Wilhelm Solf
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Wilhelm Heinrich Solf (5 October 1862 – 6 February 1936) was a German scholar, diplomat, jurist and statesman.


Early life

Solf was born into a wealthy and liberal family in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
. He attended secondary schools in
Anklam Anklam [], formerly known as Tanglim and Wendenburg, is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the ''Kleines Haff'', the western ...
, western
Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...
, and in
Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's 2 ...
. He took up the study of Oriental languages, in particular
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
, at universities in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
,
Göttingen Göttingen (, , ; nds, Chöttingen) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. At the end of 2019, t ...
and Halle and earning a doctorate in
philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and writing, written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defin ...
in the winter of 1885. Under the supervision of the well-known Indologist
Richard Pischel Richard Pischel (18 January 1849 – 26 December 1908) was a German Indologist born in Breslau. In 1870 he received his doctorate from the University of Breslau under the guidance of Adolf Friedrich Stenzler (1807-1887). His graduate thesis was ...
, Solf wrote an elementary grammar of Sanskrit. Solf then found a position at the library of the
University of Kiel Kiel University, officially the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, (german: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, abbreviated CAU, known informally as Christiana Albertina) is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in ...
. While residing there, he was drafted into the Imperial Navy to serve his military obligation. However, he was deemed medically unfit for military service and discharged.


Early diplomatic career

Solf joined the German Foreign Office (Consular Service) on 12 December 1888 and was assigned to the Imperial German Consulate General in Calcutta on 1 January 1889. However, he resigned from the consular service after three years to study law at the
University of Jena The University of Jena, officially the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (german: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, abbreviated FSU, shortened form ''Uni Jena''), is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. The un ...
, where he obtained his doctorate in law (''Doktor juris'') in September 1896. Solf's advanced degrees qualified him for higher positions in the diplomatic service. He joined the Colonial Department of the Foreign Office (''Kolonialabteilung des Auswärtigen Amtes'') and in 1898 was assigned as district judge in
Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam (; from ar, دَار السَّلَام, Dâr es-Selâm, lit=Abode of Peace) or commonly known as Dar, is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over s ...
in
German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; german: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Mozam ...
for a short period. In 1899, he was posted to the Samoan Islands, where he served as council chairman in the provisional government of the municipality of
Apia, Samoa Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō ...
.


Governor of Samoa

The division of the Samoan Islands as a result of the Tripartite Convention of 1899 assigned the western islands to Germany (independent
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
today) and Eastern Samoa to the United States (
American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
today). Wilhelm Solf, at age 38, became the first Governor of
German Samoa German Samoa (german: Deutsch-Samoa) was a German protectorate from 1900 to 1920, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state of Samoa, formerly ''Western Samoa''. Samoa was the last ...
on 1 March 1900. "Solf was a man of quite unusual talent, clear-thinking, sensitive to the nuances of Samoan attitudes and opinion." He was known as a liberal, painstaking and competent administrator. Solf included Samoan traditions in his government programs but never hesitated to step in assertively, including banishment from Samoa in severe cases, when his position as the ''Kaiser's'' deputy was challenged. Under Solf's direction, plantation agriculture was further encouraged,which in his judgment provided the soundest basis for the colony's economic development. In turn, tax revenues were enhanced, making the establishment of a public school system, the construction and the staffing of a hospital major successes. Road and harbour facilities development was accelerated. The Samoan colony was on its way to self-sufficiency and had reached that achievement just before Solf was called to Berlin and was succeeded by Erich Schultz as Governor of German Samoa.


