The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-20
IN FOREIGN LANDS.
germany and the German People
Relics of the Great German Re-
former Berlin.

If one would have respect and love for the
German people one must see them in their
homes in their fatherland. They are to-day
a glorious people, and next to the liberty
loving sons of America l honor them. l
had thought them cold and phlegnlatic, but
recently having occasion to travel in Ger
many l saw much Of the people, and not
only learned to esteem them, but to have
faith in their dignity as great nation. They
are self-respecting, pure-hearted and | val
Greater in body and mind than the French,
more sterling in heart, deeper in principle,
and almost as sympathetic. They are affec-
tionate and true in their domestic relations.
Gayer and not as cold as the Swiss, and
more refined than the English, they lack
only the taste of the French and Americans.
They are in sympathy with the Americans,
and when they hear English or German
spoken with an American accent they be-
come Immediately interested though the
English of the English people is distasteful
to them. | can never forget how pleasant
they made our recent journey through the
most interesting part of the country, from
the frontier of Switzerland through Stras-
bOhi 81 ldhhlOibt hdSuCOuiB W DtIilu, anu
coming back, down the Rhine to Cologne, as
far as Dusseldorf. 1t was an embd,rass des
richesse, and l wished so often that such an
effusion of beauty, such q refu.gence of splen-
dor might have been more long drawn out,
and have spread over years instead of days,
making beautiful bright spots through a life
time, instead of filling to repletion the space
OF some very short weeks. 1t was like the
examining process which doctors prescribe
for the starved body to build up worn tissues
for years of future service. 1t was like max
ing rich embroidered heavy silks and yelvets
OF shorter measure out of material enough for
yards and yards of silken filmy tissue, more
pleasing to the eye and quite as satisfactory.
We started on a cool May morning to join
party of hundreds of Alsatian pleasure
seekers at Strasbourg for Berlin. The route
was on the trail of the war march of the Ger
mans, past the battle grounds, near Weissen-
berg, OF Geisberg, Froschweiler, Elsass-
hansen and Worth. This section is studded
with monuments to the bravery of the Ger
man troops, under their gallant leader the
Crown Prince, afterward their beloved and
suffering Emperor. The French have also
been permitted to erect some monuments in
Tense Of their territory. We also passed
through Worms, the scene of part of Luz
theirs religious warfare We had an oppor-
tunity for a brief inspection of the monu-
ment to him there. which | think is, on the
whole, the most elaborate have ever seen
Its execution took nine years. 1t is COM
posed of a centre pedestal, surrounded by
seven smaller ones. On the centre pedestal
Is one OF bronze adorned with reliefs from
Luther's life, and medallion portraits of his
contemporaries, who took part in the Refor-
nation. On this stands Luther's statue in
bronze, twice the size of life In his left
hand he holds-a' Bible, on which his right
hand Is firmiy placed, while his face, radi-
ant withfaith, is raised to Heaven. AT the
corners are Huss, Sayonarola, Wycliffe and
Peter Waldus, precursors of the Reforma-
ton. On the side pedestals are Philip the
Generous OF Hessen, and Frederick the Wise
OF Saxony; at the back Melancthon and
Beucblln, and between these, on lower ped
estals, allegorical figures. Magdeburg mourn
ing. Augsburg making confession, Speyer
protesting, and between these figures are
the arms OF the twenty-four German towns
who first embraced the Reformation. All
these monuments and pedestals are built on
one very large raised square platform, and
present altogether a distinguished appear
ance. The old Cathedral in the next square
Is OF the 18th century, and is one of the finest
examples of k0manesque architecture in
Germany. 1t is very interesting to know
that the space in front of this Cathedral was
the scene of the quarrel between Brunhilde
and Chriemnilde for precedence, related
in the adventures Of the Niebelungenlied-
quite similar in spirit to those quarrels for
precedence carried on, sometimes, by our
Cabinet and society ladies in Washington,
but of course conducted in slightly differ
ent manner.
