Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-06
THE EVENING STAR.
All SOULS DAYIS MUNICH. R4-
T4RF3.

TER-ANoTHER FAMOUS BURIAL PLACE.
Editor SARA recent letter from Ross Tur-
to relative in this city, contains the follow
ing description OF All Souls Day in Munich. IL
you should consider the article worthy of q
place n The STAR, you would confer favor b.
publishing it. T.
/ never fully realize that feeling of
reverence With which the Catholic people OF
Bavaria seem TO hold ''Au Saints" and the
next following one IAN Souls Day. until this
to my notice. As was passing the "Ceuri
Church of st. Michael met friend who was
just coming out; he remarked upon the beauty
Of the music in the requiem, now nearly ended
l entered, and one of the first things that at
tracted my attention was a magnificent cata-
falQue in the center OF the church, which was
blazing with lights SO that me black velvet pail
and flowers were quite lost In the glare and
made spectacle of deep interest. The solemn
organs tone reSounded through the church
again and the choir began the ..Lachrymosa
in that gTandeSt hymn of all ages, the Dies
Ifae."
.Lacbry mosa dies lila,
gua resurget ex fayIlla
JudiCandus homo reus"
Tie strains of solemn music-croWds of de-
vout worShippers-the faint odor OF incense
that intense feeling for the dead-eyen tbe Old
dusty. time-worn tombs. before which lights
were buin ming, and hung with funeral wreaths,
impressed me TO an extraordinary degree. The
services being brought to close a procession
OF priests, roDed in black, left the altar and pro-
ceeded to the royal vaults Immediately be-
hea'h. ny Sta1rWayS on either side. These stair
way are closed by slabs of stone and are never
opened except once in each year. or to receive
the remains OF those entitled by divine right or
blood to rest here. | followed the crowd,
think about thirty feet square, with low cell
fng had nothing at all remarkable in its APP
pearance. 1t was Illuminated with numerous
lights, and number of the Kings body guard
were present as guard OF honor. l can hardly
imagine more striking costume than thelrs-a
white coat deliberately embroidered In light
golden pDanlpfS n
upon which is the Kings arms In gold and a
superb white plume hanging down the back;
light biue pantaloonS, and high riding boots
they stood In dazzling relief from the dust and
| mold of even this royal vault glance around
gave to my eyes rather novel sight can
assure you. On either side was a collection OF
cofflns, large and small, some covered with in
Scrptions ana decorations. and should iudo-e
them 10 be made OF lead; one of them was evi-
IDENTITY or the Rocco style. and was especially
noticeable. over the whole was thrown a nall
WHICH was here and there lifted to show grin
nlhg skulls, while at the head was an immense
cushlon, upon which rested the crown and re-
gala, and Wreaths and garlands of flowers, all
effect would have been fine
Here rests one OF the Old I" ku.fursts" whose
name has long passed from the memories OF
most men Although this coffin was several
centuries Old there was no perceptb.e differ
ence from
TIE COFFlSS OF EUGENE BEAUHARNOIS AND HIS
the daughter Of Macmillan. ,]oSepb tho 1st
who died in 1921, l believe. In the church
above is a magnificent monument to Thovwal-
QIen, erected to his memory by the present en-
press OF Brazil. In this vault rests many of the
hurfursts OF Bavaria with their families, the
most OF them quite forgotten. William the 5th
alone escapes the fate-his monument is the
| splendid church itself. Among all this great
company OF departed grandeur, the son OF a
French planter, Eugene Beauharnois. comes in
| Tor the greater share OF notice, and why? Be-
cause Napoleon married his mother: such is
lame me iounded upon circumstances.
