Bitweded Alfred Ilg - Atse Menilek's Trusted Advisor

Editor's Note: Your humble blogger promised to provide more detailed information about the life & works of Engineer Alfred Ilg "the most important European in Ethiopia's modern history" on 30th March the day he was born. Well, invitation was sent to someone who lives close to the birth place of Atse Menilek's trusted advisor and have sources of information not available to us here in North America or in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, I am not sure if the invitation was received. In any case, Dr. Richard Pankhurst has written excellent piece about Alfred Ilg that was published back in 2008 in now defunct online magazine LISSAN. Please find below reprint of that article as well as a letter written by Engineer (Bitweded - his title among Ethiopians) Ilg to Atse Menelik. Enjoy!

Alfred Ilg was a Swiss craftsman, who emerged as Emperor Menilek’s principal diplomatic adviser, and ranks as one of the most important Europeans in Ethiopian modern history.

In the meantime we can say that Ilg was born in Frauenfeld, north-east of Zurich, Switzerland, in 1854, and studied at the local Zurich Polytechnic. Later, in 1878, he set forth for Ethiopia, in the company of two of his compatriots, by name Appenzeller and Zimmermann. They came at the request of Menilek, then King of Shawa, who had asked a Swiss trader at the port of Aden to find him some European craftsmen able to act as engineers and train Ethiopian workers.

On his arrival in Shawa, Ilg, we are told, was asked by Menilek to make him a pair of shoes. The young Swiss dutifully complied with this request, and Menilek was enchanted with the visitor’s handiwork.

Emperor Menelik II, photographed by Alfred Ilg in 1880

Menilek, who doubtless recalled how his predecessor and sometime master Emperor Tewodros had persuaded European missionaries to cast him cannons and mortars, then asked Ilg to make him a rifle. The Swiss, like the above mentioned missionaries, protested his ignorance of gun-making, and declared that an imported weapon would be much superior to anything he could himself produce.


Like Tewodros before him, Menilek, however, insisted. He declared that he wanted to see what Ilg could do. The latter accordingly did as he was asked, and duly made a passable rifle. This greatly pleased the monarch, who ordered it to be given an honoured place in his armoury. Ilg had thus gained Menilek’s good-will, and was never to lose it!
He was therupon appointed a craftsman, attached to Menilek’s staff, and was granted a monthly salary, payable in Maria Theresa thalers, of seven or eight pounds Sterling per month. He was soon engaged in all sorts of work for Menilek.

Bridge-building: One of Ilg’s first achievements was building a modern bridge over the Awash River, in 1887. Describing this work, he writes to a friend: A few weeks ago I completed the first bridge… It spans the river Awash. The beams had to be carried 15 kilometres on human shoulders. For the bridge-heads I had to square up the stones on the spot. I even had to burn charcoal in order to forge the nails, rivets, screws and bolts required. Add to this the tropical sun with all its dangers, heavy rains with resultant dysentery, intermittent fever, cyclones which almost pulled out my beard and carried the tent in all directions. At night the hyenas almost stole our leather pillows from under our heads; jackals and other rabble plundered the kitchen and obliged me to obtain respect with strychnine”. A few years later Ilg erected a palace for the monarch at his then capital, Entoto, situated, as most readers know in the mountains above present-day Addis Ababa.

Piped Water: Later again, in 1894, Ilg installed the water installations for the Emperor’s palace at Addis Ababa. This created something of a sensation, as the water, obtained from a spring in high Entoto, had to flow down to the Addis Ababa plain beneath it, and then make its way up again to the Palace compound, which was located on a smallish hill. People in the capital had never seen anything like this, and could not believe that water could ever, under any circumstances, flow upward. Menilek, however, was a great believer in innovation, and insisted that Ilg should proceed with his project, if only to see whether it would work. When the great day for inauguration arrived, the tap was turned on - but nothing happened. A European “friend” had secretly stuffed cotton into the pipe, as Ilg later discovered. This obstruction was duly removed, after which Ilg - and his project - were widely acclaimed. At least two Amharic poems were composed in honour of the event.

One declared:
“We have seen wonders in Addis Ababa.
Water worships Emperor Menilek.
O Danyew [i.e. Menilek] what more wisdom will you bring?
You already make water soar in the air!”

