Von Rhein to United States, July 18, 1865

Mr. O. F. Von Rhein to Mr. Wright

Sir: It is not unlikely that circumstances will make it desirable for me to reside in Berlinfor some length of time, or it may be permanently. You would, therefore, confer a greatfavor if you will kindly reply to one or two questions which I shall take the liberty to askYour answer must in some measure decide whether I return to my native city or not. I am by birth a Prussian, my father having served as captain in the royal army. I left Berlin some twelve years ago, taking with me a passport which entitled me to remain abroad for one year only. I remained in New York, however, for over five years, when, having become of age and a citizen of the United States, I returned to Germany on a visit to my mother, who resided in Berlin. I remained but two weeks, being, during that time, in hourly fear of being arrested and forced to enter the army. With the exception of these two weeks, I have never been in Europe since my sixteenth year. The question, then, to which I crave your reply, is, can I, being an American citizen, permanently reside in Berlin without danger of being forced to do duty in the Prussian army? In order that your honor may understand my case fully, it may perhaps be well to add that on my return from my former visit to Germany, feeling somewhat annoyed at being obliged to make my stay in Berlin very much shorter than I would have done had it not been for fear of the army, I addressed a few lines to the New York Herald, to which, contrary to my expectations, the editor attached my full signature.

I do not now recollect the exact words I used; but they were about as follows: “To the Editor of the New York Herald. Sir: I am by birth a Prussian; by adoption a citizen of the United States. On a recent visit to Berlin, finding myself in danger of being forced into the Prussian army, I called on Governor Wright, the American minister in Prussia, for protection. That gentleman, after examining my passport, told me that while he had the wish and inclination, he lacked the power to protect me. Governor Wright, therefore, advised me to leave Berlin as soon as possible. Such being the case, Mr. Editor, would it not be better to withhold a passport from naturalized citizens than to consign them to the very grasp of a tyrant, with no better protection than a worthless piece of paper?”

The appearance in the New York Herald of a notice something like the above aroused some little discussion, through the public press, by parties who were strangers to me personally, but felt interested in the principle involved. It is, therefore, not impossible that the fact that I have written and published a notice similar to the above may have come to the knowledge of the Prussian government; and if so, can I be held responsible on the ground that I have formerly been a Prussian subject?

I am a married man, having a wife (a native of New Orleans) and two young children, and, if I decide to reside in Berlin any length of time, not being rich enough to live on the interest of my money, shall be obliged to do something towards the support of my family. I should either engage in some mercantile pursuit or establish myself as a teacher of languages; (I speak French, English, Spanish, and German.)

The subject is to me a very important one. I have for this reason been more lengthy than I at first intended, at the risk even of trespassing on your honor’s patience.

Be kind enough to address your reply to the undersigned at San Francisco, California.

Very respectfully, your honor’s most obedient servant,