Alfred Schultz Album , Photographer R . Hofmannn , restored T . Brunt 2013
Rudolf Berking took a leadership role in 1919 when approval for repatriation of the POWs back to the islands was stalled . He pleaded time and again with the military authorities to allow the married men especially , to return to their families . His submissions were signed ,
“ R . P . Berking for this camp .” Finally , the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the Allies got clarity on what they could do with German POW ’ s and their assets . Berking took passage for Samoa in February 1920 . Nearly four years of captivity had come to an end . In this last photo of him from Motuihe he is standing in the middle wearing a white helmet . The others ( left-toright ) are : Mr A . Ohle ( DH & PG , Tonga ); Mr Wilhelm Holzeit ; Mr Alfred Schultz ; Berking ; Count Felix von Luckner ; young boys Kurt Stünzner and Fritz Stünzner Jnr , who lived for a time on the island with their parents in self-contained accommodation ; Mr R . Hofmann .
| To Walk Under Palm Trees - The Germans in Samoa : Snapshots from Albums | Tony Brunt
33