– 67 –
After studying law and
economics, Albert Hahl joi-
ned the German colonial
service in 1895. He initially
served as an imperial judge
in the Bismarck Archipelago
(1896–98). By 1899, he as-
sumed the position of Vice-Governor,
and in 1902, that of Governor of Ger-
man New Guinea. In resolving con-
flicts, he relied not on harsh punitive
measures, but on the involvement of
local dignitaries (“Luluai”). Hahl estab-
lished several government stations in
the Bismarck Archipelago, northeas-
tern New Guinea, and the German
Solomon Islands.
He was an avid collector of local ma-
terial culture. Many of the artifacts
he gathered can now be found in
German museums such as the Gras-
si Museum in Leipzig, the Stuttgart
Linden Museum, the Museum Fünf
Kontinente in Munich, and the Na-
tural History Museum in Nuremberg.
Hahl left German New Guinea short-
ly before the outbreak of World War
I. After the conflict, he retired from
colonial service. While he stayed
active in the political engagement
to recuperate the German colonies,
he never joined the wave of German
national resentment.
H: 62,5 cm
€ 10.000 - 20.000
Excellent „malagan“ figure,
before 1899
wood, lime, red ochre, black
pigment, shell inlay, blackish
mass, seeds, plant fibre,
handwritten in black ink:
„4461 - Dr. Hahl.“, rest., base
According to the inventory book of
the Linden Museum Stuttgart, this fi-
gure entered the museum’s collection
in 1899 as a donation from Dr. Albert
Hahl. It is recorded as a “carved woo-
den figure” with the historical pro-
venance “New Mecklenburg, North.”
On March 6, 1959, it was transferred
in exchange to Ludwig Bretschneider.
The term „malagan“ refers to a com-
plex series of ceremonies and the vi-
sual art forms associated with them.
„Malagan“ rites mark almost all the
important stages in the lives of the in-
habitants of New Ireland. Throughout
life, individuals seek to acquire rights
to specific „malagan“ images and the
rituals associated with them. Men, in
particular, compete to obtain rights
to the greatest number of „malagan“,
possession of which confers status
and prestige.
The most spectacular „malagan“ car-
vings are created and displayed during
the final memorial ceremony honou-
ring the deceased, which, due to the
great expense and extensive prepa-
rations involved, often occurs months
or years after a person‘s death. The
aim of this ceremony is to „finish the
dead“. This is done by remembering
him with all his achievements for
one last time - and then forgetting
him. This approach requires that all
of the deceased‘s legal and personal
matters be settled, that his land and
other rights be transmitted, and that
his positions in clan and communi-
ty be taken over by successors. On a
more esoteric note, it includes the re-
capturing of his life force, the energy
of which is thought to reside in the
„malagan“ objects during the festi-
val, and to be dispersed and activated
among the participants at the end of
the ceremony.
The feast includes the construction
of a „malagan“ house for the presen-
tation of the art objects, the appea-
rance of masked dancers at dawn,
the exchange of larger quantities of
shell money, the feasting on large
amounts of taro, pork and bananas
and the slaughtering of a vast num-
bers of pigs that are presented in
front of the „malagan“ house while
respected elders offer speeches and
preside over the ritual exchange that
closes the ceremony.
Afterwards, the „malagan“ carvings,
having served their purpose, are de-
stroyed, allowed to rot, or sold to
outsiders.
Dr. Albert Hahl (m), Hubert Geisler (r), 1897 in
Herbertshöhe, Photo: Slg. Hermann Hiery, in:
In Jahrbuch des Staatlichen Museums für
Völkerkunde, München, Bd 11, 2007, p. 261