Mr Conan Doyle goes to Feldkirch
Mr Conan Doyle goes to Feldkirch is an article written by Michael W. Homer published in the A.C.D. - The Journal of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (Vol. 6, 1995).
This archival and investigative study examines Arthur Conan Doyle's 1875–76 residence at the Jesuit school Stella Matutina in Feldkirch, exploring claims that he contributed to a student newspaper and possibly to the Feldkircher Anzeiger. Drawing on local archives, interviews, Jesuit records, and translated newspaper texts, it assesses the evidence for these early and largely undocumented writings.
Mr Conan Doyle goes to Feldkirch
'The Judkins Tragedy', an illustrated tale by Conan Doyle, which possibly appeared in The Wasp. The magazine is described by Everard Digby in documents held by Stonyhurst College as being 'a literary publication which may be said to have been the forerunner of the "Stonyhurst Magazine". One of Doyle's drawings is reproduced here,' he wrote. 'Its style is not quite as easy and graceful as his literary style, but it possesses some character of which I can well judge, as I was his classfellow for three years. "Judkins' Adventure" was never completed, as Doyle told the literary staff of the Wasp that each could put his own conclusion to the story. Can Judkins have been the embryo of some of Doyle's heroes! Perhaps an ultimate analysis of the Brigadier Gerard would give Judkins and Baron Marbot!'
The academic year of 1995-6 marks the 120th anniversary of Arthur Conan Doyle's one year residence in Feldkirch, Austria as a student at the Stella Matutina, a Jesuit preparatory school. Conan Doyle briefly described the decision to study in Feldkirch in Memories and Adventures, and that the conditions [at Stella Matutina] were much more humane and I met with far more human kindness than at Stonyhurst, with the immediate result that I ceased to be a resentful young rebel and became a pillar of law and order' He also mentioned that he always had a pleasant memory of the Austrian Jesuits and of the old school Several of his biographers have also mentioned Conan Doyle's studies in Austria, including his writings which appeared in a Feldkirch Newspaper (See Carr, p. 18; Norton, pp.23-4). Conan Doyle's bibliographers refer to this newspaper as the Feldkirchian Gazette. Even though the motto of the newspaper was apparently 'Fear not, and put it in print', neither the newspaper. nor the letter which make reference to it, have been published.
In June 1993 I visited Feldkirch to obtain more information about ACD's sojourn in Austria. I was initially intrigued by an article which Christopher Roden had sent to me which appeared in the Scotsman on 12 December 1992. The author maintained that Conan Doyle not only produced a student newspaper (in English), but also identified a local journalist Alois Kaindl', who claimed that Conan Doyle wrote stories which were published (in German) in a weekly newspaper Feldkircher Anzeiger.
Upon my arrival in Feldkirch I met with Alois Kaindl, who is the current owner of the Feldkircher Anzeiger. Kaindl informed me that the newspaper began publication in 1803 and continued until 1940. It recommenced in 1946 and has been published ever since. In his office Kaindl has a large file on Arthur Conan Doyle and he pulled from it three stories published in the Feldkircher Anzeiger which are not signed but which he believes could have been written by ACD. He believes most strongly that 'Ein Schlauer Betruger' ('The Clever Swindler') [1], which appeared in two instalments on 23 November 1875 and 14 December 1875, and 'Die bestablene Kasse' ('The Stolen Cashbox'), which appeared in two instalments on 21 December 1875 and 10 January 1876, were written by Conan Doyle. He also believes that it is possible that a third article. 'Der nachtliche Webersall' ('The Night-time Waterfall'), which appeared in three instalments between 12 October 1875 and 27 October 1875, could have been written by ACD. He gave me copies of these three articles and I have since had them translated into English.
