The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-25
STRASBURG.

THE NEW CHURCH AND THE CITY LIBRARY.
The destruction of the great library con-
tanned in the New Church was the complaint
of every Strasburger we met rich and poor.
For Alsace this library was the great point of
connection with the literary men of Germany;
every year hundreds of German scholars
visited the city to pursue Investigations amid
its literary treasures. Who is to bear the
blame of its destruction has yet to be proved.
First of all, a valuable collection of two hun
dred thousand volumes ought not to be placed
in a fortress; then secondly, General
Uhrich was notified of the bombardment
twenty-four hours before il commenced, and
it is said (but not proved) that he never
notified the citizens of this fact; thirdly,
the city authorities knew as well as General
Uhrich himself that the library was in
danger from the very first and the fact
becomes very apparent that the city
, alone is guilty of great negligence in not
placing the books in the vaults of the citadel
or other place of safety, at the commence
ment of the bombardment. The New Church
was the largest place of worship in the city.
It is now nearly wreck. The high walls
nualone are standing. The interior is filled
with brickwork and debris to the height of
Eeeveral feet. The remnant of the library,
Rs far as yet discovered, consists of few
baskets full of scorched leaves and parch-
[ments, and molten antique settings of book
bindings. These crisp black remnants are
all that is left of the once celebrated Stras-
burg library, or libraries, for the New Church
contained under its roof three collections of
books. The City Library proper, the Library
! of the Protestant Seminary, and the Sch9phin
collection of books and antiquities-of which
latter somebody saved either the pistol or
Z sword hilt of General Kleber.
"a The oldest of these collections, the Protest
amt Seminary Library, founded in 1881, con-
Etained, it is estimated, over hundred incu-
nables, and over four hundred works printed
before the year 1920, and many very rare
works relating to Alsace. The City Library
Twas greater loss. 1t contained collections
from the old cloisters of Alsace, and many
manuscripts and rare printed works. The
latter of the three libraries was the creation
of the celebrated historiographer of Alsatia
Johann Daniel Sehepfin. The details of the
loss will be already familiar to most of your
readers, and / can therefore spare myself the
trouble of giving the great literary losses in
detail. You have also, doubtless, heard of
the letter written by the director of the Stras-
burg Academy, Herr Zeller, to the Napoleonic
d ex- Minister of Public instruction, Brame,
"A in which he complains Of the
Norman vandalism in destroying the
llibrary, and proposing certain measures for
Ngetting a new library. The minister replied
in bombastic letter, telling the rector that
Strasburg should have new library, and
also monument should be erected, telling
the devotion and heroism of the inhabitants
of the city to all future generations. Both
letters are too long for quotation. They
have however, called upon both parties we'll
deserved ridicule in Germany, and more
! especially on Rector Zeller, who apparently
thinks the greatest loss that Strasburg has
suffered during the bombardment is the loss
of its books, and not the human life. Ger
many will soon repair the damage she has
done to the library, and we doubt not new
one will soon be established.
The New Church, an ancient building,
dating from the thirteenth century, formerly
\ belonged to the Dominicans. The Protestant
Gymnasium was formerly Dominican clois-
ter. This, too, is partly destroyed. The
edifce has also some natural historical con-
nections which deserve to be mentioned.
The great roof was always the meeting place
of the numerous Strasburg storks before
their departure for Africa. They met some
time in August, and disturbed the whole
neighborhood by their incessant discussions
about their intended departure. At last they
finished talk, and departed. This year they
went week or two earlier than usual, being
frightenedfro their favorite feeding ground
by the German soldiers on the glacis. The
old tower of the church used to be occupied
by jackdaws and pigeons; heard the cawing
of the former and the cooling of the latter
still up among the walls. Like the cats
among the battered and deserted houses
about the Porte de Lieres, they have stuck to
their homes in spite of all the dangers which
have been threatening them. The houses
around the New Church are in comparatively
good condition. A single shell caused the
destruction of the whole collection of books
on the night of the oath to the 25th of Au-
gust.
THE MINISTER.
The Minister stillsstands in all its grandeur
of Gothic architecture, though Master
Erwin's work has been injured to a very
considerable extent AS whole, however,
it is preserved to US intact. The beautiful
'lace-work" columns on the outer corners of
the facade, and many statuettes, are injured
or destroyed. Higher up, in the delicate
spire, a number of balls have passed through,
and one, in particular, has grazed the point of
the spire, which is now supported with an
iron hgament. Inside, some pipes of the
organ have been injured, and the stained
glass windows are all more or less broken
The celebrated astronomical clock is unin
jured, though one of the windows imme
diately above it is said to have received
ball.
II was half-past eleven, and we waited
patiently in the neighborhood for twelve
o'clock, when the Apostles and angels make
their appearance; but, unfortunately, the
concussions have produced temporary de-
rangement of the machinery, and it has
ceased to work. The interior roofing is un.
injured, though the tin or zinc covering ovel
this is totally destroyed. Service has beer
constantly held in the church. An image oi
the Virgin in one sof the inches was almost
buried amid flowers, brought as offerings by
the people for the intercession of the grea
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