New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-18


TIoNs.
IPRoN OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
FRANKFoRT-o ON THE-MAIE, Germany, April B.
An interesting literary warfare is just engaging
the attention the scholarly world Of Germany, some
wha similar in character to- but OF greater historical
Importance than, the waged in America some time
ago reference To the authorship OF Rock ne 10 seep
Mother" Immediately before the war had commenced
IN earnest small body Of the 4oth Hohenzollern Req
rnent supported nv Uhans did the severe border duty
ut saarbricen against the French advance until the
German armies had got into position. Behind every
tree and bush French redrowsers was thought 70 DC
concealed, and numerous skirmishes made the uihe
lively enough for the Germans. While the 4otn were
tins kept day cad night the alert there arose IN the
ranks q song, which soon became immensely popular
among the German soldiers. This was the one by
gusilecr August Kutschke, commencing with the two
famous lines;
WAS krsucht da IN dem BuscA herun,
Ieh giASb es ist SapOhun" &e'
The song created great enthusiasm, not only among
abe meu in the field among the Germans at home IL
was printed every sheet in the entire Faherand ana
the name OF Fusileer Kutschke" became househoiu
word. Singing societies and students sang the nc"
gong; money and presents were collected for the b'o
poe;-soldcr Kutschke, whose reputation threa'ehou "
one time TO gain place in history beside that oi ~
narck and Moltke. The question then arose Neiy
rally "Who is Fusileer Kutschkef" Popular run'oi ~
that he was private in the 10th Hohenzolerh
Fact was, the song had first made its appeaieno
by Eutschke at the Outposts before saaI "oAen' ~
rs the 10th had that duty at the END OF july "ho %
song first appeared the supposition was very n"u"i
shat The regiment contained the veritabe kutschKe Ill
It's ranks In the meantime the battles Of sasrorneken
With and Weissenburg had been fought the song con
stanv grew in popularity both at home and In the hela
"A popularity perhaps, heightened by the fact tha DO
one knew until Sedan where the great "Napohum' him
self was krauehing" You may ask Why take so nueh
trouble find out the author of the son-a comic song
fooi But il was ordinary productions the WORDS
fitted exactly the spirit Of the times and Of the German
soldiers; they were full of the spirit which made the
Germans enthusiastic in pursuit and besides, the song
contributed vastly to cheering up the Ben In the darkest
DAYS of uncertainty II was in many respects the John
Browns Body of the German army and recent crito
only docs Justice Kutsehkes services during the war
when he proposes that the letter tx should
In future, be used in Germany beside the
initials wv" and "F,' to welcome home the Kaiser
CWnhelm "Fritz" the Crown Prince, and Kutsehke as
designation for the entire German army. During the
frst DAYS of the war reports and then to the
effect that Fusilcer Kutschke was wounded sometimes
Killed, sometimes in hospital. One day we READ {:
"Kutsehke the popular poet of the 10th Regiment Is
said 10 have been wounded az the toing OF spicheren
But few DAYS after we surprised by receiving
brand-new Kutschke song. dated from before hetz.
The 10th was still there and 20 that regiment hunerens
of letters were addressed to FGseer Kutschke, many
containing
societies Among the many presents were meefschauin
mines nj least one gold watch and 1t is said an Offer Of
marriage from rich German lady The reSmenta author
tiles at last began look earnestly about for kutscnke
whose letters and presents threatened soon to I'LL up an
entire baggage wagon. The heutenant-eoioneb Noh
Reinicke asked the captains who Kutschke was; the
capains passed the question to the eorpOrs the cor
ncras 10 the privates but answered TO the name
OF " Kutscbke" On the DIST Of October, then, Won
Reneke addressed letter to the Burgomaster OF Frank
enberg in Saxony, who had taken great Interest In
Kutschke informing him. and Germany, that he had I'M
fo tunatey not able 10 find the poetuseer in his
regiment and the conclusion that he "did not
exist in the regiment" This a damper. Neverhe-
less Kutschke was by dead. KiadderGdatSch
announced in large type that Kutschk the Fuseer had
been engaged for its columns and certainly to that
journal must be given the credit of bringing ont real
good Kutsehke-songs, some Of which. written In true
Kutschke style, gained great popularity The kaddera
daeh Rutschke was also full Of original ideas. One day
the Fuseer was bivOuaekDg, after the battles around
Metz and his under officer asked him, what think you
Kutschke what sort OF government shall the French
have in futurei" Kutsebke bethought himself for mo-
nent then drew piece OF chalk out of his pocket and
made large upon the back of his knapsack some
thing in the following STYLE $50, that's it, he SAID
after the drawing had been
:r,,,;ao,. or,oons completed. "But what does
:-l- that meant" asked the under
bourbon Louis. Oficeri" A." Look you" said
Kutschke, pointing to the dia
gram there you have the whole rottis, Herr Underof
GER When We have taken all that is due to us before
God and men, then Bismarck makes two strokes across
the map which properly done makes four quarters In
the one corner VIC put the Republicans in the other the
family Of Louis Philippe, the third quarter falls to the
Rourbons and In the fourth Nap. and his family re-
nain tell you then the French will fight among them
selves until they eat another mp and hen Germany
will have some rest from them" Kutschke was pro
phet.
Tn the meantime voluminous Kutschke literature
.prang I'D, and additions thereto even now con
stantly being made. Several writers declared that
Kutschke was myth plagiarist Some old veterans
could remember the first two Lines 1.-THE spirit OF the
whole song having been sung by the Germans IN the
days Of the old Napoleon while on the other hand
there sprang mp various sides modern claimants TO
sbe honor of having composed song The first claim
ant was private soldier named Hoffman,, and he had
the benefit Of having his claim Endorsed by julius
Krethor the editor Of the NederScheSiSche Zettuag
sG0rtz). Hoffnann's portrait gained place in the
IlssSrrts Zcitang and in the Eee Bldt, accompanied
by fun biographical particulars. Hoffman,, 1t was de-
eIare was born on the nth of November, 1884, in the
village OF See Niesky in the Prussian Oberausitz
where his father schoOlteachcr and the poet Gel
egenheitsdchter) Of the whole neighborhood. Young
Uafmann inherited some talent for versemakfng, and
became very popular at marriage festivities and similar
occasions In 1896 he private in the 4eth Regiment
of Infantry When he returned from the Austrian cam
ps gn he found his father, who carried on little colport
are business together with his school, unable TO work.
indeed he soon died. leaving young HOFFMAN, his
littIe business, from which he supported his
mother. In July, 1870. he was called In to
his reglaent and was wounded through the upper jaw
nj sedan He returned home and at first nursed in
a hospital al Wolmstedt, where he was spoken to by
Breslau ents whom he impaired the secret that he
was Kutsehke The dentist Axed bis teeth for nothing
and sent him rejoicing homeward There he fell into the
Herr KTeihor whom he convinced that ne was
showed him his diaries &C., on when ne u.s.
s1s his claim ~ the authorship OF the Kntsehke song