In 1911 an impressive farewell card did the rounds in Apia as Captain Kurt Hufnagel prepared for retirement after 30 years managing the Vailele Plantation , Samoa ’ s second largest . His thoughtful employers , the DH & PG , went to great lengths to ensure that the memento fitted the occasion – it had a red embossed leather cover , was written in illuminated script , and bore the signatures of 126 settler notables , including that of the German Governor .
Kurt Hufnagel carved out an unparalleled role in Samoan agriculture and it is fitting that his farewell card has been preserved with pride through 100 years of Hufnagel family ownership .
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