ملف ٣٤٤٣\ ١٩١٤ الجزء ٤ "بلاد فارس: شؤون شرق بلاد فارس؛ عملاء ألمان" [و‎‎١‎٦‎٩] (٣٦٨/٣٤٤)

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Dr. RUDOLF BIACH, AUSTRIAN.
Personal details.
Height about 5'—9" thin, sharp-featured, dark hair, pointed beard and
wears strong glasses. Eyes blue-grey, much sunburnt and has rather pro
minent ears. "Walks with slight stoop ; teeth extensively stopped with gold.
Age from 30 to 35. i w °
Doctor of Arts and Political Science, graduate of Vienna University, spent
some months at Oxford and in London.
Good family and rich, personal friend of Counts Mensdorff and Berchtold.
Has not served in Austrian Army.
Has mother and sister living in Vienna, latter married to Captain in Austrian
Array who was wounded during the war, recovered and returned to the front.
No brothers.
Had letters of introduction to Sir P. Sykes from Dr. Dietz of Vienna, also
introduction to Sir "Walter Townley.
Has travelled in the Cameroons and Sudan and extensively in Europe.
Has received no lett s from Austria for over 8 months.
Movements immediately before and after the outbreak of war.
In May, 1914, acting on the advice of the Austrian Foreign Office, proceed
ed to London to endeavour to obtain information regarding a projected journey
to Afghanistan for scientific purposes on behalf of the Vienna University and
M useum.
Arrived in Tehran about the end of June or beginning of July, 1914, and
was there on the outbreak of war.
Asked by German authorities to join movement, but declined, wished to
return with* his Secretary to Austria but was prevented by the Austrian
Minister. (Secretary was eventually sent back from Kirman.)
Travelled down to Isfahan carrying on his scientific work, which consisted
of taking cinema pictures of tribal dances and phonograph records of tribal
dialects.
Came in contact with Dr. Pugin in Isfahan.
From Isfahan proceeded to Yazd, where he finally joined the Germans in
the hope of getting through to Afghanistan.
From Yazd to Kirman, where he joined Zugmeyer.
Sent down to Persian Baluchistan to endeavour to negotiate with the Chiefs
in British and Persian territory.
Arrived in Bampur last February with Wedig (a sergeant in the German
Army, orderly to Prince Henry of Beuss).
Was refused camels for hire by Bahram Khan, who forced him to buy at
the rate of 200 tumans (£40) each, and bad animals at that.
Practically forced to leave Bampur and looted en route, losing nearly
everything.
Rejoined Zugmeyer north of Bam and while the whole party was trying to
get through to Shiraz it was attacked near Baft by Bakhtians.
Zugmeyer, Wedig and Griesinger escaped.
Expenses whilst in Baluchistan amounted to about £250 a week.
493GSB
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