And the other ran as follows:
“King Abba Danyew, how great is he becoming!
He makes the water rise into the air through a window.
While the dirty can be washed, and the thirsty drink.
See what wonders have already come in our times.
No wonder that some day he will even outdo the Ferenje {i.e. Europeans].”

The Railway Project: Menilek himself was so pleased with his Swiss technician’s success that he granted Ilg a concession, on 9 March 1894, to build and operate a railway line from the French Somaliland port of Jibuti via his capital (Entoto) to the White Nile, on the western borders of the realm. The railway project faced almost insuperable difficulties, technical, financial, political, and diplomatic, but Ilg eventually succeeded in establishing a railway company, which constructed the line from Jibuti to the then new town of Dire Dawa (reached in 1902), after which a successor company continued the line to Addis Ababa. The latter town had by then replaced Entoto as Ethiopia’s capital. The projected line of the Nile was, however, never built: why don’t we build it now?

The Addis Ababa Palace: Ilg also helped in the construction of Menilek’s main palace at Addis Ababa, which was begun in 1897. Testimony of his involvement is provided by a contemporary British traveller, Mrs Pease, who reported seeing “many signs of Swiss work”, including paintings of a Swiss lake, and William Tell’s chapel.

Expeditions: Ilg accompanied Menilek on several of his expeditions, including one to Tegray, in 1889-90, and another to Lake Zway, in 1893. He also attempted, though without success, in 1887, to purchase bullet-making machinery, and equipment for a mint. He likewise travelled to Rome, in 1891, where he met members of the Italian Cabinet, and then, after a second visit in 1894, warned Menilek of Italian ambitions to annex Ethiopia.

Diplomacy: After Menilek’s historic defeat of the invader, at the battle of Adwa in 1896, there was a great expansion of Ethiopia’s diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and the outside world. Menilek appointed Ilg as a Chancellor of State, and gave him the exalted title of Bitwoded, or Beloved. He was made responsible for Ethiopia’s foreign relations. His duties were to interview foreign diplomats arriving in the country, and to conduct correspondence with foreign Powers, and envoys, on Menilek’s behalf. Ilg was linguistically well equipped for this work, as he was able to write in German, French, Italian, and English - and also in Amharic. He corresponded, over the years, with several important Ethiopians. Besides Emperor Menilek and his consort Empress Taytu, these included Negus Takla Haymanot, the king of Gojjam; Ras Makonnen, Menilek’s governor of Harar; Abba Jifar, the semi-autonomous ruler of Jimma; and Abuna Matewos, the Coptic head of the Ethiopian Church. Ilg also exchanged letters with such prominent Ethiopian personalities as Ras Gobena Dachi, Dajazmach Mashasha Workie, and the renowned interpreter Ato Yosef Negusie. Ilg, in his diplomatic capacity, played a prominent part in the negotiations with the Italians, leading up to the post-Adwa Peace Treaty, of 26 October 1896 (in which Italy recognised Ethiopia’s full independence), as well as with the subsequent treaties with Britain and France, signed on 14 and 20 March 1897 respectively. And subsequent agreements with other Powers, including Germany and the Ottoman Empire.

Trusted: Though a foreigner Ilg was well trusted by Menilek, who was of course fully aware that Switzerland was a small neutral, and land-locked, country without colonial ambitions. An essentially safe country to do business with! Ilg served Menilek, with loyalty and devotion, for twenty years, but retired from the Emperor’s service in 1906, just when the monarch’s health was beginning to fail. After he left Addis Ababa his house, situated near the Emperor’s palace, was for a time used to accommodate Ethiopia’s first modern school, the Menilek II School, which was founded in 1908, but soon afterwards removed to its present site at Arat Kilo.

Ilg meanwhile returned to his native Zurich, where he lived on until 1916. He died that year of a heart attack on 7 January: Ethiopian Christmas Day.

Editor's note:
Finally, here is a letter written on 24 December 1888 in Hararge by Bitweded Alfred Ilg and sent to Atse Menilik.

