[KS] Koreanstudies Digest, Vol 99, Issue 7

Ruediger Frank ruediger.frank at univie.ac.at
Thu Sep 8 09:25:58 EDT 2011


Dear Bruce, 
hmm, the other Frank has already responded. But since even long-term friends tend to ignore the fact that Frank is my last name, there is a chance your inquiry was related to my positing about the book written by P. Ambrosius Hafner OSB (1960): Laengs der Roten Strasse (Along the Red Road), EOS Verlag der Erzabtei St. Ottilien.
So I read it again this morning. Here is, in a nutshell, the contents. Don't be too critical; I should mention in my defense that I am neither an expert in religious studies nor in literature.
It is hard to say what this book is: a novel, a documentary, a historical account? I guess it is a bit of all these. The author only once, indirectly, mentions that the protagonists are Benedictine; the narrator speaks of Christians, or Catholics. The main protagonist is a nun known by her Christian name Sister Theresa; her Korean name is Nam Song-wol. I suppose the book is based on her recollections, although nothing to this effect is stated. The other figures change continuously; German padres, Swiss nuns and Korean padres and nuns are mentioned but often only identified by their first names (Pater Egbert, Sister Martha etc.). In total I think about 40 names appear in the book, obviously real people.
The language of the novel indicates that it is either a translation from Korean, or that it was written by a person who spoke Korean routinely. Maybe it is the product of a cooperation between a Korean and a German speaker. The style of the German language is a bit old fashioned, hinting either at the age of the writer or his non-German nationality, maybe Swiss. In any case, it sounds very authentic. The writer has clearly been in the area and is familiar with local customs and terminology. Names of individuals and places pop up almost out of nowhere and not following any pattern - at least I was unable to identify one. Romanization is of a German style (see below, Tsch for ch' etc.). Here and there, a few details on historical events are provided but they are not very precise, and sometimes mistaken. Almost no dates or numbers are provided.The name of the order is not stated; however, at one point "money from Switzerland" is mentioned where the head office of the order is in Cham, and after 1953 the nuns open a hospital in Pusan named after St. Benedict. So I guess this is indeed a story about the destiny of a Benedictine nun and her long journey from Japan-occupied Manchuria via Russia-occupied north of Korea to Ch'ungch'òngdo, and then the flight to Pusan during the Korean War. 
The book begins in Hunchun (I am using romanization as provided in the book) with a short retrospect into the colonial period around 1941. The Japanese rulers are described very negatively. In particular, sister Theresa (Korean, the central figure of the book) notes the Japanese principal enmity towards Christianity and their reckless policy of enforcing Shintoism upon people in southern Manchukuo. At one point, Theresa is banned from teaching at a local school unless she stops wearing her habit, which she of course refuses to do. 
The actual story sets in with August 1945, Japanese capitulation imminent and the Russians ante portas. Because of rumors of atrocities, and amid a general panic of people leaving Hunchun, the mission including Sister Theresa Song-Wol Nam leaves, too. They don't get far and wait for the Japanese to go and the Russians to arrive. The latter kill every Japanese they find and also everybody with good clothes but leave the ordinary people alone (so she heard). A senior nun (Paula) later pays a visit to the Russian commander who, after a short discussion, even allows the German (!) pater to continue holding religious services in Hunchun to calm the local people's worries. 
A few days later sister Theresa is sent to Yongtschong, a city 4 hours from Yenki. There she observes how religion is being criticized as opium for the people, and how formerly criminal Koreans use the power vacuum to get influential positions with support by the Russians. They then start looting and ideological cleansing, resulting in the deaths of many people and enforced self-criticism sessions for the intimidated survivors. The power-yielding Chinese-Korean guerillas, by the way, are described as "the formerly notorious bandits". There is also a short story about a Communist Chinese-Korean village head who is tortured and then killed by followers of Chiang Kai-shek, thus hinting at another story related to the Chinese civil war. 
Things get more difficult around Spring 1946. The biggest problem for the mission does not seem to be Russians but rather fellow Koreans. As the Russians leave, the church is without protection. The German padres and nuns are arrested; at some point a total of 30 Germans is said to be in jail in Yenki. Later, the complete group around Theresa is arrested and put on trial in a village called Paltoku. In his defence, the German padre Reginald mentions that he spent 20 years in Korea. The village head is reluctant to have the Christians executed for fear of public disapproval and so they get away with a light punishment. 
As things are getting worse in China, in early 1947 Korean Pater Ho and Sister Theresa decide to go to the south of Korea, i.e. make their way through the northern part. Along the way their (forged) passports are checked on the Chinese side by illiterate children, farmers and other people who have been entrusted with powers by the authorities (or who claim so). They make it to Hoeryong, discover atrocities like burned churches and murdered priests, and move on along the East coast to Tschongtschin, Ranam, Kiltschu, Songtschin, Puktschon, and Hamhung. Finally they make it to Wonsan but stay only briefly in the mission there. Along the way they observe that most villages are left more or less intact; destruction took place only in and around major cities where the Russians fought the Japanese. Crossing the 38th parallel is adventurous but they make it with the help of a local guide. In the south, they visit Seoul and a number of other places. Finally, they settle down in Tschungtschon(g) province, in the village of Sosa. (Or so they say, as Sosa is actually in Kyònggi-do, to the South-West of Seoul). 
In June 1950, the Korean War breaks out. At first told by the authorities to stay calm because the Americans would repel the Northern troops, growing numbers of refugees convince them to leave the village. As the situation gets more and more chaotic, refugees die while falling off bridges. Nobody knows what is going on. After realizing that they won't get far, the group returns to Sosa and tries to arrange it self with the new situation. After a discussion with the new Communist village head, where Theresa steadfastly defends Christianity, it is decided that the group of eight nuns is going to be executed. They are saved, however, by the landing at Inch'òn in mid September 1950 (they can hear the artillery fire). After the truce of 1953, the nuns go to Pusan where they at first just survive but later manage to open a hospital led by a certain Dr. Yoo. That's it. 

