Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1902

Mr. Bardel to the Department of State.

Commercial Agency of the United States,
Bamberg, October 16, 1902.

No. 27.]

Sir: I have the honor to report to-day that the new coat of arms for this office, sent by the Department of State on July 23, 1902, via the embassy of the United States of America at Berlin, was put in place in solemn fashion yesterday, October 15, 1902.

To accomplish this end I followed the embassy’s instructions rigidly, and, in giving a short account of the proceedings, I trust the Department will approve of my actions.

After the Bavarian Government, through the proper channel, had expressed its deep regret for the occurrence during the night of the 17–18 June, 1902, at this office, to the embassy of the United States of America at Berlin, the embassy forwarded the new coat of arms, which had been detained at Berlin since its arrival, to me, with strict instructions to arrange for a suitable ceremony with the municipal authorities of Bamberg before allowing the new emblem to be put in place. After several meetings with the mayor of the city and his assistants, the following programme was agreed on and carried out yesterday, October 15, 1902.

The first mayor of the city, Bitter von Brandt, and his assistant, Rechtsrat Waechter, both in official dress, ordered to appear at the city hall at 11 o’clock a.m. five members of the magistrat, also the president of the board of trade, and the secretary of the magistrat, all in full dress; these nine gentlemen, in solemn procession, walked from the rathaus to the United States commercial agency. When the procession reached a point within about 50 feet of the house, a police officer in gala uniform carried the new coat of arms up a ladder to its new resting place, and everything having been properly prepared beforehand, had the shield in position so that it could be and was saluted by every gentleman in the cortege lifting his hat.

After the saluting of the new shield the nine gentlemen proceeded to the consular rooms, up one flight, where they were received by the undersigned and vice-commercial agent, Al. Kiessling. The mayor then in a few well-chosen sentences again expressed his regrets for the disagreeable occurrence and promised faithfully to leave nothing undone to bring to justice the miscreants, and to do his very best that such insults should not be repeated.

I replied, thanking the mayor and his assistants for participating in the dedication of the new emblem, and promised to faithfully report to the Department of State, and the embassy, the very solemn manner and friendly spirit in which the ceremony was undertaken and executed by them.

After this the protocol ordered by the royal Bavarian court and ministry was read by the secretary and signed by all present.

The city authorities ordered a copy of this protocol to be delivered to the undersigned, and also copies of the same were given for publication to the daily press of the city. I inclose an exact copy of said protocol, cut out of one of the papers, with proper translation.

After a friendly conversation with each one of the delegates, they left this office expressing their best wishes for the speedy recovery of our President, and with apparently sincere feelings toward the United States of America.

I have, etc.,

W. Bardel, Commercial Agent.

[Inclosure—Translation.]

Protocol.

Concerning the defilement of the coat of arms of the United States at the commercial agency.

During the night of the 17th–18th of June, 1902, the coat of arms of the United States commercial agency was defiled in the most detestable manner. By the authorities of the city of Bamberg, all necessary steps within their power for the detection of the evil doers were taken, such as increased police control, and admonition for special surveillance, the offer of a reward, etc., but notwithstanding all the energetic steps taken by the authorities, the much desired results could not be reached, and thus the very lamentable, but apparently only personal motive of the miscreants remains, so far, unsolved. The emblem of office, which was taken down soon after its defilement, was to-day replaced by a new one. On the occasion of the putting in place of the new shield, the undersigned commission, by order of the royal ministry of state of the royal house and the exterior, given on September 21, 1902, and delivered on September 23, 1902, through the royal president of Upper Franeonia, proceeded to the commercial agency of the United States. Upon arrival at the same, the mayor of the city of Bamberg, Ritter August von Brandt, after a brief recount of the occurrence, again expressed the deepest regret for the same, and dwelt on the good and friendly relations between the United States of America and the German Empire, which would seem to make it improbable that an insult to the United States of America was intended by the culprits, and that only personal spite could have been at the bottom of this very common action.

In the presence of the undersigned commission the new shield was put in place by an officer of police, in gala uniform, which act ended the solemn ceremony.

The undersigned subscribed their names for record.

[Signatures of the commission.]