“May it reach Negus Menilek. I pay my obeisance wishing that the Redeemer of the World give you health. How have you indeed been, Your Majesty? By the grace of God and through the help of your guardian angel, I have arrived in Harrarge. Our goods have arrived in Gildessa, and they may reach Hararge tomorrow. I had started out for Your Majesty quickly. [But] Ato Tasamma told me that the Yettu[Ittu] route is not accessable, and I am worried. If I find a way through Erar, I will travel through Erar. I had expected a letter of Your Majesty. I felt very sad when Ato Tasamma told me that none had come for me. I will hand over to Ato Tassama all our goods. Let it be the will of Your Majesty to give a strict order that nothing goes wrong or anything breaks. As to news, I have written to Monsieur Zimmermann. I have not found much aid. I will send you a letter when help is available.

Written in Hararge on 16 Tahsas [=24 December 1888]

The Servant of the Negus, Monsieur Ilg.

[Signature] Alfred Ilg, Ing.

Source: Bairu Tafla - Ethiopian records of the Menelik era. 2000.

This week in Ethiopian history March 24-31

On 24 March 1559 Muslim forces led by Nur Ibn Mujahid, the nephew of Gragn Mohammed killed Atse Gelawdeos and avenged the death of his uncle who was killed by Gelawdeos's forces 16 years ago.

On 27 March 1954 Colonel John C. Robinson also known as 'The Brown Condor' , the African American Aviator & Aviation instructor who was among Black professionals who offered their services to Ethiopia during the Italo-Ethiopian conflict died of injuries he suffered from a plane crash accident that happened two weeks earlier at the Addis Ababa Airport. He was buried the next day at Gulele cemetery in a large & massive ceremony attended by huge crowd among others Emperor Haile Selassie himself, The Duke of Harrar, Prince Mekonnen Haile Selassie, Military Commanders, Cabinet Ministers and other government officials.


Brigadier General Mengistu Neway who was commander of the Imperial Body Guard and who together with his brother Germame Neway, led an unsuccessful coup against Emperor Haile Selassie was hanged on March 30, 1960 in public market after two days Haile Selassie appointed Court ordered for him to be hanged. The following documentary film provide sound recording of the court proceedings with General Mengistu's voice defending himself & arguing his case. The documentary is well done in terms of bringing personal recollections of those who knew General Mengistu & particularly his brother Germame Neway as well as providing analysis by scholars such as Professor Bahru Zewde why the coup attempt failed.

ALFRED ILG (1854–1916) The Swiss born engineer and counselor to Menelik II was born on 30 March 1854 in Frauenfeld, Switzerland. Ilg was educated at the famous Zurich Polytechnic where Albert Einstein the world's famous scientist also studied in later years. In April 1879, Ilg went to Ethiopia to work as a craftsman and to train Ethiopians and became a trusted and very close advisor of Emperor Menelik. Alfred Ilg was instrumental in bringing numerous technological products to Ethiopia such as telephone service and the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway. Editor's note: More on Bitweded Alfred Ilg's life & work coming soon. Stay tuned.

This week in Ethiopian history March 17-24

On March 17, 1936 Ethiopia filed formal complaint to the League of Nations citing Article 15 of the Covenant, which dealt specifically with disputes which had not proved amenable to arbitration or judicial settlement. Same complaint was also sent to signatories of the Hague Covention & Geneva Protocol which Ethiopia joined in 1935 that Italy's use of poison gas on combatants & civilians as well as bombing of Ethiopian, British & Swedish Red Cross units is clear violation of the internattional agreement.

On 20 March 1950 Emperor Hailesellasie declared the foundation of University College of Addis Ababa by donating one of his palaces for the establishment of the College.

The College was formally inaugurated in February 21, 1951 with hundreds of students and Nine Canadian Jesuits Faculty members who had been elementary & high school teachers in Ethiopia. The College had Library with 7000 volumes of books and the first program offered at the College was diploma/certificate program in Arts & Science. In 1952 the college added Engineering faculty and College of Agriculture was formed in the same year at Alemaya near Harar with the help of Oklahoma State University as part of President Truman's Point Four programme.