Later career

After his return from Samoa, Solf became (1911) Secretary (''Staatssekretär'') of the German Colonial Office (''Reichskolonialamt'') to 1918 and travelled extensively to the German protectorates in West and East Africa in 1912 and 1913. In the spring of 1914, Solf designed coats of arms for the various German colonies, a project which found enthusiastic favour with
Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Empir ...
, but his efforts were foiled by the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
a few months later, and the arms were never officially used. The outbreak of World War I caused Germany's colonial possessions to be invaded by the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
(including the dominions),
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. Solf lobbied for a negotiated peace settlement in 1917 and 1918. He opposed the implementation of
unrestricted submarine warfare Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchant ships such as freighters and tankers without warning, as opposed to attacks per prize rules (also known as "cruiser rules") that call for warships to sea ...
, a policy that eventually contributed to the entry of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to the war in 1917. With the defeat of Germany imminent and the likelihood of revolution growing, he was appointed as what turned out to be the last of the Imperial Foreign Ministers in October 1918. In that capacity, he undertook negotiations for the armistice that took effect on 11 November 1918. He resigned his post as Foreign Minister on 13 December 1918 with the onset of the German Revolution after news about the payment of about 1-million
Mark Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * F ...
and a 10.5-million
Russian ruble ''hum''; cv, тенкĕ ''tenke''; kv, шайт ''shayt''; Lak: къуруш ''k'urush''; Mari: теҥге ''tenge''; os, сом ''som''; tt-Cyrl, сум ''sum''; udm, манет ''manet''; sah, солкуобай ''solkuobay'' , name_ab ...
mandate for a bank account at
Mendelssohn & Co Mendelssohn & Co. was a private bank based in Berlin, Prussia. One of the leading banks in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was Aryanized by the Nazis because the owners were Jewish. History The bank was established in 1795 by Joseph Mendel ...
by the Russian ambassador to Germany,
Adolph Joffe Adolph Abramovich Joffe (russian: Адо́льф Абра́мович Ио́ффе, alternative transliterations Adol'f Ioffe or, rarely, Yoffe) (10 October 1883 in Simferopol – 16 November 1927 in Moscow) was a Russian revolutionary, a Bo ...
, to the
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, USPD) was a short-lived political party in Germany during the German Empire and the Weimar Republic. The organization was establish ...
politician Oskar Cohn had become public. Solf refused further co-operation with the USPD. Between then and 1920, he served as Vice President of the ''Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft''. From 1920 to 1928, he served as the German chargé d'affaires and then ambassador to Japan; his tenure proved to be fruitful, as he was instrumental in restoring good relations between the two World War I enemies, which culminated in the signing of the German-Japanese Treaty of 1927. On Solf's return to Germany and his retirement from government service, he became the Chairman of the Board of the based in
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
. Solf held centrist political views and joined the
German Democratic Party The German Democratic Party (, or DDP) was a center-left liberal party in the Weimar Republic. Along with the German People's Party (, or DVP), it represented political liberalism in Germany between 1918 and 1933. It was formed in 1918 from the ...
(''Deutsche Demokratische Partei''). However, with its dissolution in 1933, he planned with others to form a new moderate party. With the
Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
reality of that time, it was unsuccessful, if not impossible. In 1932, he supported the re-election of retired Field Marshal
Paul von Hindenburg Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (; abbreviated ; 2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German field marshal and statesman who led the Imperial German Army during World War I and later became President of Germany fro ...
as German President. Solf wrote ''Weltpolitik und Kolonialpolitik'' (Foreign policy and colonial policy, 1918) and ''Kolonialpolitik, Mein politisches Vermächtniss'' (Colonial policy, my political legacy, 1919).


Personal life

In 1908 Wilhelm Solf married Johanna Dotti; their children were: * daughter So'oa'emalelagi Solf (known as Lagi), born in Samoa in 1909 (d. 14 Dec 1955). Her Samoan name translates as "she who has come from heaven". * son Hans Heinrich Solf (21 Dec 1910 - 18 Feb 1987) * son Wilhelm Herman Solf (11 Jan 1915 - August 1983) * son Otto Isao Solf (25 Dec 1921 - 12 Aug 1989) Solf's widow Johanna (Hanna) and his daughter Lagi hosted the anti-Nazi Frau Solf Tea Party get-togethers.


References


Bibliography

* Davidson, J. W. ''Samoa mo Samoa'' amoa for the Samoans ''The Emergence of the Independent State of Western Samoa''. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1967. * Gray, J.A.C. ''Amerika Samoa, A History of American Samoa and Its United States Naval Administration''. Annapolis: United States Naval Institute. 1960. * McKay, C.G.R. ''Samoana, A Personal Story of the Samoan Islands''. Wellington and Auckland: A.H. & A.W. Reed. 1968. * Ryden, George Herbert. ''The Foreign Policy of the United States in Relation to Samoa''. New York: Octagon Books, 1975. (Reprint by special arrangement with Yale University Press. Originally published at New Haven: Yale University Press, 1928)


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Solf, Wilhelm Jurists from Berlin German people of World War I 1862 births 1936 deaths Foreign Secretaries of Germany Ambassadors of Germany to Japan Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun People of former German colonies German Samoa 1900s in Samoa 1910s in Samoa German Democratic Party politicians Politicians from Berlin Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg alumni University of Göttingen alumni University of Jena alumni University of Kiel alumni University of Kiel faculty People from the Province of Brandenburg German Protestants Burials at the Invalids' Cemetery 19th-century German politicians