Beschreibung:

Roger Casement. A very good ALS datelined c/o U.S.A. Consulate General, Munich, 16.8.[19]15, to 'A chara' ['Dear Sir'], with a good bold signature, on lightly squared paper (not ordinary writing paper), 3 pp, faded and worn (without loss) and a little stained, laid down on backing paper. With a photograph showing Casement standing at a rail, creased and chipped, some highlighting around head (probably for newspaper publication), inscribed at rear 'The last photograph taken while in Freedom', etc., further inscriptions in German. The letter appears to be addressed to a prospective member of the Irish corps which Casement sought to form among Irish prisoners-of-war in Germany. 'I was truly glad to hear on Saturday that the long delay was nearly over, and that you all would be in other quarters & in uniform very soon. I have been greatly upset at the delay. I approve of the temporary appointments in the Corps Captain Boehm reports to me for my approval. As soon as the men are out of their present quarters and in barracks I shall be advised; and I will then visit them and make what arrangements are in my power .. for them to be usefully employed on the work they volunteered for.' Also mentions financial matters, some newspapers he is sending, a Father Nicholson whom he has not seen for some time, a man with a broken leg, etc. Knighted in 1911 for his exposure of exploitation of African natives by King Leopold of Belgium, Roger Casement resigned from the British Foreign Service in 1913 to work for Irish independence. He joined the Irish Volunteers and became a member of its Provisional Committee. In 1914, during a visit to the United States, he made contact with the German Embassy through John Devoy. In October 1914 (after the outbreak of war) he travelled to Berlin, where he sought to buy arms for the IRB, and in December he tried to raise an Irish Brigade among Irish prisoners of war to serve against England, but with very little success. The date of this letter indicates (surprisingly) that Casement still hoped to bring this project to fruition as late as August 1915. He returned to Ireland in April 1916, landing at Banna Strand from a German submarine. He was arrested almost immediately, charged with high treason and sentenced to death. Appeals for clemency were rejected after copies of homosexual diaries were circulated among influential persons, and he was executed on 3 August 1916. He was accepted by Irish Republicans as the last of the martyrs of 1916. In 1965 his remains were transferred to Ireland and reinterred at Glasnevin cemetery. Letters relating to this episode in Casement's career are extremely rare. Roger Casement. A very good ALS datelined c/o U.S.A. Consulate General, Munich, 16.8.[19]15, to 'A chara' ['Dear Sir'], with a good bold signature, on lightly squared paper (not ordinary writing paper), 3 pp, faded and worn (without loss) and a little stained, laid down on backing paper. With a photograph showing Casement standing at a rail, creased and chipped, some highlighting around head (probably for newspaper publication), inscribed at rear 'The last photograph taken while in Freedom', etc., further inscriptions in German. The letter appears to be addressed to a prospective member of the Irish corps which Casement sought to form among Irish prisoners-of-war in Germany. 'I was truly glad to hear on Saturday that the long delay was nearly over, and that you all would be in other quarters & in uniform very soon. I have been greatly upset at the delay. I approve of the temporary appointments in the Corps Captain Boehm reports to me for my approval. As soon as the men are out of their present quarters and in barracks I shall be advised; and I will then visit them and make what arrangements are in my power .. for them to be usefully employed on the work they volunteered for.' Also mentions financial matters, some newspapers he is sending, a Father Nicholson whom he has not seen for some time, a man with a broken leg