On 21 March 1906 - Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael, the father of Emperor Haile Selassie died. Ras Mekonnen was first cousin and close advisor of Emperor Menelik II. He was Governor of Harar, and capable military leader during various military campaigns including the first Italo-Ethiopian war. He played important role at the Battle of Adwa. He was also admired by diplomatic circles for his progressive outlook and diplomatic skills. It can be said he was the first Ethiopian diplomat leading Ethiopian delegations to trips abroad and de facto Foreign Minister handling Ethiopia's dealings with other nations.

Deratu Tulu who became the the first Ethiopian woman to win a medal in the Olympic Games and the first Black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal was born on MEGABIT 12 1964 (March 21, 1972) in Bekoji, Arsi.

She grew up tending cattle in the highlands of Arsi Province, the province where great athletes such as the Legendary Haile Gebre-Selassie, the sensational Kenenisa Bekele, and others came from. Derartu's cousins Ejegayehu Dibaba, Tirunesh Dibaba and Genzebe Dibaba are all successful international long-distance runners, continuing the successful athletic history of the family and the nation.
Dearatu was seventh child in a family of 10 children. Even in elementary school, Derartu excelled in horse riding competitions. Derartu’s first significant win came in a 400 meter race in her school where she out-run the school’s start male athlete. That along with a win in 800 meters race in her district convincingly put Derartu in a path of a successful career in Athletics. In 1988, Derartu represented the region of Arsi and competed in a national 1500 meters race where she won a bronze medal.
When she was 17, Derartu was hired by the Ethiopian Police Force. In 1989, she competed in her first international race of 6 kilometer cross-country in Norway but was 23rd. In a year's time, though, she competed in the same race and won the Gold Medal. Derartu won international recognition and success in the 90’s. Her record-setting win in the 10,000 meter race in Bulgaria and her win in the same distance race in Cairo, Egypt are worth mentioning.
Derartu’s win in the 10,000 meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics goes down in the History Books as the first gold-medal win ever by Black/African woman.
She also won Gold at the 1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships having arrived at the race only an hour before the start. In 1997 she won the world cross country title for the second time but struggled on the 10,000 meters World Championship during the game and in competions before that. After giving birth, she came back to long distance competition and made history. She won the 10,000 metres Olympic gold for the second time at the Sydney Olympic Games, the only woman to have done this in the short history of the event. She repeated her Olympic victory at Sydney Olympics in 2000. She also became World Champion in 2001. She had also won the IAAF World Cross Country Championships title for the third time.

Her transition to the marathon was rewarded with victories in London and Tokyo Marathons in 2001. In 2009, at the age of 37, she won the New York City Marathon.
Source: MediaEthiopia.com and Wikipedia.


On 23 March 1529 - Muslim forces from the Adal Sultanate and led by Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi (Gragn Mohammed) had their first victory over Christian forces at Battle of Shimbira Kure.

on 24 March 1559 Muslim warriors led by Nur Ibn Mujahid, the nephew of Gragn Mohammed killed King Gelawdeos and avenged the death of his uncle who was killed by Gelawdeos's forces 16 years ago.

In Memory of Alem Dechassa: Reporting Ethiopian Domestic Migrant Worker Abuse

I participated in an online discussion forum on means of gathering reports of Ethiopian domestic workers abuse and a forum participant came up with this GIS tool to collect data on the issue. It is an interactive tool where anyone with information can submit incident report. We call upon those concerned with abuse of Ethiopian domestic workers abroad to help in this venture by submitting incident reports that you may know. Direct link to the site is provided: here
As indicated in the site one can submit known incident report by filling online from or by sending e-mail or by using iPhone or Android apps. Just make sure there are no duplicates. If you see the incident is reported, no need to submit it again. You can read article about how the GIS tool was developed in the following:
article

Fellow Ethiopians, reacting with emotion & expressing outrage whenever such kind of tragedy occurs does not bring the desired change. Let us make sure the tragic death of Alam Dechassa is not in vain and change it to positive force that would help next victims or prevent future abuses.
This interactive tool is one step toward addressing the problem. Hopefully, Ethiopian women organizations in diaspora and in the country would take further steps & lead the effort in demanding businesses making money from arranging such work abroad are investigated/vetted or bear responsibility for domestic workers' welfare they send abroad. Furthermore we can demand that safeguards being placed in future contracts like the one negotiated now between Saudi Arabia & Ethiopia. Making sure that clauses are put in place in the contract that allow domestic workers in distress seek help with social services organizations or better organize themselves as syndicates or self-help groups would go longway in preventing such abuses. Consultation with organizations like ILO & international NGOs having experience in such negotiations would help tremendously.
Expanded version of this article which would address our civic/political culture that allows such humiliation will be posted here in the near future. Stay tuned.

