Omaha daily bee., 1891-10-04
KASSEL In GALA ATTIRE.
Thoughts Suggested by Witnessing a Re-
view of the Eleventh Army Corps,
TRADITIONS OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE,
What william III. Looks Like to
American Eyes "In Time of
Peace Prepare for War"-Mem-
cries of the Fatbcrland.

TO HE BRB, l-Ino TRADITIONS OF the present
German empire rest mainly upon the good
generalshiP Of its greatest rulers and the
warlike abilities Of its people. The unity OF
Germany has been secured only with CEN
turtles Of stubborn fighting by soldiers
drilled into rigid discipline. And no one can
BIO longin Berlin without having this mill
tary basis OF the imperial government wildly
impressed upon his mind. Everywhere are
monuments TO military heroes, bronze statues
of armored kings or leaders, streets and
squares bearing namos famous in the annals
OF war. Here in Germany those members
OF the reigning family who have carried the
Prussian flag to victory form the center Of a
popular halo. They are the principal charac-
ters with whom the historian has to deal and
the princes Of the royal family take pride in
stimulating the interest in their illustrious
ancestors.
The military basis of the Pruss ian state
grounded by the Great Elector, came into full
being under Frederick III. Great in war,
he was almost equally great in peace and left
many monuments Of his activity in both
fields. These are for the most part concen-
trated about Potsdam, already before his
lime the royal residence. Potsdam, with its
$1,000 Inhabitants, now reached after an
hours ride by rail from Berlin, was Of COM
paratively more Importance than now, whom
Frederick drew up with his own hands the
outline plans Of his Sans Souci palace.
Though there is a whole cluster OF royal cas-
ties in the noighborhood, as well as one in
the center of the city itself, Sans Souci is
the most interesting of all, and consequently
attracts the greatest attention from
visitors. 1t is a one-story structure just at
fha 1rlCf nf a LDpll mud pDnfnanHip a hnanti-
full view of the environs. The gardens are
laid out in elaborate terraces and dotted with
statues and fountains. The centre of the
building is flanked bytwo symmetrical wings
In true classic style. The rooms are still
maintained as used by it's early occupants.
The apartment formerly assigned to Vol
taire is richly furnished and the walls decor
ated with handsomely painted wood carving.
In the other rooms the walls are hung with
paintings by artists, mostly French, contem-
porary with Frederick III. Among things
shown are his desk, his favorite edition of
Voltaire's works and other books. Frederick
was so far influenced by his leaning toward
everything French that In writing his own
will he preferred that language to his native
tongue. Here, too, is displayed the identical
clock which the great Frederick was accus-
toned to wind-to be sure a very insignii-
cant looking clock-whose hands continually
remain stationary at twenty minutes past
two. And the official guide maintains a very
straight face when he tells the story now
this clock suddenly stopped on the very day,
hour and minute that the victorious monarch
died and how to this day no one has ventured
either to wind the works or to move the
hands.
Be that as IL may, the fact that the great
Frederick did die is amply attested by the
existence of his tomb and sarcophagus in the
Garrisonkirche in Potsdam proper. The
church is simplicity itself. The only decor
atoms are OF a purely military character seen
in tho tnsteTnl fp1toOniuu nf tho fauc and
standards captured from the enemy during
the present century by the PrusSian army.
Those taken from France during the war of
the liberation and later 10 1901 are most
numerous as might be expected. A signif-
cant change is noticeable in the French flags
captured before and after Sedan which
marked the turning point when the
imperial eagle was dropped from the stand
ard, and the motto, "Republlque Franchise
again introduced.
In this plain garrison church, immediately
back OF the chancel is the vault of solid
mahogany, likewise unostentatious, in which
repose the remalns Of Frederick the Great,
within the metallic casket unmarried and
save by his name. Tue impos.
ing grandeur of the tomb of Napoleon in the
1nvalides in Paris, the elaborate ornateness
of the sarcophagus of Maria Theresa in the
Capucine church at Vienna, are here replaced
by an extreme simplicity none the less i'm
pressive. The body Of the father of Fred
erick ii. who had erected the church, has
also found a resting place beside that of his
son. The sacristan relates that in order to
solemnize its binding force, the
famous triple alliance between Frederick
William III of Prussia, Emperor Nicholas
Of Russia and Francis of Austria against Ma
poleon, was agreed to in this vault and over
this casket in the presence of only the queen
OF Prussia rs witness. Then, as a strange
coincidence, Napoleon himself, Just one year
later, after shattering this very alliance in
the battle OF lena came tn visit tho tomb pf
the greatest of Prussian monarchs in which
that alliance had been formed.
The Hohenzollern museum established in
the old Monbiiou palace at Berlin continues
the historical association of the members of
the royal family as shown in their remaining
personal effects. In the museum are collect.
cd the most interesting personal relics and
mementoes connected with the Hohen-
zollern museum past and present. The size
and variety of tho display is surprising.
While some relics of earlier times are exhib-
tied, tho special rooms devoted to particular
princes begin with the reign OF the Great
Elector in the latter part of
the eleventh century. The uniform
and equipment worn in battle oy the prince
attracts most attention. The fifty years be.
tween tho Great Elector and Frederick the
Great are well represented, but with the lat
Ter again appears the military character of
the house. The book chest carried in war,
portable case of flutes, swords, arms, even
the favorito horse employed on the field of
battle are displayed. 10 the personal effects
OF each OF the succeeding rulers is assigned u
special room. Uniforms, decorations, arms,
canes abound without number. Infant
clothes and playthings are well represented
and a direct line of evolution might be-
traced from the common tin soldiers OF
the earlier royal children down to
the beautifully armored mounted knight
that used TO be tho amusement of
the late Emperor Frederick. or the most
recent rulers, almost every sort Of personal
effect has been preserved. Exceedingly in
teresting are the rooms required to store tho
magnificent addresses sent to Emperor Will
liam on various occasions, as also those lined
with ribbons accompanying floral offerings at
the funerals of those of the royal family
lately deceased.
William H., the present German emperor
devotes much Of his time to his duties as
head OF the imperial army and personally SUI
pervlses the annual parades and mannuvres.
l had heard so much OF the excellence of the
German soldiers that an invitation TO visit
friends in kassel and at the same time to see
the Eleventh army corps was by no means
unwelcome. A hearty reception by MIR. Ber-
let, ton years ago a resident of Omaha, did
much TO mako up for the inconvenience OF a
long and dusty ride by rail from Berlin.
kassel, In ordinary times u very attractive
city, was doubly inviting In its gala clothes
OF .yari-oolored flags, f~estoons and greens.
uniformed soldiers were e~verywhore. The
empress hau already arrived on Thursday
and was Immediately Installed behind a mill
the same in which Napoleon Ill. spent sew
oral months OF pleasant Imprisonment Just a
decade ago.
On the evening of thu nth the main th,r.