Mr. Phelps to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Berlin, April 29, 1892.
(Received May 18.)
No. 434.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
to-day of your instruction, No. 404, of April 18, in which you request to be
furnished with more information in the matter of the issue of a passport to
one Alexander Bloch by the legation in October last. I beg to inclose
herewith copies of the correspondence between this legation and the
consulate at Nuremberg, in which the facts of this case are fully set
forth.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 434.]
Mr. Black to Mr.
Phelps.
United
States Consulate,
Nuremberg, October 8,
1891.
No. 53.]
Sir: Inclosed I beg to hand you application of
Alexander Bloch for a passport.
Alexander Bloch was, as you will see by the inclosed papers, born in the
city of New York on the 26th day of March, 1875, and in which city he
continued to reside with his parents until the year 1879, at which time
his father abandoned his family, and his mother’s friends brought her
and her children to this country in the following year. His mother died
about the year 1882, and he was taken care of by the Jewish community
until two years ago, when he was apprenticed by one Julius Heilbronner,
a leading leather merchant of this city, and who is the one that
certified to the statement of the applicant.
There is no proof of the father’s citizenship; when this boy was born he
had been about five years in America, and is supposed to have died in
that country about the year 1881.
The boy himself knows absolutely nothing about his father, and
comparatively nothing about himself, and does not speak English.
The question of this applicant’s citizenship was raised by the city
authorities of Nuremburg about two years ago, but it remained in
abeyance until within a recent period, when the Royal District
Government rendered its decision, and the boy is now ordered to produce
a passport or “Heimatschein” within fourteen days. The application for
this passport was prompted by this decision.
I told Mr. Heilbronner that my own opinion was that the boy’s claim to
citizenship was not sufficiently sustained by proof such as would
warrant the issuing of a passport to him, but that under the
circumstances, if he so desired, I would submit the case to you as the
one empowered to pass authoritatively upon it.
I have transmitted the fee of 4.20 marks by postal money order.
I have, etc.,
[Page 189]
[Inclosure 2 in No. 434].
Mr. Coleman to Mr.
Black.
Legation of the United States,
Berlin, October 10,
1891.
No. 4762.]
Sir: Replying to your letter of the 8th
instant, covering passport application of Alexander Bloch, the legation
incloses herewith the desired passport. The passport, after some
hesitation, is issued upon the grounds that Bloch, who was born in the
United States, is not personally responsible for his coming to this
country as a young child, and upon the assumption that he will
definitely return to the United States on or before the attainment of
his majority.
You will also kindly inform him that it will be wise for him to return to
America before the attainment of his twentieth year, the age at which
military service ordinarily begins in this country, as he may otherwise
expose himself to serious trouble resulting from a claim on the part of
the German authorities to his service.
I remain, etc.,
C. Coleman,
Secretary of Legation.
