Walter Kersten 1912-1914 in the Philippines

Walter Kersten from Rees experienced a very unusual war story that led him across several continents, from Asia to Australia, South Africa back to Europe.

Upon completion of the boarding school in Paderborn Guido Kersten sent his son Walter to training in different tobacco factories. Walter should stay as connected his father the tobacco industry, because he was involved in the company Hendric's Oldenkott in Rees that the grandfather had founded August Kersten on 15 November. 1838 So Walter Kersten in 1912 was sent to the Philippines. It was not an adventure trip in terms of exploring the landscape, but earmarked to win new insights in the trading of tobaccos.

Walter Kersten joined the German Club in Manila on 4 September 1912th This is confirmed by photos he brought back from there. The clubhouse Grail was located from 1906 to 1915 in Solano. later they had a new house built. On March 29, 1914, the foundation stone was laid. the continued construction, as on August 1, broke the First World War was overshadowed. From Manila, he sent home in Cologne still a beautifully embroidered tablecloth from the finest materials, which is typical of Filipino craftsmanship. It is very valuable and very much appreciated by the descendants. From the Philippines also large shells and cotton cocoons were still exceptional.

He traveled the country and was first in the cigar factory in Malabon Manila and in the cigar factory La Union, and drove on 13 January 1913 on the SS Darvel, which was still decorated for Christmas at this time with a Christmas tree, among others to Zamboanga, then the Isabella Basilan, then the MS Borneo to in Cagavelan de Sulu and after Tandoan Urus Mataho.

In Zamboanga, the sixth largest city of the Philippines today he witnessed the adoption of General Pershing, which he recorded photographically.

During a boat trip on a barrier island of Basilan, many tea pickers were on board who were from poorer regions and often received their reward after weeks. Well, according to their pay, they had - for their circumstances - 'lots of money' and were very rich before. On board they played cards while a piano player should entertain them. But the strumming bothered her. Finally, some tea pickers stood up, took the piano and threw it into the open sea. Then they went to the captain and asked: 'What does that thing floating there?'. The tea pickers paid and continued to play in peace.

The financial situation was anything but easy for Walter Kersten, because the Philippine peso stood at six US dollars and at that time the wage was 100 pesos, that is $ 50, on May 28, 1914, the starting salary was set at 250 pesos. Walter Kersten wanted to stay in the Philippines not long, especially since it could send the father no money. He often wrote about poor pay and looking for a new job.

The political situation came to a head and has been very tough for all Germans living abroad.

The outbreak of the First World War was for Walter Kersten occasion to distinguish themselves from Manila and to seek shelter in a German colony. The German consul advised to leave the country. Kersten wrote on August 6, 1914 in his diary: 'The Consul summoned me today to the consulship. We about 35 German from Manila will tomorrow take the'Manchuria' to Shanghai via Hong Kong. From Shanghai, we will be further transported by train to Qingdao. There was great excitement and enthusiasm among both the Germans. The American ship would supposedly be in Hong Kong no inspectors on board. Nevertheless, there is concern that we are captured in Hong Kong by the British. On board the'Manchuria' also German reservists. '

Walter Kersten was regarded as a reservist in the German Imperial Army, although there is no evidence that he ever served. He was never actually worked in the army. The boat took off on August 8, 1914 by Manila to Hong Kong to sea.

The diary is further seen: 'Sunday, August 9, 1914, the `Manchuria' is very well cast. Most of the passengers are American and German. The main topic of conversation is the war of course, then the question is of course always raised whether we German in Hong Kong remain unmolested. I learned on board know an interesting game, the game of bridge. Monday, August 10, 1914, in the morning we went to Hong Kong. The entrance was blocked by mines respectively. marked with flags. We then had to lie about 4 o'clock. About this time we were able to drive into the port of Hong Kong. The police took us right in reception. After an hour we were then discharged. The Marshall let us then pay to the Detainee Barracks (prison camp). A beautiful airy prison. There we met at five German who had been brought down by other vessels. One was even a Chinese revenue cutter, the second on this ship officer. '

On August 12, 1914, is in the diary: 'Today we have heard again and that the Provost Marshall. Only three of us have not served. We also had no military all passes there. Area evening we were then transferred to the Stonecutter Island. (These are outside of Hong Kong, but in the direct catchment area). We were accompanied by 20 Indians with fixed bayonets. On the Stonecutter Island our tents were surrounded by barbed wire. '

