THE DICTATOR OF HAMBURG

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 147, 17 March 1919, Page 5

THE DICTATOR OF HAMBURG

BISB OF A BOSUN'S MATE. One of the most curious personalities thrown up by the German revolution is Will Heise, by profession a bosun's mate and submarine man, and at present, ii'he is still alive, dictator of Hamburg and neighbourhood (writes the "Times" correspondent atTheHoguesome timo ago). Heiso js (he soul of the movement: for establishing an independent Republic of. thi. Lower Elbe, to extend roughly from west" of Bremen to eas't of Lubeck and southwards to the junction of the railways from Hamburg and Kiel to Berlin.' The origin of his present position (if ho is still dictator) is picturesque. About-'November 8 a huge meeting of Hamburgers,-largely marines, assembled on Hoilige- Geistfeld and listened with someimp~atien.ee to the oratory of professional: , : .demagogues. Suddenly a man in sailor's uniform elbowed his way out-of the'mol), climbed o-i to the rickety platform, and in a voice which promptly commanded attention, spoke somewhat as follows:— "You don't know what you want. You are listening to a useless pack of profeesionil demagogues and, tub-thumpors. I will tell you what you want: Yon should elect one of yourselves to lead you. Now go and choose." When somewhat late Heise agate asked whether they ivere not going to choose eomeone, there was a roar of "You've elected yourself."". Htise proceeded to establish himself at/tho Senate's offices, and with tho aid: of a fleet of armoured ears has so far kept exemplary order. Pwplo caught shop-lifting, picking pocket 6. or housebreaking are snatched up' at tho sound of. a whistle .by. an armoured car and hurried off to Altona barracks, and there given summary punishment. .. The committee of election presented 'Heise with a list of qneshons which he answered, but. at the same time explained that if he was to be master he intended to lie .absolute master and to exaot iron discipline. It appear that Heise and his schemes have been largely supported by people of considerable means;""not less" than .00,000 wis contributed, and, I believe, without any compulsion, for the payment of Boise's force of marines and crews of armoured cars.

When he had firmly established his dictatorship in Hamburg, Heise proceeded to advance his real scheme—namely, tho establishment of a Hauss Republic, to embrace all the old free towns of the ■Hansa League and to become and remain completely independent of Berlin. Ho dreads, or dreaded, according to his oivii statements, only two eventualities— namely, the outbreak of anarchy, probablv in Bremen, and the resumption of power .by Berlin. Towards the end of November lie sent n delegation to Holland, which, if I am correctly informed, included an English interpreter, to iisk for recognition and support from the .Allies for Hie "Republic of the Lower , Elbe." Their credentials were attested bv the stamp of the Hamburg Soldiers' Council, by the crossed hands symbolic of tho Hnnsn League, and by Heise's own signature Tho delegates said- that they iveru to ask chiefly for the sending' .of a cargo of potatoes to Hamburg, prefocaWv accompanied by a British warship, which should investigate the conditions prevailing;. ' The delegates were empowered not only to assure any Allied warship wliioh should come a great reception, but ako to offer to send out to moot it the largest 'passenger:6hips of the Hamburg-Anierika Line carrying all Briti'ib or Enfemte war prisoners .within tho confines of the new Republic. -Hera for flio present ends this curious episode in tho history of revolutionary Germany.