Robert Edward Crozier Long
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward Crozier Long (29 October 1872 in Cashel, County Tipperary
, Ireland—18 October 1938, Berlin), was a noted Anglo-Irish
journalist and author.
). Since his father was often away on business or attending horse-racing events, young Edward barely knew him, and was just seven years old when he died in Montreal
in February, 1880.
On 19 October 1881, a Church of Ireland
Merit Certificate was awarded to Edward Long of Mariners Church, Kingstown. He presumably also attended a local elementary school. However, in 1885, aged around 13, Edward emulated his elder brother John and ran away from home. He made his way to the waterfront and took the boat to Liverpool
, England where he found a job working on the docks, but before long made his way down to London. About this time, he also made the decision to be known by his first name of Robert rather than Edward.
(1859–1927), journalist and author of Three Men in a Boat
(1889) fame, who promptly hired him as an office boy. Jerome was then the co-editor of The Idler
and sole editor of To-Day, two of the most popular British periodicals of the time. Robert soon began writing book reviews and other short items which he then submitted to Jerome. For several years, Robert continued to develop and polish his writing skills, and accordingly rose through the ranks, so that by 1897, he found himself on the editorial staff both publications. He was become confident enough, while continuing to work for Jerome, to set out on his own and in 1894 became "engaged in journalism as London correspondent for American newspapers."
From 1897 to 1904, he served as secretary to the famous English journalist, William Thomas Stead
(1849–1912), who founded the Review of Reviews
in 1890, and who went down with the in 1912. "He was one of W. T. Stead's staff on the Review of Reviews in 1898, in which capacity he went to Russia to interview Count Leo Tolstoy
(1828-1910)". As a result, Robert Long became well-acquainted with the charismatic Russian novelist and philosopher (and author of War and Peace
(1866)). "Tolstoy, who had great personal sympathy with Stead, deplored the Review of Reviews..." "It lacked the single intellectual and moral trend which Tolstoy wanted in everything." "I have this from my friend, Mr. Robert Crozier Long, who knew Tolstoy well."
Robert Long started work for the Westminster Gazette
early in his career, circa 1898, when he first went to Russia, and stayed with them until the paper folded. In 1899, he returned to Russia to report on the famine there as a special correspondent for the Daily Chronicle
. By this time, Robert Long's considerable linguistic talents began to emerge. Already conversant in French, he began to study Russian. During 1904 and 1905, he returned to "Russia as special correspondent of [the] New York American
."
Daniell, her parents met in Russia in around 1905. She does not recall where, or under what circumstances. However, they fell in love and were married in Russia sometime in 1909. Thus, Robert Edward Crozier Long married Tatiana, daughter of Arsene Mouravieff, President of the Tamboff
District Court, by his wife, Vera Kreiter, of a Russian family with a Baltic name. Arsene Mouravieff was a relative of Count Nicholas Mouraviev-Amoursky (1809–1881), aide-de-camp to the Czar and Governor-General of Eastern Siberia. The Mouravieffs, whose name is derived from the Russian word for "ant", are a family of the Russian nobility
, dating from the period when Russia was invaded and occupied by the Tartars
. Tatiana and Robert spent the first two years of their marriage residing in Russia. When Robert Long was assigned to Berlin by the Westminster Gazette in 1911, he and his wife left Russia and settled in the German capital. Two years later, on April 29, 1913, their daughter Tatiana (known as Tania), was born there.
, fought between Bulgaria
and Turkey
, Robert Long was there as a War correspondent
, and as was advisable, he bought himself a Bulgarian army uniform from a second-hand store, hired a servant, rented a horse, and went off to war. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts formulating his next article, that before he realized it, he had wandered into the middle of the battlefield, and ended up being captured by the Turks. When they took off his uniform, they discovered that it had belonged to a Bulgarian general who had died. But the Turks didn’t know this and believed they had captured a real prize, a true Bulgarian general, so they threw Long in jail where he stayed for an entire week before he was able to convince the Turkish authorities to contact the British Consul
in Istanbul
. Meanwhile, his wife Tatiana was worrying herself to death back home in Berlin.