Inc crowd pass Slowly on In silence: DaSS the
| rows OF leaden collins from one OF a later date
buried In flowers and brilliant with many lights
10 some little baby prince, who died ever aud
| ever so many years ago, whose parents are here
| 100 as wei as generations then unborn The
throng looked In cold curiosity upon all this
ana Tead on the tablets in the wall the names
ana tiI lies AS went up into the sunlight
WHICH EllS the church, thought that
CREMATION WAS BETTER
than Inc way they did ii beneath-an urn con-
tanning Tie ashes OF a King or duke would be
| latich more lnterestln%t0 look upon than those
| long leaden boxes with the same amount OF
| royal dust.
then went down to the church which con-
Jams the remains OF two OF the dead kings OF
baValla, Max Joseph. the 1St. and Macmillan,
| The "a. (Ludw1g the 1St lies in the magnificent
| Basilica OF st. Boniface, which he built during
ms Ieignl The royal vault in this church is
| quite small, nothing remarkable in It's appear
dnce-ra1Sed few inches from the floor, and
| behind gateway in a sort OF 4 bake-oven aper-
lure are the collins OF Max Joseph the LIST, aud
| by the Duke OF Marlborough at the battle of
Bndieim, Or B1enheim. July 2lst. 1901. am
certain, from their portraits, that neither of
CheSe gentlemen ever occupied less space while
living than they do at the present time and /
can further say that many Of our merchant
princes nave more comfortable and elegant rest
ing places than these two most illtlStriouS OF
the powerful and wealthy house of WittelSback
These kings were too wise to spend Immense
sums on vaults, but left behind greater monu-
ments in the way OF permanent benefits for
their people. Above, in one of the side chapels.
is the tomb of the much loved Macmillan the
70 HIS remains rest In an elegant sarcoph-
aguS, which was literally covered by loads OF
wreaths, palms and flowers. Tall wax candles
in golden candlesticks, shed a soft glow over
the whole. At the same time the widowed
queen was praying before it, with a sad heart
no doubt, for he was an excellent father to his
family as well as king to his people.
Towards evening went to
THE GREAT SOUTHERN CEMETERY,
the g Gottesacker." Here was a spectacle which
aStonished me more than anything had seen.
me vast interior was one mass of floral and
olner decorations, In many cases covering the
entire lot besides-which are not as large as
with us generally-a whole family will be buried
IN lot by feet. The burial place is bought
for term OF years. fourteen, I believe; If not
repurchaSed the tomb stones are removed and
The lot Iesold. Not grave Is dug but turns up
me IN, skulls, &C, OF the Munich forefathers. am
told the graves In the older part were ten times
deep. Here are beds and bowers of dollhouse
plants, garland and wreaths OF all colOrs shapeS
anu siLcs, NATURAL ana arJlcl2l. ana In addition
TO this display there are various colored lanterns
ana lights, fiickering like tropical firefies.
Among the green, and in strong contrast, the
various military monuments were gorgeous in
llags, festoOns, silk bands in the Bavarian and
German c0lorS. l cannot begin to tell you all
saw In j walk through only a very small portion
OF this great place-family vaults and chapelS
and before the affairs kneeling throngS of peo-
pie; tablets in the walls before which We're can
dies burning. and from vessels of holy water
the paSsers-by would sprinkle the graves be-
meath.
Here is Kauibachs grave, one OF the simplest
vet grand piece OF art. with a large tablet of
bronze, upon which q female figure typifying
art rises and scatters flowers on the grave
beneath. Upon the base Of polished black
marble Is his name Wilhelm Won kaulbach:"
simply his name nothing more is needed-the
great compositions ideas and thoughts ex-
pressed in his works have left behind him
greater monument than acres OF inscriptions or
shafts that would reach the clouds.
HOW BURIALS ARE MANAGED IN MUNICH
Not far from this grave is the Dead House,
sort OF morgue; but let me give you some idea
how they manage such things in Munich. When
one dies, person known as the corpse frau"
is notified, who at once takes possession Of the
body and arrangeS it for burial. Within three
hours the body must be carried to the dead
house, diSnal-looking house. When the pail
bearers arrive, OF the watchers, as they are