New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-20
FERDINAND FREILIGRATH.
THE REPUBLICAN POET OF GERMANY.

Stuttgart, on saturday, Jne lotn lnst. MS
death must have been very sudden, as there had
been no previous report Of his illness. In him Ger
many loses the last of what her critics call the
Epigonen-the immediate successors of Goethe Schil-
Ter and the other literary heroes Probably no poet
since Schiller has excited q deeper personal interest
among his people, or so closely identified himself
with their needs hopes, and desires. Much OF their
recent history, in fact is reflected in the circum-
stances of his life.
Freilicrath was born on the 18th of June. 1910,
in the little town OF Deimold, at the foot OF the
mountain where the colossal monument to Hermann
was dedicated last Summer. Doubtless somewhat
of the vigorous, defiant blood of the ancient Che
ru.ci flowed in his VEINS and the first air he breathcd
was filled with traditions of freedom. Leaving
school at the age Of Is, lie entered mercantile eS
tablishment in the town of Soest where he remained
six years, and there made the acquaintance OF
Grabbe a poet of mach eccentric, unbalanced power
who greatly stimulated his native passion for
poetry II? spent five years in Amsterdam as
the agent of a clearinghouse, three in Darmen,
in Rhensh Prussia. IN similar capacity
and then, in 1889, renowned business in order to
devote himself wholly to literature. His early po
ems, published in newspapers and ANIMALS, had by
this time attracted much notice. and the hearty
commentator of ChamissO, the author of = Peter
Schlemihl" procured for them sudden popularity.
were new to the public. The Romantic School was
then triumphant and Frciligrath took his position
on its "cxtrcme left" He betrayed tho influence OF
Victor Hugo but it combined with fresh, orig
inal vigor and rare faculty of seeming to wroak
his whole nature upon u congenal theme. Such
poems as the "Lon-RJe," 1.-THE Shekh at Sinai"
and the Revenge of the Flowers" wero hailed in
Germany as a new and welcome addition to litera-
ture. Even his "Iccand-MOss Tea" and The
Skating Negrop one OF which prosaic and the
other grotesque found equal admiration, in spite OF
The protests of a few alarmed critics. Freigrath
settled first in Darmstadt whore, In lS42 the King
of Prussia conferred upon him pension or 500
thaers year his acceptance of which gave great
ofcnse to the suppressed Liberal Tor rather Repub
CAM party in Germany, who claimed the poet as
their own For two years he was subjected TO mis-
trust and bitter abuse and doubtless also to secret
and incessant persuasion. BY the end of the year
1914 these influences brought about a most uneX-
pected crisis
Fregrath had taken a wfe-a lady of Weimar
who, as a child, had been caressed and blessed by
Goethe-and was living at ST. Goar or the Rnine
Several of his poems had been suppressed by tho
Government Censor at Cologne bat tho law of that
day permitted the publication of volume without
previous censorship, provided it contained pre-
scribed number of sheets although 1t might 6e pro
hibited afterward Such volume. entitled Poems
Il
Freiligrath,' suddenly appeared in Mayence, and
provision had been successfully made for 's dis
tributon that several thousand copies were sold
before the Government was able to interfere. The
author aware of the consequences of his act, was
already safe in Switzerland. Tho sensation pre-
duced by the volume throughout Germany was
great but not of the kind anticipated. Frei!igrath
and his friends were almost certain that it wonld.b
the tocsin of an immediate revolt but the poems 1t
contained were cries and protests, not plans OF
action 1t is doubtful indeed, whether his self-ban
ishment would have been necessary, bat for eight
quite superluous lines at the close, wherein
he says At Assmanshausen, IN tho Crown Ia
hotell write this book against a crown" The Gov
eminent Journals made good uso of these words as
confession of treason. and no less of ingrattude,
after the author had received the kings pension for
two years.
The writer of this sketch became acquainted with
Freilgrath Immediately after his flights from Ger
many He was living in a farmhouse by the Lake
of Zurich waiting but in state OF evident disap-
pointment and depression for some new change o.
fortune He was then thiTty-iiyc years Old and r.
markedly handsome in spite of tendency to cor
pulency He was of middle hight, large chestcd,
with a massive but rounded head, abundant chest
nut haIr, smooth, open brow, and a pair OF unusn-
ally large and luminous hazel eyes. lis voice was
very mellow and agreeable, and his manners eX-
pressed both heart and refinement. lie had Just re-
ceived an invitation from some Germans IN WIS
copsn and seemed tempted to accept it, A
wear or two afserward Longfeow, who had
made his acquaintance at st. Goar in 1872,
strongly urged him to come TO the United
States, and he would have finally coni-
piled. but for the breaking ont Of the Revolu-
ton of 1913 which suddenly restored him to Ger
many and 70 an active participation in the political
upheayal He became one of the LEADERS of a strong
republican movement in Dusseldorf ald aimed to DO
the K6rDer of new war of liberation. HIS songs
were shot like fiery arrows throughout the length
and breadth of the land. and kinlled wherever they
struck. The Government was at first poweross to
interfere but q poem presently appeared" me
TaIlen an de Lebeadaa"" The Dead 10 the Living -
which challenged notice by its fierce arraignment ci
the Prussian monarchy. lie was arrested, lmprls-
oned tried by the first jury in Germany which over
decided political case, and acquitted amid the en-
thusiastc rejoicings of the people. He then took
part In establishing newspaper the Neae Rhe'hsche
Zcitang (Ner RAsai5h Gazette in Cologne, and main
tanned his position there until 1881, when the grow
ing reaction forced him into a second exile
FreIligrath now established himself in London,
where some Of his friends procured for him sltua
ton as director of branch of the Bank OF SWitzer
land His salary was small, and he was barely able
TO live simply in modest cottage at Hackney ana
educate his three sons and two daughters. Many
American and German friends will remember his
cheerful home, the frank, large-hearted host and
the refined and graceful hostess who never lost faith
ia the freer future of their fatherland. ewas kindly
received by tho English authors on his arrivals but
William and Mary Hewitt were his only intimate
friends among them. His literary activity during