Karl Henry von Wiegand (September 11, 1874 – June 7, 1961) was a German born American journalist and war correspondent. Von Wiegand became one of the longest-serving American journalists stationed in Berlin, Germany.

Although Von Wiegand is most widely known for his extensive tenure with Hearst media outlets, his journalistic reputation was initially established through his work with the Associated Press in California and United Press in Europe. In 1911, he became a foreign correspondent for United Press in Europe. During the First World War, Von Wiegand gained prominence for reporting from Germany and conducting exclusive interviews with members of German political and social elite. In August 1914, at the onset of World War I, the New York newspaper The Sun reported that Von Wiegand was the only American correspondent permitted to remain in Berlin. In 1914-1915, Von Wiegand interviewed German crown prince Crown Prince Wilhelm, grand admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, and Ferdinand von Zeppelin.Knightley, P. (1976). The First Casualty. From the Crimea to Vietnam: the War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth Maker, p. 102.

Von Wiegand was the first American journalist to interview Adolf Hitler in 1922. The report of this interview datelined November 12, 1922, was published in the New York American.Nagorski, Andrew (2012). Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-9100-2. p. 21.

Early life

Von Wiegand was born on September 11, 1874, in the village of Glaam in Hesse, German Empire, to parents Henry and Anne Margueret Wiegand. In 1880, at the age of five or six, his family immigrated to the United States. According to census records, both of his parents were naturalized as U.S. citizens in 1885. While their first language was German, records indicate that they were both fluent in English and literate. Henry and Anne Wiegand remained together until Henry's death from hepatic carcinoma in August 1926 in Fontanelle, Iowa. Anne Wiegand died from bronchial pneumonia a few months later, in January 1927.

According to Von Wiegand's notes for an outline of an autobiography that he never wrote, his childhood in Iowa was a difficult period for his family. Von Wiegand experienced the hardships of his father's struggles to maintain their farm, which ultimately led to the loss of two family properties. By the age of fourteen, Von Wiegand witnessed his father's ongoing financial struggles, prompting him to leave home without telling his parents and siblings of his plans.Nagorski, A. (2012). Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power, Simon & Schuster, p. 18-19.

According to Von Wiegand's archival notes, he found employment on Buffalo Bill's ranch before venturing further westward. At some point between 1888 and 1899, Von Wiegand served as an operator at the Western Union office in Phoenix.Arizona Republic, August 28, 1908, p. 6.

Surname

Official records indicate that Von Wiegand's family name was recorded as "Wiegand," without the "von" particle often used in German surnames to denote noble lineage. It is therefore likely that Von Wiegand adopted the aristocratic "von" when he began his journalism career in the early 1900s. In 1899, his first signed article, simply under the name "Wiegand," appeared in an Arizona newspaper.Vonw Wiegand, K. H., "I must have a gas stove", Arizona Republican, June 21, 1899, p. 4.Goldstein, Benjamin S. "A legend somewhat larger than life: Karl. H. von Wiegand and the trajectory of Hearstian sensationalist journalism", Historical Research, Vol. 94, No. 265, pp. 629-659.

Early career in journalism

Von Wiegand started his journalistic career in the Arizona newspapers in 1899.The New York Times, June 8, 1961, 'Karl Von Wiegand Dies at 86; Hearst Foreign Correspondent', p. 35. Later, Von Wiegand's association with the Randolph Hearst newspapers began when he joined the San Francisco Examiner in 1902, followed by his tenure at the Los Angeles Examiner.The New York Times, June 8, 1961, 'Karl Von Wiegand Dies at 86; Hearst Foreign Correspondent', p. 35.The Christian Science Monitor, June 8, 1961, 'Karl H. von Wiegand', p. 2.

In March 1903, while working as a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner, Von Wiegand was assaulted by Albert W. Rhodes while attempting to conduct an interview for a newspaper story about the Flora Eberling poisoning case. Following the incident, the San Francisco Examiner reported that Von Wiegand became the first journalist to benefit from the so-called Heart’s Prosecution Fund, established for the protection of newspaper reporters in legitimate performance of their duties. The prosecution, conducted on behalf of the San Francisco Examiner, resulted in Albert W. Rhodes being fined twenty US dollars on March 12, 1903.The San Francisco Examiner, "Convicts Burly Ruffian of Assault on Reporter. First Conviction Under Hears Prosecution. Albert W. Rhodes Promptly Found Guilty", March 13, 1903, p. 3.

Associated Press (1905-1911)

From at least 1905, Von Wiegand served as the staff correspondent for the Associated Press in San Francisco. During the Russo-Japanese War, Von Wiegand served as the cable editor for the Associated Press in San Francisco. In May 1908, he was one of the first to report on the Berkeley airship disaster."U.P. Scores Big Beat. Von Wiegand, Berlin Correspondent, Interviews Crown Prince of Germany," The Editor and Publisher and Journalist, December 5, 1914, Vol. 14, No. 25, p. 1.

