Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-02-11
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Aspects of German Life.

The glow of enthusiasm with which
the English traveller revisits in middle
life the Germany of his youth-writes an
Englishman from Germany--is apt to
fade after some months experience.
From the more tourists point OF view |
find extraordinary improvements, hotels
being far In advance of those familiar to
ME twenty and even ten years ago, and
much more comfort being attainable
with only moderate increase in charges;
from an aesthetic point OF view the
change is no less great and commend
able. Twenty years ago Germany was
perhaps the worst.dressed milton in
Europe, tho long coats, muillers and
long hair Of the men, the dowdiness OF
the women, being proverbial. All this
is Of the past. Very great attention is
now paid by both sexes and oil ranks to
personal appearance, while o general
Increase of well-being, better food and
hygicnic arrangements are telling upon
the good looks as well rs physique of
the rising generation. An infiltration OF
French manners us well as OF French
taste is to be detected everywhere,
while not few wholesome, practical
notions have been gathered from our
selves. This is rs il should be, and If
we, for our part, would learn lesson or
two from our Teutonic neighbors in mat
tiers OF thrift, contentcdness and also
ethics il would do us good. Here peo-
Pile are not materialized by great wealth,
and although in our eyes German re-
spect OF titles and military rank may
seem over-weening, the general contempt
Of money, merely as money, has some
thing fine about it, Tho golden calf is
not worshipped on German soil. Learn
ing, official, military and professional
positions are paid supreme court to.
Small means and modest style of living
are not held in degradation. People
who live sparingly, or, as We say, stiugi-
", are not ashamed OF the fact and are
not socially Inconvenience by it, as
among ourselves. In Germany il is the
man, the mensch, the ipeseR, that is held
in honor, not the fine things in this
world which lends him fictitious splen-
dor. In what other country in the world
is the professor, the teacher and tho
savnnt held In such esteem?
German teachers have recognized
position in society, and that respect is
paid to the instructed which is then
due. Again, take the uncompromisinl
self-denial exercised by German met
and women in daily life. French people
are as rigidly economical, but, while lay
ing by for their children or for old age,
always contrive to enjoy the present.
What French people, even in humber
ranks OF life, spend ON eating and drink
ing is enormous. Doubtless such good
fare and good wine have much to do with
their amiability and high spirits; but
the Germans cannot afford to have q
single extravaganza, and only indulge in
intellectual pleasures. The national love
of music, literature and the drama is the
bright side of life. And there is yet one
more lesson we may learn from our Ger
man neighbors-namely, discipline, the
incubation of duty, the almighty
"Phicht, " before which every German
child is taught to bow. 'Phicht9 is
taught in the schools as regularly as A
&c, and is taught after the sternest
fashion in life Not only the young re.
cruit learns ii during his three years en-
forced military service, but the man of
pleasure, the inoHensive citizen, the
head of family in every phase of his
existence. Were an Englishman sub
jected to all the police regulations and
state interference hemming round Ger
man, he would find life intolerable. This
discipline, therefore, however much we
may admire ii from one point of view,
and however valuable we have seen it MS
an element Of nations success, has q
dark side, and leads us to consider the
drawbacks of German social life gener.
ally.
There can be no doubt whatever that
the German individually is disciplined
and taxed to death, and that Socialism
so-called is but another name for wide
spread, deep-rooted discomfort. The
limitation put upon speech and express
sion OF opinion must be felt as real
grievance, while the result is caution,
we might almost call it timidity that
particularly strikes an English mind.
Nobody ever seems to think of yentilat.
ing a public nuisance in q newspaper,
and, alike in the case OF social and poll
teal expressions, there is no safety;
valve OF unlimited protest and discus
sion. All this seems to us strange in q
country possessing constitutional
Government and nominally free press
Frenchmen wear their hearts on theii
sleeve, but cautionnot unmixed with mis-
trust, is leading Characteristic of tn,
German. 1t is very difficult to get
fair question fairly answered that ha
reference to any important social o
political matter. No one talks readil
ON the subjects that are most interest
ing to foreigner, and. as rule, h
must Judge for himself instead c
trusting to information gained frol
others.