Then on August 27, the speech of 18 German officers and men who were on the'Senegambia' and E. Laire` was. It was not about officers of the Navy, but crew of small freighters, water, coal, cattle, etc. had on board. These were able to receive radio messages from Germany. It is amazing how the Germans reacted in the prison camp in Hong Kong on the messages. Literally, in the diary: 'The men brought very pleasing news of victory of the Germans. Belfort, Namur and Liege have fallen. An English fleet has been hit between Borkum and Helgoland, the English admiral ship flew into the air, torpedoes had attacked British cruisers on the day after the declaration of war in Leith and destroyed several cruisers. On the day war was declared four torpedo boats have destroyed the docks of Plymouth. '

In the following days Walter Kersten came to speak again on reports from the war events in Europe. The euphoria of German prisoners was obviously quite large. There were the patriotic thinking. On September 5, they arrested someone from the Basel Mission, who provided the Germans with messages. But for some corner more news came to the Germans in the camp. It is clearly pick out what the prisoners concerned. Everyone was always looking forward to good at winning news from Germany. 'Paris has fallen, retreats the English and French on various fronts'.

On 11 September, the German prisoners had loud diary of Walter Kersten '10.15 pm start. It was read out the verdict. The Cassierer the Badische mission was declared guilty of spreading news of victory of the Germans among the Chinese. Penalty: four months and another 15 days in prison. Then the verdict was suddenly weakened to 28 days arrest. 'The English have shown noble.'

Then all the internees had to pack their bags. The next day they were brought within the Hong Kong Islands Stone Cutter's Iceland to Kowloon. There were no tents, here were four houses and a very handy washing device. Each house had two. In each half 16 men were housed, 128 total man.

A Mr. Lampe wrote Walter Kersten from Manila. He sent him sent from Germany to Manila Post's own family. Amazing that mail has been sent. Where did that Walter Kersten in Kowloon knew Mr. lamp? His writing about the business situation in Manila revealed nothing good. A newspaper from Manila arrived in the camp. Accordingly, the German troops have to withdraw on the Western Front. Progress is reported against the Russians from the east. So the diary.

In the camp football and tennis could be played card games like Bridge were greatly appreciated. On 18 September 1914 the Germans were allowed to visit for the first time Kowloon. Reports from Europe followed repeatedly over the front action. That the Germans interested, this was understandable. The SMS Emden, the ship of the German navy, was operating still in the East Asian region and attacked almost daily successful English ships. On October 1, four sunken English ships was talk.

The newspapers from Hong Kong reported little about the war. Finally, Hong Kong was a British colony. Some prisoners got hold of Swedish and Danish newspapers. It was to read: The Germans have taken now 350,000 British and French and 150,000 Russians caught. In Germany, a further 350,000 war volunteers were registered. And then a very different entry can be found in the diary: 'In the evening we had a very amusing masquerade. After we sang patriotic songs. Two have repeatedly tried auszukneifen. The guards were attentive but. ' Sundays have needs an also intern pastor preached, which was highly praised by all for his kind words.

There were so well from 1915 as no written instructions about what had to endure the internees. On October 26, 1915, the prisoners received the news that all Germans have left by command from London, Hong Kong to. Then, unfortunately, no entries were made more in the diary of Walter Kersten. there is evidence that the transport of the interned Germans to Australia in January 1916 took place.

The transportation to New South Wales (N.S.W.) was from mid-January 1916, the 3,000 t ship `Empire`. Lower deck 287 internees were included during the crossing, each had about 4.5 square meter room. By evaporation of the many men and through the heavy seas, many had to vomit, the air was accordingly. During the day the prisoners were allowed sometimes to the 296 square meters large outdoor deck. On January 21, 1916, the'Empire' passed the Basilanstraße and reached the port of Zamboanga, there were stations that Walter Kersten had left in early 1914th

The Sangi Islands and Celebes were achieved on January 22, January 23, the equator and the Strait of Ambonia in the Banda Sea. The temperature had risen to 33/34 degrees Celsius. On February 2, 1916, the ship arrived at the port of Sydney. All had to smaller ships change and were taken on the night of Jerseyville. Here they were put ashore. Three hours of walking with the heaviest luggage were to the finish required. Trial Bay was the goal that was until then unknown to the prisoners.

In Trial Bay already high security wing for prisoners, who until then had not been established was. There were also soldiers of the Marine MS Emden who are already many English ships had sunk. Now the German ship was also sunk. Here in Trial Bay prisoners and internees from the South Asian region were collected. Official records were only available in the book 'Behind stone and barbed wire', which was published in the 30s of the 20th century and was considered by the Nazis as a settlement with the system of the hated British.

The bay is located on the east coast of Australia between Laggers Point and Grassey, the Macleay River near the mouth. Kempsey is the province city on the Pacific Highway, which lies at the very end to said flow. Port Macquarie, in Aarekoon State Conversation Area, 75 km north of Macquarie could have been the port city, they brought the captives ashore in. Roughly speaking, is Trial Bay located almost exactly between Brisbane and Sydney. The distance between the two major cities should be about 1500 km.

