Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 41. (1990)

BEVERIDGE, Kent D.: „Worthy Representative of Europe“. Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten

Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten

the latter had received this appeal. Blunt later reported that Cam- erloher, who already submitted the case to his superior, Prokesch-Os- ten, had „strong reasons“ to believe that Bahá’u’lláh and his companions were to be delivered into the power of the Persian government53). As neither of the consuls felt that they could interfere officially without instructions, they sent telegrams to their Embassies in Constantinople requesting guidance54).

The departure of the exiles did not take place as originally planned; Bahá’u’lláh refused to leave Adrianople until the debts which his agent had incurred in the bazaar were paid. Baháh’u’lláh and his followers finally departed Adrianople on 12 August, escorted by a Turkish captain, Hasan Effendi, and a squad of soldiers. Although Camerloher’s dispatch of 10 August is missing, Prokesch-Osten’s papers contain a copy of his reply, dated 19 August. Here Prokesch-Osten maintains that when one divests the exile of the Bahá’ís of „allen unrichtigen Besorgnissen ... (z. B. die Auslieferung der [Bahá’ís] an die Perser, die Vernehmung durch den Shaykha’l-Islám, usw.)“ what remains is a „Polizeimassre- gel..., mehr oder weniger hart ausgeführt, wie deren in den Befugnissen jeder Regierung stehen und in welche eben deshalb eine unabhängige Regierung nicht eingreifen lässt.“ He himself, he informs Camerloher, had spoken with Fu’ád Pasha, „der an Freisinnigkeit keinem europäischen Minister nachstcht“, about the Bahá’ís, and believes that Sir Henry had also done so. Bahá’u’lláh and his companions, Prokesch-Osten continues, are being banished to Akká, „einem weniger gefährlichen Punkte“, not because of their doctrines, but rather because of the „trennende Kraft, die in jeder Sekte liegt“. Such a force, he states, is especially dangerous in the Balkans, as „sich gewisse, über die ganze europäische Türkei ausgegossene Agenten gerade das Zerbröckeln der Bevölkerung nach allen Richtungen zur Aufgabe gemacht haben.“

53) It will not be known what these reasons were until the text of Camerloher’s letter to Prokesch-Osten is found. Although the Bahá’ís were not turned over „to an agent of the Sháh“ in Gallipoli, as expressed by Blunt and Camerloher in their telegrams, it is known that Hájí Mírzá Husayn Rhán-i-Qazvání, the Persian ambassador to the Sublime Porte, issued „telegraphic and written instructions“ that the injunctions of thefarman be carried out to the letter, and appointed a representative in ‘Akká to ensure that these orders were obeyed. These actions, clearly interference in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire, appear to confirm Camerloher’s fears. The Ambassador further informed the Persian consuls in ‘Iráq and Egypt that the Porte had withdrawn its protection from the Bahá’ís.

54) Momen Religions 189f. The statement that the „Baron [Prokesch-Osten] is personally acquainted with the Shaykh [Bahá’u’lláh]“, contained in the report, appears to be an exaggeration. Prokesch-Osten’s index of correspondence shows the receipt of a letter from Camerloher dated 10 August, which is unfortunately not to be found among his papers.

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