The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-25
GERMAN WAR LITERATURE
Songs-Literary Curiosities-A Historian In
Prison-Turning It to Good Account-Com-
plimentary Letters Of German Swans
- to the Emperor Napoleon Found
at the Tuileries

COLOGNE, March %, 1871.
l. Cast up by the food Of exciting events upon, In
some respects, quieter shore, the thoughtful man
Will naturally glance around to see what treasures
have been deposited by the foamlng waves upon the
"sands OF timer
1t often happens, In days of tumult and Of STRIFE
that the impulsve thrill given by universal enthu-
to the minds Of men has produced literary re-
suits which have endured long after the fire and.
fever battle have passed into the cold and silent
regions OF death ana oblivion. The present war, as
involving vast patriotic sentiment, has produced
universal mental activity in Germany. and now. that
one has breathing time 1t is not unlnteresttng to-
glance at some Of the results. will not speak Of
journalistic efforts, because, though great in Them
selves, they would seem but pigmy beside the stu
pendous American achievements Of that kind. but
| OF other literary abors-
Is, OF course the most natural and brilliant spark
struck out from the enthusiasm Of q patriotic war
ana the war songs OF Germany have not failed to
| attract much remark during these months OF fer
| mentation. The foremost novelty Of course was
that perpetual .WaIch on the Rhinen fatal watch
| for the French giving them ito doulouyeur)-a
| watch that marked the "Oursn upon the RHINE
with vengeance It is full of the real martial
enthusiasm, that ..soldierly spritn which Mendels-
sohn admired in the "Figlia del Regimento. " that
we cannot but feel certain creeping sensation at
| its sound.
'sThere came little Frenchman," is another,
| which will long find an echo In Teutonic hearts.
Then the Fatherland love songs OF old Father Arndt
have been so freshly Illuminated and popularized
that they strike another set OF children OF thug
war; Time was when these songs were not 80,
| favored IN arstocrat1c quarters. Some years ago,
/ when the crown Prince OF Prussia and vari.
/
Arndt was visiting the place, and an
nve ssra as pnees to n dinner
| up jumped the old patriotic songmonger and began
to sing one Of his ellusions. The young anstocrats
were displeased, and at one OF the most emphatic
| verses made noise to drown Arndt's voice. The
worship Of fatherland was not then considered
upon them, and instead Of Stopping did quite the
verse, for he sang the verse over again. Now
mans fatherland is roared by ten thousand throas
in portentous chorus and to lnterruptlng IT, they
would as soon think OF trying to stop the lowing Of
The famous KutschKe's song, what Rpstles SO IN
M oe much
Wandering q the Soul" gives translation Of ii
ballad itself is IN the vulgar STYLE but here 1t Is to-
be found in Hebrew, Greek, sanscrit, Hero
glyphic. PersepoIitan, Cuneiform, Arabic, Polish,
dialect Of Europe. The antiquity of this ballad and
to have excited interest ana inquiry. it appears
that it was sung by German soldiers long ago; put
orm be9 peased w the ms
ricd it to his commanding officer, who promulgated
| and preserved It, But is II not characteristic OF
| German literaH to give 1t In Therapeutics? Al
learned education, they seem to consider gives you
the advantage Of being able to render anything uni
Ineligible Another curious literary display 1s ar
invitation from Frederick BarDarossa to all the cities
Of Germany to join in the victory rejocings, writer
ago. Barbarossa's talk was barbarous; bur nc
matter. Here he is, stopping above ground for 6Ol
ing all whom 1t may concern to JON In the jubiled
| now the mighty matter Is accomplished. N
oa Be the % Franz p
Onence and Defence" tine last edition containing d.
pretty ballad IN the vulgarmthe very vulgar.tonyu
mus Wards English must to German. Its nam,
might be translated as 20 Granny He is Dead.
| The grandmother Is supposed to be comforting he
granddaughter who thinks the flaming Northeri
Lights bad omen. AS they speak the postwar
cOmes:-
w. He puts letter in her hand;
She turns il DER and DER Ill
"Thats not his writng-I know why y. II
sr ia sFs sstsn o:4 {. # s5ss She throw"
The ie stan lSlls be seTn ds u nsr lap.
HISTORIAN PRIsoNBx OF WAR:
Fontane. the Wen known .hodern German hist,
rian has contributed his orIght mite to the W. III
literature OF the day, thoas not quite IN the manne
In which he intende1i. He had written the war u
1866, and determining to add that OF 1870 to nil
WORKS ne po.dly set forth TO the seat OF war Ia
autumn. However, he was not destined to see Il
signts " meant; for, making little excursion
octoaer from Ioul TO Dommery, he was Caught an
Visited Lyons Besancon Maoullns, POtiers ar
| Marennes, alter which he was lodged In the lslar
| seat OF war, he had to describe places where WI
had not yet seated itself at all. 1t was disagreeabl
troubles with great good humor and played
| part or "a chile amang 'em takin' notes' vel
ms has now prSSaes ne s S5J Rar S
| "A War Imprisonment Experienced, 1870"
| countrymen are much pleased with the amusir
| little work, which contains many characterize
called "A True Idyll" 1t is perhaps. lucky-b
cause now II Fontane wants to write the history
| the war he can always look at the papers; al
meanwhile he has secured his imprisonment, al
| made good thing out OF II.
| AS side-long contribution to these works we m;
reckon the Letters OF German Swans to Napolef
ILL.," which the Steele took out OF the Tuilerd
papers, and which nave just appeared In n
'Prussian Annual" Their iattering zone seer
rather against the German grain just mol
appear I after his defeat and I'D deposin
something like dance after the music has sloppe
Speaking Of his own translation of the Lille
Casar,n Rlschel says that he did not think he vi
working for the bookseller, but for the imperial
because he, without doubt is the clevercst, the bq
informed and most genial Of all princes OF the pt
and most influential OF all rulers OF the present hn
but because he has shown himself thorough sag
rich In mind and accomplished in style; therefore
feel for him, in this occupation, as much sympat
as admration.r Perhaps these learned authors m
now feel their praise u little neavy Tor tnemSeiv
Truly, compliments TO crowned heads ought TO
written In sympathetic ink, which should fade vii
the crown fades and when it falls become altoget
Invisible.
The pastor E. Scheyzer publishers "Pctu
and Impressions from Eight Weeks Service as
Field Preacher In the Summer OF 1870" He CIV
Interesting details about the demeanOr OF the g
man soldiers In an enemy's land, and about
work done BY the order OF the Jcsuits.
The connection between the various operations
the war Is shown In o valuable work by Pruss
artillery officer. whose post at one Of the chief b
works on the Rhine kept him quiet while 9th
were fighting. His "War Of l670-7lv Il coming
In parls. Illustrated with maps and pans