Ervin Bernhart Shartz/Schats German photographer WW1 Drummiller Dromore Down

[mattfrombann]

Hi

I have stumbled upon three newspaper articles describing the treatment of this gent who was first arrested for having photographs of English Harbours in his possession . He was passed to the military authorities who seemed to think he was not a spy as he had been in England and Ireland for the past 18 years , and discharged him . However the law would not be denied and he was then rearrested for having photographic equipment in his possession without the necessary permit required of an "alien enemy". For this he got a month in gaol without hard labour. In one article he is Erwin Bernhart Schatz, in another Ervin Bernhart Shartz. When first arrested 20th Aug 1914, a paper gives his name as Ervin Bernhart Shots. The only other info is that his wife was also German.
You would think that over 18 years he would turn up in a census somewhere. but he has proved peculiarly elusive under any combination of names. And what was he doing in rural Down ??

[still_looking]

No mention of Ervin/Erwin but this piece includes mention of perceived and actual spy activities in 1914 and earlier https://journals.openedition.org/etudesirlandaises/2936

S_L

[Sinann]

Could this be him as just
Bernhard Schatz
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Pottinger__part_of_/Epworth_Street/220965/

Died 1918 in POW camp
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1918/05194/4434708.pdf

[mattfrombann]

Thanks Sinnan for the detective work.

I had wondered if he might be Jewish. There must be quite a sad story as to how , and when, he ended up in a POW camp. Presumably he got interned as an enemy alien after his initial imprisonment
And still none the wiser what he might have been doing in Drummiller

Matt

[Kiltaglassan]

And still none the wiser what he might have been doing in Drummiller

Is this where you obtained the Drummiller information from?

https://eddiesextracts.com/twextracts/tw19140900.html
The Witness - Friday, 18 September, 1914

On Monday a German named Erwin Bernhart Schatz, residing at Drumiller, was charged that on the 14th day of September, 1914, at Drumiller, he being an alien enemy, was unlawfully found in possession of a camera and other photographic apparatus without having the written permission of the registration officer for the County of Down. The Court imposed a sentence of one month's imprisonment in Belfast Jail, without hard labour.

[mattfrombann]

No. A slightly fuller version in another newspaper:-

" Banbridge , Tuesday

Yesterday evening at a special court held in the Police Station, Dromore, Co Down, before Dr Francis McKee and Mr John Graham, a German, Erwin........without having written permission of Registrar Officer, Co Down. Defendant was registered as an alien in pursuance of the Proclamation and had been previously arrested and sent forward to the military authorities who had discharged him.
In reply to the court , the prisoner, who appeared to be much affected, pleaded innocent intent. He had been executing orders for photographs for various people. He did not communicate with anyone in Germany
The Court , after consultation imposed a sentence of one months imprisonment in Belfast Jail, without hard labour, defendant being unable to give bail for his appearance at the next Petty Sessions in Dromore"

The previous court appearance is very briefly described at the time as

" A German named Erwin.....of Drummiller, Dromore, who had been detained in the Police Office, Belfast, was discharged yesterday. Four Germans were brought in yesterday and detained pending further enquiries"

His initial arrest is described as (Belfast Telegraph, 21st Aug 1914)

"A German named Erwin.......who resided at Drummiller Dromore with his wife, also German, was arrested on Thurs evening by the Dromore Police and conveyed to Belfast. The prisoner is a photographer and on a search of his premises several views of English harbours were found. It appears he has made a satisfactory explanation as to why he had these in his possession. He was detained, bail being refused"

However the Dromore Weekly Times of the very next day reports (which I have just discovered)

"... and taken before the intelligence dept, where after satisfying the authorities that he was in the country for no purpose other than that of earning a living for himself and his wife, he was set at liberty and safely arrived back in Dromore again by the 11:30 am train on Thursday"
The same report comments
"The man has been for the last couple of years residing in the neighbourhood of Dromore, and earned a livelihood by means of photo enlarging, he generally being regarded throughout the country as a harmless sort of person"
It adds
" at no time did his actions lead the Sergeant in charge of this district to believe that he was a spy and prejudicial to the interests of Britain"

But it seems that the higher powers-that-be were determined to lock him up....

There are clearly more twists and turns to this story leading to his early death

[mattfrombann]

A complete record of the hearing in which a distraught Bernhard, with no representation, is sentenced to jail, is contained in Dromore Weekly Times of 19th Sept 1914. The local authorities found themselves powerless to prevent the man losing his equipment and hence his livelihood. They best they could do was to assure the poor man that his wife would be looked after and not left destitute. It was very emotional for all parties.

[Sinann]

It appears all adult German men in Ireland were held in the old workhouse in Oldcastle Co. Meath
In this it is mentioned being held drove some of the men to madness.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/frank-mcnally-the-story-of-ireland-s-german-internment-camp-of-the-first-world-war-1.3560449

You'll notice Ervin died in the Asylum in Mullingar.
In letters from Dublin Castle to Mullingar Asylum 1915 and 1916 Ervin and another man Bruno Pietschker are mentioned, one asking if they are the only two in the care of the Asylum the other explaining how the cost of their stay there is to be paid for.

[Sinann]

I knew I'd come across some of these Internees before.
http://centenaries.nationalarchives.ie/centenaries/plic/results.jsp?surname=&location=Oldcastle&title=&business_name=&search=Search
Three of them claimed for compensation for losses due to 1916 rising two were denied because they were interned but one was successful for the loss of watchmakers' tools.