"Kamerun/Cameroon: Letters and Reports in 1913, part I"

121 Documents arranged in 3 sections. E-2.39 contains the reports from the individual stations, E-2.40 the Quarterly and Annual Reports for 1913; Ausschuss in Kamerun: letters and reports from the Mission's Local Executive Committee and its members, Documents 1-90; The main topic in almost all letters is the tense relationship with the Colonial Government, especially Ebermaier, due to (a) the planned forced resettlements in Duala and (b) the language problem in the Grassfields. (See also No. 64); The forced resettlement of the Duala people (see esp. Nos. 3 and 4, 7 and. 9, 21, 23, 28, 35 page4 - meeeting of the Executive Council -, 37, 44, 47, 52 p.2, 60, 90a and 91 - or for a more complete picture all letters and reports in this section from Lutz as Local Chairman); No. 37: Lutz also mentions falling rubber prices, the breakdown of the rubber trade in the South and the new possibilities opening up for indigenous farmers; Nos. 41 and 42: Lutz on a meeting with Governor Ebermaier and his relations with the Basel Mission (See also Nos. 44 and 45); The topic of the language Problem in the Grassfields is also referred to in Numbers 58 (P. 11), 59, 64, 90a and 91; No. 52: Lutz expresses himself as deeply worried about the developments in Cameroon and fears things are leading towards a catastrophe; No. 59: Lutz expresses again the opinion that teaching children German in the early stages of their education estranges them from manual labour and hinders them from becoming free and independent farmers. A very important letter on the whole complex field of development, education and the aims of mission work. On pages 6-7 Lutz also mentions tensions with Government troops in the Nyasoso area and dwells on the necessity of good relations with Government officials and his own relationships with Governor Ebermaier; No. 64: Lutz on a further conversation with Governor Ebermaier (pp 4ff), especially on the language Problem; No. 74: Lutz reports conversations with Ramsay an official who wants to see Protestant missions working in the far south towards the Congo border where the Situation seems to be critical and uprisings are feared; No. 88: Lutz on plans by the Gossner Mission to Start work in inland areas; Kleine Brüderkonferenz - papers from a missionaries, Documents 90a-100; No 90a is concerned with the resettlements in Duala, p.5 with the language question in the Grassfields. No. 91 is a typed copy ; No. 92: Lutz (p. 20) on the creation of school and parish plantations; No. 95: Hecklinger's remarks on the Situation in Bonaberi includes information on the Situation in relation to the Duala resettlements - especially the refusal of the Duala people to take money for their land; their passive resistance: and the dubious tactics of the Oil Syndicate in outwitting Cameroonians and thus obtaining land; No. 96: Champod's remarks on the Situation in Nyasoso complains about the impact of large German plantations on the people - they are forced to sell their labour while their houses fall into ruins; Vorgehen der katholischen Mission in Kamerun - on the activities of Catholic Missions in Cameroon, Documents 101-121; The documents in this section are partly answers by various missionaries to questions asked by Inspector Oettli in Basel on Roman Catholic missionary work. There is information on Protestant relations to RC missionary work in Togo (Spieth) and in the CMS in East Africa

1913

1913

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