, at Sarajevo
, Bosnia
. This event triggered the First World War, with Germany and Austria poised to attack their European neighbours. "My father sent my mother and me out of Berlin in July 1914, as war looked imminent and he stayed behind. He had to leave his apartment, after storing all their possessions, in order not to be arrested as an enemy alien after war was declared, and took refuge in the British Embassy which made him a (temporary) second secretary, giving him diplomatic status. He remained in Berlin until a special train left taking all the foreign diplomats out of Berlin about ten days after the declaration of war. Mother, my German nanny and myself stayed with my English godfather and family until father joined us." The Longs did not of course return until the war was over in November 1918.
. Sent there as a correspondent for the Associated Press
of America, Long arrived in Russia early in 1917. Before long, he had befriended Prince Lvoff
, Prime Minister of Russia during the very brief liberal regime in early 1917. A passage from Long's book, Russian Revolution Aspects, advises: "Had the Revolution settled down quietly under Lvoff's practical and extremely democratic rule, Russia would be spared the humiliation and anguish of today. For Lvoff was not only a great and tried democrat; he was also a great patriot. Though himself an aristocrat and a man of wealth, he was ready to go to great lengths to meet the Socialist spirit of the workmen, soldiers and peasants."
Long also had something to say about Russia's ill-fated royal family: "Three times in the course of my many visits to Russia, I saw Czar Nicholas II
, the last, least considerable and unluckiest of the Romanoffs. The first time, he was at the height of his power; the second time, he had just unwillingly surrendered a part of that power; and the third time, he was returning to his palace between armed guards, a captive of the Revolution."
By this time Long had earned an international reputation as an outstanding journalist, so it is not surprising that he ultimately came to the attention of the American press baron, William Randolph Hearst
(1863–1951), who was so taken with Long's articles on the Russian Revolution, that he made him a very attractive job offer. Long returned to the States with his wife and daughter toward the end of 1917, but soon quit since Hearst wanted to censor his articles.
, Sweden, where he could be close to the latest political developments in Russia. For several years, his journalistic career continued to prosper, and important newspapers engaged his services as a special correspondent in Russia, Scandinavia and the United States. He began his association with The New York Times
in 1923, as their Berlin-based financial correspondent, and wrote weekly columns for them right up until the time of his death. He also wrote for The Saturday Evening Post
and for newspapers in Birmingham
and Leeds
, England. Long resumed working for The Economist
(of London) in 1926 (having previously been employed by them briefly in the early 1920s), and continued writing for the London weekly until his death.
Not only did Long possess a keen understanding of economics in addition to his journalistic and linguistic skills, he also possessed an inquiring logical mind. His daughter Tania relates: "Father was fascinated with the Einstein
Theory of relativity
and understood it very well, having become a friend of Einstein's principal assistant in Germany. He was a frequent visitor to Professor Freundlich
at the Einstein Potsdam Observatory (where he took me) and wrote many articles on the subject."
A long-time resident of Berlin, Robert Long witnessed first-hand the rise of Hitler
and Nazi Germany
. In 1937, when Hitler placed restrictions on transferring money and bank accounts out of Germany, and therefore invoked mail censorship as a means of preventing such transfers, Long managed to outwit the Fuehrer by mailing out instructions to his English bank by writing on a postcard! By September 1938, Robert recognized how dangerous Hitler and the Nazis had become, so: "He went (to England) after the Munich Crisis
, when many thought war would break out any second and met me (Tania) in England. He had sent mother to Bruges
in Belgium while he remained to cover the dramatic events for a couple of British papers (as well as his own) whose correspondents had left Berlin. He was overworked and developed bronchitis
and was ill when he arrived in London, having left the German capital at what seemed the last moment. He did not see Churchill
but saw men close to Churchill, (men) who promised to pass on his message: if France and England acted immediately to show Germany they meant war if it continued on its way, war would be averted. But this would be the last chance. Another year, it would be too late, as Germany would then be strong enough to take on the allies, in fact the world."
, which resulted in his death on 18 October 1938. The next day, The Times
published his obituary, extracts of which read:
The 19 October 1938 edition of The New York Times
devoted a lengthy column to him. The following are excerpts from his New York Times obituary:
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
, Ireland—18 October 1938, Berlin), was a noted Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
journalist and author.
Early life
He was born at Ardmayle House, near Longfield and Fort Edward, located just north of Cashel. Known in his younger days as Edward, he was the second son of Robert Hare Long of Ardmayle, and Anna Geraldine McAuliffe. When he was only two years old, his family moved from Ardmayle to Mayfield House, east of Cashel. Another move followed in late 1877 when the family left Tipperary and moved on to Dublin, to the southern suburb of Kingstown (now Dún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
). Since his father was often away on business or attending horse-racing events, young Edward barely knew him, and was just seven years old when he died in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in February, 1880.