To answer Bruce's question, according to the book, incarceration etc. was done by Koreans, not Russians. The reasons were of a principal nature, since Christianity was regarded as a competing ideology. While reports about executions and torture in the book are based on hearsay, it was clear to the missionaries that they were not welcome. In fact, in terms of style and contents the accusations the Christians faced reminded me of Han Sorya's Sùngnyangi novel (see in particular Brian Myers' excellent book [Han Sorya and North Korean Literature] for context and an analysis). At one point, they were accused of leading a capitalist and parasitic life style because they were allegedly walking around the village self-inviting themselves for lunch and dinner at the local houses. But I guess the real reason has to do with the power vacuum left behind by the Japanese, and the fact that religious groups with their common ideology and existing organizational structure are an almost natural nucleus for the organization of worldly power. I only say Cho Man-sik. And I can't resist: just watch what is going to happen in Libya in the next months.

Best,
Rudiger






on Mittwoch, 7. September 2011 at 17:51 you wrote:

> Dear Frank,

> Thanks for this important information about the Benedictine folks.  
> Does the German-language book give the North Korean reason for  
> incarcerating these selfless people, who undoubtedly were much  
> appreciated in the Korean community? Or what they took to be the real
> reason?

> Best,


> Bruce Cumings


> On Sep 6, 2011, at 6:42 PM, koreanstudies-request at koreaweb.ws wrote:

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>> <<------------ KoreanStudies mailing list DIGEST ------------>>


>> Today's Topics:

>>   1. Re: Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean narration)
>>      (Dr. Edward D. Rockstein)
>>   2. Re: Koreanstudies Digest, Vol 99, Issue 5 (Frank Hoffmann)
>>   3. Re: Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean narration)
>>      (Jim Thomas)
>>   4. Postdoctoral Fellowship in Korean Studies,       Australian
>>      National University (Hyaeweol Choi)


