Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenz

Among several functions, during this world conflict, Malta fulfilled the important indirect role of welcoming thousands of wounded and sick soldiers arriving from the Mediterranean battlefields and for this became known as the “Nurse of the Mediterranean”.

It performed other roles including an internment and prisoner of war camp. Among the most illustrious prisoners incarcerated here were the Captain and crew of the German cruiser S.M.S Emden.

This raiding cruiser, under the command of Captain von Muller and his first officer, Captain von Mucke was sunk after a succfessful commerce-rading cruise in the Indian Ocean.

Emden formed part of the German East Asiatic Squadron, which in early stages of the war, stalked Indian Ocean shipping routes and became the scourge of Allied naval ships. On 9 November 1914, H.M.A.S Sydney surprised the Emden while it was attacking the British radio station on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and badly damaged it. The Emden was deliberately run aground. It lost 134 killed and 65 wounded; the Sydney lost four killed and 12 wounded.

The Captain and the ship’s officers, including Lieutentant Franz Josef, Prince of Hohenzollern (Second Torpedo Officer on the Emden) of the German Royal Family (and nephew of the then King of Romania), were brought to Malta and locked up in the Verdala Fort where the crew were interned.

In 1915, the prisoners set up the German-Austro-Hungarian aid organisation, later being joined by the Turks. Von Muller was president of the organisation set up to help those prisoners, who lacked resources to maintain themselves.

In 1917, Captain von Muller was transferred to Britain but the rest remained in Malta until the end of hostilities.

The story of the Emden’s officers and crew has been immortalised in Emden − My Experiences in S.M.S. Emden by Franz Joseph, Prince of

Emden seen here beached on Cocos Island after being shelled by the Australian Warship Sydney (November 1914)

Considered as the most famous of all POWs in Malta: crew members of S.M.S Emden, including its Captain von Muller and Prinz Franz Josef von Hohenzollern

Verdala Barracks with the hospital in the background (now St Edward’s College)