On 19 October 1881, a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
Merit Certificate was awarded to Edward Long of Mariners Church, Kingstown. He presumably also attended a local elementary school. However, in 1885, aged around 13, Edward emulated his elder brother John and ran away from home. He made his way to the waterfront and took the boat to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England where he found a job working on the docks, but before long made his way down to London. About this time, he also made the decision to be known by his first name of Robert rather than Edward.
Early career
Settled in London by 1888, Long, through a stroke of luck, was introduced to Jerome K. JeromeJerome K. Jerome
Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
(1859–1927), journalist and author of Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat
Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
(1889) fame, who promptly hired him as an office boy. Jerome was then the co-editor of The Idler
The Idler (1892-1911)
The Idler was an illustrated monthly magazine published in Great Britain from 1892 to 1911. It was founded by the author Robert Barr, who brought in the humorist Jerome K. Jerome as co-editor, and its contributors included many of the leading writers and illustrators of the time.-Content:The Idler...
and sole editor of To-Day, two of the most popular British periodicals of the time. Robert soon began writing book reviews and other short items which he then submitted to Jerome. For several years, Robert continued to develop and polish his writing skills, and accordingly rose through the ranks, so that by 1897, he found himself on the editorial staff both publications. He was become confident enough, while continuing to work for Jerome, to set out on his own and in 1894 became "engaged in journalism as London correspondent for American newspapers."
From 1897 to 1904, he served as secretary to the famous English journalist, William Thomas Stead
William Thomas Stead
William Thomas Stead was an English journalist and editor who, as one of the early pioneers of investigative journalism, became one of the most controversial figures of the Victorian era. His 'New Journalism' paved the way for today's tabloid press...
(1849–1912), who founded the Review of Reviews
Review of Reviews
The Review of Reviews was a noted family of monthly journals founded in 1890-93 by British reform journalist William Thomas Stead...
in 1890, and who went down with the in 1912. "He was one of W. T. Stead's staff on the Review of Reviews in 1898, in which capacity he went to Russia to interview Count Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
(1828-1910)". As a result, Robert Long became well-acquainted with the charismatic Russian novelist and philosopher (and author of War and Peace
War and Peace (Prokofiev)
War and Peace is an opera in two parts , sometimes arranged as five acts, by Sergei Prokofiev to a Russian libretto by the composer and Mira Mendelson, based on the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy...
(1866)). "Tolstoy, who had great personal sympathy with Stead, deplored the Review of Reviews..." "It lacked the single intellectual and moral trend which Tolstoy wanted in everything." "I have this from my friend, Mr. Robert Crozier Long, who knew Tolstoy well."
Robert Long started work for the Westminster Gazette
Westminster Gazette
The Westminster Gazette was an influential Liberal newspaper based in London. It was known for publishing sketches and short stories, including early works by Raymond Chandler, Anthony Hope and Saki, and travel writing by Rupert Brooke. One of its editors was caricaturist and political cartoonist...
early in his career, circa 1898, when he first went to Russia, and stayed with them until the paper folded. In 1899, he returned to Russia to report on the famine there as a special correspondent for the Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
. By this time, Robert Long's considerable linguistic talents began to emerge. Already conversant in French, he began to study Russian. During 1904 and 1905, he returned to "Russia as special correspondent of [the] New York American
New York Journal American
The New York Journal American was a newspaper published from 1937 to 1966. The Journal American was the product of a merger between two New York newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst: The New York American , a morning paper, and the New York Evening Journal, an afternoon paper...
."
Russia
According to Tania LongTania Long
Tatiana Long was an American journalist and war correspondent during WWII.-Early life:...
Daniell, her parents met in Russia in around 1905. She does not recall where, or under what circumstances. However, they fell in love and were married in Russia sometime in 1909. Thus, Robert Edward Crozier Long married Tatiana, daughter of Arsene Mouravieff, President of the Tamboff
Tambov
Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
District Court, by his wife, Vera Kreiter, of a Russian family with a Baltic name. Arsene Mouravieff was a relative of Count Nicholas Mouraviev-Amoursky (1809–1881), aide-de-camp to the Czar and Governor-General of Eastern Siberia. The Mouravieffs, whose name is derived from the Russian word for "ant", are a family of the Russian nobility
Russian nobility
The Russian nobility arose in the 14th century and essentially governed Russia until the October Revolution of 1917.The Russian word for nobility, Dvoryanstvo , derives from the Russian word dvor , meaning the Court of a prince or duke and later, of the tsar. A nobleman is called dvoryanin...
