The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-03
OUR SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS.
GERMAN HOME LIFE.
BY COUNT A. BERNSTOFF.

nowhere SO StTOnS DIS WIFI Ine OeT-
mans. The longing for the old home
follows them everywhere. While the
Englishman takes his home with him
into the most distant lands-his house
being everywhere an English home
the German easily loses his national
customs. He is more inclined to
adapt himself to the new surround
ings, but the love for the old
home remains; the recollection of
the father-house, be it ever SO small,
keeps alive in his heart. Foreign ma
tions have recognized this in using
the word "fatherland" especially for
the Germans country. Truly the
Swiss will not miss his glaciers more
than the native of the March of
Brandenburg his sandy heath with
the dark lining of firwood in the hori-
zon. Already the old Germans hung
with tenacity to the inherited piece
of land which they defended to the
utmost against their enemies. In
this home the woman, even before
she was raised and ennobled by
Christianity, held prominent place.
We now read with pride the testimony
given by the Roman historian Tacitus
to the strict morality of the old Ger
mans. Also to day the happiness of
the home is chiefly dependent upon
the woman. The letters recently
published of Moltke and Bismarck
show how much in the development
of these two great Germans is due to
the influence of their mothers. Who
ever is acquainted with the life of the
great poet Goethe, knows how i'm
portant was the influence exercised
by Frau Ruth" Queen Louise of
Prussia, the mother of our great En-
peror William l., still lives in the
hearts of the people as a model wife
and mother, helping her husband to
bear in submission to God and in I'M
daunted fortitude his great trials
when Napoleon I. tried to erase
Prussia from the map of Europe, and
training her children in great sim
plicity for their future high calling.
And if at present we throw a glance
into the imperial castle, we find the
first woman of Germany surrounded
by happy group of children, who
move about in the most simple and
childlike manner, the JOY of the ma
ton; and their education rests,
though not entirely, yet to great ex-
tent in the hands of their mother,
Empress Augusta Victoria. 1t is
known that every night before retir-
ing to rest she passes through the
and so far as her other
duties allow her to be present at a
fixed hour, leads herself the evening
prayers of her Children.
But also in humber spheres the
woman reigns as queen in her little
kingdom. When the wife of landed
her interest lies in the well
fare Of the workingmen and of the
servants, to whom she proves faith
full friend in good and bad days.
When the wife of professor or an
official with large number of chill
dren, she must often use much dill
gence and inventive genius to make
the moderate income of the father
suffice. We find her therefore in the
kitchen, or occupied with needle and
thimble, dedicating her best strength
to the material wants of her family,
and, therefore, sometimes without
sympathy for the higher interests of
her husband, quiet and modest in
society.
Work is the leading element in the
life of the man in Germany. Men
profession are rare excep-
ton. Their vocation as officials,
officers, professors, ETC., naturally
takes up the greater part of their
life. The first question one puts
about man in Germany is "What
is he2" Even men of great means,
who would perhaps in other countries
be satisfied with the position their
wealth grants them and consider the
spending of their money as a suffi-
Gent occupation, seek an employ
ment of some kind in the service of
the country in order to secure a posi-
ton, because a man who is nothing"
is not sufficiently honored. There
fore not only the management of the
household, but also the education of
the children falls to the lot of the
woman. 1t has been said, "While
the Englishwoman isabove all things
wife and helpmate of her husband,
the German woman is first of all
mother" Nevertheless unhappy
marriages are fortunately rare, and
divorce, though rendered very easy
by our laws, which bear the lax char
acter of the last century, is not par