Gave Kaiser Black Eye

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 22

Gave Kaiser Black Eye

Officer Who Struck Wilhelm 11. Never Seen Again .. » Suicide or Flight? ... Kaiser Designs Memorial. BjxhlUH OW the Kaiser erected a W® / monument to a black eye gfeJflV given him by one of his own naval officers is Q’kJMJI told in “Recollections of sSjHS Three Kaisers,” by an anonymous writer who served in the Royal household under three generations of Hohenzollerns. The incident occurred on board the Kaiser’s yacht Hohenzollern during a trip to Norway, and was hushed up at the time. It was a dirty night, with the sea running high, and the watch was in charge of First-Lieutenant von I-lahnke, an experienced seaman. The

ship was approaching the coast and great care was required.

“There had been a late and unusually convivial party in the dining saloon,” writes the author. “Being a hot August night, some of the livelier spirits who had not sought their cabins came on deck to see the elements disporting themselves and, incidentally, to cool their heated blood.” Row on Ship The Kaiser, in a playful mood. Insisted on taking the wheel. “Hahnke refused respectfully, but resolutely, to permit this, being well aware of the serious position. “High words ensued and, it is said, even blows were exchanged, one catching the royal yachtsman in the eye.

“The commotion was tremendous; his Majesty was persuaded to retire to his stateroom, where medical aid was afforded, and where, with a cold water bandage round his head, he finally slept soundly until morning.” . When day dawned von Hahnke was nowhere to be seen. Search was made for him all over the ship and along the coast, without result. Three days later the unfortunate lieutenant’s bicycle was found on the edge of a steep cliff near where the Hohenzollern was anchored. It was concluded that to escape the results of the unpardonable crime of striking the Kaiser he had committed suicide. “It was chEiracteristie of the Kaiser’s mercurial temperament,” adds the writer, “that later he determined to erect a monument to von Hahnke’s memory, one, of course, designed by himself. “He set to work with great en-

thusiasm upon this fascinating task, making many sketches upon which artists’ opinions were invited and accepted—or not. “The monument was finally erected at the spot where the unfortunate man was belie veil to have met with his fatal accident.” The amusing thing is that the young officer was probably not dead at all. According to his Intimate friends and staunch allies: — “Hahnke was no fool; he knew he would be ostracised and compelled to leEive the service, but he did not see any reason to leave the world as well. “The faked suicide provided a way out of all difficulties, and the young officer got away overland, and finally across the Atlantic.” It is possible, thinks the author of the story, that he is still alive in America.