Forty Years of Diplomacy, Vol. 1

When my Serbian friend, after dinner over coffee and cigars, asked him for his frank opinion as to whether the Macedonians were Serbians or Bulgarians, he elicited from his host the following illuminating reply: "If you ask me this question as plain Mr. X., I will say they are Serbians, but if you want to know my opinion as Consul-General of Russia, I am bound to say that they are all Bulgarians." There are also in Macedonia people who decline to be considered either Serbians or Bulgarians, and who want to be simply Macedonians.

Chapter 13, Page 122

Forty Years of Diplomacy, Vol. I is the memoir of Baron Roman Romanovich Rosen, recounting approximately forty years in service of the Russian Empire as a diplomat. He details his early career, beginning with his role in the Asiatic Department, his appointment as Vice-Consul in Yokohama, and various key international postings. These include missions to the United States, Mexico, Serbia, and notably Japan, among others.

The narrative takes the reader through major historical events, such as the Russo-Turkish War, diplomatic challenges surrounding the Berlin Congress, the revision of Japanese treaties, and early signs of tension in the Far East—all seen through Rosen’s personal reflections and negotiations.

This volume offers a first-hand, richly detailed chronicle of late-19th and early-20th century diplomacy, revealing both the high-level strategy and the human dimension of representing imperial power abroad.