All along we found classic ground. Leay-
ing at Mayence the Rhine, "that glorious
river. for separate chapter on our home
ward journey, we halted at sunset in the fer
tile Walterau district, in the pretty city of
Hanau, at the confluence of the Kinzig and
the Main. The station here is large and
commodious, with pleasant little park at
tached, in which is fountain and well of
pure water. The several hundred passen-
gers alighted and ayailed themselves of the
time and opportunity to promenade, as we'll
as to refresh themselves at the well and
fountain, after good dinner, before an all
nights Journey, while some strayed away
to the city to seek the old home of William
and Jacob Grimm, the noted philologists.
The house is marked with an inscription on
a small marble tablet, like those over the
door Of Goethe's dwelling in Strasbourg, and
Weimar and Heine,s birthplace in Dussel-
dorf. The new part of the town was found
ed by Protestant exiles, who were denied an
asylum at Frankfort.
Some of our friends had felt solicitous
about our accommodations ON an excursion
train with so great number of passengers
but it was not a mixed company, and the
railroad officials had furnished ample accom-
modations for all. We had car by our
selves during the day, and at night splen-
did chance to. sleep, never being disturbed
dUOut Jul blChcbo VI Will ptOplt tultIlUR blt
car nor by conductors and porters passing
through; so we realized nothing except, at
half waking intervals, glimpses of beautiful
scenery, family visible by the pale light of
the moon. How early it was in those, so
early dawning days, when we awoke do
not know, but it was in a bower of violets,
forget-me-nots, lilacs and blossoms of every
kind, fragrant as breath from "Araby."
1t was the station of Nordhausen, railroad
centre-but we only halted for few mo-
mt and and hnr nff oh al.
hour | should think, we stopped at half past
four for breakfast and toilet at the large
station of Sangerhausen, where we had a
lively scene for about half an hour. Quad
rupled lines of tables filled up the space
loaded with plates piled with rolls and
improyised toilet accommodations and the
cool morning hour with the good hot coffee
restored all to strength and vigor. At ten
we were to arrive in Berlin. Magdeburg
was not far ahead, and in few moments
we passed the little nesting village of Mans
feldt where Luther lived so long and went to
school, We could hardly see space enough
In 1t for the two thousand inhabitants said
TO compose it. 1t has high castle above
the town restored from ruin of the count of
Mansfeldt, an old but extinct family of Ger
many. Luther's father moved from Eisleben
and engaged in mining here. - l. 1897 is
above the door. The same school which
Luther attended still exists Scarcely was
.AohoACiup Out VI ol6us Wucu VIC saw Glolo-
ben. at little. distance, the place where
Luther was born. 1t is of about the
same size as Mansfield. There is
bronze statue of Luther here unveiled
in 1883 on the four hundredth anniver-
sary OF his birth, the church opposite con-
tains the pulpit from which he preached and
before 1t, is the house to which he came
back to die, marked by a tablet. Another
church here contains the font in which
Luther was baptised, also fragments of his
cloak and leather skull cap. This section of
Germany is full Of "reminiscences of Luther's
life and works, many of which are passed on
our homeward route. At Wittenberg, one of
cradles of the Reformation may be seen near
the Station the oak which marks the spot
where Luther burned the "Papal Bulp' and
in court near by his house in which are
various belongings of his, also his statue
near by bearing the inscription, lists Gottes
Werk, so wird bestehn: SIS Menschen Werk,
wird's untegehn" Qf it be Gods work it will
endure, if mans it will perish). Farther on
In the Schlosskirche are some metal doors
which bear the original text of the" Theses"
the former wooden doors having been
burned at the time of q b0mbardment in
l760. There is statue of Melanchthon
here also. The Thuringian Forest Is very
interesting region, where is situated Eisen-
ach and its surroundings. which are very
picturesque. In the Luther Platz here, is
the mouse In which Luther is said to have
lived with the famous Scotia" family, the
house In which Bach the musical composer
was porn is also here in the Frauen PlatZ
Preller the painter and Fritz Reuter- the Low
German Poet were also born here. but the