The fascinating story of Mishka Babichef & the Babichef family: Russian documentary

Mischka Babichef along with Asfaw Ali was the First Ethiopian trained as Air Force Pilot. He was born to Ivan Babichef a Russian emigre officer who was married to an Ethiopian woman. His sister was married to member of Ethiopian nobility. This documentary is in Russian broadcasted in one of Russian TV channels. It starts with the following translated text:

Ethiopia saw the face of Nazism first: in 1935, when the country was invaded by Italian troops. Air Force Commander of Ethiopia at those times was Russian pilot Mikhail Ivanovich Babichev. After 75 years the first time we can talk about Ethiopia as Russian unknown ally in the Second World War.

More translated text to follow.

An Evening with MSNBC's Chris Matthews

Your humble blogger attended Chris Matthews's (the host/anchor of MSNBC's 'Hard Ball with Chris Matthews'show) talk on March 8, 2012 during 'Writers LIVE' event at historic Enoch Pratt Central Library in Baltimore and had a chance to talk with him during book signing. Chris Matthews was in Baltimore to talk about his latest book entitled 'Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero' that came out in late 2011. Chris was lively & engaging during the talk. He captivated the house-full crowd providing intimate portrait of John F. Kennedy from the time of JFK's childhood, his heroic saving of fellow combatants during World War II in the Pacific and JFK's political life. He interjected his talk about JFK from time to time with comparison to current politics & contemporary politicians, particularly to stress JFK's unique ability to lead & connect thru hard retail politics.

Our signed copy of Chris Matthew's 'Jack Kennedy: Elusive hero.

After the talk and Q&A session, big line formed to get copy of the book signed by Chris. There were not enough copies of the book for all who wanted to purchase the book. Hence, some had to leave but some die hard fans like us stayed to get at least to get Chris's sign on cute book marker from the book store that was selling his book and later buy the book. One former Peace Corps Volunteer fellow who stood behind us in the line was kind enough to sell us one of the copies he bought for others. During the book signing, Chris Matthews was as friendly as cozy as regular guy and he talked to us free-willy. BTW, Chris Matthews was also Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Africa in the '60s, in Swaziland to be particular. When our turn came for Chris to sign our book and I told him I am originally from Ethiopia, he told me that he came to Ethiopia with Senator Mickey Leland in the '80s. As you may know Senator Mickey Leland made several visits to Ethiopia with American officials during mid 1980s to co-ordinate relief activities for victims of the 1984-'86 famine. He died in tragic plane crash in Ethiopia.
All in all, your humble blogger had intellectually stimulating and exciting experience that evening. If Chris Matthews happen to pass by your city and have similar event, do not miss it. It is guaranteed to be exciting & fun experience. Long Live Chris! Vive Chris Matthews!

Adwa Victory 116th anniversary Celebration in Washington DC

Yesterday, the 116th anniversary of the Adwa Victory was celebrated in Washington, D.C. in an event organized by Ethiopian Heritage Society in North America(EHSNA). The well attended event started with various speakers recalling the historic day and the heroic roles played by leaders such as Menelik II, Empress Taytu & Ras Alula etc.. Poetry readings, a mini play themed on Adwa as well as traditional Ethiopian musical performance by Shambel Belayneh, Setegn Atenaw etc.. were part of the celebration. The keynote speaker was none other than Professor Raymond A. Jonas who published a book on the subject, entitled: The Battle of Adwa : African victory in the age of empire  published by University Press in November 2011. Video of the speech and the celebration is not released yet. But here is another video whereby the Author described the battle that incurred huge setbacks not only to Italian colonial ambitions but also to European Colonialism.
http://youtu.be/1tWwU15FPBs


Finally, as you can see below the Adwa victory was a front page lead story on March 4th 1896 New York Times. Apologies for the poor quality of the copies.