Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12
OPENING THE REICHSTAG.
A Pen Picture of the Impressive German
Ceremony.

rrespondence Of The Evening Star.


BERLIN, July Z, 1ss3
Eleven O'Clock in the morning OF a bright
July day is rather an early hour 70 On
fun evening dress. with white cravat ahd
Kid gloves. but IL was "Auf AIlerhochsts,u
betehl, and In matters Of etiquette there
is no resisting a royal command. Not be-
ing entitled to wear q German uniform.
and having no CONNECTION with any foreisn
embassy, this somewhat oppressive costume
was an Indispensable. condition OF my a.
mittance to the white saloon" of the i'm
periaI schioss on the 4th of this month N
witness the brilliant and imposing cere-
mony OF the festive opening of the new
reichstag by the kaiser in person. The
nour appointed was noon, but i was care
ful TO present myself at the DESIGNATED en-
trance soon after II O'clock and on exhibits
LIZ my caro- OF invitation. was at once
SHOWN the way TO one OF the two trtbunes
or galleries, which overlook the splendid
chamber. and Of which one is reserved for
government officials. while the other IL
devoted TO the use OF the few favored
members Of the body polite who are for-
tunate enough TO obtain cards OF admissios-
In the White Salon.
In the recent transformation OF the vhise
salon many advantageous changes have
been made. one Of the most noticeable IL
which is that the numerous CHANDELIERS
which formerly interfered with the viey
from the balconies have given place 40
tnree ponoerous pendants, adorned with the
same profusion Of rock crystal prisIas
which decorated the older ones, but SO ar-
ranged as not TO obstruct the view, while
tncandescent electric lights have been SUBJ
stituted for candles. In old times the de-
vice adopted for the lighting of these cah-
dles-hundreds Of them-was a veritabie
WORK OF art continuous strand OF cotton
fibre, stepped in some infiammable mate-
rial which gave IL the quality of tinder.
was wound around the wick OF each candle
In succession, and the end OF IL hung with
Ia arms reach in one corner of the salooh-
The application OF a match ignited the
train, and as the FIRE leaped rapidly from
tip TO tip the room was In a few moments
In a blaze of light All this preliminary
trouble now gives way TO the simple turn-
Another great Improvement is the change
In the position Of the throne from the end
70 one of the long sides OF the saloon.
which gives opportunity on ceremonial oe-
casions for q much more picturesque and
effective grouping than was formerly pos
sible This was particularly observable last
TUESDAY, when the kaiser was emphatcally
me central figure. while the members -
tne bundesrath and reichstag. Of whom
n neatg oh re- We're In uniform, and the
sronpeo upon the right and left OF the
The throne is a capacious and heavily
gilded chair. upholstered in crimson velvet,
raised upon a platform or dais three stels
above the level Of the floor and overhung
by canopy the velvet draperies Of which
are embroidered with the arms OF the We
rous German states. and are gathered into
an inapef1ai crown at the apex OF the BAL
dacchino. while the metallic frame which
supports and confines their folds Is decked
at each corner with a plume of three larss
spectively-the imperial colors When the
ceremony TO be performed concerns the
kingdom of Prussia only, as was the case
on "Wednesday, when the two houses OF the
lsndtae, having completed their prescribed
legislative term OF i've years. assembled 20
silver throne e is snbstituted for the roldes
one. the hangings display the Hohenzollern
arms, and the plumes exhibit only the Prus4
sian colors. black and white.
Preliminary Religious Services.
At $50 o'clock religious services were held
for the Catholic members OF the reichstas
in the neighboring church OF St Hedwie.
on the Opern-Platz-the round church" -
| familiar to the recollection OF every visitor
to Berlin-and for the Protestsnts IN the
| beautiful chapel OF the palace itself. The
latter was attended by the kaiser and the
princes OF the royal house. and Il was near
ly a quarter past IL when the subdued ana
distant strains of the choral Nun dsnket
Ale Gott' announced its conclusion Then
the kaiser appeared In his favor1te whits
uniform OF the Cuirassiers OF the Guard.
with the broad orange ribbon of the Order
/ Of the Black Eagle across his breast ad-
vaneing from the grand stsire s wnles
4 into a bower Of greenery. preceded by some
| thirty pages In their uniforms Of vefvet
He cordially greeted the assembled repre-.
sentatives. and withdrew for a time 70 an
adjoining room. while the court trumpeters
4 helm Won Nassaue" with admirable effect.
| tempertng their blasts TO the acoustic con-
ditions OF the room. Then entered .hs
council, led by Count Won Csprfvf and the
Bayarian plenipotentiary. Count won Lef-
ehenteld: and as thsy TOOK shs,r Place, ,r On
ceeded TO inform the kaiser that al was ~
readiness. A moment afterward tnree
l Economies on the floor announced the enc
| trance of the emperor and reduced the bun
xing assembly TO absolute silence
An Impostng Ceremony.
| The castle guards. ranged on the eaS
side of the great hall. presented srmA the
colors were dipped. the officers headed By
the kaisers adjutant. Major Won Moltke.
| nephew Of the great marshal lowered their
| swords in salute, and the assembled repre-
sentatives responded TO the call OF their
Oldest associate Herr Dieden. nov IN his
eighty-third year. by a thrice repeated
'.Hochr' for their sovereign As the latter
1 assembled the steps OF the throne. which
were carpeted with velvet. he put on his
| helmet. the "Aclerheim" OF the Cuirassiers.
| surmounted by a silver eagle with extended
| wings, and, turning to his audience with
the customary military salute. at once be.
gan TO read the speech which had been
| handed 20 him by the chancellor. He had
already done enough that day TO weary =
y
/ risen by O'Clock, for he rode In from the
| New Palace" at Potsdam. seventeen milek.
| on horseback. and passed the Brsndens
| burg gate at $40 on his way to the Schloss,
where the Intervening time was occupied
| In the reception and consideration OF ofhe
/ cial reports. But he looked remarkably
| fresh and vigorous. and read the speech In
his clear, strong, and by no means unmusi.
| cal voice. accentuaung each syllable With
as much distinctness as II he had been =
professor OF elocution. He was evidently
| inspired by the occasion, for when he had
| finished reading he closed. almost violently,
the cover In which the printed text Of the
| address had been inserted, and, drawing
himself up with an apparent sense OF re.
lief from the trammels which had bound
him. he added this improvised exhorfationf
And now. gentlemen. to your work. May
| the God OF our fathers look down upon
you from above and bestow upon you His
blessing to the completion Of an honorable
| work for the veal of the Fatherlandi
| Amenr' The unwonted earnestness with
| which these words were uttered produced
| profound impression upon all present,
and as the kaiser descended the steps OF
the throne and retired from the hall he
was greeted on all sides with a spontaneous
| more than his words. made IL clear to
| every one of his auditory that IL was his
| sincere conviction that the reorganization
| of the army was a measure absolutely es-
sential to the defense and safety OF the
| country.
With two exceptions. all the political par
ties were represented In the assembly at
the Schloss The socialists, of course, were
| NOT there for In the pride OF their humility