The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-04
THE GRAVEOF BISMARCK
Site Selected For the Mausoleum
Creates Dissatisfaction.
AN ARTISTS VIEW OF THE DEAD.

Professorvon Lenbach Declares There
Was Nothing That Would Inspire
Painter to Perpetuate the Scene
with Brush.
Berlin, Aug. 4.-Ambasador White
sent the following cablegram. yester-
day to Washington: II am requested
to convey the sincere thanks of EN-
peror William and the German people
to the president and people of the
United States for their message of
sympathy on the occasion of the death
of Prince Bismarck"
The influx of kilograms, letters and
wreaths at Friedrichsruhe Is unceas-
ing. Already the schloss overflows
with wreaths. and those arriving must
now perforce be placed in the garden.
1t is asserted that the family as
sembled at midnight, after the emper-
or's visit, for silent prayers in the
death chamber, and that then Prince
Herbert locked the room, where the
body will remain until a provisional
repository is prepared in the park.
The site selected for the mausoleum
does not give universal satisfaction
The North German Gazette says: "Out
that the site chosen is in a potato
field and close to a railway, where
trains pas almost without intermis-
sion. One would think the noise of
traffic must be a disturbing element In
the vicinity of the Bismarck mauso-
leum. In the words of the poet Inland,
the resting place of the dead is wont
to be the abode of silence"
PrpfpGgor Won T,anhaph tha
thus describes to the Lokal Anzeiger
his visit to Friedrichsrhue:
"The simple dwelling of the prince
is quite untitled to the scene of any ma
tional or public ceremony in connection
with his burial Thousands of letters
and kilograms. partly arranged and
answered and partly still unopened.
covered all the tables. Many were
from soveTelgns and illustrious person.
ages. 1t would have been impossible
to admit any but the most intimate
friends to the house.
THE members of the family were
quite exhausted and confused by the
excitement, as well as by their sorrow
and their difficulties were not dimin-
ished by the kilograms of the emperor
and by the divergence between the in
tentions of the deceased and those of
his majesty.
Although the features were unalter-
ed and the face looked as though Bis
marck were about to speak, there was
nothing that would inspire in a painter
desire to perpetuate the scene with
the brush. The ASPECT Of both the
dead and his surroundings seemed to
afford too realistic a picture for re-
production. 1t must have been for the
same reason that few great men have
been pictured on their biers. The
| deathbed of Rubens was undoubtedly
surrounded by great pupils of the mas
ter but none painted him. The dread
majesty of death cannot be reproduced
| by art. The only eminent man I ever
desired to portray at such a moment
was DR.. Dollinger, who in death re-
sembled Dante. In the case of Bis
| marck 1t would have been impossible
to catch the characteristic profile, and
the speaking, flashing eyes were for
| ever closed"
Professor Won Lenbach considers the
proposed site for the mausoleum, with
| the noise of the trains and the row of
telegraph poles facing 1t, quite insult
able, and he expresses the opinion that
Bismarck "ought to be buried with his
1t now turns out that as their ma
| jesties were leaving the death chamber
| the empress touched the emperor's arm
and said: William, there is the aged
| sister of the prince" and thereupon
| the emperor turned aside and shook
the hand of Frau Won Arnim, express
ing sympathy.
When Prince Herbert declined a sec
ond time the emperors proffer of a
grave in the Berlin cathedral his ma
| iesty indicated a plan for a national
monument. 1t is understood that he
proposes to place In the cathedral an
immense marble sarcophagus, with the
figure of Bismarck, in the uniform of a
| cuirassier.
According to the North German Ga
zette three volumes of Bismarck g
memoirs are already printed and ready
| for publication. For the moment the
press discussions are rather personal
than political, but there are indications
that ere long an active controversy will
arise over the letter of resignation and
| other Bismarckian matters.
No member of the family will attend
the memorial services in Berlin.