When World War II broke out and Australia was linked to the English crown, the area around Trial Bay was an ideal site to accommodate German and Austrian internees and captured soldiers. 562 detainees have been from February 1915 until the end of 1918 here. Including the further bearing 5,574 internees and detainees were counted in total.

Australia began at the end of the 20th century in order to open up New South Wales tourism. Of all the old buildings of the camp are only parts. In a tract has set up a museum that 'Trial Bay Soldiers and Internees Museum' is. It has collected all that have left the Germans: jewelry, drinking vessels, belts, identity documents, etc.

Walter Kersten took a lot of pictures to take home and put later a meaningful album to which has been preserved. You can see on the image of the end of January 1916, the camp, nothing else in the area. Internees were allowed to play tennis and field hockey. 700 detainees have been in the tract of Kersten last. There were cannibalized beached whales and enticed rabbit in a trap. But he liked at home in Germany neither the meat of hares eat or rabbits. Too often he had meat must take these animals to him.

Among the detainees there were virtually all occupations. Even actors or those with acting talent among them. That the prisoners built 'German theater' led 'to the king's order,' 'Minna von Barnhelm', 'Heroes' by Bernard Shaw,' The Concert ',' The Foundation fixed ',' A great idea ', the comedy' morality, '' an unwritten sheet 'and' When I came back 'on.

Looking at the pictures, one can only wonder about the great stage sets and beautiful costumes. It must also have been decorators and master tailor in Trial Bay. From the July 1917 dates back to a poem: 'The whale of Trial Bay', printed in Liverpool N.S.W./Australia.

Even stationery stood to the prisoners. 'Concentration Camps, Australia - Prisoner of war Letter'. Walter Kersten wrote on 9 February 1917 a letter to his brother Bruno. He thanked it for the post of home. "Yesterday I received a postal from Arthur with his photo, dated Nov. 2nd. He looks very smart in his uniform and what at did time in Haiger (Westerwald) ". Arthur was the youngest brother of all eight sons of the Guido family and Emma Kersten. Then their son Walter wrote Kersten that he would like basketball shoes.

"I did not hear from Guido since the beginning of last year. I hope very much did he is home. " (By Guido in this case the brother was meant by Walter Kersten). One can gather from this how an internee is located in the distance from learning something from home.

When the war ended in 1918 was lost for the Germans, the internees in June 1919. allowed to return home on the 'Kursk', one put into service in 1910 Russian passenger steamers. First, they were placed in a 'holiday camp' to Durban in South Africa. The ship was at that time (after the October Revolution in Russia) is now under the British flag.

There was talk of the 'repatriation'. Walter Kersten told later that the hygienic conditions were disastrous on the ship. Many died during the ride home. He himself volunteered for the dead sew into sacks and throw overboard. But he got in the kitchen special rations and schnapps. Kersten was many years away from home, it was lost years in the career and life planning. But ultimately he was glad he was not used at one of the many fronts as a soldier.

The camaraderie in the camp of Trial Bay must have been very good. There are large-format photographs showing the teams of the individual bearing tracts. The camaraderie remained even after the war in Germany. Since most internees were once driven or lake somewhere employed abroad at a shipping company, it was obvious that the meetings took place in northern Germany, mainly in Hamburg and Bremen. It was invited to a 'Trial Bay curry food'. There was no curry sausage, but a tasty time. Obviously, the curry sausage was a reminder of the time in the camp.

Walter Kersten led at a meeting on April 30 in 1955 in Bremen, "We were connected by five years of imprisonment. When we parted, we left a piece of our lives. We held together: loyalty, reliability, memories of home, wit and familiarity. There is something peculiar about the knowledge that one can rely on the other. The romance of camaraderie has something seductive. In fact, it is a 'noble bloom'. The Chinese wisdom to know everyone here in this room. It is said in Chinese: There is no happiness on earth. But you have to be careful not to miss the happiness. What is there sometimes on earth is the happy moment. '

On all group photos from 1953 to 1960 can be seen Walter Kersten. Since he was mostly seen with a cigar in his mouth and his comrades knew he had grown in the tobacco trade, made on a one cartoon that Walter Kersten zeigt.Im album is documented the residence of Walter Kersten in the Philippines. The photos show, among other things, the local cigar factories and the German community in the Philippines. In addition, an overview is located in the Festschrift for the 50th anniversary of the history as well as a list of members of the German Club Manila. Member Directory Walter Kersten is listed with the date September 4, 1912.

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