, dating from the period when Russia was invaded and occupied by the Tartars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
. Tatiana and Robert spent the first two years of their marriage residing in Russia. When Robert Long was assigned to Berlin by the Westminster Gazette in 1911, he and his wife left Russia and settled in the German capital. Two years later, on April 29, 1913, their daughter Tatiana (known as Tania), was born there.
Balkan Wars
During the Balkan War of 1912Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, fought between Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Robert Long was there as a War correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
, and as was advisable, he bought himself a Bulgarian army uniform from a second-hand store, hired a servant, rented a horse, and went off to war. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts formulating his next article, that before he realized it, he had wandered into the middle of the battlefield, and ended up being captured by the Turks. When they took off his uniform, they discovered that it had belonged to a Bulgarian general who had died. But the Turks didn’t know this and believed they had captured a real prize, a true Bulgarian general, so they threw Long in jail where he stayed for an entire week before he was able to convince the Turkish authorities to contact the British Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in Istanbul
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Meanwhile, his wife Tatiana was worrying herself to death back home in Berlin.
World War I
The stewing Balkan cauldron erupted again during late June, 1914, with the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of AustriaArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, at Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. This event triggered the First World War, with Germany and Austria poised to attack their European neighbours. "My father sent my mother and me out of Berlin in July 1914, as war looked imminent and he stayed behind. He had to leave his apartment, after storing all their possessions, in order not to be arrested as an enemy alien after war was declared, and took refuge in the British Embassy which made him a (temporary) second secretary, giving him diplomatic status. He remained in Berlin until a special train left taking all the foreign diplomats out of Berlin about ten days after the declaration of war. Mother, my German nanny and myself stayed with my English godfather and family until father joined us." The Longs did not of course return until the war was over in November 1918.
Russian Revolution
If he wasn't escaping one world hot spot, he was rushing toward another, this time to Russia at the outbreak of the Revolution of 1917Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
. Sent there as a correspondent for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
of America, Long arrived in Russia early in 1917. Before long, he had befriended Prince Lvoff
Georgy L'vov
Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich Lvov was a Russian statesman and the first post-imperial prime minister of Russia, from 15 March to 21 July 1917.-Pre-Revolution:...
, Prime Minister of Russia during the very brief liberal regime in early 1917. A passage from Long's book, Russian Revolution Aspects, advises: "Had the Revolution settled down quietly under Lvoff's practical and extremely democratic rule, Russia would be spared the humiliation and anguish of today. For Lvoff was not only a great and tried democrat; he was also a great patriot. Though himself an aristocrat and a man of wealth, he was ready to go to great lengths to meet the Socialist spirit of the workmen, soldiers and peasants."
Long also had something to say about Russia's ill-fated royal family: "Three times in the course of my many visits to Russia, I saw Czar Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, the last, least considerable and unluckiest of the Romanoffs. The first time, he was at the height of his power; the second time, he had just unwillingly surrendered a part of that power; and the third time, he was returning to his palace between armed guards, a captive of the Revolution."
By this time Long had earned an international reputation as an outstanding journalist, so it is not surprising that he ultimately came to the attention of the American press baron, William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
(1863–1951), who was so taken with Long's articles on the Russian Revolution, that he made him a very attractive job offer. Long returned to the States with his wife and daughter toward the end of 1917, but soon quit since Hearst wanted to censor his articles.
Berlin
With his family he returned to Berlin in late 1918, having spent the previous year residing in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden, where he could be close to the latest political developments in Russia. For several years, his journalistic career continued to prosper, and important newspapers engaged his services as a special correspondent in Russia, Scandinavia and the United States. He began his association with The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 1923, as their Berlin-based financial correspondent, and wrote weekly columns for them right up until the time of his death. He also wrote for The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
and for newspapers in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England. Long resumed working for The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
(of London) in 1926 (having previously been employed by them briefly in the early 1920s), and continued writing for the London weekly until his death.