>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>> Message: 1
>> Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 09:37:09 -0700 (PDT)
>> From: "Dr. Edward D. Rockstein" <ed4linda at yahoo.com>
>> To: Korean Studies Discussion List <koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean
>>       narration)
>> Message-ID:
>>       <1315327029.12664.YahooMailClassic at web33901.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>> Ed Baker's email and Charles Armstrong's response called to mind a  
>> colleague of yesteryear, the late Ross MacDonald from the University  
>> of Toronto, whom I met and saw at several AAS conventions and who  
>> always had time for me and other younger, erstwhile Korean scholars.  
>> Ross was, I believe, born or grew up in Wonsan of missionary  
>> parents. His wife, in 1981, found some film in a trunk among her  
>> late husband's possessions. I suggest that those interested in old  
>> Korean footage check out this website:

>> http://tinyurl.com/3w82cdd

>> Regards,

>> Ed Rockstein

>> Dr. Edward D. Rockstein

>> ed4linda at yahoo.com??




>> --- On Mon, 9/5/11, Charles K. Armstrong <cra10 at columbia.edu> wrote:

>> From: Charles K. Armstrong <cra10 at columbia.edu>
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean  
>> narration)
>> To: koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
>> Date: Monday, September 5, 2011, 9:19 PM

>> Dear Ed,

>> Thank you for sharing this. I believe this was made by the same  
>> Benedictine monk whom I interviewed in Waegwan more than 20 years  
>> ago, when he was quite ill and nearing the end of his life. He told  
>> me many fascinating stories of the Benedictines' work in Wonsan,  
>> where their monastery was located before the Korean War. best,

>> Charles
>> --Charles K. Armstrong
>> Professor of History
>> Director, Center for Korean Research
>> Columbia University
>> 930 International Affairs Building
>> 420 West 118th Street
>> New York, NY 10027

>> Tel: 212-854-1721
>> Fax: 212-749-1497


>> Quoting "Edward J. Baker" <ejbaker at fas.harvard.edu>:

>>> Dear Friends,

>>> Some of you may have seen this fascinating hour-long film made by  
>>> a? German Catholic priest/missionary (Father Norbert Weber (sp?),  
>>> a? Benedictine monk or priest) in 1925, but, if you haven't, you?  
>>> should. It also contains still photos Weber shot on an earlier  
>>> trip? to Korea in 1911. It shows a lot of things that none of us,  
>>> and? almost no living Korean, has ever seen. I think it should be  
>>> shared? widely as our friend Peter Bartholomew has already done.

>>> It was put together as a KBS Special but somehow comes to us  
>>> through? Chinese hands.

>>> If you just click on? <http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0103/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=XMTUzNzE0NjQw&e 
>>> >, it should open,? but if it doesn't try pasting it into your?  
>>> browser.

>>> Yours,

>>> Ed Baker



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>> ------------------------------

>> Message: 2
>> Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 13:04:16 -0700
>> From: Frank Hoffmann <hoffmann at koreaweb.ws>
>> To: Korean Studies Discussion List <koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Koreanstudies Digest, Vol 99, Issue 5
>> Message-ID: <p06240601ca8c285b58c1@[192.168.1.218]>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"

>> As regards to Professor Cumings' note below:

>> Yes, that is right, until 1949, the year of the
>> interview that was the situation. That's the year
>> when they all got imprisoned and put away a North
>> Korean Gulag, to Oksad?k prison camp. One of the
>> books I had just listed in my last posting is a
>> record of this imprisonment from 1949 to 1954,
>> and about the period before that (from 1944).
>> Both, male missionaries and nuns (e.g. Maria
>> Gerstmayer and Bertwina Caesar who is still
>> alive) were imprisoned there, and some died of
>> permanent malnutrition and from the consequences
>> of hard labor with no treatment of diseases etc.

