Paul Georg von Möllendorff

Paul Georg von Möllendorff (* February 17, 1847 in Zehdenick (Brandenburg), † April 20, 1901 in Ningbo ( China) ) was a German linguist and diplomat temporary. He has worked in East Asia as an interpreter at German consulates, as a senior official of the Chinese Seezollbehörde and as an influential Vice Minister of the Kingdom of Korea.

Youth, education, family

Paul Georg von Möllendorff, son of the Prussian economy Commission Council Georg von Möllendorff and his wife Emma nee Meyer, attended elementary school and high school in Görlitz. He studied from 1865 at the University Hall and was a member of the Corps Normannia Hall. Besides Law and Oriental Studies, he finished philological subjects. Among other things, he learned the Hebrew language in a rare perfection, but no East Asian language. In 1869 he finished the studies without qualifications and went on the recommendation of a family friend a location in the Seezolldienst on which was built by the British Robert Hart for the Imperial China from the ports. Upon receipt of travel documents and advance in Berlin he went to Shanghai, a journey that at the time - to Trieste by train, from there on different ships - took eight weeks.

During a leave Germany in 1877 married Mollendorff Rosalie Holthausen, with whom he had daughters Emma, Margaret and Dora.

China

In Shanghai and Hankou, where he was soon displaced, he learned very quickly and thoroughly Chinese and put the proposed language test prematurely. The customs action here and at other duty stations did not satisfy him for long. He left in 1874 and joined the Chinese service as an interpreter in the German consular service over, to which he belonged at various locations in China until 1882. Again he found no satisfaction, especially since he did not get the first asked in view position of a consul. He moved back into Chinese services at the provincial governor and Grand Chancellor Li Hongzhang in Tianjin, the then most important statesman of China. Li was, inter alia, responsible for relations with Korea, which stood to China in a traditional vassal relationship.

Korea

Li wanted to Korea, the " hermit kingdom " ( hermit kingdom ), open for relations with Western countries and prevent Japanese influence. He sent Mollendorff in December 1882 as a consultant to Seoul. Mollendorff - the first western foreigners, the Korean King Gojong met - had studied in the previous weeks and Korean could imagine the king with a set in the local language. He quickly gained his trust and was appointed deputy foreign minister and head of the Korean Customs Service to be established.

Soon he took another Offices true, was the principal adviser to the king and played a decisive role in the practical implementation of the short previously concluded with the United States Trade Treaty and to the Treaties, which closed Korea in a row with Germany, Great Britain, Russia and Italy. He led in many fields developments or reforms, eg Revival of old crafts, industrialization, monetary system, education, foreign language teaching, medicine, criminal law and religious freedom. In his life, he adapted himself to Asian customs, led the Korean name Mok In - Dok and was popular with the population. Some observers have gone so far as to call Mollendorff as the " real rulers of Korea ".

He made ​​it his goal, Korea as independently as possible and independent, to make independently of China. The external stabilization of the country - the traditional Zankapfels between China and Japan - he wanted to bring through a closer relationship with Russia as the third power. Since 1884 he, with the consent and support of the King ( Gojong ) corresponding secret negotiations with Russian representatives in Japan. However, after the announcement of this plan met with strong opposition not only in china loyal part of the Korean Cabinet (especially in the short time before created, led by Kim Yunsik Foreign Ministry ), but also among the major powers Japan, China, UK and USA. To cover up his own involvement in the failed venture and forestall the intervention of the Great Powers, called King Gojong of China dismissal Möllen Dorffs. This took place in the fall of 1885. Too, an attempted re-establishment in 1888, the wish Gojong, failed because of the protest of the great powers.

Back in China

Mollendorff was 1889 again active in the Chinese customs service, first in Shanghai. Here he found alongside time for linguistic and literary works. 1896 and 1897 he was president of the prestigious scientific society Royal Asiatic Society, China Branch. In 1897, he was Commissioner of Customs ( Customs Director) in the comparatively backward port city of Ningbo and brought there in addition to his service activities various reforms. Meanwhile, he was known in China as穆麟德, Mù Linde ( Mandarin Chinese ). The strangers persecutions of the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 went through Möllen Dorffs reputation and moderating influence in Ningbo passed without bloodshed. His German wife had moved for the education of the three daughters in 1899 with these to Germany. He wanted to go on vacation in Germany in 1901, but died shortly before the planned departure under mysterious circumstances ( sudden illness or poisoning ).

Writings

(Selection)

• Manual of Chinese Bibliography, being a List of Works and Essays Relating to China (together with OF from Mollendorff ). Shanghai, London and Görlitz 1876
• Essay on Manchu Literature. In: Journal of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol XXIV pp. 1-45 (1889)
• A Manchu Grammar: With Analysed Texts. Shanghai 1892
• The Jews in China. In: Monthly Journal for the History and Science of Judaism. Bd 1893-1895, pp. 327-331
• The world literature. A list of introduction. Shanghai 1894 ( considered in contrast to other, similar lists expressly the Chinese, Hebrew, and neo-Latin literature)
• The Chinese family law. Shanghai 1895
• On the Limitations of Comparative Philology. In: Journal of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol XXXI. 1-21 ( 1896-97 )
• Classification of dialectes chinois. Ningpo 1899
• Ningpo syllabary. Shanghai 1901
• Practical guide to learning the high Chinese language. 4th Edition Shanghai 1906
• Ningpo Colloquial Handbook ( ed. GW Sheppard ). Shanghai 1910