Thank you for this interesting reporting on Germany’s history in Samoa as well as your Invincible Strangers. I was aware of Germany’s colonization of Samoa in 1900, but your in-depth reporting especially on Wilhelm-Heinrich Solf
has intrigued me—especially his wife, Johanna and daughter, Lagi when they returned to Germany and their lives during the Nazi era.
I also just found a Utube video by Wilhelm Solf’s great great grandson Baron which covers a lot based on Lagi’s personal diary. I wonder if her Diary is in print?
I was fortunate to have been in the first U.S. Peace Corps group to serve in Samoa in the late 60’s and taught school in beautiful Vailima, an area of
political and literary significance which I have become so much more aware of throughout these past many years and because of reporting like yours. I am excited for one last trip to Samoa this summer and viewing with entirely different eyes.
Thank you for your comments. Most of my writing has been on the wider story of Samoa's struggle for independence, but the Solf women were a compelling find for me a decade or so back. Eventually I decided I had to put it together into a single piece, after finding that they really had no single volume telling their story. I only ever found patches of Lagi's diary and wonder if a complete diary even exists. I was in Samoa last year and by chance stayed up higher than Vailima - at Tiapapata Art Centre. They have an Air B&B as well and we loved the peace and the crisp evening air. Recommend a visit - they have a small restaurant as well... Cheers
Thank you for your reply. Will check out the Art Centre. The Substack app is very new to me and I only just started reading your articles on the South Pacific area. What year was your first visit to Samoa?
Thank you for this interesting reporting on Germany’s history in Samoa as well as your Invincible Strangers. I was aware of Germany’s colonization of Samoa in 1900, but your in-depth reporting especially on Wilhelm-Heinrich Solf
has intrigued me—especially his wife, Johanna and daughter, Lagi when they returned to Germany and their lives during the Nazi era.
I also just found a Utube video by Wilhelm Solf’s great great grandson Baron which covers a lot based on Lagi’s personal diary. I wonder if her Diary is in print?
I was fortunate to have been in the first U.S. Peace Corps group to serve in Samoa in the late 60’s and taught school in beautiful Vailima, an area of
political and literary significance which I have become so much more aware of throughout these past many years and because of reporting like yours. I am excited for one last trip to Samoa this summer and viewing with entirely different eyes.
Nancy
Dear Nancy,
Thank you for your comments. Most of my writing has been on the wider story of Samoa's struggle for independence, but the Solf women were a compelling find for me a decade or so back. Eventually I decided I had to put it together into a single piece, after finding that they really had no single volume telling their story. I only ever found patches of Lagi's diary and wonder if a complete diary even exists. I was in Samoa last year and by chance stayed up higher than Vailima - at Tiapapata Art Centre. They have an Air B&B as well and we loved the peace and the crisp evening air. Recommend a visit - they have a small restaurant as well... Cheers
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your reply. Will check out the Art Centre. The Substack app is very new to me and I only just started reading your articles on the South Pacific area. What year was your first visit to Samoa?
All the best to you and yours.