"With regard to Roumania I have, as you know, from the outset most strongly disapproved of the resolution of the Congress concerning the Jewish question, though only after the blow had fallen, since I was not at the head of affairs.
"Since then I have, of course, only had to support the strict execution of the resolutions of the Congress, but I have demanded at every opportunity that no pressure be used in this matter, for I know by experience what the Jews are in those regions—starting with Posen, Poland, Lithuania, and Volhynia—and the Roumanian Jews are said to be even worse! The whole Jewish question there has been championed so violently by England. Lord Odo Russell confessed as much to me in answer to my representations, indicating at the same time by a gesture his disagreement with them.
"I explained the attitude which I have adopted with regard to the Jewish question (on which the recognition of my cousin as an independent Sovereign depends) to the Prince of Hohenzollern, when he excitedly complained of the extreme severity of our note. I added, however, that I was not acquainted with the note in question. On my making inquiry, the latest document for Bucharest was only yesterday laid before me. It states that the Powers would be satisfied by the annulment of the restrictive article of the Roumanian Constitution being recognised as a principle, leaving the decision as to the method of carrying it into effect to a later date, when the Ministry and Chamber have come to an agreement. When once this method has been accepted, nothing will impede the recognition of the Prince. I commission you to communicate this most exactly in Krauchenwies, and also add that I think that Charles of Roumania and his Ministry, which has just been changed, should accept this method; the Chambers will then have to practise self-restraint.
"You will remember that I always took the part of the Roumanian Government, whenever difficulties arose between Christians and Jews, whilst England invariably took the opposite side, because she sees a refined Rothschild in every Jew."
Whilst the German Emperor thus roundly declared his interest in the Roumanian Sovereign, his Chancellor proved no less sympathetic towards M. Sturdza, at an interview which took place at Kissingen. Prince Bismarck admitted that the Berlin Congress had set Roumania a hard task, but remarked that the resolutions must be executed in their entirety. Germany was only demanding what France and Italy also wished in the matter of the Jews, of whom there were a large number crowded together in certain portions of the country. The Roumanians must open the war upon economic ground: work and save, found banks, &c. The Empire was anxious to maintain friendly relations with Roumania, although the latter had until recently treated Germany somewhat cavalierly. The sympathy of the Roumanian nation with France, though perhaps only natural, had in the end annoyed Germany, and it was never wise to annoy anybody, least of all one who happened to be powerful. In order to ameliorate the existing relations, it was necessary that the railway question should disappear.
"One must be acquainted with the commencement of this affair in order to realise its importance. No one can be blamed for it, neither we nor Roumania: the affair exists, and we must get rid of it with profit to both parties.
"Our interest is considerable, since about one hundred million marks are invested there. These moneys must be rescued from a precarious situation, in which it has often been the duty of the State to defend them, and on each occasion this has strained the relations between the two States.
"This railway affair commenced with Dr. Strousberg, who dragged the Silesian magnates into it, and with them all their friends and dependents were in turn involved. To-day we find amongst the bondholders of the Roumanian Railway Company, lords and ladies, lackeys of the great houses, and even cabdrivers—in a word, almost the whole of Berlin. Indeed, more than that, the King himself had to intervene to save a few of the Silesian magnates, when Strousberg could carry on no longer! He then applied to Bleichröder, who was, however, rich enough not to need to address himself to so involved a question. Nevertheless, he did so because he was asked, and also on account of the credit which it brought him. He has taken the matter in hand, and we are bound to support him. But the King has done even more than this. He has had to assist the great Silesian nobles out of his privy purse. It is, therefore, easy to understand that every one is anxious to escape from this painful situation. You must, therefore, solve these two questions in order to enter the ranks of the Independent States. An independent Roumania will throw a heavy weight into the balance of Oriental questions.... Roumania has an area of 2500 square miles (German) and 6,000,000 inhabitants. It might have 10,000,000; and how powerful it would be then."
The Jews were admitted to the franchise on October 18, 1879, by an alteration of Article VII. of the Constitution, and over 900 Jews who had served with the colours in 1877-78 were immediately admitted to the rights of citizenship. Though the situation at one period became so critical that the German Empress sent a "quite confidential" warning that delay was fraught with danger, the demands of Germany in the matter of the railway purchase were satisfied three months later, and the independence of the Roumanian State was in consequence fully recognised by all the European Powers.
To Prince Charles Anthony, February 11th, 1880.
"Sandro[22] is in despair about the doings of the Panslavists, who are making his task uncommonly difficult; had he only Bulgarians to deal with, he would get on easily enough.... He is determined to speak openly to the Czar Alexander about the Panslavonic and Nihilist agitation in Sofia. He returns to his capital at the end of March, when the newly elected National Assembly will be opened; it is not much better than the former. So long as the Czar Alexander lives he will personally exert a favourable influence in Bulgaria, but when he dies everything will be changed. I told Sandro, who has much confidence in me, that if he possesses enough strength to live down this period of suffering, he will be richly rewarded for his patience and endurance. But few, perhaps, have the patience that I had, and still have."