On November 14, 1908, while working as an Associated Press reporter, Von Wiegand witnessed the attempted murder of Assistant District Attorney Francis J. Heney during a brief recess of the Ruef trial.The Hilo Daily Tribune, “Shooting of Attorney Heney”, December 1, 1908, p. 4. Subsequently, Von Wiegand was called as a witness in the trial of Morris Hass.San Francisco Chronicle, “Burke Files a Report on Haas”, November 15, 1908, p. 24.

United Press (1911-1915)

In 1911, Von Wiegand was hired by the United Press and remained with the organization until 1915.Zacher, D. (2008). The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, University of Illinois Press, p. 53-54. In August 1911, he was appointed as the Berlin bureau chief for the United Press in Germany. He departed from the U.S. for his European assignment with his family aboard the St. Louis via London on August 19, 1911.Perth Amboy Evening News, “Getting News On The World”, August 9, 1911, p. 2.

As the Berlin bureau chief, Von Wiegand succeeded Herbert A. White. Prior to joining the United Press, he served as the San Francisco Manager for the Associated Press, where he remained for seven years. According to a United Press release, by 1911, Von Wiegand was described as "probably one of the best known and most popular of the younger newspaper men on the Pacific coast".

World War I

From the start of the war, Von Wiegand, as the German-speaking Berlin correspondent for United Press, reported on the German side of the war. At the beginning of the war, his reports described the situation inside Germany and the Western Front.Zacher, D. (2008). The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, University of Illinois Press, p. 40-42Dubbs, C. (2017). American Journalists in the Great War: Rewriting the Rules of Reporting, University of Nebraska Press, p. 63-66.

Battle of Wirballen

As a representative of the United Press in Berlin, Von Wiegand used his network of German connections to get permission to travel and report from the Eastern Front.Dubbs, C. (2017). American Journalists in the Great War: Rewriting the Rules of Reporting, University of Nebraska Press, p. 63. In the first week of October 1914, Von Wiegand travelled under three German officer escort from Berlin to Russian Poland. Von Wiegand caught up with the German army east of the town of Wirballen, the present-day town of Kybartai, Lithuania. Here the German advance extended a long front north of Warsaw. On October 8 Von Wiegand climbed to a hilltop to watch the third day of the battle of Wirballen.Dubbs, C. (2017). American Journalists in the Great War: Rewriting the Rules of Reporting, University of Nebraska Press, p. 64-65. In his report, Von Wiegand described the terrifying force of concentrated machine-gun power on closely packed Russian troops.Knightley, P. (2004). The First Casualty: The War Correspondent As Hero and Myth-Maker From The Crimea to Iraq, United Kingdom: Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 102. According to Von Wiegand, “As a spectacle the whole thing was maddening. . . the men literally went down like dominoes in a row.” He also added the following: “Tonight I know why correspondents are not wanted on any of the battle lines. Descriptions and details of battles fought in the year of our Lord 1914 don’t make nice reading.”

The United Press' story of the battle of Wirballen was sent to London. Von Wiegand was pleasantly surprised to learn that the article had passed through British censorship unedited, approved for publication in the United States but not in Britain.The Editor and Publisher, "British Censor's New Policy. United Press Gets Through Detailed despatch of German Victory", October 10, 1914, Vol. 14, Issue 7, p. 318. It ran on the front page of nearly every United Press newspaper. It was his first big story of the war.Dubbs, C. (2017). American Journalists in the Great War: Rewriting the Rules of Reporting, University of Nebraska Press, p. 65-66.

Crown prince Wilhelm interview

On November 20, 1914, Von Wiegand was given an interview by the crown prince crown prince Wilhelm. Von Wiegand became the first foreign reporter allowed to interview the crown prince.Elter page 74 That interview was also the first foreign interview given by the German royal family since the outbreak of World War I.

The interview was regarded as “the greatest beat of the European war printed in America thus far.” It generated significant public interest due to the candid opinions expressed by crown prince Wilhelm. In the interview, the crown prince denied the existence of a war party in Berlin that had instigated the conflict. He expressed his regret over the negative perception of Germany by the American press and public, and he was perplexed by the blame placed on Germany for the war.

The dispatch was transmitted to London and was published under the United Press copyright line in most of the British newspapers. Editorial comments praised Von Wiegand for his diligence and skill in securing the interview.

German perspective

In December 1914, following the success of his interview with the crown prince Wilhelm, Von Wiegand conducted an interview with German grand admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, noted as the admiral's first interview with an American reporter. This interview was published by the United Press, with the story being copyrighted by the news agency.Zacher, D. (2008). The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, University of Illinois Press, p. 52.

In January 1915, Von Wiegand was granted unprecedented access to various parts of the German battle line. In another exclusive report in February 1915, Von Wiegand secured a two-part interview with count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the architect of Germany’s airship bombers. The interview revealed von Zeppelin's regret over the casualties inflicted by his airships, particularly women and children.Zacher, D. (2008). The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, University of Illinois Press, pp. 53-54.

A week later, Von Wiegand obtained an exclusive interview with the crown princess Cecilie of Germany. In this interview, the crown princess expressed her belief that women were the ultimate victims of the war. However, before von Wiegand could send the story, Cecilie edited the text, significantly redacting parts of his original copy.Zacher, D. (2008). The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, University of Illinois Press, pp. 53.