Not only did Long possess a keen understanding of economics in addition to his journalistic and linguistic skills, he also possessed an inquiring logical mind. His daughter Tania relates: "Father was fascinated with the Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
Theory of relativity
Theory of relativity
The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean invariance....
and understood it very well, having become a friend of Einstein's principal assistant in Germany. He was a frequent visitor to Professor Freundlich
Erwin Finlay-Freundlich
Erwin Finlay-Freundlich was a German astronomer, a pupil of Felix Klein. He was born in Biebrich, Germany. Freundlich was a working associate of Albert Einstein and introduced experiments for which the general theory of relativity could be tested by astronomical observations based on the...
at the Einstein Potsdam Observatory (where he took me) and wrote many articles on the subject."
A long-time resident of Berlin, Robert Long witnessed first-hand the rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. In 1937, when Hitler placed restrictions on transferring money and bank accounts out of Germany, and therefore invoked mail censorship as a means of preventing such transfers, Long managed to outwit the Fuehrer by mailing out instructions to his English bank by writing on a postcard! By September 1938, Robert recognized how dangerous Hitler and the Nazis had become, so: "He went (to England) after the Munich Crisis
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, when many thought war would break out any second and met me (Tania) in England. He had sent mother to Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
in Belgium while he remained to cover the dramatic events for a couple of British papers (as well as his own) whose correspondents had left Berlin. He was overworked and developed bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
and was ill when he arrived in London, having left the German capital at what seemed the last moment. He did not see Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
but saw men close to Churchill, (men) who promised to pass on his message: if France and England acted immediately to show Germany they meant war if it continued on its way, war would be averted. But this would be the last chance. Another year, it would be too late, as Germany would then be strong enough to take on the allies, in fact the world."
Death
When Robert returned to Berlin just a week later, he found himself to be the last British citizen still in Berlin, aside from the British diplomats. Although he had always enjoyed good health, his bronchitis, aggravated by the stormy political climate, turned into pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, which resulted in his death on 18 October 1938. The next day, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
published his obituary, extracts of which read:
- Mr. R. E. C. Long, correspondent in Berlin of The Economist and financial correspondent of the New York Times, died suddenly in Berlin yesterday, telegraphs our Berlin correspondent. He was suffering from influenzaInfluenzaInfluenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
last month, when with other English correspondents, he had to leave Berlin temporarily, and complications developed on his return. Robert Edward Crozier Long was a foreign correspondent of long experience, well-versed in German history and literature, and with a profound knowledge of the background to developments of the past five years, on which, particularly on the economic side, he wrote with distinction. At the time of his death, he had been longer in Berlin than any other English (or British or Irish) correspondent. He had written several books, mainly on German, Russian and Scandinavian life and politics. He was one of the first English translators of TchekovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
."
The 19 October 1938 edition of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
devoted a lengthy column to him. The following are excerpts from his New York Times obituary:
Financial Correspondent for New York Times in Berlin
Wrote Several Books
REPORTER IN BALKAN WARS
Covered Revolt in Russia in 1906
Had Contributed to Economist of London
Wireless to The New York Times
Berlin, 18 October 1938
Robert Edward Crozier Long, financial correspondent of The New York Times and a contributor to The Economist of London, died here early this morning of pneumonia after a nervous breakdown. Actually, he may be accounted victim of the recent international crisis. He was 65 years old. In a career of more than forty years in journalism Mr. Long experienced a series of international crises. He was in Russia during the revolution of 1906-07, with the Turkish Armies during the two Balkan wars and in Germany as correspondent of The Westminster Gazette at the outbreak of the World War. He left Berlin on the ambassadorial train in August, 1914, abandoning most of his possessions and returning only after the war.
This last crisis came when his only daughter was on the ocean on her way from the United States to join him. Advised to leave Germany with other journalists of British nationality, he sent his wife away but remained himself until what seemed the last moment, when he went to Belgium just before the Munich conference was arranged. After spending a few days in BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and London he returned a week ago to resume his old life here. But the experience had shaken him, and when he took cold, his power of resistance was insufficient to ward off pneumonia.
Mr. Long is survived by his widow, a daughter of the late Arsene Mouravieff, president of the Tamboff district court in Russia under the Czar's regime, and a daughter, Mrs. Tatiana Gray, who until recently was engaged in newspaper work in New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. She is now here. A brilliant and lovable personality with native Irish wit, great linguistic talent and much travel made Mr. Long an attractive companion in any environment. In his leisure hours he was a great outdoor man, sailing, swimming, playing tennis and indulging in other sports whenever the opportunity offered. He was a general favorite in Berlin journalistic and banking circles. In the latter he was a trusted confidant of many prominent men. By his colleagues he was regarded as an epitome of all that was sound and upright in journalism. Funeral services will be held in the chapel at Mattaeikirchof in Schoenberg Thursday.