Kaindl also provided me with copies of various articles concerning ACD which have been published in Feldkirch, both in the local press and in Jesuit publications. After reading these articles, it is apparent that ACD's connection with Feldkirch was not recognised by local residents until 1956 when a medical Doctor from Linz, Cornelius Kopf, found a reference to it in a medical calendar. Since that time various pieces have been published about one of Stella Matutina's most illustrious alumni. [Sec Aus der Stella Matutina 81/1956 and 120/1976; Stella Heft 3/1982, 8/1987, 9/1988. 13/1992; and Christopher Vallaster, Ent decken sie Feldkirchs Vergangenheit (Feldkirch: Verlag A. Kaindl, 1993); 42]. An article published one hundred years after ACD's studies in Austria recounts his year at the Jesuit school, including his participation in the Feldkirch orchestra, in which he 'selected the largest instrument', the 'so-called "Hellikon"', which was 'a large brass horn which he compared to a modern artillery weapon of his time'; and that he wrote articles for the weekly Feldkirch newspaper, the publisher of which 'had no idea how prominent his young writer would be some day'.
After reviewing Kaindl's ACD file, I was taken on a walking tour of Feldkirch, including a visit to the remains of Stella Matutina. Feldkirch is located on the Ill River, which is a tributary of the Rhine. Jesuits have been in Feldkirch since 1543 and founded the school in 1856. The school remained in existence until 1938 when it was closed for the period of the war. It reopened in 1946 until 1977 when it was permanently closed. Following its closure the oldest portion of the school was razed. The portion which survived the wreckers' ball is the newest structure of Stella Matutina. It is located south of the Ill and was built in 1900-01. It is currently utilised as the Landeskonservatorium or State Conservatory, which is the home of a yearly 'Schubertiade' music festival. This building was utilised as a chapel and dormitory. It is a striking structure, painted yellow and white, which still has a statue of Jesus over the entrance. The portion of the school which existed during ACD's student days — where classes were held and where a playing field was located — was razed following the closure of the school in 1977. This portion of the school was located on the north side of the Ill, near St Leonard's Platz, and was connected to the dormitory and chapel by a wooden bridge. This wooden bridge has since been replaced, but remains of it can still be detected. The Stella Matutina has been replaced by a modern hotel (Hotel Ill), restaurants, and a commercial centre.
Even after the closure of the Stella Matutina the Jesuits remained in Feldkirch and continue to publish an alumni magazine entitled Stella Heft. Since Kaindl informed me that he had no knowledge concerning the student newspaper referred to by Carr and Nordon, I met with a representative of the Jesuits, Father Ineichen. He provided me with copies of Jesuit publications containing references to ACD, including Stella Heft, Aus der Stella Matutina, and the official history of the school. None of these sources provided any information concerning the student newspaper. I have also contacted Jesuit archives in Zurich, Switzerland, which received the records of the Stella Matutina following its closure in 1977, and I was informed that it has no information concerning the student newspaper. As such, it seems probable that the 'student newspaper' was a one-copy and informal magazine written in English, which was never published or maintained in the official school records. [Sec Harry How, 'A Day with Dr Conan Doyle', The Strand Magazine, August 1892, 182-8; and Bram Stoker, 'Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Tells of his Career and Work, his Sentiments towards America and his Approaching Marriage', New York World, 28 July 1907, E1].
Although it is debatable whether ACD wrote articles for the Feldkircher Anzeiger, we do know that he attended school at Stella Matutina and that Carr and Nordon, who had access to his papers, both mentioned his articles in the student newspaper. Conan Doyle also mentioned the newspaper in various interviews he gave after gaining international fame as a writer. Hopefully the letters which make reference to this student newspaper/magazine, and perhaps copies of the newspaper itself will eventually be made available for publication. In addition, Alois Kaindl told me during my visit that he would like to place a plaque at the site where Conan Doyle studied at the Stella Matutina, to commemorate his year-long sojourn and his contributions to the community. I would encourage our Society to join with Kaindl in this enterprise.
- ↑ Not from Conan Doyle as the story was already published in the Prague newspaper "Bohemia" (September 1837, No. 117) under title : "Eine wohlfeile Reise nach Batavia".
- Article courtesy Christopher Roden, founder of The Arthur Conan Doyle Society (1989-2003).
