Harden Case Resumed, New York Tribune (Article, December 1907)
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HARDEN CASE RESUMED
Prince zu Eulenburg's Statement Regarding Bismarck.
Berlin, Dec. 27.--The hearing of the Harden-Von Molke libel suit was resumed here [today] with open doors. The greater part of the morning session was taken up with the testimony of Dr. Frey, of Vienna, who at one time treated Frau von Elbe, the divorced wife of General Count Kuno von Moltke. The witness said that the former countess was hysterical, and that her charges against Von Moltke were based on imaginary grounds.
Dr. Liman, editor of the "Leipziger Neueste Nachrichten," who at one time had rather intimate relations with Prince von Bismarck, was then called upon to testify regarding a remark which he had heard Bismarck make concerning Prince Philip zu Eulenburg. This remark played a considerable part in the first Harden trial, when Harden interpreted it in an equivocal sense as implying a charge of secret vices against Zu Eulenburg. Dr. Liman swore [today] that he understood Bismarck's words to mean simply that Zu Eulenburg was responsible for certain political occurrences, and that they conveyed no innuendo. Bismarck was the first man to use the expression, "the Liebenburg Round Table," as applied to the irresponsible advisers of the Emperor, of whom he considered Zu Eulenburg to be the leader.
Prince zu Eulenburg, who had come into the courtroom with the assistance of his two sons, here asked permission to make a statement. This was granted, and the prince said he had enjoyed the most friendly relations with Bismarck until the latter broke with the Emperor, when their intercourse ceased entirely. He had learned from various sources that Bismarck thought he should have made common cause with him and withdrawn his support from the Emperor when he did. "This, for many reasons, I did not do," Prince zu Eulenburg continued, "and I encountered much hostility because of my course. Bismarck's was a volcanic nature, and he was volcanic in his hate. I still think with joy of the hospitality I enjoyed at Bismarck's table, but with sorrow of the break in our relations. Bismarck complained of the presence of irresponsible persons in the household of the Emperor, but the Emperor had the right to summon whom he wished."
Prince zu Eulenburg often accompanied the Emperor on his Norwegian voyages and hunting excursions as a representative of the Foreign Office, but he swore that he had never sought to obtain political influence over his majesty. The prince spoke with deep earnestness.
Continuing, he said he had invited Raymond Lecomte, formerly charge d'affaires of the French Embassy, in Berlin, to Liebenburg at the wish of the Emperor, not with the idea of introducing him surreptitiously to his majesty. The introduction would have been the duty of the French Ambassador.
Prince zu Eulenburg then said that he had not interfered in politics since resigning from the Vienna Embassy, in 1902, except at the time of the Morocco difficulty. Being in Berlin at the time and having obtained from M. Lecomte some highly interesting information regarding the feeling at Paris, the prince communicated his news to Chancellor von Bulow. "This is all I had to do with the Moroccan affair," Zu Eulenburg said. "I never spoke one word to his majesty about Morocco; indeed, I very seldom spoke to him of politics at all, except occasionally during visits to Romentin, the Emperor's hunting lodge on the Russian frontier, where I might have referred to some burning question."
Owing to the fact that Harden showed signs of extreme weariness the court here adjourned until Monday morning.