Mr. Long, who had written occasionally on financial topics from Berlin for The New York Evening PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
before the war, became the regular financial correspondent of The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 1923. Since then he had sent a weekly cable on the German market and on the financial situation in that country, which was published on Mondays, and occasional dispatches on intervening days.
Born at Cashel, Tipperary, Ireland, on Oct. 29, 1972, son of the late Robert Hare Long of Ardmayle House and Mayfield, Cashel, he was educated at Dublin and was engaged in journalism as the London correspondent for American newspapers from 1894 to 1896. During the two following years he served on the editorial staff of Today, Idler and The Review of Reviews.
After he had been sent to Russia to interview Tolstoy, he became a special correspondent for The Daily Chronicle in 1899, covering the famine in East Russia. He also served in that country as special correspondent for The New York American in 1904-5. He came here for the Portsmouth Peace Conference of 1905, and returned to Russia the following year."
After his funeral service at Berlin's Mattaeikirche Chapel, Robert Edward Crozier Long was buried in the adjacent cemetery. When threatening war clouds gathered ominously over Europe in August 1939, the family left for France, England, and finally the United States.
His widow Tatiana Mouravieva Long died on 29 March 1978, just a week short of her ninety-fourth birthday, and her ashes were scattered over her daughter's OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
rose garden. She was survived by her daughter Tania, her grandson Robert, her sister Vera and her niece Tatiana.
Personal life
Although he did not attend university, Robert Long did a good job of educating himself. Aside from his native English, he learned to speak fluent German and Russian and he also spoke very good, though somewhat accented French. In addition he spoke fairly passable Swedish and Danish and read Finnish. He was an active man who thoroughly enjoyed skating, swimming and sailing, and he owned his own boat. Fond of horses, he would often go out riding before breakfast in Berlin's TiergartenTiergarten
Tiergarten is a locality within the borough of Mitte, in central Berlin . Notable for the great and homonymous urban park, before German reunification, it was a part of West Berlin...
Park. Being somewhat absent-minded, Robert would become so absorbed in his thoughts - planning his next article - that he would become completely oblivious to where he was or to where he was going. Upon one occasion, he found himself on horseback at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about one kilometre south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park...
, Berlin's equivalent of Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly...
or Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
! Upon another occasion he had gone out walking. His wife and daughter, who were out shopping, were both highly amused when they ran into Robert who bowed and politely tipped his hat to them. It was quite obvious he had no idea who they were!
Robert had a dry, wry, almost sarcastic sense of humour. When, as a girl, Tania would play, for example, some new fox-trot record
Foxtrot (Dance)
The foxtrot is a smooth progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band music, and the feeling is one of elegance and sophistication...
, he would say: "that's the tune the old cow died of!" Robert and Tatiana often attended concerts, the theatre and the opera, and they enjoyed dinner parties with their friends.
Works
During his forty years as a journalist, Long managed to find the time to read and translate books by Russian authors and to write several books and countless articles of his own:- The Reflections of a Russian Statesman (translated from the Russian), 1898
- The War of the Future, 1899
- The Black Monk 1908, (by Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
) - The Kiss, 1908 (by Anton Chekhov)
- Colours of War, 1915 (as Edward Edgeworth)
- The Human German, 1915
- Russian Revolution Aspects, 1919
- The Swedish Woman (a novel), 1924
- The Mythology of Reparations, 1928
- and many articles in Fortnightly Review and other monthlies, chiefly on Russian, German and Scandinavian politics and literature."
Long was one of the first to translate Chekhov into English. According to the author's note in his translation of The Kiss and Other Stories, published in 1908, he states that his 1903 translations of The Black Monk and Other Stories "published five years ago (were) the only collection of Tchekhoff's stories that had up to that time appeared in English." Robert's second cousin, the late Irish essayist, Hubert Butler
Hubert Butler
Hubert Marshal Butler was an Irish essayist who wrote on a wide-range of topics, from local history and archaeology to the political and religious affairs of eastern Europe before and during World War II.-Early life:...
(1900–1991), also spoke Russian and translated Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
into English.
Sources
- Based on an article by his cousin, Count Caragata, in 1998.