New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-05
MEMORIES OF BERLIN.
II.
THE PALACE OF THE OLD EMPEROR IN TIIB
INTER DEN LINDEN, AND THE MAUSO.
LECM AT CHARlIOTTENBURG.

Berlin, May Is.
The Emperor Williams Palace. the second
Of the two chief buildings in Berlin, IL an edihoe
of far greater architectural prccnsions than either
OF the houses with which Prince Bismarck's name
is connected II was built so recently a. 1894
by somebody in whose mind the architecture OF
Greece had left vague "reminiscences. But the
broad front and the great portico. which looks
like an afterthouCht, are rather psenio-classic
than classic. and the palace i, OF stucco. There
lived and died the German Emperor. His rooms
were IN the ground hoor 10 the loft OF the
entrance, looking on the Inter den Linden to the
north, and an open space between the Palace ana
the Opera House 10 the east.
The Palace IL untcnanted Two scntincls %
the entrance keep watch and ward over the
shadows and memories Of the valiant and true
hearted sovereign whose home IL was. The blinds
are down The rooms where the Emperor died
are not shown. To the Palace itself there il no
admission for the public for the inqniring
stranger. The rooms, they say, are kept "a they
were when he died, yet yon will find In the
IIohen7oern Museum some relies which seem 70
have come from these same rooms. just opposite
the Palace, in the central avenue OF the Inter
den Linden, II Rauchs colossal equestrian statue
Of the Great Frederick The two wore ~ neigh.
bors. for il William had not the masterful
genius either for or politics. Of his ancestor,
his services TO Prussia were not less and Frrd-
erck's services TO Germany were. II not negative.
Indirect
This il. NJ any rate. one OF the two spots IN
Perrin where the birthplace and the cradle OF
the German Empire must he looked for II L. 81
little usc except as a matter Of Justice e indi-
viduals 20 Try N weigh out the proportion 81
merit which belongs 10 the Emperor or Ch,n,ellor.
Il. th., hi nj ~
Indispensable 10 The other, AMI Gcrmanys debt
10 each 1. immcasurabl".
Imagine for one moment the present Emperor
A. King Of Prussia from 1862 TO 1871. II is oer-
tain there would have been no victory Of Prussia
over Austria no victory of Germany over France.
no welding of all tho warning German elements
into one imperial whole What could "A Bismarck
have lone in those days. any more man how' "
his Kings first thought had been 20 get rih OF MS
abicst and most experienced minister III VIII
lam | had possessed the characteristics OF
William Ibis cgoiism, his vanity, h~
habit Of continually referring all events ana IN
forests 10 himself, his conviction OF ms own in'
fallibility. coupled with that int"i"ctnal IN
certainty which springs from an imperfect ana
ill-informcd intelligence. his r"stl'esn'>s po'n
OF mind and body. his want OF sane mental ha"-
;.s bis imnulsivenc-s. his inexpcricnce his dis
LOYALTY those
moss Of v,ew-an these. with a malady which az
times drives him half NAL with pain, ana y's
with immense energy and power Of W 'rk. and de-
sire Of work. Of doing something, not 80 much
with reference 10 an end a. for the sake OF d'ihs
IL, and Of mere distraction. and with morbid N"s
conscientious conviction that he was all IN" WINS
fu,6llinc a divin, mission-il this hal been 10
tempcr and temperament Of the Old Emperor AZ
:, l.. of his grandson where would Germany nave
been?
The suprcme merit Of william ] was nos
comma nor ncrhap, even first rate ability, "ithcr
political or military; but character Ills honesty
lovulty simplicity II nature were FNohi pr"i'c'
and in his devotion 10 Germany he forgot hIlnsci.
lie had no jealousy Of a superior servant no nsea
him and ms superiority Cor all he was WORTH
lie trusted him, but not blindly: he cNp'e''u ~
10 convinced and hard sometimes was III" ms"
Of convincing him, or Of opening the ii'""hHon'i"
mind 10 new ideas. Mr. Whitman. whose book on
Imperial Germany H. mastcrpi"c" IN rs MINI
but needs 10 DO rad critically, gives KING Will
i,,n ,he credit of having conceived ana up -
certain point carried out or tried to carry ouf. inc
scb.mn If increasing and strengthening The rus
la Army He dates the birth Of that idea IN
rho king. mind from the formation Of the VA
,ional Union" at Frankfort, IN ls3o. lie uoes
NOT expressly say but he implies thar the Ming
had NJ that early date something ike h"'ioh"A
unity in vicw and that lie fcresdw the necessity
of a struggle with Austria lhus arose conn'o'
between Crown and Parliament, saws Nr "n'
man. and not till several Ministers ha'i iaeh Va"
the King send for Bismarck.
The facts need not he disputed: the ih'c'cn'~
Mr. Whitman draws or means US 70 ara" "''A
them are not. | think, correct My hii"" So
h,cIk ia 4 conversation with Prince Bismarck III
1866. Of which | took notes at tue 'i"''' ""''
,hoso mites are in existence Nothing could ne
mar. oc,r or precise than the way in when 'nc
Cb,rcelor then described the long series OF EFFORTS
bv which he finally brought the King To consens
20 . war with Austria. The King thou2' q
fratricidal war. lie thought the Emperor "
Austria not only kind OF elder Dro'iifi' o"' NV
natural head Of Germany. 10 GUST nun ""
nut himself in his place was far IRON n's '''o"e''
1t was rot. said Prince BisnarcH' ""o w" w.,
Tho, Count bismarck, It'll / had persuaded iiis
Majesty that his honor as sos"'cr wac "
VOWED that he consented 10 attack Austria
MA mor,ent that became clear 10 him, the DIM
cul,v wns no longer TO urge him on. but 10 re-
.,,,i, him, I quote the substance, not inc
words but Of the substance and meaning 'nero
ean hc no doubt. ~
II is not necdfu 10 pursue these r"miniscehoes'
rhich MIGHT IN the end prove less interesting
10 the reader than 10 M. All want Is 10 u"
dicatc the Empcrors place in Imperial history ana
10 point ont once that. given tho cohs'"u
ton Of Prussia and the authority OF the klng anu
the traditions and temper of the people oil fr"S-
sin. the King was factor in all this busires- nos
less Indispensable than his Chancellor ilad ne
been other than he was, the world would ha's
heard a good deal less of Bismarck. ana the courso
Of European history, and OF German history aoo's
all. had surely been other than II Wis 3D. :"
peat, here the Inter den Linden. nara Dy '"0
enigy Of tn" Great Frederick aud III tue ."''',
whose windows, now darkencd and dc>oiafc iooSe.
ono. ON t,,e )pcra platz. must lie sought one OF
rho TWO sources whence flowed the clear, strong
stream of German unity and empire
These two visits paid, there remained tni'u'
and we drove 10 Charlottenburg. Our way ny
! through the Brandenburg Gate 10 the ho''s'
Plat. and past the Monument OF victory