>> Here again the book:
>> Kugelmann, Willibald, et al: Schicksal in Korea:
>> Deutsche Missionare berichten. 2nd ed., St.
>> Ottilien: EOS-Verlag, 1974 (reprint 1992, and 3rd
>> extended ed. 2009).
>> The new 2009 edition has new editors: Witgar Dondorfer and  
>> Willibrord Driever.

>> Amazon.de link to the latest, revised 3rd edition (with new editor):
>> http://www.amazon.de/Schicksal-Korea-Missionare-berichten-1944-1954/dp/3830674031/

>> There are 24 eyewitness reports in this book.


>> Best regards,
>> Frank


>>> In early 1949 U.S. Ambassador John Muccio
>>> recorded a very interesting interview with one
>>> Father Hopple, of the Wonsan Benedictine
>>> monastery; among other things Father Hopple
>>> reported that there was little interference with
>>> their activities and that Christian churches
>>> were still open in the North from 1945 to 1949.
>>> He also said that he and his brethren rarely
>>> came across so-called Soviet-Koreans, and if
>>> they did they tended to come from the
>>> Russo-Korean border area or from Manchuria.
>>> Meanwhile secret North Korean Interior Ministry
>>> documents from November and December 1947
>>> indicate that some 61 Germans, mostly
>>> missionaries, lived in Wonsan and Kangwon
>>> province at the time. The Muccio interview is
>>> dated January 6, 1949 and is in the National
>>> Archives, Diplomatic Branch, 740.0019 file, box
>>> C-215; the North Korean documents are also in
>>> the National Archives, Record Group 242
>>> ("Captured Enemy Documents"), SA2005, item 6/11.

>>> Bruce Cumings
>>> University of Chicago

>> -- 
>> --------------------------------------
>> Frank Hoffmann
>> http://koreaweb.ws
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>> ------------------------------

>> Message: 3
>> Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 12:12:48 -0700
>> From: Jim Thomas <jimpthomas at hotmail.com>
>> To: Korean Studies Discussion List <koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean
>>       narration)
>> Message-ID: <BLU165-W981D910199F8F98BA6B91DD1C0 at phx.gbl>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>> Would Dr. Rockstein or other listserve members know if a copy of the  
>> full 6 hours of Morris' film footage still exits? And where?
>> And if it has been digitized and made available online?
>> thank you,
>> jim thomas




>> Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 09:37:09 -0700
>> From: ed4linda at yahoo.com
>> To: koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean  
>> narration)





>> Ed Baker's email and Charles Armstrong's response called to mind a  
>> colleague of yesteryear, the late Ross MacDonald from the University  
>> of Toronto, whom I met and saw at several AAS conventions and who  
>> always had time for me and other younger, erstwhile Korean scholars.  
>> Ross was, I believe, born or grew up in Wonsan of missionary  
>> parents. His wife, in 1981, found some film in a trunk among her  
>> late husband's possessions. I suggest that those interested in old  
>> Korean footage check out this website:

>> http://tinyurl.com/3w82cdd

>> Regards,

>> Ed Rockstein















>> Dr. Edward D. Rockstein


>> ed4linda at yahoo.com




>> --- On Mon, 9/5/11, Charles K. Armstrong <cra10 at columbia.edu> wrote:


>> From: Charles K. Armstrong <cra10 at columbia.edu>
>> Subject: Re: [KS] Fwd: Korea in 1925 (German film with Korean  
>> narration)
>> To: koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
>> Date: Monday, September 5, 2011, 9:19 PM


>> Dear Ed,

>> Thank you for sharing this. I believe this was made by the same  
>> Benedictine monk whom I interviewed in Waegwan more than 20 years  
>> ago, when he was quite ill and nearing the end of his life. He told  
>> me many fascinating stories of the Benedictines' work in Wonsan,  
>> where their monastery was located before the Korean War. best,

>> Charles
>> --Charles K. Armstrong
>> Professor of History
>> Director, Center for Korean Research
>> Columbia University
>> 930 International Affairs Building
>> 420 West 118th Street
>> New York, NY 10027

