Between Two Flags: The Life of Baron Sir Rudolf von Slatin Pasha GCVO, KCMG, CB

by Gordon Brook-Shepherd

1973 FIRST EDITION HARDCOVER

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Gordon Brook-Shepherd was a British historian and journalist, best known for his work on the history of central and eastern Europe. A graduate of Cambridge University, where he earned a Double First in history, he joined the staff of the Daily Telegraph in 1948 as a foreign correspondent based n Vienna, and he later served as Diplomatic Correspondent and Assistant Editor for the Sunday Telegraph.

Reviews

[Tullius · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly interesting man, I find these books at old school bookstores and I love uncovering gems like this. First and Foremost, this is a very well researched and well written book. As the British would say "First Class" (Adjusts Hat and twiddles mustache). Both Gordon and Shepherd clearly took their time to research this and understand the man.

Rudolph Von Slatin Pasha was truly a unique man in history. As the writer mentions, he was born just long enough after the wars of 1848 and died just before Hitler's rise to power in Austria. A full blooded Jewish man born in mid 19th Century Austria was just the right time to grow to prominence without too heavy a social bar. Growing up tough, he was then thrust directly into the fangs of European politics after some early adventures.

By 1879, Slatin is in Sudan as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army, by 1881, he was the Governor General of Darfur. Unfortunately the Sudanese countryside erupted with Mahdist violence and he was forced to surrender in 1883. For 12 years, Slatin was a prisoner of the Madhists, doing whatever they pleased. It took until 1895 for him to escape with the aide of his lifelong friend, Reginald Wingate. For this he received immense acclaim and aided the British to conquering the Sundan.

For 14 years, Slatin enjoyed the comforts of power as Inspector General of the Sudan before getting married. Unfortunately in 1914, his native Austria went to war with the Entante, forcing him to choose sides, he chose Austria. Not much is known of his WW1 life, he simply didn't write much about it. The years following the Central Powers' defeat were tough on Slatin. He spent most of it trying to regain his respect but never fully received it. After many tough years, he passed away in October of 1932, mere months before Hitler came to power in Germany. A tough life but a lucky one considering a few years in either direction would have done to him.