Chapter 96: Daily Life
Ernst, as a colonist, had adopted a pragmatic and detached attitude towards the life and death of indigenous people in East Africa. He believed that getting emotionally involved would serve no purpose and that he needed to focus on accomplishing the goals set for the East African colonies. The notion of extinction, as long as it wasn't directly caused by the colonies themselves, didn't weigh on his conscience.
Ernst's responsibilities were twofold: managing the affairs of the East African colonies and overseeing his company's European business. This dual role kept him occupied most of the time, leaving little room for personal contemplation.
On this particular day, Ernst took a half-day break and enjoyed afternoon tea with his father, Prince Constantine, in the garden. Ernst preferred Oriental green tea, as he wasn't particularly fond of coffee, except for occasional social occasions.
Prince Constantine, noticing his son's preference for tea, remarked that it was not uncommon for Europeans to appreciate tea, especially given the British penchant for it.
Ernst's own fleet transported various teas from the Far East, carefully selected by him. He trusted his staff to personally purchase high-quality teas in the Far East, avoiding the pitfalls of counterfeit or low-quality tea often encountered by Westerners.
Prince Constantine expressed his intention to support Ernst's efforts in the East African colonies. He mentioned that many Germans from South Germany had been forced to seek opportunities abroad due to reduced food production in their region. Ernst's colonization project presented an ideal solution to accommodate these German immigrants.
Ernst was elated by his father's offer, as it meant he could secure a substantial number of high-quality German immigrants for East Africa. These immigrants would meet Ernst's criteria, being primarily farmers with limited education. The influx of these immigrants could significantly boost the German population in East Africa, especially if they were to undergo the education programs Ernst had in mind.
The prospect of hundreds of thousands of pure German inhabitants and the potential to change the identity recognition of Paraguayan immigrants excited Ernst. With careful planning and education over the generations, East Africa could transform these immigrants into a cohesive and enduring German population.
Ernst understood that the distinction between nobles and commoners was clearer in the West than in the East, where family trees were meticulously maintained by noble families. In contrast, Western commoners rarely cared about their family backgrounds, and their records relied heavily on oral history, leading to significant gaps in their knowledge of their ancestry.
Ernst believed that by instilling certain ideas in the immigrant children through the colonial education system and maintaining consistent efforts over time, he could rebuild a cohesive and proud German nation in East Africa.
With his father's support, Ernst saw the potential to make significant strides in achieving his vision for East Africa.