New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-09
IMPERIAL POETRY.
WILLIAM I OF GERMANY AS A POE


Those who are familiar with the general outlines
Of the life OF Emperor william OF Germany, and
who have any knowledge OF his sturdy s'ragnuor-
ward character, may De surprised TO learn That ne
had yoetcal ambitions at least once In his eventful
career In book published recently under the title
Emperor william | and His Literary Treatment OF
Decisive Questions ana Periods Of His Time" Is
printed a poem. "The Upper Rhine from the mon
arch's pen. 1t was written in 1910. AT time when
the future Emperor approaching the hcth an
niversary OF his birth. Although the poem IS hardly
destined take the relative rank in the literature Of
the Fatherland that will be accorded TO his deeds in
German history. 1t IS not without merit Parts OF 1t
remind the readers Of a welknown German song; but
II foretes events in which the Emperor subsequently
played an important part. 1t reads as follows:
DER OBERRlIEIN.
sie habcn Inn da obcn
Den alien deutschen Rhein,
Deshalb soil stcts gehOben
Das Schwert des Deutschen eein.
Nit welcher schalkheit raubte
We'll Deutschland init dem Haupte
Des Reichs In Fehde stand.
Du strassburr Burg der starkcn
Won Frankreich und Burgund,
So lang dOrt Tasen Franken.
Wird Deutschland NIGHT gesund.
Den Munster streckt den Finger
Zum IIimmeszet empor
IND drohet dem Bczwinger,
IND dem, der ibn verlor.
Dem Reich und elnst dem Kaiser.
wohl an des Rheines Strand,
Sci du des wegeS WeSer
lns stole FTankenand.
Der Rhein soil Deutschlands Erden
In semen ganzen Lauf
Wohl weder eigen werden,
EOlt cure Banner auf!
So violin wirs wieder haben
Das Got unserm Blut
We'll doIt schon langst begraben
Der deusche Adler ruht.
Du Walk aus den vogesen
IND dem Ardennerwald
Wiz Wolen dch eroSen
Won frcmder Truggewalt.
Damn musst du auch vernehmen
Den deutschen BundcSruf
IND dich der knrchtSchaft schamen
Die walsche Art dir schuf.
Ind solltcst du dch straubcn
IND fuhlst die Knechtschat nj ht,
50 wOlen Wiz dich trcben
Zu dciner kindesp1icht
Damit cnst define Kinder
DOch mocen DcutSchc sein
Ind sioh der Ceberwlndcr
Won Lreu Natcn frcun.
50 wolcn w,ir Tim ha9cn
Den altcn dctuschen Rhein;
Damn orst wirf Ginz b,graben
Das SchWegt der DcutSChen sen.
The ideas in each Of the stanzas literally translated
INTO prose, follows:
The sword Of the Germans must be ever raised,
because thcy possess the upper German Rhine
many's fcud with the Empires head
II cannot be Wen with Germany so long as the
French rave about sraSburg. the citadel of the brave
OF France and burgundy.
It's cathedral points its finger toward heaven, threat
enins the COnQucrOr and him who lost.
one day IL must be the guide OF the Empire and
the Emperor into the proud land Of the French
The Rhine, throughout its course. must belong again
TO Germany. Therefore The banner must be raised.
The Germans shall have again the land Of their
fathers. where long ago buried the German Eagle
They shall deliver again the people OF the NosSes
and The Ardcune Forest from miSrtle
Those people must hear again the German cry OF
union. and he ashamed of the slavery to which for
eiCnerS subjected them.
If they should object and not feel the shame, they
will be forced Ia do their fal duty.
Then In the future their children may be Germans
and make sport OF the cOnquerors Of their ancestors
Thus Germans Will rule again the German
Rhine. for tho first time will be buried forever
the German sword.