>> Tel: 212-854-1721
>> Fax: 212-749-1497


>> Quoting "Edward J. Baker" <ejbaker at fas.harvard.edu>:

>>> Dear Friends,

>>> Some of you may have seen this fascinating hour-long film made by  
>>> a  German Catholic priest/missionary (Father Norbert Weber (sp?),  
>>> a  Benedictine monk or priest) in 1925, but, if you haven't, you   
>>> should. It also contains still photos Weber shot on an earlier  
>>> trip  to Korea in 1911. It shows a lot of things that none of us,  
>>> and  almost no living Korean, has ever seen. I think it should be  
>>> shared  widely as our friend Peter Bartholomew has already done.

>>> It was put together as a KBS Special but somehow comes to us  
>>> through  Chinese hands.

>>> If you just click on  <http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0103/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=XMTUzNzE0NjQw&e 
>>> >, it should open,  but if it doesn't try pasting it into your   
>>> browser.

>>> Yours,

>>> Ed Baker



>>                                       
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>> ------------------------------

>> Message: 4
>> Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:30:50 +1000
>> From: Hyaeweol Choi <Hyaeweol.Choi at anu.edu.au>
>> To: koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
>> Subject: [KS] Postdoctoral Fellowship in Korean Studies,      Australian
>>       National University
>> Message-ID: <4E669F1A.3070100 at anu.edu.au>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"

>>  Dear Colleagues,

>> I would greatly appreciate it if you would share the following
>> information with interested scholars and students. Thank you.

>> Best wishes,
>> Hyaeweol Choi

>> __

>> *Postdoctoral Fellowship 2012-2013, Australian National University*

>> The Korea Institute at the Australian National University is  
>> offering a
>> two-year postdoctoral fellowship focusing on any one of three
>> possible areas of investigation: 1) the politics of Korea, with a  
>> focus
>> on modern and contemporary developments; 2) the economics of Korea,
>> including Korea's global involvement in multilateral issues; or 3) the
>> security of the Korean peninsula within the East Asian context.


>> The fellowship is for a fixed term of two years, beginning in August
>> 2012. Applicants must have his/her PhD completed by the time of
>> appointment. Native or near-native fluency in both Korean and  
>> English is
>> required.

>> The successful applicant is expected to 1) actively engage in research
>> while participating in various forums and seminars on campus, 2) teach
>> one course related to his/her research interest at some point during  
>> the
>> two-year period of the fellowship, and 3) accept some administrative
>> responsibilities in planning events on campus such as the Korean  
>> Studies
>> lecture series.

>> The successful applicant will be eligible for a salary package of
>> A$80,000-85,000, plus 17% superannuation. The closing date for
>> applications is 15 December 2011.

>> Applicants should send the following documents to: _korea at anu.edu.au_

>> 1) letter of interest

>> 2) current C.V.

>> 3) a writing sample (journal article or dissertation chapter)

>> 4) three letters of recommendation (to be sent directly by referees).

>> Further inquiries should be sent to _korea at anu.edu.au_

>> * *

>> --
>> Hyaeweol Choi
>> ANU-Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Studies
>> Director, Korea Institute
>> School of Culture, History and Language
>> College of Asia and the Pacific
>> Australian National University
>> Canberra, ACT 0200
>> t. +61 2 6125 6476
>> e. Hyaeweol.Choi at anu.edu.au
>> w. http://koreainstitute.anu.edu.au

>> -- 
>> Hyaeweol Choi
>> ANU-Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Studies
>> Director, Korea Institute
>> School of Culture, History and Language
>> College of Asia and the Pacific
>> Australian National University
>> Canberra, ACT 0200
>> t. +61 2 6125 6476
>> e. Hyaeweol.Choi at anu.edu.au
>> w. http://koreainstitute.anu.edu.au/

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>> End of Koreanstudies Digest, Vol 99, Issue 7
>> ********************************************

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