-08
WAS kAlsER's sooYeUARD
Carl Onken, Who Now Resides On
Farm Near Austin. MINI.

! Austin. December s Even at the
height of his power and strength,
during the heyday of his reign, kai
ser Wilhelm never took chances
with fidelity of his soldiers. That
this was particularly true with pref
erence TO his personal bodyguard is
substantlated By thu experiences of
Carl Onken, farmer living near
Waltham. who was chosen one of
| nifty two soldiers to spend one year
or his military service as member
of the kaisers bodyguard at Pots
dam says a story in The Austin
Herald.
The experiences and impressions
related by Onken served to empha
size the theory of many in this
| country that the world war OF 1911
was not the war of the German PEG
pie as a whole, but the wish of their
military masters and war lords rep
resented in the kaiser himself and
his cohorts.
tAs man to man, Kaiser Bill,
treated his private soldiers royalty"
said Onken. frequently giving US
additional spending money out of
his own pocket. He always praised
fidelity by Disgusting himself as a
civilian and attempting to leave the
castle grounds by bribing us to see
\ If we would permit mis- exit. without
showing the required pass. Should
guard Prove oisloyal or disregard
orders, the penalty was. severe.
This was true Of course respecting
all military service and soldiers
were brutaiiy treated lie they showed
any opposition whatever to the
plans Oh the general stan. a,ss
I., - MI
lwice on the kaiser's staff, the Sui
tan of Turkey was a visitor to the
German capital and a remarkable
program of entertainment and
state. banquet was arranged in the
Turkish rulers honor. the Waltham
farmer declared. at was a feast
of which l have never since wit
messed" he said.
The crown prince and his father
did not get along well and the heir
to the throne was never popular
with the guards. unused the former
Teuton soldier. but Eitel Frederick.
the second SON. and Victoria Louise,
the kaiser's only daughter were
held in high esteem.
King Edward of England once
sent the kaiser's daughter a turtle
weighing 220 rounds for a birthday
present. The little girl often rode
on the plodding animals broad
back with a couple of the guards
balancing her.
queen Augusta was well liked
by everyone and we were always
glad to be of service to her." said
Onken
Prepare for the Welt Krieg
lw0rfd war) that is sure to come
always the kaiser's theme as he ad
nxnfofrnd nd he MI
aiong those Ines in talking with the,
soldiers. The common people OF
Germany are not wariike and an
xiouS for strife, but were in fact
strenously opposed to war IN any
way at any time The military
spirit OF the kaiser and his advisors
was responsible for many Germans
leaving their native and coming to
America for they are peace loving
people. GENERALLY speaking, but had
no voice In opposing the plans Of
Wilhelm and the pan Germans sur
rounding him."
former German emperor was made
possible when he was chosen as one
Of four regimental representatives
of the Eighty first Regiment to
serve on the kaiser's palace staff.
Four men were selected from each
regiment each year. their choice be-
ing an honor that was keenly sought
by every member of a regiment.
In 1905 Onken came to America
and has never visited the Father
land since his arrival here and al
though uniform complete in every
detail, together with gun and am
munition equipment awaited his re
turn at the outbreak Of the war In a
special compartment in the barracks
building where he entered the mill
service. No Onken retorted, "and
never shall take UP battle of another
nation for America is plenty good
enough for me-" he added
Mr.. 0nken is now but forty five
years old and owns one of the most
ATTRACTIVE fayms in the vicinity of
A nepheWf OF Onken'sa serving in
the German navy was sent on sew
eral submarine attacks against Eng
land; itself as well as on English