The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-08
DEER MARKERs IN GERMANY.
A Curious Feature OF Some of the
Great Beer Halls.


There is one feature of the great beer
halls Of Germany, and particularly of Mu-
Mich, unknown to the frequenters of like
resorts in this country. It is feature
so simple, so sensible and so picturesque,
too, that 1t is surprising that it has not
been imported along with German beer
and the custom of beer drinking in resorts
of large size. 1t is something that all Wis
itors to German beer halls &emark imme-
diately and with pleasure, and speak Of as
soon as they get home. This feature is
the use of beer markers.
A beer marker Is nothing more or less
than little puppet of knitted wool about
four inches high. Its purpose is to desig-
nate the beer mug you send back to be re-
plenished so that you may be sure of get
ting the same one back again, and not one
used by some other person. They use mugs
entirely on the other side, and the pewter
lids are provided with fasteners which
hold your beer marker securely. When
the kellnerin returns with half dozen
or more refilled mugs ii is an easy mat
ter for the drinker to recognize his own
particular marker.
1t was Munich the home Of beer, where
the custom of using beer markers was in
augurated. The LoWenbrau Keller, one Of
the most famous resorts i'm Germany, Is
the headquarters of the beer marker. An
old woman, known In every quarter of
Germany as the beer marker woman, has
the privileges of the resort. She knits
the quaint markers herself, and every
evening may be seen wandering from
table to table with a basket of them,
which she sells for 80 pfennigs, or about
y cents apiece. Her beer markers are
caricatures of well-known men. Empe-
ror william is one of the most popular
figures to be seen, born ruler of ma
jestic presence Qknitted), with his manly
breast covered with emblems made of tin.
His brown yarn mustaches sweep across
his face as if they wanted to kiss his
ears, while a faint tinge of red paint gives
color to his fat cheeks. The little figure
is carefully made, and the kaiser grasps
his sword as is he were showing his troops
the proper way to fight
Bismarck naturally comes next In pop
ularity, and not far behind follow DR..
Windthorst and Eugene Richter, his two
greatest political opponents. Note i3ls-
marcks three. hairs. They are all he
has in the world, and the woman VINO
knit the Iron Chancellor did not forget
a single one.
Then there is Caprivi CaprlW succeed
ed Bismarck as chancellor, but did not
stay in power long, There was dead set
against his policy from the beginning, but
during his short term Of office he became
noted throughout the empire. This beer
marker IS not half so effective as that OF
Lieut. Won Brusewitz, who has lately set
the tongue of Germany agog by killing
civilian in duel Brusewitz is more or
less of a military bully, and his oppo-
nent is said to have been guilty OF no
offense. Hence the stir.
The shah of Persia and the emperor OF
Russia are popular as beer markers, and
Boulanger, in red knit trousers, blue knit
coat and a beautiful white plume, Is still
to be seen In the beer halls.
At the present time one Of the most carl
catured men in Germany IS Father Kneipp
the noted preacher of the "Kneipp cure"
Kneipps theory IL that nervous troubles
may be cured II people will systematically
promenade with bare feet IN the early
morning dew. The beer marker shows
phlianthropic face and watering pot,
from which latter the good "Pfarrer" OBJ
taius artificial dew
one OF the most popular Of all beer
markers is the pretty kellnerin, or beer
maid with her gay bodice and her two
beer mugs-a familiar figure TO the Ger
mans. You also find many examples of
"Wurzl," the old vegetable woman with
carrot I'm her hand and a knobby nose
that almost touches her chin. We also
frequently see Wurzl Sepp, who, next 70
the kaiser and Bismarck, IS probably the
best known man In Germany. lie Is
queer old fellow, a hermit, In short, who
runs an Illicit still among the mountains,
and who may frequently be seen in this
most picturesque costume. short time
ago he was seen at the Berlin exhibition.
Lastly comes little beer marker IN a
long robe and hood, with a radish In one
hand and a beer mug IN the other. lie Is
called the "Munchener Kindi," or "Mu-
mich child" by some mysterious chain
OF events. in the olden time the arms OF
Munich became a little monk, or Mon
chen" from which we get the German
"NIunchen," or Munich. Now, the little
monk always held Bible in one OF his
hands, and raised the other In exhortation.
But Ia the Lowenbrau Keller we find him
with the radish and the beer mug. The