Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-01
EisE GERMAN NOBILITY.
Something About the vOns and tn
iSurOn>.
From the London s,andard.l


In England we are so accustomed to see
commoners suddenly elevated into thc
pccrage, and peers imtermarrying with
untitled ladies', that there is risk of for
getting how widely different is the way i'll
which such matters are regulated Ill Ger
many. There, counts and barons are 80
numerous that Prince Windischgratz con-
sidered that mankind should not be emu
merated below the rank of Freiherren.
But this very multiplicity of titled per-
sons, whose sons and daughters are also
title-bearers, not to speak Of the legion
of ''vons" who have the "status of no.
bllity," makes the sovereign, chary of in
creasing the overlooking ranks of "Adel. "
A chemist like Liebig, publisher like
Tauchnitz, Il tailor like Stulz, or iinnn-
cier like Bleichroder may be ennoblel by
their sovcreigns, yet they never take their
places among the older nobility, as a bar
ber's son, a successful brewer, or fortu-
nate general does in England. This is
owing to the fact that ON the disruption
of the old empire there were more than
three hundred princes absolute sovereigns
in their own territories, aud thousands of
counts, barons, and free knights who ex-
ercised authority more uncontrolled than
any European king now dares or cares to
claim. In some villages of "Hajduken'
every person was noble and in the Hara
n certain Baron Grote reigned over sin
gle farm, the smallness of his kingdom
being no bar to his Highness's receiving
Frederick the Great with fraternal EN-
brace, exclaiming, "Voila deux souver-
aims qui Sc reconrent"
We have all heard Of Pumpernickel
and Humbourg- Schlippenschoppen. But
no burlesque of the little German SOW
ereignties of a century ago could exceed
the ludicrous character of the originals
Ms described by Strautz, Nehse, and Won
Schreckenstein, or in the kmore amusing
pages of Barring Gould. For instance,
the Sovereign Count of Limburg-S tyrum-
Wilhelmsdorf, in Franconin, maintained
a standing army OF colonel, nine infe-
rior officers, and two privates. He also
published his COitTt Gazette, and insti-
tuted an order of knighthood in his tiny
realm and Karl, Count of Salm- Grum.
bach, kept open table, was attended by
lords and ladies' in waiting, Hajduks, and
Moors had court band, miniature
| Versailles, and body guard OF six men,
with two drummers and tifer. But
every one of these princes or their des-
cendunts jealousy cherishes his pride OF
descent, and would not willingly permit
any infringement of the understanding
arrived at after the close of the Holy Ro
man Empire. Since the surrender of the
imperial crown by Francis H. there hav,
been no fresh creations Of the old ordel
of Freihcrren and when courtships hay,
been accorded, these honors have beer
merely steps i'll precedence for men al
ready noble. 1t is, therefore, very i'm
probable that the institution OF Il new
duke would be agreeable to the prou,
princes Of Germany, who, MS we have nj
ready said, only consented to the mos
famous of modern Germans being Gale,
Prince when the title was hedged aroun,
VITA many qualifications. They nigh
possibly permit Inn the rank of "Hei
zog zu"-Duke in-which is very dit
ferent matter from "Herzog von"-Dak
of-though the French edition OF til
'Almanach de Gotha' does not take exaC
cognizance of the distinction when
: makes each of the English princes an
princesscs Dukes and Duchessos Of Sa,
ony. They are, like all the Ernestir
princes and princesses, Dukes anl Duel
esses in Saxony, the possesslve title, if
ia the right of any one, belonging to IL
reigning sovereigns of the family. H.,
ever, even should the difficulties in
, way of Prince Bismarcks elevation to
| dukedom he unsurmouutablo, we do n
: see shat it matters greatly. The ne
! rank might or might not admit of h
, sons marrying into sovereign familie
? But it would make himself not one VIII
I more distinguished for the name
Bismarck Schoenhausen will live lor
after most of the German principaliti
have merged into the Kingdom of Pru
sia, and have been forgotten by the out
!. world.