Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-10-04
A GREAT MONUMENT.
The Statue Commemorative Of The
German Empire Unveiled.
Imposing Ceremonies in Presence b
10000 Spectators.

The snifcation of Germany and the tl,ir4
1eent1 anniversary Of the taking Of Stasburg
was celebrated by the unveling Of the gigantic
sIa' ue Of Germania on the Niederwald, over
4 oHng the town Of Rudesheirn, on the Rhine.
For several days past immense crowds Of
visitors had been hocking to the MANY
surrounding towns in order to secure accom-
modatons Beside the very large army of
princes sHd princesses, the mayors Of Ham,
burs, Rremen and Lybeck, nearly every
PromSlent person connected with the military
and civic government Of the empire wera
Present, and each division of the German
amy was represented There were also
about 5000 members Of the Krieger Yerein,
1900 members Of various singing societies,
and 5000 Turner's. Outside Of these organize
tions the number of sightseers was placed at
about 25O,Oeo.
The villages and castles along the Rhine
were illuminated at night. and bonires and
blue lights were burned on all the heights.
In bemorning when the crowds and the
clubs marched out of the outlying towns,
with banners flying and bands playing, q
eayly decorated fotilla Of steamers shrieked
welcome to thzm from the river. The road
between the Niederwald and Rudesheim was
lined with the veterans and the various other
other societies during the passage Of the em-
peror, and thousands Of children, decorated
with garlandsof vine leaves, b7aring baskets
Of grapes and miniature wine casks greeted
him.
On arriving at the base of the statue the
emperor met and greeted nearly all the Ger
man sovereigns who gave their support to the
declaration of the empire. Prince Bismarck
was absent on account of illness and neither
hing Louis of Bavaria nor King Charles OF
Wurtemburg was present. The ceremonies
began about noon by the reading of poetic
address, followed by the performance Of
" Nun danket ale Gott by four military
bands, and an Grafton by the emperor, who
said
when Providence desires to signify its
viii with regard to mighty events upon the
earth it selects the time, countries and in
struments to accomplish its purpose. The
years 1870 and 1S11 were a time when such
purpose was indicated Our threatened
Germany arose in its love for the fatherland
as one man, and with the princes at the head
stood In arms as the instrument. The Al
mighty conducted these arms after sanguln-
ary conflicts from victory to victory, and
united Germany takes its place in the history
Of the world Millions of hearts have rSised
their prayers to God and given Him hu1nbla
thanks, praising Him for esteeming US worthy
of accomplishing His will. Germany to the
rem0test time desires to give constant ex-
preston to this feeling Of gratitude. In this
sense the monument standing before US was
erected. In the words spoken at the laying
of the foundaton-stone, words which my lat6
father, after the wars of liberation Of 1873 to
1915, bequeathed in iron TO posterity, dedI-
cate this monument: To the fallen a
memorial, to the living an acknowledgment,
to coming generations q source Of emulatcn-'
May God vouchsafe it 7
When the emperor had concluded Her Won
Schilling, the sculptor, pulled the silken cord
confining the folds of the banner, and the
splendid statue OF Germania was saluted by
salvos from the batteries at Bingen and on
the surrounding hills the ringing Of village
church bells the steam whistles of the hotiAa
in the river and the strains of the natl
anthem sung by the whole vast asseIT
ofReople.
The Crown Prince Frederick " -
bended knee seized and kissed the nm
hand, whereupon the father and son will
and kissed each other repeatedly,
mendous cheering Emperor VII
shook hands with General Won Mohosr4
After the ceremony the statue
spected by the emperor and all the
The emperor repeatedly expressed his tha-
to the committee having charge OF the fesl
val fer their excellent arrangements Upcs-
his return to Rudesheim the emperor met
with a hearty reception from the people, and
at the banquet drank to the prosperity OF the
town.