Chapter 16 Ergänzungen zu den hinterlassenen Papieren Johann Gottfried Wetzsteins
In: Manuscripts, Politics and Oriental StudiesSearch for other papers by Ingeborg Huhn in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Zusammenfassung
The official correspondence regarding Consul Wetzstein, formerly stored in the State Archives of the GDR in Merseburg, kept in the Geheimes Staatsarchiv – Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin since 1993, has become accessible since then. Through these papers, many of Wetzstein’s reports on his consular activities have been confirmed, some have been expanded. Quite a number of the official letters show the reactions of the consul’s colleagues and superiors to his actions.
In this correspondence it becomes clear that Wetzstein’s humanitarian convictions and resulting decisions aligned with Prussian policies, but were partially misunderstood or even rejected by European colleagues and German superiors in Constantinople. His generous handling of some bureaucratic rules also provoked offense. Particularly criticized was Wetzstein’s private economic, agricultural undertakings, which he felt forced to as consul without salary.
It is only known from these new documents that Wetzstein, apart from the two well-known letters of resignation, had written two more: the first in 1851, i.e. already about one year after the start of his office, the next in 1858, another in 1859 and the last one in 1860, which was finally accepted. Reasons for these requests, as we know already, were mainly the inhumane policy of the Ottoman rulers and his desolate financial situation.
Finally, the official correspondence reveals how greatly Wetzstein was appreciated by the Prussian government: Wetzstein, leaving the Damascene office in 1860, was awarded the second highest medal of Prussia by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV.