The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-29
HOME LIFE IN GERMANY.
MANY OF ITS LITTLE DETAILS
BROUGHT


SOuTLSHlp III the ldlllelletHNi OiiSouii
ters more obstacles than with irrespon
sible Uncle Sam. Youths and maiden
ly intercourse they enjoy in America
and hence marked attentions from an.
young man are sooner Interpreted a.
implying Il mind made up and he Is ex
pected to declare himself forthwith
Marriage in Germany requires NOR
prelimnaries. Among the middle ant
higher classes business interviews ar
necessary to settle the question or dow
er Finally the government assumes
paternal mien and demands number
documents of the bridal para certifi
cate of birth, one of baptism and anoth
er Of the parents approval. If these
are satisfactory, the marriage is per
mitted to proceed, with the proviso thai
the knot must be tied In the office OF
civil magistrate, whether or not FOL
lowed later by another ceremony II
church or home. The object of all this
red tape is to deter from hasty mar
riages and to impress with the impor-
tance Of the solemn act. The German
word for wedding is hochzeit, the 'cul-
mination' in life.
All festivities over, the bridal pair i'm
mediately proceed to found their home
Hotels and boarding houses in Germa-
ny are for transients, not for resident
families. Abandoning home to escape
the cares Of housekeeping probably new
er was heard of there. They have an
untranslatable word, gemuth, richer
and stronger than our sentiment" and
all the feeling this word conveys per-
vades the atmosphere of their homes.
The ordinary duties and belongings be-
come invested with poetry While the
maiden Is rearing the myrtle tree that
will furnish sprays for her bridal
wreath, she is accommodating the store of
household linen, enough for lifetime,
bordering it and inserting it with her
own handiWork OF course she will new
| err willingly relinquish the care Of stores
| interviewer with 50 many dreams of
girlhood days. Much emphasis is laid
upon thorough training in domestic af-
fairs, There are numerous schools of
household management" where, al
though other branches are taught, stress
is laid upon instruction in the complete
care of home.
Numerous factors minimize friction in
German housekeeping. Kitchens have
no race problem to solve; all the ser
wants are natives. Maid and mistress
have therefore some glimmer of each
others class traditions; they employ a
common mother tongue and generally
meet in a common religion. Universal
military training has induced a respect
for authority that penetrates to remote
corners of the household and becomes
manifest in the superior discipline
among the children as we'll as the ser
want;
From castle to cottage the invariable
morning meal consists of nothing but
rolls and coffee. Usually the bread sup
ply and all pastry are procured from the
bakery. There are special shops that
furnish cold meats or innumerable kinds
of sausage for supper. Laundry work
receives attention once month, among
many great folk once in three, and most
of the clothing Is maneled, dispensing
with much ironing. The great wash
ing" becomes an occasion of Importance,
calling for extra help and affording OPP
portunity for frolic as well as fatigue
before the glossy linen is ready to lay in
lavender assorted in dozens and tied
with blue ribbon.
German homes have few rivals among
institutions. The state church makes
little claim upon evenings Women's
clubs or other organizations do not
abound, and after men acquire a COM
potency they usually retire from bust
ness. The beer garden might prove a
more dangerous competitor if it were
not for the habit of family man to
take his wife and children along. Even
ings therefore, commonly assemble the
family for eight o'clock supper, and
their love of conversation and music de-
tains them till bedtime in the living
room. 1t is remarkable how entertain
ing German ladies can be, while their
fleet fingers never rest from knitting or
other handiwork. Separate members of
a household are not wont to retire from
the give-and- take of conversation for
reading newspaper or other solitary
pleasure.
The German father is generally a
greater force in his home, and the chill
dren less dominant, than the American
Blended with characteristics of striking
maturity, there is a singular childlike-
ness among Germans which renders
them delightful companions to children.
Storytelling, together with charming
narration of personal experiences, is a
common art. They are skilled in all
manner Of amusing tricks and accom-
Many are the simple pleas
ures they contrive within their four
walls and by means Of their family out
ings. Besides, Germans dearly love |
celebration, and commemorate variety |
Of holidays and anniversaries.
Notwithstanding the relative pro1ni- !
hence of pleasure and play in German |
homes, it is kept within strict bounds. |
The use of mild alcoholic drinks has |
prevailed co long because as a people |
hey have remained able to imbibe with |
moderation. Their church |
s not yet aroused on the temperance |
1uestion-is scarcely aware of it. But |
within recent years the most powerful |
protest anywhere against even the mod
srate use of beer and wine has been pro-
feeding from band of eminent German
physicians and medical professors.
The German race has inhabited the
iame territory since before the days of
Christ. Marked class distinctions have
developed, including varying rank and
legree within each class The four
classes are the nobility, the
>easantry, the citizens and the fourth