The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-26
RICHMOND'S GERMAN DAY.
The Celebration This Year Viii Be Very
General.
THE BIRTHDAY OF 4 CELEBRATED POET.
A sketch of the Life of Karl Theodor Koer-
ner-His Education, His Conrfship
and His sad Death.

will be celebrated on September I'D b. oil
tho Gernsn-American residents Of this city.
The first observance Of o German-day was IN
troduced last year. when il met with such
! great success that it was nc once apparent
that this celebration Of German interests on
American soil had come 10 stay.
This year the day selected for tho celebra-
ton gives additional importance TO the occa-
sion. The birthday Of Karl Theodor Koerner,
one Of Germany's most renowned p0eis. has
| been selected and the celebration viii not
only be that OF German-day but also com
memOratiOn .; the Ito and death q that
noble young hero. who in the bloody struggle
which Germany undertook in 1913 to tree
herself from tho yoke * the French usurpeT
sacrificed his heart blood for the sake Of bis
country.
Although little less than twenty-five years
old when he died On the battlefield. koerner
had already deeply enrooted himself IN tho
hearts OF his cOuntrymen, aud the whole IA
ton deeply mourned mis- untlmely death. IN
view of this fact it is not 20 be wondered ~
that the German Americans residing IA tlis
city are DESTROYS to pay their tribute % tho
memory of the fallen hero, brief review Of
whose life seems 10 be especially appropriate
to-day. being the anniversary OF MS death on
the field Of honor.
HIS LIFE.
Karl Theodor Koerner, the German patriot
aad poet was born az Dresden, SaXOny, on
september Z3. 1871 His father. prosperous
LAWYER, made his home in Dresden. a couir9
Of literary. musical and artistic society. and
was an intimate friend OF Schiller, one OF tho
greatest poets who ever lived. His mother.
q daughter OF copper-plate engraver named
Stock Of Leipsic. enjoyed Goethes friendship
through life and in her later years claimed II
for her son
Theodor Koerner was az first SO delicate
child, that his parents made the paternsl
vineyard the anne In which Schiller sat and
wrote Don Carlos a few years before-bis
summer schOol-roOm They prescribed FOR
lessons gymnastics, riding, swimming, fonc-
ing and the like TIL the delicate boy grew IN
% young athlete with q Joyous. atecUonato
disposition, which won the hearts ot all who
/ know him.
HIS EDUCATION.
Partly at the Kreuzschule at Dresden but
chiefly with private tutors at homo, hoerner
now studied languages history and Wath"-
MATES lie was an adept at various Knds OF
fine wood turning. could sketch and play the
guitar but his happest hours were spent
over the volumes OF Goethe and Schiller the
household gods and under their influence
the boy began to write verses which hls pa
rents tOrbore 10 praise but which displayed
even then much of the facility and grace OF
his later poems.
st the ago Of seventeen he went 10 the
school Of Mines in Freiberg. and worked
enthusiastically for two wears at mathematics.
mineralOgy and chemistry Tho poems be
wrote during tnat period we're collected and
published under the title Of hnOspen buds.
From fIeibery KO'F er went 20 tine University
OF LeipsIc. where tor some months lie stud
led philosophy, history and anatomy. ie
founded there o pOetical association and he
came a member OF the "Macarian and moro
than one student club, but he was unfortu-
natey drawn into the hOstilties then rife
between two parties IN the University. and,
after fighting several party duels, was az last
forced 10 leave the town to escape the results
of q street fray in which he took part
DRAMATIC WORK.
From Ieipsic he went to Berlin and then TO
Vienna with letters 10 his fsthar's old friends.
the Prussan ambassador. Won Humboldt, and
Friedrich Schlegel. Two little pieces which
he wrote for the stage. Die Br4ut and Der
grusuo Domino. were acted at the Vienna
Court Theatre in July. 1872. with great Sue
cess. and with the consent Of bis parents he
gave up all his former plans with tie hope of
being ablo 20 make 8 living by literature
alone His other works followed with
astonishing rapilty. In some fifteen months
appeared some dozen dramatic pieces and
the libretto of a few operas lDas FISCHER
Die Bergknappen) besides many snort
One after the other ali his plays were re-
ceiveG at the Vienna Theatre with applause
/rny founded on IN heroic incident IN Hun
carian history. Was the fayorts with thc pub
lie but Goethe praised Die Braut, Der gruone
Domino and Die Suehne. Ia January, 1913.
az tho age OF twanty-One hOeruor WAS ap-
poiuted poet to the Court Theatre "a Vienna
With the preparation Of the Ehrett0 If m
opera Die huOekkehr des jlysses, Tor beetho-
ven. and with writing printing and stage
preparGtiOns Of his plays the young poets
hands were now full very busy, and very
happy he describes himself IN his letters.
HIS BErEoTHAL.
His betrothal to young lady in Vienna
known now only "a tho Toni" If bis cores
pondence. was another source Of happiness
but this bright and promising career came
suddenly TO an end. In tho early spring of
1913 there wa published tho "fatherland's'
call % arms in tho struggle for liberation
and Koerner wls one OF the first 10 answer
the summons lie lett Jenna m March. and
at Breslau joined the Prussan FREQ corps
then forming the command Of LUetzow.
when the corps was solemnly conse-
Grated in tho village church at k0-
can a few days later, the service
was opened with chorale set O. KoerDer's
words. Dem Herrn Allen do Fhre" and
almost immediately afterwards. when Peters
dOrf was sent on mission 10 Dresden. 20 try
10 mite the SaxOns IN the common cause the
young poet WAS sent with him. and on this
occasion published his spirited prose- "Ad-
dress to the People If SaxoDy." Here hoor-
ner saw his parents and friends for tho last
time
MADE LIEUTENANT.
InApril he was made lieutenant by the vote
of his comrades and "a little later. having lett
the infantry he was made aiiutGnt 90 luet-
zow himself Al Kitten near Ieipsic, du-
ring the three weeks arinistice he was Sc
yerely wounded through the treachery ~ the
enemy. but after several adventures escaped
10 Carlsbad. where he remained until he was
well enough to resume his former post.
luetzOWs free corps was IN almost daily
action when the young adutaat was vel
coined back Fl cheerful zeal and self-deny-
ing heipfulness had endeared him - oil bis
comrades. and il was his wild war songs, sung
by many voices o. old National melodies
around the camp fires AT night that helped
10 spread that feryor IN the corps which made
il peculiarly terrible % the enemy. The
poems written by HIM az th's time are pub
lished under the title "Leyer una schwert
Theyincude the lines "Absc HE'D yOm i.eben.'
which were composed during the night when
he lay wounded in the wood b. Kitten.
The letters written by k0efner 10 his
parents at this time are tender and thought
iul. often filed with patriotic feryor, but with
now and then a ring of intense sadness which
forcbodes the end. This was very near His
last poem "D6s Schwertled' was scrubbed IN
mis- pocket-book al dawn on the 18th If