Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-05-21
LETTER FROM EUROPE.
MARKGRAFENsTRAsSE 1854,
BERLIN, W.-GERMANY,
May 5, 1896.

which they have not previously seen,
are then visited. 1t gave the writer OPP
portunity for journey through central
Europe The route, starting from Ber-
lin, included as objective points, Nu-
remberg Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Blu
da-pest, Prague, Dresden, and return to
Berlin The distance is roughly some
| 500 miles. The duration of the trip
was Is days-March IA to April 81 So
beautiful and mild was the weather dur
ing the first II days, that an overcoat,
even at night was rather undesirable.
Leaving Berlin at $50 a. m, the Mu-
mich Express, which passes through
Halle. runs almost due south. The
sandy. rather sterile regions Of northern
Prussia. with their usually small farm
patches, and their artiticially cultivated
forests, are soon in the distance. The
soil becomes better, the farms apparent
Nv larger, and prosperous villages and
larger towns more numerous As the
Bavarian boundary is approached, the
evidence of approach to the better agrl-
cultural regions of Germany and of the
more advanced stage of the spring alike
increase. When the station on the
boundary is reached, Bavarians take the
place of Prussians as train officials, and
the contrast exhibited in the physical
proportions of the two sets is striking.
The PruSSian is tall and rugged IN APP
pearance. The Bavarian is short, rath-
er even in feature, and, by his eXtraordl-
nary waistmeaSure. animate evidence oil
the superiority of Bavarian beer. AS
the train proceeds, the attention OF the
observer is soon attracted by the build
ings. which are markedly different In
architecture and in material OF con-
struction from those seen in north Ger
many. Stone is here abundantly used
in the construction of houses, in north
German villages almost never. Black
slate roofs. instead of red tile ones, are
everywhere to be seen The Catholic
religion is strongly predominant IN Ba-
varia. Rather frequently is seen by the
country roadside solitary croSs-otten
supporting an image of the crucihed
Christ. This marks the spot where a
fatal accident befell some pious profess
sor of the Catholic faith. Here and
there. as the train speeds on, in the VI
cinity of village or small town, is OBJ
served an odd-looking graveyard. An
image of the crucified Christ on a cross
stands near the center. Innumerable
iron crosses, bearing inscriptions, and a
few tombStones, or monuments. mark
the respective graves. Much more does
one marvel on beholding, quite remote
from any village on lofty hill, a mag
nificent, solitary church with two huge
towers. 1t is one of those numerous
shrines to be seen in Catholic countries
This particular one is called TerzehN-
HeiEgen Fourteen Saints, and Is the
most frequented shrine in Franconia.
An altar within marks the spot, where,
according TO the legend which gave rise
to its foundation, the II 'NOthheLfer'
(.'helpers in need'O appeared to shep-
herd-boy in l446. To this altar, about
30. 900 pilgrims-many of them, afflicted
in body or spirit, journeying for days on
foot-annually come.
At about $50 p. m. the train halts in
the Nuremberg station. Rather unpic-
turesque in its location in level, though
excellent, agricultural region, Nurem-
berg is still. in external appearance.
probably the most unique and interest
ing of German cities. There is proba-
bly, no town in Germany'-says B@de-
ker in one of his Incompatible guides
still so medieval in appearance, or 50
suggestive of the wealth, importance,
and artistic taste of City of the EN-
pire." Since the dissolution of the
Holy Roman Empire, in 1906, it has be-
longed to Bavaria. The present popu-
lation of the city is about 10000. Our
own Longfellow has in verse (title, MI
remberg') made an attempt to portray
the charms of this old town, over which
poets and tourists alike are wont to rave.
But even if his words contained faith
full picture, much of ii would remain
dark or blurred to him whose fancy has
not been accustomed to the antique tea-
lures Of a medieval town. Nuremberg
was. during the middle ages, one OF the
most prosperous commercial towns and
one of the leading art centers OF Germa-
nv. Every branch of the tree of art was
sedulouslv cultivated and, TO each
branch, the city contributed one or more
masters. For workers in stone, stands
Adam Kraft: for woOd-carvers, Nelt
Stoss for braSs-founders, Peter Nischer'
his sons and Pancraz Labenwolf; for
goldsmiths. Wenzel JamintZer and Val
entin Mailer: for painters, AlbreCht Duer-
er and Michael Wohlgemut. Still more
marked were the triumphS in architect
ure. Few cities of equal size in the
world can boast a group Of churches to
compare with the splendid Gothic struc-
lures of Nuremberg, while certainly no
German city had exhibited such taste
and individuality in the construction Of
artistic residences. The general style
of the lofty houses, with their infinite
number and variety of high-peaked ga
beS is Gothic, touched by Renaissance
ornamentation, but there is great and
pleasing variety in detail. All branches
of art developed contemporaneously
with the commerce and political organi-
cation of the city, and the zenith of its
prosperity was attained about the be
ginning of the 10th century. 1t is the
- E Il , 1, fah