Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hello to far away! (Mac Gregory?)

-how to start?-We are here in Bremerhaven a group of naval-enthusiasts (on an old sailing ship in the museums-harbour area)and---we own a few thousands (indeed!)of items of Felix Graf Luckner.

Photos, documents, paintings, honor-documents also. From here Luckner went on to the raid in 1916 (Bremerh.-Geestemünde) and also from here he starts 2 times with his VATERLAND (later MOPELIA) to USA in the twenties.

We are interested in international cooperation (media, exibitions..) in order to move on with Luckners ideas. And - yes - we know the Luckner Society in Halle. Good guys.

How strong is the interest in AUT and NZEA for Luckners story? Do you have any good idea?

(We also have an archive of more than 30.000 photos and documents of the german merchant navy 1850-1960,(also part-german raiders in WWI).

At least - believe me - Luckner wasn`t a Nazi and Mr. von Frankenstein (you know this terrible biographie from 1997?)made a lot of bloddy mistakes! We know it even better.

Nice to hear from you, best regards

Michael Buschow
anchors-away-group Bremerhaven

Hello Michael,

Great to hear from you.

I have long been an admirer of the Count, and became most interested during my research for my " Marauders of the Sea. German Armed Merchant Raiders of WW1," He was a one off character who conducted himself, his Seeadler, and his crew with both dignity and honour. A great sailor.

I would love to be able to visit you in Bremerhaven to see all your von Luckner material.

You ask about the level of interest in Felix in both Australia and NZ, from the 51 messages about the Count I have received, only 1 came from Australia, and 3 from NZ, as he was captured and escaped whilst a POW in NZ, I would judge the interest there would be higher than here in Australia.

But, having said that, given a fine selection of material to put on show, and the right venue, an exhibition could well draw a good response in Australia.

In my home city of Melbourne, the Shrine of Remembrance would be a great venue, as a Past President of the Victorian Chapter of the Naval Historical Society of Australia with some of our group, we have mounted several month long exhibitions of Naval Events at the Shrine.

The Shrine last year attracted 500,000 visitors and is probably the premier Tourist destination in this City.

In Sydney a new Naval Heritage area has recently  been opened by the Royal Australian Navy on Garden Island, and at Fremantle in Western Australia there is a fine Naval Museum.

I keep in touch with Mathias, the President of the von Luckner Society in Halle, they are doing some good work over there to keep the Count's memory alive.

I have never thought that Count Felix von Luckner was a Nazi, and am on the public record for saying so.

Again, so nice to hear from you, do keep in touch.

Best wishes and regards to all your group from Australia.

Mac. Gregory.