Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-29
OCCASION OF ELOQUENT TRIBUTES
Celebrated by a Banquet at Rev.
ter's Hotel.
LIST OF THE EST S

| Washington the day was celebrated by a
banquet given last night in the dining hall
! of the Hotel Reuter-. Here were present
| the prominent German-American and Ger
| incorporating residents of the capital city.
| Goethe was always the toast. His fame
| and greatness. recounted in words elo-
| quent, ELECTED enthusiastic applause and
| braves from the large assemblage seated
about the tastefully decorated tables. The
| occasion was love-feast of good will and
| harmony. The features were many, Teu-
| ton wit and good humor abundant
The banquet hall was draped with Ger
| man and American flags, strings of vines
and cut flowers looping from the ceiling in
| graceful curves to the side walls. and in
some instances joining the stretch of floral
decoration upon the tables. The great room
| was filed with the fragrance of blossoms.
The principal interest in the decorations.
however gathered about the crayon pic
lures of Goethe, occupying conspicuous and
| prominent places amid the banners and
| twining flowers. The larger of the two pic
| lures was executed by Mr.. julius like, and
| portrayed Goethe he was, in vigor and
strength, at the age of seventy-five years.
| The second picture was done by Miss Anita
Schade. and in it Goethe is seen at the age
OF twenty-five years, youthful energy and
! keenness of intellect showing unmistaka
bly, in face of great character.
| Eloquent Tributes.
| In song and instrumental music and in
| word pictures of strength and eloquence,
| Goethe's praises were showered upon the
| guests throughout the evening. Professor
! Schroeder's orchestra, directed by Mr..
! Raymond Schroeder, was stationed in the
| ante-room. rendering during the feast a
| program of happy selections, many of them
| new ard heard for the first time; others of
! the German school SO deeply appreciated
| by the Teuton folk. Mr.. Hugo Kurschner.
| Mr.. s. J. Kubel, Mr.. Henry jaeger and
Lott nr- ODD aI
| musical program. The toasts We're all in
| German. with the exception Of Mr.. Simon
| VOLTS and were distributed through the
| courses of the dinner, the deviation from
| the custom of awaiting the conclusion of
| feast before the Inauguration of the car
! nival of ele1uence proving to be an admir-
| able arrangement.
| particularly happy event Of the even
| ing was the presentation of testimonial
medal to Mr. Frank Claudy in apprecia-
| ton of that German scholars excellent in
| depreciation Of Faust"
The menu was distinctly German and the
| wines were Rhenish. Mr.. George w. Spier
| who has been the prime mover in arrang-
| ing for the celebration, acted toast
| master and was seated at the head of the
| two long tables, diverging in shape from
| the central point Mr.. Spier delivered a
| hospitable and hearty address of welcome,
saying by way of introduction that it was
| the love Of poet that made the hearts
| Of those present quicken. That was the
key note While Goethe, he exclaimed,
| was the greatest German poet he belonged
not only to that country, but to the entire
world. 1t was in this universal spirit the
| guests were welcomed
| Continuing, Mr.. Spier declared that the
Odyssey, although written thousands of
| years ago, had lost by time none of it's
| beauties. It would be with Goethe's
Faust" which would live generation
| after generation Such is the wondrous
made happier by Dim. In closing Mr.. spier
| said: Shakespeare and Goethe! May their
| songs live on forever"
| DR.. Chr. Strack read an original poem
| upon the significance Of Goethe's anniver-
| sary The offering was received with en-
| thusiasm. Printed copies of the poem were
distributed and will be kept as souvenirs
| of the occasion. Souvenir buttons, in
scribed. Goethe 1749-1s99," were also
| presented to the guests.
The First Toast.
| Goethe as lyric and epic poet was the
| first toast of the evening and was respond
! ed to by Mr.. w. l.. Elterich. president of
| the German Central Verein. The speaker
| treated the two phases of the poets work
| at some length. although he declared he
| might talk all evening without doing a
! 1.-THE of justice to the lyric and epic abh-
| ties of Germany's wonderful singer. What
he did say would serve only to make the
people marvel over the immense riches Of
| Goethe, who. in many centuries of human
history, has not had his like. Goethe's
poems, he exclaimed, in closing, will ever
| be counted among the nobiest and sublim-
est wherefrom mans soul derive eIe-
walton and inspiration.
Goethe a Dramatfst.
| Mr. Frank Claudy responded to the toast,
| Goethe as a dramatist." Mr.. Claudy was
| greeted with loud applause He dwelt upon
Faust" as the masters greatest drama, and
| called attention to many of the stronger
passages of the play, some of which he
pIx in n1,to amin md inst r11a-
| tive manner. His remarks upon the char
acter of Marguerite and the scenes and
spirit attending her death were eloquent
and productive of prolonged applause.
Prof Hugo kurschner, whose song earlier
| in the evening had attracted much atten-
ton, also spoke. He responded to the third
toast, Goethe a Naturalist The speaker
declared Goethe was almost as pre-eminent
| in science in his writings. He true
| to all around him. and in his philosophical
way was taught many lessons in his study
Of nature
Mr.. William Burchard spoke THE
Popular Sayings of Goethe" and MIR. Gus
tave Bender made a comparative study
between Goethe and Schiller. The former
showed great familiarity with Goethe's
works. His remarks were extemporaneous
and were delivered with rare wit and good
humor MIR. Bender said celebration in
honor of Goethe would not be complete
without the mention of his contemporary,
Schiller. Through the combined labors of
these authors German literature was
frcm purely national, has since expanded
to universal influence
influence, Past and Present.
Mr.. Simon Wolf responded to the toast
"Goethe's Influence, Past and Present" Mr.
Wolf spoke in English. His eloquent refer
ences to the author aroused much enthu-
siasm. The speaker declared that in spite
of the mastery treatings of Goethe III the
past, that genius, like Shakespeare, offers
up constantly new constructions of
thoughts and ideas, and produced for
an evolution in the material and mental
atmosphere that is wholesome and refresh
ing Thus" he continued ''at the one
hundred and fiftieth anniversary of his
birth we find ourselves congregated togeth-
er in the capital of the great and free re-
public of the west to pay homage, not as
belonging to any particular nationality or
creed, but as men and. cosmopolitans, who
recognize in the achievements of Goethe
that soul and mind kinship which embraces
the whole world and which knows no faith
erland; which spurns all sectarian bias.
Unquestionably the grand work Of all that
Goethe wrote and thought had this for
its inspiring motive, to work for humanity,
for civilization and to enlarge the domain
of intelligence in all directions, bringing
the various streams Of culture and devel-