Post #627733 by TikiTomD on Mon, Mar 5, 2012 4:29 PM

Q-tiki and virani, pleased that you’re enjoying the thread as much as we’re enjoying the research...

Sven, your explanation of the “Schmiss” greatly illuminates... now I understand what the good doctor meant regarding “Do you know that I have been an army officer and gone through a German university?” I could understand scars and being an army officer, but, until now, not the “German university” part of this. Clearly he was referring to the “badge of courage” earned in a fraternity fencing duel. Cool that you found a photograph illustrating it from Tübingen, right where Funk went to medical school!

I think that Funk’s reaction was indeed misunderstood by Westbrook and researcher alike. It was taken as evidence of Dr. Funk’s “volatile and tenacious” character. That may have also been accurate, but given his upbringing, this now seems more the natural reaction of a man with a deep sense of pride in accomplishment who endured much to achieve it.

I’m working on a lead to acquire a copy of this 17-year old out-of-print Local History Yearbook of the Regional Museum of Neubrandenburg, containing an article by Peter Maubach entitled “Dr. Bernhard Funk (1844-1911) : ein Neubrandenburger in der Südsee” (translation: “Dr Bernhard Funk (1844-1911): a Neubrandenburger in the South Seas”)...

The hope is it will have additional photographs of Dr. Funk, perhaps even one with facial scars :) At the very least, this one will test my agility with the Google Translator.

-Tom